1781—Vienna, Austria

In a chapel at St. Augustine’s, Berlin critic Fridrich Nicolai hears a composition that he finds noteworthy, especially for its use of trombone: “Particularly moving for me was a beautiful, moderately slow aria sung by a choirboy who had a pure, gentle, flexible alto voice….The accompaniment was merely a concertante tenor trombone; there were no other instruments. Nonetheless, in this strange but simple combination there was so much to arouse a mysterious, solemn, and sublime feeling! These long drawn-out, gentle, always connected tones incited a silent amazement. Especially a few passages where the trombone gradually descended into the depths and held while the alto voice, which had had a pause of a few measures, again sang a soft, gradually intensifying long tone—these passages went right to the heart. I have heard nothing more appropriate for a long time” (Mac Intyre 99).