Page:Selected letters of Mendelssohn 1894.djvu/62

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I was more impressed than ever. And now to continue! You will have enough Miserere on this page and a half, and some particular points I can tell you when I get back or let you see my notes. At half-past ten on Thursday there was High Mass. They sang a composition for eight voices by Fazzini, which had just nothing remarkable in it. I am keeping by me several “cante fermi” and antiphons which I wrote down at the time, and the little book contains the order of the office and explanations of its meaning. At the “Gloria in excelsis” all the bells in Rome are sounded, and after that are silent till Good Friday is over. The hours are announced from the churches by the striking together of pieces of wood. It was very beautiful that the words of the “Gloria,” which were the signal for all the wild uproar, should be chanted from the altar by the aged Cardinal Pacca in a weak quavering voice, which ceased and was succeeded by the crash of the choir and all the bells of Rome. After the “Credo,” they put the “Fratres ego enim” of Palestrina, but sang it with no sort of attention and very coarsely. I have already sent a description to my father and mother of the washing of the pilgrim’s feet, which comes next, and the procession, in which the choir also walks, with Baini beating time out of a great book which is carried before him, and signalling now to one, now to another of the singers, who walk bent over their notes, halting at times, and then moving on again, and in the procession goes the Holy Father himself, carried on his throne of state. In the evening the Psalms, Lamenta-