| Citation |
VGW(HU.771.179
28 Nov 1771:13 (1061)
The ceremony of taking the veil at Rome. This morning I
went to the convent of St. Ursula, to see a nun take the
veil. The company were very numerous, and composed chiefly
of the first people of Rome, who were all in full dress. I
was placed close to the altar, where I could see the whole
ceremony, and hear every word that was uttered. The service
was begun by saying mass; then Cardinal de Rossi entered in
great state, while the organ was playing, and the mass was
singing; the musick, both vocal and instrumental, was
performed by the nuns and ladies of the convent, who were
placed in the organ gallery. The composition of pretty, but
ill executed; the organ was a bad one, and too powerful for
the band; most of the best hands, as I was informed, were
occupied in the convent with the internal ceremony, the
external was all performed in the chapel. . . [1 paragraph]
After this there was more pretty musick badly performed;
the organ, by executing all the symphonies and
accompaniments, overpowered the violins, and had a bad
effect, though neatly played.
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