1658—Bologna, Italy

The vestry board decrees that “a fixed number of musicians” should be established at San Petronio, including an instrumental body of 2 violins, 2 alto and 2 tenor violas, 2 trombones, 1 violone, 1 contrabasso violone grosso, 1 theorbo, and 2 organs. The decree stipulates that “the number shall never be increased, but should there be even one part lacking, his place should be filled with a similar one” (Allsop, Secular Influences; Schnoebelin, Cazzati vs. Bologna).