Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-08-06
ever, take g and continue stanza oi,ie;,

once familiar bard.
On the 7th of last January, the author Of
Childe Harold, and another EngIishman,
the writer Of this notice, rowed TO the Lido
with two singers, one OF whom was car
penter, and the C,her gondolier. The
former placed himself at the prov, the la.-
Ter at the stern Of the boat. A little after
leaving the quay Ct the Piaze',a, they be.
Gan 10 sing, aud continued their exercise
until we arrived at the Island. They gave
Us amongst other essays, the death Of Go
rinda, and the palace Of Armida ; and dit
not sing the Venetian Lot the Tuscan Yer.
ses. The CARPENTER, however. who was
( the cleycrcr of the two, and was frequently
obliged 10 pronp, his companion, told Us
that he corid trarsicf. the original. He
added, ,hsl,ie could sing almost three hun.
dred stanzas, but had mol spirits, (norr
was Tic word he used) TO learn any more
or TO sing what he already knew; iran
EMS, have idle time on his hand, 70 acquire,
or 10 repeat. and, said tue poor fellow,
sloo!: a, my clothes and at me, on STAR.
wing" This speech was more ;i.ccting
than his performance, which habit alone
can make attractive. The recita:iye was
shril, screaming and monotonous, and the
condolier behind, assisted lis voice, BY
lolling his hand to the side OF his mouth.
| The carpen,erused aquet action, which he
| evidently cndeayored TO restrain, but was
! too much interested in his subject atOge.
ther Ia repress. From these men we esrnt
that singing is not altogether confined 10
The gondoliers, aud that although the chant
is seldom, if ever, voluntary, there are still
several amongst the lower classes, who are
acquainted with few stauzas.
! 1t does not appear that it is usual for the
performers to row and sing at the same
time. Although the verses Of the Jerusa.
, lem are no longer casually heard, there il
yet much upon the Venetian canals and
upon holidays, those strangers, who are nor
near or informed enough to distinguish the
words, may fancy that many Of the CONDO.
las stu! resound with the strain OF Tasso.--
The writer Of some remarks which appear
ed in the curiosities Of literature mus ex.
cuse bis being twice quoted; for with the
exception Of some phrases little too an.
bilious and extravagant, he has furnished
very exact, as we'll as agreeable descrip.
ton.
SIN Venice the gondoliers know by heart
iCpg passages from ATicsto and Tasso, and
often chant them with peculiar melody.
But this talent seems at present on the de.
cline at least, after taking some pains, |
could md no more than two persons who
delivered to me in this way passage from
Tasso. must add, that the late Dir. Berry
once chanted TO Inc passage in Tasso in
the manner, as he assured me, OF the gon.
doliers.
There are always two concerned, who
alternately begin the strophes. We know
the melodious movement, and is a sort OF
medium between the canto fermo and the
canto fgurato; il approaches 10 the former
by recitatiyical declsmatious, and 10 the
latter by passages and course, by which
one syllable is detained and embellished.
81 entered a gondola by moonlight one
singer placed himself forwards, and the O.
Their att, and thus proceeded TO ST. Georgia.
One began the song: when he had ended
his s,rophe, the other took up the lay, and
SO continued the song alternately. Through
ont tie Who'll. Of il, the same notes invaria
bly, returned, but, according to the subject
matter of the strophe, they laid greater
or smaller stress, sometimes on one,
and sometimes on another note, and indeed
changed the enunciation of the whole strO-
'phe as the object of the poem altered.
" On the whole, however, the sounds
were hoarse aud screaming they seemed,
in the manner Of al rude uncivilized men,
10 make the excellcncy OF their singing in
the force of their voice one seemed des!-
rous If conquering the other by the strength
of his lungs; and so far from receiving de-
light from this scene, (shut up as was in
the box Of the gondo!a) found myself in I
very unpleasant situation.
Ny companion, 10 whom | connmuni.
Gated this circumstance, being very desi-
rous 10 keep up the credit ofhis country.
men, assured Inc that this singing was very
delightful when heard at a distance Of some
hundred PAGES. They now began TO sing
against one another, and kept walking UP
and down between them both, so rs always
TO leave him who was TO begin his part.
frequently stood still and hearkened 10 the
one and to the other.
Here the scene was properly introdu-
ced. The strong declamatory, and, as 1t
were shrieking sound, met the ear from
afar, and called forth the attention; the
quickly succeeding transitions, wheu ne
cessarily required 10 be sung in a lowe:
tone, seemed ike plaintive strains succeed
i.,.r a.. xf min