[Music]
[Music]
The soprano intones the high C in a pure soft voice, allowing it to
vibrate for a time, and slowly gliding down, while the alto holds
the C steadily, so that at first I was under the delusion that the
high C was still held by the soprano; the skill, too, with which
the harmony is gradually developed is truly admirable. The other
_embellimenti_ are adapted in the same way to the consecutive
chords: but the first one is by far the most beautiful. I can give
no opinion as to the particular mode of executing the music; but
what I once read, that some particular acoustic contrivance caused
the continued vibration of the sounds, is an entire fable, quite as
much so as the assertion that they sing from tradition, and without
any fixed time, one voice simply following the other; for I saw
plainly enough the shadow of Baini's long arm moving up and down;
indeed, he sometimes struck his music-desk quite audibly. There is
no lack of mystery too, on the part of the singers and others: for
example, they never say beforehand what particular Miserere they
intend to sing, but that it will be decided at the moment, etc.,
etc. The key in which they sing, depends on the purity of the
voices. The first day it was in B minor, the second and third in E
minor, but each time they finished almost in B flat minor.
The chief soprano, Mariano, came from the mountains to Rome
expressly to sing on this occasion, and it is to him I owe hearing
the _embellimenti_ with their highest notes. However careful and
attentive the singers may be, still the negligence and bad habits
of the whole previous year have their revenge, consequently the
most fearful dissonance sometimes occurs.
I must not forget to tell you that on the Thursday, when the
Miserere was about to begin, I clambered up a ladder leaning
against the wall, and was thus placed close to the roof of the
chapel, so that I had the music, the priests, and the people far
beneath me in gloom and shadow. Seated thus alone without the
vicinity of any obtrusive stranger, the impression made on me was
very profound. But to proceed: you must have had more than enough
of Misereres in these pages, and I intend to bring you more
particular details, both verbal and written.
On Thursday, at half-past ten o'clock, high Mass was celebrated.
They sang an eight-part composition of Fazzini's, in no way
remarkable. I reserve for you some _canti fermi_ and antiphons,
which I wrote down at the time, and my little book describes the
order of the various services and the meaning of the different
ceremonies. At the "Gloria in Excelsis" all the bells in Rome peal
forth, and are not rung again till after Good Friday. The hours are
marked in the churches by wooden clappers. The words of the
"Gloria," the signal for all the strange tumult of bells, were
chanted from the altar by old Cardinal Pacca, in a feeble trembling
voice; this being succeeded by the choirs and all the bells, had a
striking effect. After the "Credo" they sang the "Fratres ego enim"
of Palestrina, but in the most unfinished and careless manner. The
washing of the pilgrims' feet followed, and a procession in which
all the singers join; Baini beating time from a large book carried
before him, making signs first to one, and then to another, while
the singers pressed forward to look at the music, counting the time
as they walked, and then chiming in,--the Pope being borne aloft in
his state chair. All this I have already described to my parents.
In the evening there were Psalms, Lamentations, Lessons, and the
Miserere again, scarcely differing from those of the previous day.
One lesson was chanted by a soprano solo on a peculiar melody, that
I mean to bring home with me. It is an adagio, in long-drawn notes,
and lasts a quarter of an hour at least. There is no pause in the
music, and the melody lies very high, and yet it was executed with
the most pure, clear, and even intonation. The singer did not drop
his tone so much as a single comma, the very last notes swelling
and dying away as even and full as at the beginning; it was,
indeed, a masterly performance. I was struck with the meaning they
attach to the word _appoggiatura_. If the melody goes from C to D,
or from C to E, they sing thus:--
[Music] or [Music] or [Music]
and this they call an _appoggiatura_. Whatever they may choose to
designate it, the effect is most disagreeable, and it must require
long habit not to be discomposed by this strange practice, which
reminds me very much of our old women at home in church; moreover
the effect is the same. I saw in my book that the "Tenebrae" was to
be sung, and thinking that it would interest you to know how it is
given in the Papal chapel, I was on the watch with a sharp-pointed
pencil when it commenced, and send you herewith the principal
parts. It was sung very quick, and _forte_ throughout, without
exception. The beginning was:--
[Music: Te-ne-brae fac----tae sunt
dum cru-ci-fi-xis--sent
Je--sum Ju-dae-i.
etc.]