Observations on the Florid Song Part 11

[84] See for the Examples, Pl. V. Numb. 8.

[85] See Example, Pl. VI. Numb. 1.

[86] See Example, Pl. VI. Numb. 2.

_N.B._ An _Appoggiatura_ cannot be made on an unaccented Syllable.

[87] See for Examples, Pl. VI. Numb. 3.

[88] See for Examples, Pl. VI. Numb. 4.

[89] Some, after a tender and pa.s.sionate _Air_, make a lively merry _Cadence_; and, after a brisk _Air_, end it with one that is doleful.

[90] Though this Chapter regards Singers who make it their Profession, and particularly those who sing on the Stage, yet there are many excellent Precepts interspersed, that are of Use to Lovers of Musick.

[91] _Kyrie_, the first Word of the Ma.s.s-Musick in the Cathedral Stile, is not so difficult to them as the _Cantata's_; and the _Latin_ in the Service, being familiar to them, saves them the Trouble of attending to the Words.

[92] _Thomas Morley_ (who lived above an hundred Years ago) in the third Part of his Treatise, pag. 179, speaking of _Motetts_ or Anthems, complains thus:--'But I see not what Pa.s.sions or Motions it can stir up, being as most Men doe commonlie Sing,--leaving out the Ditty--as it were a Musick made onely for Instruments, which will indeed shew the Nature of the Musick, but never carry the Spirit and (as it were) that lively Soule which the Ditty giveth; but of this enough. And to return to the expressing of the Ditty, the Matter is now come to that State, that though a Song be never so wel made, and never so aptly applyed to the Words, yet shall you hardly find Singers to expresse it as it ought to be; for most of our Church-men, (so they crie louder in the Quire then their Fellowes) care for no more; whereas, by the contrarie, they ought to study how to vowel and sing clean expressing their Words with Devotion and Pa.s.sion, whereby to draw the Hearer as it were in Chaines of Gold by the Eares to the Consideration of holy Things. But this, for the most part, you shall find amongst them, that let them continue never so long in the Church, yea though it were twentie Years, they will never study to sing better than they did the first Day of their Preferment to that Place; so that it seems, that having obtained the Living which they sought for, they have little or no Care at all, either of their own Credit, or well discharging of that Dutie whereby they have their Maintenance.'

[93] In _Italy_, the Courts of _Palma_, _Modena_, _Turin_, &c. and in _Germany_, the Courts of _Vienna_, _Bavaria_, _Hanover_, _Brandenbourg_, _Palatine_, _Saxony_, &c.

[94] There have been such, who valued themselves for shaking a Room, breaking the Windows, and stunning the Auditors with their Voice.

[95] The renowned Abbot _Steffani_, so famous for his _Duetto's_, would never suffer such luxuriant Singers to perform any of them, unless they kept themselves within Bounds.

[96] _Nicolini_, who came the first time into _England_ about the Year 1708, had both Qualities, more than any that have come since. He acted to Perfection, and did not sing much inferior. His Variations in the _Airs_ were excellent; but in his _Cadences_ he had a little of the antiquated Tricks. _Valentini_, (who was here at the same Time) a Scholar of _Pistochi_, though not so powerful in Voice or Action as _Nicolini_, was more chaste in his Singing.

[97] The two Women, he points at, are _Cuzzoni_ and _Faustina_.

[98] The _Carnaval_ is a Festival in _Italy_, particularly celebrated at _Venice_ from _Christmas_ to _Lent_, when all Sorts of Diversions are permitted; and at that Time there are sometimes three different Theatres for Opera's only.

[99] Our Author has often mentioned Time; the Regard to it, the Strictness of it, and how much it is neglected and un.o.bserv'd. In this Place speaking of stealing the Time, it regards particularly the Vocal, or the Performance on a single Instrument in the _Pathetick_ and _Tender_; when the Ba.s.s goes an exactly regular Pace, the other Part r.e.t.a.r.ds or antic.i.p.ates in a singular Manner, for the Sake of Expression, but after That returns to its Exactness, to be guided by the Ba.s.s.

Experience and Taste must teach it. A mechanical Method of going on with the Ba.s.s will easily distinguish the Merit of the other Manner.

[100] A farther Animadversion against imitating Instruments with the Voice.

[101] Many Graces may be very good and proper for a Violin, that would be very improper for a Hautboy; and so with every Species of Instruments that have something peculiar. It is a very great Error (too much in Practice) for the Voice, (which should serve as a Standard to be imitated by Instruments,) to copy all the Tricks practised on the several Instruments, to its greatest Detriment.

[102] _Pa.s.so_ and _Pa.s.sagio_. The Difference is, that a _Pa.s.so_ is a sudden Grace or Flight, not uniform. See Pl. VI. Numb. 5. A _Pa.s.sagio_ is a Division, a Continuation, or a Succession of Notes, ascending or descending with Uniformity. See Pl. VI. Numb. 6.

[103] This alludes to the _French_ Manner of Singing, from whence that Defect is copy'd.

[104] The Time he alludes to, is at present between thirty and forty Years ago.

[105] Compare this Section with Section 41 in this Chapter and the Note.

[106] This is a Fault more than once heard of, in _Oratario's_ or _Motetts_.

[107] See Example, Pl. VI. Numb. 7.

[108] _Faustina_ and _Cuzzoni_, they both having within these few Years been in _England_, there needs no other Remark to be made on them, but to inform Futurity, that the _English_ Audience distinguish'd them Both and at the same time, according to their Merit, and as our Author has describ'd them.

It may be worth remarking, that _Castilione_, who lived above two hundred Years ago, in his _Cortegiano_, describes _Bidon_, and _Marchetto Cara_, two famous Singers in his Time, with the same distinguishing Qualifications.

[109] See Examples, Pl. VI. Numb. 8 and 9.