1607—Venice, Italy

Jean-Baptiste Duval, French ambassador to Venice, attends the first Vespers of St. Theodore, at the Church of the Redeemer in Venice, and remarks, “There was a concert of the best musicians they had, singers as well as instrumentalists; mainly six small organs besides that of the church, which is very good, trombones or sackbuts, oboes, viols, violins, lutes, cornettos, recorders and flageolets (small flutes). Their harmony and music is very full, and they sing well according to their style which one does not relish at first, and does not find a pleasure, since it is different from our usage.”