Books › the history of the violin, 1864 › scan 184
Scan 184
the history of the violin, 1864
17 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 162. See the scan on archive.org.
1sacred music too much like the secular; but Cornelius Agrippa does not give a very flattering account of church singing previous to their admission: "Non humanis vocibus, sed belluinis strepitibus cantillent; dum hinniunt discantum pueri, mugiunt alii tenorem, alii latrant contrapunctum, alii frendent altum, alii boant bassum, et faciunt ut sonorum quidem plurimum audiatur, verborum et orationis intelligatur nihil."
3Towards the middle of the eighteenth century, the order of church music would appear to be somewhat reversed, as about 1749, Benedict XIV. refers to the use of "violoni, violoncelli, fagotti, viole, et violini," in the sacred services, whilst "i timpani, i corni da caccia, le trombe, gli oboe, i flauti, i flautini, i salteri moderni, i mandolini, & simili stromenti," were excluded. Feyjoo, the Grand Master of the Benedictines in Spain, objected to violini, but allowed the violone called the basso, arpa, cembalo, &c. At St. Paul's Cathedral, London, about the time mentioned by Gerbert, there were only four or eight voices, without any other musical instruments than the organ and the barbiton, e.g. fidiculare, violoncello, theorba.
5Laborde gives the composition of the orchestra of the French opera in 1713, and also the salaries in livres, it was the following:—
7Un batteur de mesure . . . . 1000
8Petit chœur de dix . . . . 6000
9Douze violons . . . . 4800
10Huit basses . . . . 3200
11Deux quintes . . . . 800
12Deux tailles . . . . 800
13Trois hautes-contres . . . . 1200
14Un tymbalier . . . . 150
16In the year 1778, the proportions were changed, and
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