1544—Florence, Italy

An open letter signed “Pasquino Patritio Romano” includes the following mention of trombone improvisation as an argument for improvisation in song: “Do you not play the trombone by ear? Do you not create upon four notes of a cantus firmus, via fantasy, an endless sea of notes?” [Non sonate voi con la pratica dell’orecchio il Trombone? Non fate voi in su quattro Note di Canto fermo, con la fantasia un Mar di Note senza fondo?] (Nosow, The Debate on Song).