Charles Burney

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

London: T. Becket and Co., 1773

Rome

instrument. Signor Colista played seve-
ral fugues, in which the subjects were fre-
quently introduced on the pedals, in a very
masterly manner. But it seems as if
every virtue in music was to border upon
some vice; for this stile of playing
precludes all grace, taste, and melody;
while the light, airy harpsichord kind of
playing, destroys the sostenuto and rich-
ness of harmony and contrivance of which
this divine instrument is so peculiarly
capable.

It is very extraordinary that the
swell, which has been introduced into the
English organ more than fifty years, and
which is so capable of expression and of
pleasing effects, that it may well be
called the greatest and most important
improvement that ever was made on any
keyed instrument, should be still utterly
unknown in Italy*. The touch too of the