Charles Burney

The Present State of Music in France and Italy (2nd, corrected edition)

London: T. Becket and Co., 1773

Rome

in Christendom. I here heard high mass
performed in the Colonna chapel, by two
choirs, and saw it played by Signor Co-
lista, the celebrated organist of that
church, on a little moveable organ The
music was by Signor Casali, Maestro di
Capella, who was there to beat time. I
was introduced both to him and to Sig-
nor Colista, after the service; and the
latter upon being entreated to let me hear
the great organ, very obligingly consented,
upon condition that Monsignore il Pre-
fetto of the church was applied to;
which is a necessary ceremony in conse-
quence of some injury formerly done
to the instrument, by the malice or ig-
norance of a stranger who had played
upon it. This application was readily