J O M E L L I. 



^rength in modulation and fugue upon eanli fa-mo, begged 

 of hfm to examine and point out his errors. 



■prom this period he produced imny admirable compofi- 

 tions for the church, in which he united elegance with 

 learning, and grace with bold delign. Among other pro- 

 duClions of this kind, the two following merit commemo- 

 ration. An " Offertono,"or motet, for five voices without 

 inllrun-.eiits, followed by an Alleluja of four parts in 

 chsrns : and a •' Mifla pro defunAis," or burial fervice, 

 -which he compofed at Stuttgardt for the obfequies of a 

 lady of high r.iiik and favour at the court of his patron, 

 the duke of Wurteniburg. Thefe compolitions, which 

 arc learned without pedantry, and grave without duhiefs, 

 vi-ill be lading monuments of his abilities as a contra- 

 puiitift. 



But the moll elaborate of all his compofitions, is the 

 ■" Mifercre," or lifty-firll pfalm, tranflattd into Italian verfe, 

 by his friend Saverio Mattel, which he fot for two voices, 

 accompanied with inltruments, in 177?, the year before his 

 deceafe. In this produftion, which breathes a pious gra- 

 vity, and compunflion of heart fuited to the contrite fenti- 

 ments of tlie pfalmill, there is a manifell ftruggle at extra- 

 neous modulation and new ei'fefls, perhaps too much at the 

 expcnce of facility and grace. Though all the movements 

 of this compofition are flow, yet the execution is fo diffi- 

 cult, both to the voices and inftruments, that when it was 

 performed in London at Marchetti's benefit, it was the 

 opinion of the late Mr. Bach, that Jomelli had purpofely 

 ■written what he could not execute himfelf, in order to per- 

 plex the performers. This, however, mud have been faid 

 in pleafantry, for Jomelli had no malevolence in his difpo- 

 fition ; perhaps in driving at excellence with too great foli- 

 citude, he fometimes had recourfe to art and dudy, indead 

 of giving way to his own feelings. There are, however, 

 admirab'e ftrokes of pafTion as well as fcience in the mufic 

 that he has fet to this pfalm, which, though above the 

 comprehenfinn of common hearerr,, will afford great plea- 

 fure to thofe that are able to read the fcore, or to follow 

 the performers through the labyrinths of art. 



This admirable compofer had, in general, fuch a facility 

 in writing, that he feldom courted the Mufe at an indru- 

 ment ; and fo tenacious a memory, that Sacchini adored 

 us he frequently compofed an air on opening a book of 

 lyric poetry, while, like a peripatetic, he has been walking 

 about a room, which he remembered a year after, and then 

 committed it to paper, as fad as he could write a letter. 



As Raphael had three manners of painting, Jomelli had 

 three dyles of compofition. Before he went to Germany, 

 the eafy and graceful flow of Vinci and Pergolefi pervaded 

 all his produftiona ; but when he was in the fervice of the 

 duke of Wurtcmburg, finding the Germans were fond «f 

 learning and comphcation, he changed his dyle in com- 

 pliance with the tade and expeftations of his audience ; and 

 on his return to Italy, he tried to thin and fimplify his dra- 

 matic Mufe, which, however, was dill fo much too opc- 

 rofe for Italian ears, that in 1770, upon a Neapolitan being 

 afked how he liked Jomclli's new opera of " Demofoonte," 

 he cried out with vehemence, i J'celerata, Si^nore .' 



Chmate fcems to operate fo much on mufic, however its 

 influence may be difputed in manners and government, that 

 what is admired in one country is deteded in another. In 

 cold climates labour is necefiary to circulation ; in hot, ea/e 

 is the grand defidcratum. This principle is carried to fuch 

 excefs in Italy, that whatever gives the ficarcr of mufic the 

 Jead trokiblc to difentangle, is Gothic pedai tic, and fc^U- 

 rata. As to difficulties of execution, in a fwgh- part, the 

 #ompofer» and performers may fpiii their braiiis, and burll 



their blood-veffels, and welcome, provided the texture of tl.c 

 parts is clear and fimple. 



The Gothic inventions, as they call them, of fugites, 

 canons, and laboured counterpoint of the fixteenth century, 

 they are v.-illing to refign to the Flemings, who fird brought 

 them into Italy ; but of which all the natives, except a 

 few obdinate pedants, druggled to dived their mufic, par- 

 ticularly that for the dage, during the lad t\yo centuries. 



It is the (serfs only of learning and facility that is truly 

 rcpi-ehenfiblc by good tade and found judgment ; ard diffi- 

 ciill and eify are relative terms, which they only can define. 

 To lovers of mufic who have heard much in various dyies, 

 little is new ; as to others who have heard but little, all is 

 new. The former want refearch and new effeiils, which, to. 

 the latter, old mufic can furnifn. Palates accudomed to 

 plain food find ragouts and morceaux fr'iamls too highly fea- 

 foned ; while to thofe who have long been pampered with 

 dainties, fimplicity is infipid. How then is a compofer or 

 performer to pleafe a mixed audience, but by avoiding too 

 much complacence to the exchifive tade of either the 

 learned, or the ignorant, the fupercilious, or the fimple ? 



The health of Jomelli began to decline in 1770, foon 

 after we had feen him in perfect health at Naples. He was 

 then corpulent, and reminded us of the figure of Handel. 

 In 1 77 1, he had a droke of the palfy, which, however, 

 did not impair his intellefts, as he compofed " Achille in 

 Sciro" for the Roman theatre, and a cantata for the fafe 

 delivery of tiie queen of Naples, in 1771 ; and in 177J, 

 his Italian " Miferere," the mod elaborate and dudied of ail 

 his works. 



His learned friend, Signor Saverio Mattel, the tranflator 

 of the pfalms into Italian verfe. from wliofe admirable ver- 

 fion Jomelli had taken the " Miferere," or fifty-fird pfalm, 

 drew up a very intereding account of the works and public 

 funeral of the great muficiaii, and printed it in his " Saggio 

 di Poefia Latine ct Italiane," publiflied at Naples imme- 

 diately after his deceafe. " 



The reverence and regard with which vvc have been long 

 impredt'd for the works and charafter of this gifted man, 

 have already rendered the article too long to admit of fur- 

 ther extenfion, or we fliould have wiflied to infert Signor 

 Mattel's whole account ; but having given it elfewhere, we 

 fiiall here only cite the introduftion, which does equal ho- 

 nour to the author and his friend. 



Naples, September, 1774. " Yederday all the muficians 

 of this city united in celebrating the funeral of the great 

 JomeUi. Tl;e church was very finely ornamented ; and a 

 great number of wax tapers were placed about the pompous 

 bier. Two orchedras of three rows each could fcarcely 

 contain the vocal and indrumental performers who affided 

 in executing the mufic that was exprefsly compofed on the 

 oecafion by the worthy Sabitini, who beat the time himfelf, 

 as maedro di capella. It was the celebrated Genaro Manna, 

 compofer of the archiepifcopal church, who fird fuggelled 

 this plan of a public funeral, in tvhich all thefe muficians 

 had an opportunity of manifeding their regard for Jomelli, 

 and of furnidiing an example to pofterity of the gratitude 

 due to great talents, which may likevvife dimulatc young 

 artids to merit equal honours. At the defire of Signor 

 Manna, not only every mulician attended the funeral and 

 performed gratis, "but contributed likewife towards the ex- 

 pences of this folcmnity. 



" Jomelli was my friend ; he lived two years in my nei;;h- 

 bourhood, and I had frequent opportunities of converfing 

 wi.h hitn, and of admiring his captivating manners, parti- 

 cularly his raodefty in fpeaking of rival artids, whofe com- 

 pofitions 



