It U S 



All the fucceflors of Peter have followed his example as a 

 model in this inftance, as in all others. 



The emprefs Anne, the niece and fucceffor of the great 

 Peter in 1730, who died in I740,early in her reign rirft regaled 

 Peterfburo; with an Italian opera compofed by Araja, a native 

 of Italy, of fonie eminence, whom (he appointed her maeitro 

 di cappella ; and who likewifc compofed intermezzi to Italian 

 words, and in the mtilical ityle of his country. Concerts 

 twice a-week, which had been eftabhfhed at court, have been 

 continued ever iince. All the grandees of Ruffia imitated 

 this example, had private concerts in their manfions, and 

 many of them became dilettante performers themfelvcs in a 

 high form of excellence. 



The emprels Elizabeth, daughter of Peter, began her 

 reign in 1741, by a revolution which fet afide the czar Ivan 

 as incapable of reigning. She had been affianced, in (74", 

 to the duke of Holltein-Gottorp ; but that prince dying 

 before the marriage took place, file palled the relt of her 

 days in a fingle (late. This princefs, on whom nature had 

 beilowed a nice difcriminating ear, with a paffion for mufic 

 and all the fine arts, bv her patronage caufed them to flourifh 

 in her dominions, in a way fuperior to molt of the other 

 ilates of Europe. She built an opera-houfe at Mofcow, 

 capable of containing 5000 people. At her coronation, " La 

 Clemenza di Tito," written by Metallafio, and fet by Hade, 

 was performed by the belt Italian fingers of the time ; and 

 a prologue to this drama, entitled " La Ruilia afflitta econ- 

 folata," was fet by A raja, macdro di cappella to the court 

 of Peterfburg. Soon after this, Peterfburg iirll heard an 

 opera in the Slavonian language, fet likewife by Araja. 



Such was the progrefs which mulic had made in Ruflia, 

 when Peter Federowitz, confort to the emprels Catharine, 

 was called to the throne as prefumptive heir. The pallion 

 which this prince had for mufic contributed confiderably to its 

 further advancement into favour in his dominions. He per- 

 formed himfelf on the violin diffidently to bear a part in a 

 fymphony. If he now and then played a wrong note, or 

 milled n difficult paffage, the Italian muficians were too po- 

 lite to notice it ; on the contrary, they periuaded his impe- 

 rial majefty that he had a particular talent for mufic, and 

 that his performance on the violin was perfect. Mufic be- 

 came his favourite, and almolt fole anjufement, even to a 

 degree of enthufiafm. He became alfo a great connoilleur 

 in violins ; and, in a fhort time, purchafed a great collection 

 of thofe made by the molt celebrated artilts, particularly 

 thofe of Cremona, by Amati, Straduarius, Guarnerio, &c. 

 and by Steiner and Albani, Germans. He was never more 

 happy than when at the head of his band in his concerts. 

 He intended afTembling at his court all the great muficians 

 in Europe, and he would douhtlcf, have (ucceeded, if his 

 (Sign had been more durable ; but aiming at more important 

 revolutions in hi. ((ate (which, happily for his country, were 

 Itopt), a termination was put at once to his mufical and 

 political projects. 



Catharine II. mounted the throne, attended not only by 

 jll the fciences and line arts, but by the genius oi legiflators 

 and victory. The date, the church, public order, indullry, 

 commerce, maritime force, and the Hate of her army, had 

 her fir(t attention. 



After having provided for the faftey and power of her 

 empire, (he attended to its cmbclhlhment by means of the 

 Inn- ait'.'. ; and erected a temple to painting, fculpture, archi- 

 tecture, and formed an imperial academy of icicnecs and 

 beaux arts at Peterfburg. 



After this latter eltablilhment, which has fince become fo 

 illuftrious, (he turned her thoughts to mufic, and called to 



V.n.. XXX. 



It U S 



her court from Venice the celebrated Baldaffar Gahippi, 

 detto II Burancllo, tiie mod fertile and ipirited rompofer of 

 his time. His " Didone abbandonata," in which the Gabrielle 

 performed the part of Dido, had fuch prodigious fuccefs, 

 that, after the lirft reprefentation, the emprefs, with her own 

 hands, prefentcd the compofcr with a magnificent box filled 

 with pieces of gold : telling him that " the unfortunate 

 Dido, when Ihe expired, bequeathed it as a legacy to the 

 llluitrious Buranello." 



Thole who recollect the turn which this princefs gave to 

 her munificence in the purchafe of Diderot's library, will he 

 lefs furprifed at her liberality to Buranello. Diderot, in hi* 

 latter years, being conllrained to offer his library to fale, 

 unfuccelsfully, to the principal fovereigns in Europe, in order 

 to enable him to educate his only daughter, when his wifh 

 was communicated to the emprefs Catharine, (he faid, " die 

 would willingly purchafe his library of him at his own price, 

 upon condition that he would be fo obliging as to take care 

 of it as long as he lived ; and in order to improve it, and to 

 keep pace with the times, (he hoped that he would take the 

 trouble to lay out for her 2000 rubles a-year in the purchafe 

 of new books." 



Buranello was (ucceeded at Peterfburg by Traetta, an 

 excellent compofer ; and the compolitions of thefe great 

 matters, fung by the fined voices of Italy, and accompanied 

 by the bed inltrumental perlormers with which the orchedra 

 could be lupplied, together with the tade and magnificence 

 of the decorations, and the fplendourof the dances, rendered 

 the opera at Peterfburg the molt brilliant and renowned 

 fpectacle in Europe. 



When the emprefs and her fon, the grand duke, had fo 

 happily recovered of the fmall-pox, by the inoculation of 

 baron Dimldale, the agreeable French comic opera of " An- 

 nette and Lubin" was performed by the principal nobility 

 of the court ; however, too good a talte in finging and in 

 dramatic mulic was formed at Peterfburg now, for the vocal 

 performers of France to captivate much, even with the com. 

 pofitions of Duni, Mouligui, Philidor, and Gretry, which 

 were tried for one feafon. 



It is to facred mulic that the lyric theatre at Peterfburg 

 is obliged for the great effects of its chorufles. In the opera 

 of " Iligenia in Tauridc," let by Galuppi, he was allowed to 

 make ufc of the choral lingers of the imperial chapel. Of 

 which permillion that great mailer availing himfelf, compofed 

 chorudes for ten choirs, in four parts each, which had a 

 mod furpriling effect. See Chace. 



After the period defcribed by the Gotha Almanac for 

 1772, the opera of Peterfburg had Paefiello and Sarti to 

 compofe. Paefiello, after three years refidence in Ruilia, 

 where his compofitions and perfonal merits were perfectly 

 underltood, and treated with great admiration and regard, 

 was iuccecded by Sarti, who went to Peterfburg in 17841 

 for three years, but remained in Ruilia till 1790; during 

 which time lie ellablifhed a concert fpirituel, or oratorio, lor 

 winch he compofed mulic ,/ cappella, 111 which he introduced 

 inltrumenta which are not allowed in the (nick church, lie 

 likewife compofed a Te Deum for the victory obtained over 

 the Turfa by the Ruffians at Ockzakow, and clLhlilhcd a 

 confervatorio for the education id young tnuliciaus in tin 

 Neapolitan manner, of which he was appointed director. 

 With hi. opera ol " Armida" the emprels was fo pleafed, 

 that (In- gave him a golden vafe, and a ring of great value. 

 See Saim 1. 



Mulic is Hill patronized in Ruffia ; concerts and operas arc 



fupportrd in the nfual magnificent manner ( 1N05) ; and the 



Italian tade, befides its prevalence at the opeia and court 



5 E concern 



