| Syntagma
Musicum III
The Chapters of Book 1 are still being formatted; the Introduction and Book 2 are complete. Introduction MPC: The Author The Encyclopedia: Syntagma Musicum The Scope The Translation The Sources Acknowledgments Abbreviations Book 1
Book 2
INTRODUCTION
There is considerable uncertainty regarding the birth date of Michael Praetorius—as early as 1569 in some sources to as late as 1572,1 but the generally accepted date is 15 February 1571. He died at the height of his career in Wolfenbüttel on 15 February 1621, his fiftieth birthday. The location of his birth, Creutzberg (occasionally spelled Creutzburg; today it is Kreuzberg) on the Werra river not far from Eisenach in the province of Thuringia, is uncontested, due to his predilection for signing his name “Michael Praetorius C.” or referring to himself as M.P.C.,2 a usage often adopted below. His father was a Lutheran minister who had also taught at the Latin school in Torgau, the birthplace of his mother. Prior to entering the service of Duke Heinrich Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in 1595, Praetorius lived in Torgau (1573-82), Frankfurt on the Oder river (near Berlin) (1582-84) where he lived with one of his brothers and attended the university there, Zerbst-Anhalt (1584-85) where he attended the Latin school and lived with his two sisters, and then back to Frankfurt for more study at the university (1585-87), after which he became organist at St. Marien in Frankfurt (1587-92/3) until he moved to Wolfenbüttel in 1592/3. During the time in which he was Kapellmeister at the court in Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, beginning in 1604 and lasting until his death, MPC became increasingly famous as an organist, composer, and music director and ever more in demand. Even while he was just a young court organist he was invited to the dedication of the new organ in the castle chapel at Gröningen near Halberstadt in 1596, which gave him the chance to mingle with over 50 organists who were invited to play—some rather famous, including Hieronymus Praetorius and the Hassler brothers, Hans and Caspar. Over the years his travels took him to Regensburg (1602, on business, and 1603, with organist’s duties), Kassel (1605, 1609, and 1617 for visits with the Landgrave Moritz of Hesse), Prague (1613, with the duke for an extended visit), Naumburg (1614), Ringelheim near Goslar (1614), where he was appointed prior of the monastery, Magdeburg (1614 and 1618, as Kapellmeister to the administrator of the bishopric, the latter occasion together with Schütz and Scheidt), Halle (1616), Dresden (1613-16 after the death of Duke Heinrich Julius for an extended visit as Kapellmeister von Haus aus, and again in 1617), Schwarzburg at Sondershausen (1617), Leipzig, Nuremberg, and Bayreuth (1619)(again, with Schütz and Scheidt). In all of these venues he was actively engaged in the performance of his music and in educating the choir directors, organists, and church musicians with whom he came into contact in the art and manner of the new Italian style. He married Anna Lakemacher in 1603 and had two sons. Friedrich Blume, the general editor of MPC’s
Complete Works, devised an organizational scheme in which he divides Praetorius’s
creative output into five periods or “phases,” as he calls them.3
The first four phases contain works suitable for the Lutheran liturgy on
traditional German tunes, drawing occasionally on the Latin liturgy.
They range from the simple congregational hymn in two, three, and four
parts all the way up to four choirs and to motets for two and three choirs.
It is in phase five, beginning with the death of Heinrich Julius and his
stay in Dresden, during which he came into contact with many Italian musicians
and works by Italians composers, that we begin to see Praetorius incorporate
the new Italian style into his own works. This is represented most expressly
in his Polyhymnia Caduceatrix et Panygyrica of 1619 by such innovations
as the use of the thoroughbass, the echo effect, works that contain alternating
passages of homophonic and imitative sections, spectacularly colorful contrasts
of vocal and instrumental masses of sound, spatially situated for the utmost
dramatic and emotional effect, coloratura passages for vocalists and instrumentalists
that challenge their technical abilities, boundless opportunities for ornamentation
and improvisation, and more variety in orchestration than had ever been
seen in the German realm up to this time.
The Encyclopedia: Syntagma Musicum Beginning in the early sixteenth century interest
in learning about music among ordinary people began to take root, and by
the time of the publication of Syntagma Musicum (henceforth, SMIII)
in 1619, over 150 instruction or “how to” books had appeared across Europe.
These teaching manuals, most of which were published, were designed for
all types of users including amateur and professional musicians, instrument
makers, choir directors, school teachers, and choir children. Those
intended for church fathers, professors, music theorists, and composers,
were written in Latin; the practical musician and the children on the other
hand were spared that necessity and learned their lessons in the vernacular,
or, in some cases, had the choice of languages, as many treatises were
dual-language publications with Latin and German (for instance) on facing
pages.
Demantius, Christoph. Isagoge
Artis Musicae Ad Incipientium Captum Maxime Accommodata. Kurtze Anleitung
In the majority of cases these treatises are of particular use for us for their documentary value, presenting a picture of what was going on at the time they were written, not what will or may occur at some future date. They are down to earth, practical guides on such topics as how to play a certain instrument (viols, recorders, lutes, and organs immediately come to mind), how to execute divisions or apply ornaments, what interval combinations are allowed or forbidden in a piece of music, understanding modes and how to transpose, the relationship among metric proportions, and so forth. The three volumes of Syntagma Musicum belong in the same category as theoretical works by writers such as Johannes Tinctoris or Gioseffo Zarlino and far surpass the scope and erudition of anything appearing in Germany prior to their publication; indeed, they are referred to and quoted from throughout the remainder of the century and well into the next.4 It is in Volume I, already in 1615, that we
learn why MPC chose to write in Latin for the first volume and in German
Thus the first volume is entirely in Latin for the learned (although it would not be without use for others devoted to the art of music, but rather useful, perhaps, and beneficial, if a learned man would take the trouble to turn this first volume out of Latin into good German, and have it printed. This would be impossible for me, although very precious, on account of innumerable other hindrances, and it would be quite pleasant and useful to those not skilled in the Latin tongue). The second volume is entirely in German for organ builders, organists, and all other instrumentalists. The third and fourth are arranged for both musicos and musices cultores.5
The second purpose was “to refute the arguments of those ‘who strive
to diminish or to remove altogether the offices of the liturgy. . .’”7
Further on Fleming adds a word of caution:
In reading through Volume I of the Syntagma Musicum, one cannot fail to be struck by the breadth of Praetorius’ knowledge; the sheer number of sources he consulted is staggering. His use of these sources, however, needs closer scrutiny. In many cases he amassed and presented great chunks of information without making any attempt to sift fact from legend, or to disentangle the truth from a mass of conflicting viewpoints.8
One can hardly criticize Praetorius for failing to meet the standards of scholarship established in the nineteenth century. He was working in the tradition of the medieval chroniclers, whose aim was to amass information, without necessarily scrutinizing it to see whether or not it was reliable.9
Volume II is divided into two principal sections, with Books 1 and 2 providing information on all instruments, domestic and foreign (meaning folk and non-western instruments), known to MPC, including the names and classifications of instruments, their ranges, sizes, and tuning. Of considerably greater size is the second section, which is dedicated to the organ, ancient and modern, and comprises Books 3-5. MPC was well known as an organ consultant and was frequently called upon to assess the need for renovation of an existing organ or to recommend the specifications for a new organ. We learn about the history of the organ, the first use of pedals, the names of the registers, about the measurement of the pipes and how that relates to their sound, about coupling manuals, what mixtures consist of, the use of special effects (tremolo, cymbalstern, etc.), tuning systems, how to adjust and tune the individual pipes, and many other issues of importance to the early seventeenth-century organist. That he was well acquainted with the major organs of Germany and neighboring countries is apparent, as the dispositions of many of them are included in SMII, Pt 5.10 Of special significance is the set of plates at the end of the book, as they not only provide groupings of families of instruments from the smallest to the largest, but they are also drawn to scale, as each plate contains a ruler in Brunswick inches for one of its borders. Volume III is divided into three books, each of which is subdivided into chapters. In twelve chapters Book 1 provides the definition and classification of vocal forms such as concerto, motet, madrigal, canzona (=chanson), dialogue, aria, etc.,
Book 2, also in 12 chapters, deals with general musicianship or, as it was so typically called at the time (and pointed out above), “Was im singen bey den Noten.” Instructional material presented here includes a discussion of ligatures (most of which he disapproved), proportions, tripla and sesquialtera, accidentals, note values and rests, modes, a lengthy explanation of time signatures and sextupla, keeping the beat, transposition, the names of the voice parts, the labeling of choirs in polychoral works, and the use of octaves and unisons, (still a controversial topic in his day). Book 3, divided into nine chapters and by far the longest section, contains an in-depth discussion of performance practice, borrowing heavily from Italian practices that were current at the beginning of the seventeenth century. MPC unabashedly admits learning about the latest Italian compositional devices through reading Italian treatises on composition as well as prefaces to recently-published collections by Italian composers. He also studied the compositions themselves to see how the most current ideas in composition were applied, and he had many occasions to work with Italian musicians who played and sang at courts where he was active. The early chapters in this book focus on the interpretation and use of Italian terms, such as ripieno, ritornello, intermedio, forte, piano, largo, presto, trillo, capella palchetto, capella fidicinia, chorus symphoniæ, and more. He also provides the names and characteristics of instruments in Italian and demonstrates how concertos and motets written by Lasso, Merulo, and G. Gabrieli can be arranged for multiple choirs. Of particular significance is his discussion of the thoroughbass, grounded on theories gleaned from several Italian publications. In Chapter 8 MPC describes in great detail in twelve subsections (one of which is further divided into nine subsections) how pieces in his Polyhymnia Caduceatrix et Panegyrica may be arranged for multiple choirs—not just who is to sing or play which parts and on which instruments, but where individuals and choirs are to be placed. He draws a clear connection between this chapter and the preface to this collection and to the introductory remarks preceding each piece, making this one of the most remarkable early accounts of orchestration in the history of music. The chapter concludes with a listing and partial description of all of his other compositions and writings as well as those he still intended to produce (many of which never saw the light of day). Chapter 9, the final and most-quoted chapter
in the entire book, is a presentation of various types of ornamentation
practiced in Italy in the first two decades of the seventeenth century.
MPC studied the works of Caccini and Bovicelli in preparing this chapter,
and he provides quite a number of (their) examples to assist the user in
executing the embellishments. This is the first description in German
of the Italian manner of singing, and it was recounted in numerous treatises
over the next several decades. Volume III ends with an index of authors
and a general index, as well as a list of errata.
There are always expectations attached to a book, both on the part of the author with regard to writing a book and on the part of the consumer regarding what might be contained in a book, and it is incumbent on the author to spell out the constraints at the outset concerning what is covered in his book and just how thoroughly, so that readers are aware of the parameters set by him and those set by the publisher. The first thing to keep in mind is that this is first and foremost a translation. The most important and time-consuming aspect of this project has been transforming a highly technical, centuries-old language into modern English (more on this below). As much as possible I have made every effort to refer the reader to the scholarship of the twentieth century that in any way elucidates areas of discussion undertaken by Praetorius throughout the book. What I have tried to avoid is cluttering the text with definitions of terms and biographies of authors and composers that are readily available in reference books in most libraries.11 For instance, the reader will not find a footnote with the definition of such standard terms as “motet,” “sonata,” or “canzona,” but there will be a reference to at least one work in which more historical information may be found. The same is true for authors and composers. There is simply not enough room to provide a footnote containing a biographical sketch of the over 160 names that appear throughout the book, and the interested reader is encouraged to seek additional information on these subjects in the appropriate reference works. The known dates of the people whose names appear in the text are included in the entry after the name in the Index of Names at the end of the book. Another limitation imposed by the exigencies of space is any discussion of the history or characteristics of the instruments Praetorius mentions, nor is there room for any sort of critical or formal analysis of the many compositions, both his own and those of others, that are referred to throughout the work. Further, the inclusion of excerpts from any of the works in question, as helpful and enlightening as they would no doubt be, would increase the size and cost of this book beyond the publisher’s comfort level. In most instances the person reading this book will be affiliated with an institution or organization that owns or has access to Praetorius’s Complete Works,12 which will facilitate any comparisons of music with text that may need to be made. For the same reason facsimile excerpts are not provided with the transcriptions of Praetorius’s examples into modern notation. Two final areas in which elaborate detail has been curtailed are performance practice and historical background. In both cases the reason is simple: this is a translation, as stated above, and not a general book on performance practice or a biography of Michael Praetorius. There has been an explosion of research in the field of performance practice, especially since 1980, and there have been a considerable number of historically informed recordings of Praetorius’s works released on compact disk in the past few decades (refer to the Discography in the Appendix). While the Bibliography contains a large number of books, articles, and dissertations that deal directly with specific issues related to performing Praetorius’s compositions, such as: Lars Ulrich Abraham, Der Generalbass im Schaffen
des Michael Praetorius und seine harmonischen
—just to name a few that actually have his name in the title, I have endeavored to cite these and other contemporary sources at the appropriate places in the text where the discussion centers on performance practice. The most basic reference work on performance practice is Roland Jackson’s A Bibliography of Performance Practice, 1988, with updates on the website located at http://www.performancepractice.com/ (see also the link Jackson 87-97 under Currency of Research). And finally, an excellent resource to performance practice treatises of this time is John Butt’s Music Education and the Art of Performance in the German Baroque, published by Cambridge University Press in 1994. For biographical information on Praetorius
the reader will find a wide assortment of works in the Bibliography, ranging
from the very earliest listings in a lexicon
to the first dissertation on him, Wilibald Gurlitt’s Michael
Praetorius (Creuzbergensis): Sein Leben und seine Werke, Leipzig/Hildesheim,
1915/R1968, to the most recent entry by Walter Blankenburg and Clytus Gottwald
in the New Grove II, 2001.
It has been noted by previous writers 13 that Praetorius’s reason for writing the second and third volumes of his encyclopedia in German rather than Latin, the language of the first volume, was simply that he wanted the information contained in them to be accessible to a larger group of people, especially those involved with actually performing (playing, singing, directing) his music and the music of other composers of the early seventeenth century. Based on the performance instructions (generally called Ordinantz) found in the prefaces to his many collections of music, not to mention the detailed discussion preceding nearly every composition in his collections Polyhymnia Caduceatrix et Panegyrica and Puericinium, among others, it was of the utmost importance to Praetorius for the practical musician to have the guidelines necessary to realize his music in performance, and for that reason he recognized the urgency of writing in the vernacular. Nonetheless, there are still a great many passages, indeed whole sections of Syntagma Musicum, that are in Latin, the language he chose to use when the issues under discussion became more intricate and complex and therefore perhaps targeted to the more learned or scholarly user. But there is an even more practical reason for Praetorius to use German in this volume, and that has to do with the terms themselves: most of them would have had to be created in Latin, as they simply did not exist! Because I feel it is important for today’s reader to know when Praetorius was writing in German and when in Latin, I have used italics to designate the latter occasion. Latin of the early seventeenth century can be every bit as abstruse and inscrutable as the German of this period, and I have tried to simplify Praetorius’s highly Baroque manner of writing without sacrificing what he is actually trying to say. I am grateful to Professor Charles E. Brewer for permitting me to manipulate his Latin translations to accommodate my writing style and concept of how Praetorius’s thoughts should be captured, thus assuring a smooth transition between the two languages. For someone comparing the present translation with the original text it might appear as though I have taken too many liberties, and indeed, it may occasionally look completely different. In actual fact, some chapters would have benefitted from a complete revision and restatement of Praetorius’s thoughts on the subject. But this is a translation, and I have made every effort to keep the meaning intact. Complex sentences have been shortened by converting parenthetical insertions and dependent clauses into free-standing sentences, or by creating several sentences out of a string of clauses, and passive voice constructions have often been converted into active statements. Another attempt at simplifying Praetorius’s writing style involved modifying one of the most common writing practices of the day, i.e., using at least two adjectives to describe something, with one of them being in Latin if at all possible. Examples of this practice can be found on virtually every page; e.g., Distributiones und Abteilung (SM-139[119]) or in einer stillen und eingezogenen Music gebraucht/referirt werden (same page). An argument can be made for translating such duplications if they are used for special emphasis and only occasionally; but when their occurrence is widespread, the translator must not be afraid to assume the role of editor and excise what is superfluous. (Note: in the above example it was felt that both adjectives, “distribution and classification” and “quiet and reserved,” should be retained.) Working with words formulated over three hundred years ago is similar to interpreting the musical notation of the Renaissance (and earlier) in that there are often differing opinions on how a specific passage should be interpreted and thus transcribed into modern notation. When performing from a transcription it is absolutely imperative that the person using the edition has access to the original signs and symbols, either in a footnote or in an appended critical apparatus, in cases where ambiguity exists. To be sure, the editor cannot skirt the issue, and it is incumbent on him to make a determination so that the composition may continue; but in deference to the knowledgeable or inquisitive user—whether scholar or performer—all other options must be included. Jeffrey Kurtzman's remarks relating to the differing perspectives and needs of the scholar/editor vis-á-vis the performer are applicable here [bracketed insertions are mine and intended to bring the point home]: ". . . it is not the role of the scholar/editor[/translator] to make the decisions that should be made by performers [readers] themselves. Ultimately it is the performer [informed reader] who must select among the relevant options and take responsibility for those chosen for a particular performance [reading, interpretation]. That this increases the burden on the performer [reader] is unquestionable, but a function of the scholarly enterprise is to educate performers [readers] by making such information available so that performers [readers] are better equipped to assume these burdens and make informed choices. That such information and options in 17th-century music are complicated, distressingly vague and ambiguous goes with the territory."14In the same manner it would be unconscionable for a translator to render ambiguous words or phrases into another language without providing the original ones or alternate interpretations of them either in square brackets or in a footnote. One concern of particular note in the case of Praetorius is his use of the terms Geige, Violin, klein Geige, Viol, Violist. At times they appear to be applied interchangeably, while on other occasions they are used more specifically. In order to avoid cluttering the translation with the original name of each instrument every time it occurs, the instrument in question will appear in brackets when it is not on the following list: Singular Plural violin(o)
Violini
In other words, if the translation reads “violin [Geige],” that means Praetorius used the word “Geige” instead of “Violin.” Another word used ambiguously by Praetorius is Harmony (and its various grammatical configurations; e.g., harmonia, harmoniam, harmoniæ, etc.) meaning “harmony” in some cases and “sound” in others. The word “sound” itself appears in a variety of guises, including Concord, Concentum, Intonirn, Klang, Resonantz, Concordantz, and lauten. In these cases and several more (e.g., tactus, Takt, Schlag, Kapellmeister, maestro di capella, Directori, Musicorum Chororum Directoribus, among others) the original word has been placed in square brackets in order for the reader to know that the decision to use one word rather than another may have been purely arbitrary. There has been no attempt to standardize Praetorius’s inconsistent spelling, as there may be some benefit of knowing that he either encountered differing versions of the spelling of a specific person, place, or thing (e.g., Giovanni Battista Fergusio, Ioan Fregusij), or that he may have spelled it phonetically (e.g., Claudius de Monte Verde), or that he simply got confused (e.g., Alexius Alexander for Alexius Neander, see pp. SM-89, 243). Of course, many of the words reflect the required endings of proper grammatical usage (see harmonia above), and then it is entirely possible that the majority of mistakes are simply errors made by the printer. Unfortunately, some of the errors may prevent scholars from ever finding the person to whom he was referring; for example, Antonius Faber, who has not been located, may perhaps be Benedictus Faber (1573-1634), who fulfills Praetorius’s purpose rather well.15 It is entirely appropriate to refer here to Praetorius’s comment preceding his own list of errata found in SMII, on page 235: “At times not only words have been omitted, but also letters have been mixed up, switched around, or even omitted. Of those only the most notable have been listed here; while reading, the lesser ones may be corrected by the well-meaning reader himself.”16 Of course, not every reader will benefit from the original material having been put in brackets or footnotes, but the ones who are in a position to know will appreciate being able to draw their own conclusions. The fact that only one translation of Syntagma Musicum III (submitted as a Doctoral of Musical Arts dissertation,17) has been attempted since its appearance in 1619 suggests that confronting such a formidable challenge has long represented an imposing prospect for scholars. Volumes I and II of Syntagma Musicum have not faired much better, as neither has been translated in its entirety. Part 1 (of two parts) of Volume I was also submitted as a dissertation18 and remains unpublished, and Parts 1 & 2 (of four parts) of Volume II have each appeared in print.19 Any deficiencies that may be found in the translation,
whether in German or Latin, are entirely my own and should not reflect
adversely on those who have offered advice and assistance along the way.
Needless to say, I will never be satisfied that I have captured the subtle
nuances and intricate ambiguities of a long lost culture, and I therefore
beg the reader’s indulgence and understanding.
This translation is based on a revised reprint of the original second edition of 1619, edited by Eduard Bernoulli and published by C.F. Kahnt in Leipzig in 1916, and the facsimile edition of the original that appeared as Volume 15 in the series Documenta Musicologica, edited by Wilibald Gurlitt and published in Kassel by the Bärenreiter publishing company in 1978, as well as Bärenreiter’s recently published facsimile paperback edition, edited by Arno Forchert, 2001. There are a number of exemplars of original second editions in libraries throughout Europe and North America, occasionally bound together with the first two volumes, but copies of the first edition, published just one year earlier, are quite scarce. It has not been ascertained just how many copies were printed of either edition, nor is it known why the second followed the first so closely. One could conjecture that the first edition sold out quickly, necessitating a hasty reprint. But the second edition is not simply a reprint of the first, but a revision of it, so it is possible MPC was not pleased with the many mistakes contained in the first edition and therefore ordered the second edition. It is beyond the scope of this introduction to itemize all of the differences between the two editions. There is no point, for instance, in listing the many discrepancies in pagination—a problem found in both editions, but far worse in the first—nor spelling inaccuracies and inconsistencies, also found in both editions. There is one conundrum that defies explanation, and that is the spelling of the word “schnurrecht” found on line 7 of the first full paragraph of page 100 in the facsimile editions of 1978 and 2001 consulted for this translation. The spelling of that word on page 77 in the Bernoulli reprint is “schurrecht,” and he assures the reader that he is using the second edition found in the Munich Hof- und Staatsbibliothek.20 How can these divergent spellings be accounted for when the editions all appeared at the same time?21 One might conjecture that on the day this page was being printed, the printer (or, more likely, his apprentice), at some point during the process, noticed the missing “n” in the word and simply added that type element to the press, but did not discard the previously printed pages (perhaps quite a sizeable number?) containing the misspelled word, in order not to waste valuable paper and ink (and to escape the ire of his employer!). So much for speculation! Another stark difference between two editions of SMIII noted by Bernoulli was discovered after his reprint had already appeared. In a Berichtigung or errata page he reports that the Königliche Universitätsbibliothek in Bonn has an exemplar of SMIII that must be the very first edition, if not fully complete (“. . . offenbar die allererste, wenn auch nicht vollständige Ausgabe ist”). He says this because it concludes on page 240, omitting the last twenty pages which contain two full pages of text (beginning with Letzlich hab ich noch dieses allhier mit beizubringen. . . [Finally, I find it necessary to append . . .] ), the two indices, and the errata listings. Further, apart for a few orthographic variances on the title page, the words “Sampt angehengtem außfürlichem Register” (Appended is an extensive index) four lines from bottom of the page are missing. This suggests that rather than it representing an incomplete replica of the original, the twenty pages missing at the end of the book were not just removed at some point, but were never intended to be there. The final two lines on the title page of the Bonn exemplar conclude with: Getruckt zu Wolffenbüttel, bey Elias Holwein Fürstl. Br. Buchtr. und Formschu. Im Jahr 1618, while in Munich they read: . . . F. Br. Buchdr. vnd Forms. / daselbst. In Verlegung des Autoris. Im Jahr / 1619. The following partial list of differences has been assembled after consulting the following examplars (all are second editions unless indicated 1618): Douce P 710 (Bodleian Library)
The first letter of each name will be used as an abbreviation (D, T,
H, K, R, W-1, W-1.4, P, K, M).
I am grateful to The Florida State University for granting me
two one-semester sabbatical research leaves to work on this translation.
Thanks go also to countless graduate students who have assisted me along
the way, including those in the doctoral seminar of 1996. I am especially
appreciative of Dr. Quentin Faulkner of the University of Nebraska for
his sharp eye and thoughtful suggestions for improving the translation,
and to Ibo Ortgies, my undercover German resource, who always came through
when I was confronted with a particularly stubborn passage. Additional
thanks go to Prof. Colleen Reardon of Binghamton University for her help
with the quotations from Agazzari, Dr. Herbert Myers of Stanford University,
who offered many helpful suggestions in Book 3, and Dr. Gregory Johnston
for sharing his research with me. My Florida State University colleague,
Dr. Charles E. Brewer, has my utmost gratitude for translating the passages
in Latin. I should also like to thank two prior Oxford music editors-in-chief
who shepherded this project along and offered support, Bruce Phillips and
Maribeth Anderson Payne. To my wife, Helga, go my greatest thanks
for putting up with my trials and tribulations over the many years I have
been struggling with MPC and for being there when needed. It has
been a long ride indeed.
Abbreviations used in the book When Praetorius makes reference to a specific clef or clefs, he interrupts the text with a short five-line staff with the intended clef on it. To simplify matters I have chosen to use the standard clef designations as follows: C-1, (C-2, etc.) = c-clef placed on the first line (second line)
of the staff ,
Specific pitch designations in the text are indicated in the following
manner:
CMM Corpus Mensuralibis Musicæ (n.p.: American Institute of Musicology, 1948–). JAMIS Journal of the American Instrument Society JAMS Journal of the American Musicological Society Mf Die Musikforschung (Kassel, 1948–). MfMg Monatshefte für Musikgeschichte (Leipzig, 1869-1905). NHDM The New Harvard Dictionary of Music (Cambridge, 1986). NG The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (London, 2001). VfMw Vierteljahrsesheft für Musikwissenschaft
(Leipzig, 1885-94).
Note that in the body of the text, the short form for footnotes has been adopted in order to reduce the size of the footnotes. Full bibliographic information may be found in the bibliography at the end of the book. For Example: “Bernoulli, SynIII” stands for: Bernoulli, Eduard. Michael Praetorius Syntagma Musicum,
Band III: Kritisch revidierter Neudruck nach
footnote 1 See the article on Praetorius by Walter Blankenburg and Clytus Gottwald in NGII, 2001, 20: 261-66, and by Arno Forchert in MGG, Vol 10 (1962), 1560-72. back footnote 2 See the title pages of Syntagma Musicum where he refers to himself in Volume I as “Auctore Michaele Prætorio C.” and on the next page as “Michaël Prætorius C.,” and as “Michaelis Praetorii C.” in both Volumes II and III. It is entirely possible that the “C” might stand for “Capellmeister,” as he uses this spelling in Volumes 1 and 2, where his name is actually followed by C.M. (pages XIV & VII respectively); and simply C in Volumes 9, 15, and 16. Further, on pages 146[126], 147[127], 133, 137, 142, 148, 149, 221-226 of Volume III he uses the abbreviation M.P.C. when referring to himself. While he resorts to this abbreviation on numerous occasions in the introductions to his collections of musical works, he only uses it three times to mean Mihi Patria Cælum (Heaven, my fatherland), as seen on page XIV of Musæ Sioniæ, Vol. 5 (1607), page VII of Musæ Sioniæ, Vol. 7 (1609), and, curiously, on page XV of Terpsichore (1612), his only purely secular work.(these are Volumes 5, 7, & 15 in the Collected Works). On page 95 of F.T. Arnold’s monumental work on the thoroughbass, he proposes the Latin phrase Meæ propriæ considerationes (my own thoughts) as the appropriate meaning of M.P.C. back footnote 3 Friedrich Blume, “Das Werk des Michael Praetorius,” in Syntagma Musicologicum, ed. by Martin Ruhnke. Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1963, pp. 229-274, esp. pp. 232-241. back footnote 4 By such writers as Gengenbach, Demantius, Friderici, Herbst, Johann Crüger, Falck, even Mattheson, among many others. back footnote 5 SMI, p. c-3; translation by Fleming, p. 31; musicos and musices cultores = “musicians and amateurs of music,” Fleming, p. xi. back footnote 6 SMI, pp. 21-22; translation by Fleming, p. xi. back footnote 7 SMI, p. 14; translation by Fleming, p. xii. back footnote 8 Fleming, pp. xxii-xxiii. back footnote 9 Fleming, p. xxiv. back footnote 10 See pp. 161ff in which he describes the organs of Costnitz (Konstanz), Ulm, Danzig, Rostock, Lübeck (3), Stralsund, Hamburg (2), Lüneburg, Breslau, Magdeburg (5), Bernau (near Berlin), Halle, Braunschweig, Leipzig (2), Torgau, Halberstadt, Kassel, Bückeburg, Dresden, Grüningen (Gröningen, near Halberstadt), Hessen, Schöningen, and others. back footnote 11 E.g., NG, NHDM, MGG, etc. back footnote 12 Blume, Friedrich. Gesamtausgabe der musikalischen Werke von Michael Praetorius, Vols. 1-20. Wolfenbüttel: Kallmeyer, 1928-1956. Referred to as “Complete Works” in the text. back footnote 13 Fleming, pp. x-xi and 31, Crookes, p.xiii; Möller-Weise, 137-38, among others. back footnote 14 Jeffrey Kurtzman, "Editions, scholarship and performance," Early Music (Feb, 2001), p. 157. back footnote 15 See SMIII, p. 7; Benedictus is described in Walther, p. 234, and Zedler, p.12. back footnote 16 Das bißweilen nicht allein Wörter aussen gelassen / besondern auch die Buchstaben vnd Distinctiones verwechselt / versetzet oder gar mangeln. Von denen / allein die vornembste alhier verzeichnet / die andern vnd geringere wolle der guthertzige Leser im lesen selber Corrigieren. back footnote 17 Hans Lampl’s DMA dissertation, University of Southern California, 1957. back footnote 18 Michael Fleming’s Ph.D. dissertation, Washington University, 1979. back footnote 19 Harold Blumenfeld (1949/1980) and David Crookes (1986). back footnote 20 See Bernoulli, SynIII, page XVII, Bibliographisches zum Neudruck. Even the microfilm of the original second edition used by Hans Lampl for his translation contained this error. See page 171, footnote 2 in Lampl, SynIII. back footnote 21 I am unable to consult the spelling of this word in an original first edition at this time. back Back to top.
Book 1 THIRD VOLUME of SYNTAGA MUSICUM by MICHAEL PRAETORIUS C[REUZBERGENSIS] containing
1. The definition, classification, and description of nearly all Italian, French, English, and current German terms used for compositions, such as concertos, motets, madrigals, canzonas, etc. 2. Observations on performance with regard to notes and the beat [tactus], modes and transposition, parts or voices, and various choirs; also on unisons and octaves. 3. How Italian and other musical terms, such as ripieno, ritornello, forte, piano, presto, lento, capella, palchetto, and many more, are interpreted and employed; the differentiation, classification, and terminology of musical instruments; the use of the thoroughbass (p. 136); the easy arrangement of a concerto for instruments and voices in different choirs; the training of young school boys in the current Italian manner of singing. Appended is an extensive index.
Printed at Wolfenbüttel by Elias Holwein, printer and engraver to the Prince of Brunswick1 Published by the author in the year 1619 [2r]
My most benevolent lords, munificent3
and sole patrons
Noble, most honored, prudent, all-wise, and
especially benevolent lords, I have assembled by the grace of God and not
without ample effort and labor, a musical compendium5
for the benefit of all emerging, sincere, and enthusiastic lovers of the
noble [art of] music of the present and future; it is divided into four
volumes6 consisting of manifold musical
topics—indeed, almost anything dealing with music—, as can be ascertained
more thoroughly from the general title and index. In the first volume
I have dealt with the sacred and ecclesiastical music of the ancients as
adapted to religious practice as well as their worldly7
[2v] music for free and liberal use and amusement outside the church, as
extracted from the most prominent and esteemed writers.8
EPODE
AMPHION, the founder of the city of Thebes,
I made this at Nuremberg on 30 April 1619. [5v(7v)]26
The principal aspects of this third volume
of Syntagma Musicum are for the most part the author’s own thoughts
and innovations, observed and carefully noted from his organization of
sundry electoral and princely musical concerts in various localities—applied
to other concertos after further reflection and thought—and finally put
to paper. Nevertheless information from some Italians has been included
in this volume (partly from a number of prefaces from published concertos
found here and there—although the author had almost finished the work by
this time—but also from oral accounts of friendly people who sojourned
in Italy). But the author has learned from experience that, particularly
with the publication of new books, there are always malcontents who have
an innate envy to criticize well-intended endeavors and who try their utmost
to spitefully disparage it for everyone. Thus for the benefit of
him and all music lovers, the author requests that everyone with experience
in this art interpret his work in the best light, criticize it candidly,
and communicate its faults either directly or through print, for [several]
eyes always see more than [one] eye.27
Similarly, the author hopes to give instruction
and stimulation to others who pursue this praiseworthy and agreeable course
of study, and trusts that they have had good will and friendship in their
dealings with many eminent musicians during their travels in Italy and
other localities (where the author is unable to go because of ill health,
his duties, and many other misfortunes30);
he also desires that they contemplate these things further and not bury
their talents, but share them willingly with others, which is surely expected
from every candid, sincere musician. Since we are all by nature obliged
and bound to serve the common Fatherland, the author will shortly publish,
God willing, his fourth volume of Syntagma Musicum,31
not from ambition nor to achieve a great name and reputation, but for the
good of the German nation and the benefit of all music lovers. It
will be compiled from the splendid writings of Gioseffo Zarlino, Giovanni-Maria
Artusi, Pietro Ponzio, M. Orazio Tigrini,32
and other excellent authors. It is hoped that many devoted and kind
hearts will be found who will not only understand and recognize his work
with an appreciative and amicable disposition, but who will take the opportunity
to encourage others who by profession have a penchant for this art to come
out with their own hitherto unpublished works. Thus it is especially
hoped that the esteemed author Heinrich Baryphonus, singing teacher and
extraordinary musician from Quedlinburg, will have no reservations about
publishing not only the works promised in his Plejades Musicæ,
but several others—notably the Exercitationes Harmonicæ,33
which includes everything that needs to be known concerning theory and
practice—and make no further delays [7r] for those eager to know
this art. Therefore the author of this Syntagma is willing
to bear the printing costs in the best interest of the common knowledge,
provided that no other fine people can be found to defray them, so that
in following the example of the Italians, music is not just cultivated
in Germany, our own country, like the other sciences and disciplines, but
may also be spread far and wide for the praise and glory of God and for
the recreation and enjoyment of God-fearing hearts.
*I-V-I-C-V-D-I-V-M = MDCVVVIII = 1618.35
The third volume consists of three parts: The first part deals with the meaning, classification, and description
of nearly all
1. Concertos
p. 16
Part two concerns notating music36 1. Ligatures
p. 47
Part Three: How Italian and other musical terms are interpreted and employed, such as: 1. Instrument, Instrumentalist, Concertato Parts,
Vocal &
2. Capella Palchetto [raised choirs] p. 123 3. Capella Fidicinia [string choirs]; Chorus Symphoniæ p. 126 4. The Classification of musical instruments p. 130 5. Names of instruments in Italian p. 133 [8r] 6. The use of the thoroughbass by
organists, lutenists and
7. A concerto for instruments and voices conveniently
and
8. Several different methods and manners to arrange
all kinds
9. Instruction for choirboys: the manner in which
young boys
10. An extensive index and register p. 246
A Triad of epigrams:
I. The musical voice of Prætorius has resounded in all parts of the
world,
II. Our Prætorius speaks: Music is our love,
III. O Prætorius, truly you are a Clio from a wonderfully rough place!
Thrown together and in haste in Prague,
back to top
footnote 1 F. Br. = Fürstlicher Braunschweig back footnote 2 Nuremberg, according to Harold Samuel and Susan Cattuso in NG2, 18: 228-29, was a “leading center of music in the 17th century.” “It was a major commercial city. . . renown for instrument making and printing. . . and was visited by Giovanni Gabrieli in 1597.” back footnote 3 Maecenas = Gaius Maecenas was an 8th-century B.C. Roman statesman and patron of literature; first used in 1542 for “a generous patron of literature or art.” In Merriam-Webster CD-Rom. back footnote 4 Evergetis = Latinized (dat. pl.) Greek word meaning benefactor or one who does good things. back footnote 5 Syntagma musicum back footnote 6 The fourth volume never appeared, but its contents are described and outlined at the end of this volume. back footnote 7 Politica = having to do with the state or politics back footnote 8 See Part I, translated by Michael Fleming, Michael Praetorius, Music Historian: An Annotated Translation of Syntagma Musicum I, Part I. Ph.D. dissertation, Washington University, 1979. back footnote 9 Praetorius, Michael. The Syntagma Musicum of Michael Praetorius. Vol. 2: De Organographia, 3rd Edition, Parts 1-2. Harold Blumenfeld, trans. New York: Da Capo, 1980; and Praetorius, Michael. Syntagma Musicum. Vol. 2: De Organographia, Parts 1-2. Translated and edited by David Z. Crookes. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1986. back footnote 10 Thon, meaning “range,” in all likelihood back footnote 11 see page 112, especially note 205, for MPC’s discussion of Instrumentist. back footnote 12 Gesänge; MPC frequently uses this word for “composition.” back footnote 13 Scaliger, Julius Caesar, De causis linguæ latinæ. Lugduni: Apud Seb. Gryphium,1540. back footnote 14 Cicero, Marcus Tullius, De inventione; de optimo genere oratorum; topica. Translated into English by William Heinemann. Cambridge, Ma.: Harvard University Press, 1993. back footnote 15 De Finibus bonorum et malorum, translated as On Moral Ends by Raphael Woolf. Cambridge, Eng: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Both Topica and De Finibus were published in several countries in the sixteenth century, including Germany. back footnote 16 Forster, Edward Seymour and Hugh Tredennick, Posterior analytics: Aristotle’s Topics in Greek and English. Cambridge, Ma.: Harvard University Press, 1989. back footnote 17 Aristotle, Rhetorica, translated by W.R. Roberts. De rhetorica ad Alexandrum, translated by E.S. Forster. De poetica, translated by Ingram Bywater. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1959. back footnote 18 Plato, Theaetetus; Sophist, translated by Harold North Fowler. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1996 back footnote 19 vblichen Gesängen back footnote 20 sondern auch vornemlich / was Musicam anlanget / dieselbe und deroselben Cultores jederzeit veneriret, und hochgehalten. back footnote 21 actually, from Mons in Hainault back footnote 22 in hoc laudabili exercitii genere back footnote 23 George Remus, b.1561 in Augsburg–d. 1625 in Nuremberg, received a doctorate in mathematics, philology, history, and poetry, and became consul of Nuremberg and provost at the University of Altorf. back footnote 24 The Latin fides can refer both to “faith” and “the lyre,” a sort of pun. Thanks to Charles E. Brewer for this information. back footnote 25 Testudo can also mean “lute.” back footnote 26 this is the reverse side of 5r; 8 on the facing page is in error, and should be 6. back footnote 27 si quidem oculi semper plus vident, quam oculus back footnote 28 for more on MPC’s use of the term “fugue,” see footnote 100, p. 40, and 103, p. 41below. back footnote 29 excerpted from Satires, Book I, Satire, No. 3. back footnote 30 both Gustave Reese, Music in the Renaissance, Revised edition, 1959 (p. 418) and Howard Mayer Brown, Music in the Renaissance, 1976 (p. 370) report that MPC traveled to Italy to study with Giovanni Gabrieli, but there is no corroborating evidence to this affect. back footnote 31 Greek: Melopoiían; i.e. Musical Composition. Volume 4 never appeared. back footnote 32 Zarlino, Gioseffo. Le Istituzioni Harmoniche, Venice,1558, 5/1589 (reprt, New York, 1965; trans. by Marco and Palisca, New Haven 1968, New York 2/1983; Artusi, Giovanni Maria. L'Arte Del Contraponto ridotta in tavole, Venice,1586, 2/1598 (reprt, Hildesheim,1969; Pontio, Pietro. Ragionamento di musica, Parma, 1588 (reprt, Kassel, 1959); and Tigrini, Orazio. Il Compendio Della Musica nel quale brevemente si tratta dell’arte del contrapunto, Venice,1588 (reprt, New York, 1966). back footnote 33 refer to MPC’s listing of Baryphonus’s works on pp. 233-35 below; the only one of these to be printed in MPC’s lifetime was Pleiades musicæ, quæ in certas sectiones distributæ præcipuas quæstiones musicas discutinut Et Omnia, Quae Ad Theoriam Pertinent, Et Melopoeiae Plurimum Inserviunt Ex Veris Fundamentis Mathematicas Exstructa, Theoramatis Septenis Proponunt, Exemplis Illustrant, Et Coram Judicio Rationis Et Sensuas Examinant, Studiosis Non Solum Musices, Verum Etiam Matheseos Scitu Necessariae Et Lectu Jucundae, Halberstadt: J.A. Kote, 1615. back footnote 34 “A phrase, sentence, or inscription, in which certain letters (usually distinguished by size or otherwise from the rest) express by their numerical values a date or epoch. Chronograms..were not confined to initial letters..the numeral letters, in whatever part of the word they stood, were distinguished from other letters by being written in capitals. The word Chronogram is said to have been first used in some verses addressed to the King of Poland in 1575. It is essential to a good chronogram that every numerical letter in the sentence must be counted.” OED online, accessed 5 October 2001 at http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/00039328? back footnote 35 This is obviously a carry-over from the first edition, published in 1618. back footnote 36 Was im singen bey den Noten back footnote 37 According to the Zedler Universal-Lexicon, 1732, p. 1718, Johann Steinmetz was born in Leipzig and was active at the end of the sixteenth century. back [1] VOLUME THREE PART ONE Terms of Vocal Music
or A miscellany concerning the derivation and description of vocal compositions
Part One
I. Concerning the table and classification of the common compositions being employed in Italy, France, England, and now in Germany II. Concerning the compositions which have sacred and solemn secular texts, such as concertos, motets, and Falsobordone III. Concerning compositions that have secular humorous
texts in certain verse patterns, such as madrigals, stanzas, sestinas,
and sonnets
V. Concerning compositions that are put together out of diverse pieces, such as messanzas and quodlibets VI. Concerning compositions that are used in street serenades and masquerades, such as giustiniani, serenades, and ballettos VII. Concerning compositions that are sung by laborers and peasants, such as vinettas, giardinieros, and villanellas VIII. Concerning free-standing preludes, such as fantasies and sonatas IX. Concerning preludes to the dance, such as the intradas
X. Concerning preludes to motets and madrigals, such as toccatas XI. Concerning the dances arranged according to certain paces and steps, such as the paduana, passamezzo, and galliard XII. Concerning the dances that are not arranged according to certain paces and steps, such as the bransle, courrante, volte, allemande, and mascherada. Back to top.
Book 1, Chapter 1 Chapter I Concerning the table and classification of Italian,
For the instruction of the many simple people who have often wished to know what the names of the various Italian and French compositions mean, I have sought to indicate here such a list, collated from [3 ]the writings of many eminent authors, with the sincere request that it be well received and understood with comfort and confidence. Nearly all such compositional forms38 can be ascertained from the following table. C
a
c
d
f
i
with a
without
that is humorous,
preludes
dance forms with concertos
the text
the use
either by
or to
fixed steps
free steps which are added in part to religious, in part to secular matters, as in the praise of heroes and at solemn festivals. (Chap. 2) being complete and consisting of verses that are fixed, such as
unfixed, such as or patched together, such as
for political occasions, such as or
economic purposes, such as
fantasia, fugue [Fuga], sinfonia, sonata (Chap. 8) a dance, such as other compositions, such as pavan, passamezzo, galliard
bransle, courante, volta, allemande, mascherada
madrigals, stanzas
dialogues, canzonas
messanzas or
giustinianas, serenatas, ballettos
vinettos giardinieros
the intrada (Chap. 9) toccatas (Chap. 10).
footnote 38 Cantiones, Gesänge und Melodeyen back Back to top.
Book 1, Chapter 2 [4] Chapter II Concerning compositions which have sacred and solemn secular texts,
1. Cantio, Concentus, or Symphonia A Cantio, Concentus, or Symphonia is a composition of different
numbers of voices. By the Italians it is named concetto or concerto,
which to the Latins is Concertatio, insofar as the various voices or instrumental
music are engaged in making a concert. The sweetness consists not
as much from artifice as in variety itself. In German it is named
ein Concert.39
that he invented with the name “concerto.” In the Preface40 that precedes them he indicates, among other things, that he purposely avoided using too many rests, particularly so that the concertos could have more ornaments,41 cadences, and passaggi; also so that each word and syllable may correspond precisely with its note, in order to enable the listeners to more easily perceive and understand every word and sentence. He was particularly persuaded to this approach when he saw that a motet for five, six, or more voices was often accompanied on the organ, as there were seldom more than two or three singers, especially in cloisters; the shortage of singers deprived the ensemble of its charm and grace, as the missing voices are filled with imitations, cadences,42 etc. (corresponding with long rests in the parts that were covered by the other singers). Thus, the prolonged rests cut up and mutilated the text causing the listeners great annoyance and bringing the singers undue effort and work. He therefore took pen in hand and composed several motets in a special concertato manner for one, two, three, and four voices, uniquely suited to the organ. These pieces were prized by others so highly that they were not only frequently performed publically in the principal churches in Rome, but also gave many excellent, gifted people incentive to imitate them. Nowadays, practically every composer in Italy is
writing far fewer madrigals in favor of this and [5 ]similar types of splendid
compositions for one, two, three, and four voices with thoroughbass for
organ (of which more will be said in part three43),
and publishing them without discriminating among the names “concertos,”
“concentus,” and “motet.”
[6 ]2. Motets
3. Ivo de Vento motteta (plural, neuter) 4. Lechner, Utendal, & Riccius motecta (feminine, plural, neuter) 5. Utendal and Ivo de Vento muteta (feminine)
Furthermore, whence the name of motecta will
have derived its origin, there are varying opinions.
Concertos Lodovico Viadana à 1, 2, 3, 4
Various Composers Giovanni Battista Fergusio
Among these composers are some who use both
terms (concertos and motets), including Antonius Faber and Simone Molinaro.53
Tomaso Cecchino54 entitles his bicinia
Motetti Concertati; others use Concentus, Sacra Cantica, Sacras Cantiones,
Laudes, Harmonias, Margaritas, Dei Laudes, Divinas Laudes, Melodias Sacras,
Spirituales, Tympanum Cœleste, etc.
[See Diagram] For numbers 1 and 2 constitute an octave in the lower range, but between
1 and 2 there is no other middle number, so there is then neither a fifth
nor a third between G and g. In the mid range the numbers 2 and 3
[11] And second, some are of the opinion
that fourths are perfect consonances, but that two of them in
footnote 39 meaning "concerted piece.” back footnote 40 This is the Preface to Cento Concerti Ecclesiastici, à Una, à Due, à Tre, & à Quattro Voci. Con il Basso continuo per sonar nel Organo Nova inventione commoda per ogni sorte de Cantore, & per gli Organisti di Lodovico Viadana Opera Duodecima, Venetia: Apresso Giacomo Vincenti, 1602, and it contains twelve rules on this new art. It may be found in its original form and in translation in F.T. Arnold’s The Art of Accompaniment from a Thorough-bass, London: Oxford University Press, 1931, pp. 2-4. For details concerning the origin of figured bass, see Chapter 1 in Arnold. back footnote 41 Lieblichkeit. The passage in Viadana reads, in part, as follows: “Non ho mancato di apportare à tempo & à luogo alcuni passi e cadenze con altri luoghi accomodati per Accentuare, per Passeggiare, e per fare altre proue della dispositione e gratia dei Cantori, se bene, per il più, e per facilità, si è usato passaggi communi, che la natura istessa porta, ma piu fioriti.” [I have not failed to introduce, where appropriate, certain figures and cadences, and other convenient opportunities for ornaments and passage-work and for giving other proofs of the aptitude and elegant style of the singers, although, for the most part, to facilitate matters, the stock passages have been used, such as nature itself provides, but more florid.] See Arnold, The Art, pp. 3-4. back footnote 42 mit fugis, clausulis, etc....erfüllet seyn back footnote 43 see page 136. back footnote 44 [fl. 1588-1619]; Concerti Ecclesiastici à 12, divisi in 3 chori, Venice: Amadino, 1610; Messe, libro I, 8 vv w/ organ, Venice, 1612; Psalmi ad vesperas in totius anni solemnitatibus, liber I, 8 voice, Venice, 1616. Fidelity to tradition and innovative ferment in Stefano Nascimbeni’s Masses for eight voices (Venice, Amadino, 1612). In Tesi dei laurea, U. degli Studi di Pavia, Scuola di Paleografia e Filologia Musicale, 1990-91, 2 vols, 382 pp. RILM Abstracts # 94-03090-dm. back footnote 45 Inspecie à Concertando. back footnote 46 See pages 113, 130, 133. back footnote 47 in einer Compagny unnd Gesellschaft gar still/ sanfft und lieblich accordiren, und in anmutiger Symphonia mit einander zusammen stimmen. Contemporary definitions include: “Consort . . . a company of Musitions together,” found in John Bullokar’s An English expositor: teaching the interpretation of the hardest words used in our Language, London, 1616, or “Consort: A companion, or Musitians together,” found in Henry Cockeram’s The English Dictionarie, London, 1623. The Bullokar and Cockeram definitions may be found in Graham Strahle’s An Early Music Dictionary: Musical terms from British sources 1500-1740, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1995, p. 67. See also Thomas Morley’s Consort Lessons from 1599 for examples of English consort music. For a modern-day treatment of the term see: Warrick Edwards, The Sources of Elizabethan Consort Music, Ph.D. thesis, Cambridge, 1974, pp. i, 36-57; Peter Holman, Four and Twenty Fiddlers: the Violin at the English Court 1540-1690, Oxford, 2/1994), p. 132; and Alan Atlas, Renaissance Music, W.W. Norton, 1998, pp. 687 ff. back footnote 48 Jacob de Kerle (ca. 1531-91), Leonhard Lechner (ca. 1553-1606), Alexander Utendal (ca. 1530-81), Philipp de Monte (1521-1603), Ivo de Vento (ca. 1544-1575), Theodor Riccius (ca. 1540-ca. 1600). back footnote 49 No information on this person has been located; “Monte Dolio (Alphonsus dal)” is listed simply as “ein Italiänisher Graf; Ver. Prätorii Syntag. Mus., T. 3, p. 6" in Zedler, Großes, Bd. 21 (1739): 1290; Walter, Musicalisches, 420, says the same thing. back footnote 50 Artis, musicæ, methodice, legibus logicis, informatæ, libri duo... (Frankfurt: ex officina Paltheniana, 1596; see also Nolte, Eckhard. Johannes Magirus (1558-1631) und seine Musiktraktate in Studien zur hessichen Musikgeschichte, Marpurg, Görich & Weiershäuser, 1971. back footnote 51 Indeed, the word “modetas” occurs in the title of one of the works published by his press: Modulationes aliquot. . . selectissimæ quas vulgo modetas à. . . composite, 1538. back footnote 52 See the entry “p. 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16” in the list of Errata on page 000 [257] where MPC says that many letters in the proper names and Italian words are incorrect, but that it is of no great consequence (doran nun so gar viel nicht gelegen). See also the Index of Authors at the end of the book. back footnote 53 Molinaro, Simone (1564-1615). Concerti ecclesiastici 2-4vv, Venice, 1605 and Motectorum 4vv, Venice, 1597. Faber remains unknown. back footnote 54 Cecchino, Tomaso (1580-1644). Motetti Concertati...libro primo, op. 4, 2vv+bc (org), Venice, 1613. back footnote 55 See pages 183-200. back footnote 56 for an example, see Gabrieli’s canzone Lieto godea for 8vv, 1587, 1601, 1624; modern edns in: CMM: Madrigalia 12, 1974: 124; and London Pro Musica’s Early Music Library #118, ed. by Bernard Thomas, 1987. back footnote 57 Sayve’s Sacræ Symphoniæ quas vulgo motetas appellant ... 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, et 16 vocibus...Editio I. of 1612 contains works that were written over many years, from four-part to sixteen-part polychoral pieces with instruments. back footnote 58 das ist ein lieblicher Concentus, zusammenstimmung und anmutige Harmonia genennet wird. back footnote 59 Bernoulli, SynIII (in footnote 4 on p. 22) believes it is Gabrieli’s second book of Symphoniæ Sacræ published in 1615 that is being referred to here because of the reference in the thoroughbass to Jubilate Deo that says “Sinfonia si placet.” back footnote 60 Sinfonie Musicali à 8 voci di Lodovico Viadana. Commode per concertare con ogni sorte di stromenti. Con il suo. B. generale per l’org. . . . op. 18; Venice, Vincenzi, 1610. back footnote 61 Haußmann oder Stadtpfeiffer back< |