Scan 129

A popular history of music, musical instruments, ballet, and opera, from St. Ambrose to Mozart, 1888

4 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. Printed page 113. See the scan on archive.org.

1the first twenty-five were published at Venice in 1724, under the title of Estro Poetico Armonico, Parafrasi sopra i primi venticinque salmi, the following twenty-five being brought out in 1726 and 1727. They are written for one, two, three, or four voices, with figured bass for the organ, sometimes with obbligato string parts. The variety which they show testifies to the great powers of their composer; in fact, they are a mine of beauty which in the present day has been lost sight of. Several editions were brought out in Venice, and an excellent one, with English words, in London by Avison, organist of Newcastle-on-Tyne, whose name has lately been brought before the public by Mr. Browning in his Parleyings with Certain People. Avison was an enthusiast for the works of Marcello, having written an Essay on Musical Expression, the main purpose of which was to exalt Marcello at the expense of Handel.

3But Marcello has other claims to notice. In addition to his musical works, he was the author of a brilliant little satire, Il teatro alla moda, the first edition of which was published in 1727,—possibly earlier. It professes to give instructions in their duties to all the persons engaged in a theatre, much in the style of Swift's Directions to Servants, the publication of which (1745) it preceded by several years. For example, it is by no means necessary that the virtuoso should be able to read or write, or that he should pronounce his vowels well, or that he should understand the meaning of the words, but very desirable that he should jumble up sense, letters, and syllables, in order to show his taste in shakes, etc. He must always take care

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