Practical Music

The top of the page shows signs of water damage and minor paper loss, but the Gothic/Blackletter print remains legible. The text begins mid-sentence, completing the author's introductory thought on his prose style.

...pertains to the matter, even if our discourse proceeds with a less familiar style. For it is permitted for me to say about music what we read that Marcus Manilius said about astronomy: original: "Ornari res ipsa negat contenta doceri." From Manilius's "Astronomica," meaning the subject is technical and requires clear explanation rather than poetic flowery language. "The subject itself refuses to be adorned, content simply to be taught."

Truly, toward this excellent part of philosophy—namely music—if anyone considers its force, its nature, its beauty, and its nobility, they will not be drawn by my embellishments, but will fly and follow, of their own accord and will, the adorable footsteps of Orpheus of Thrace, Amphion of Thebes, Arion of Lesbos, Mercury, Linus, Solomon, Pythagoras, Aristoxenus, Ptolemy, Chorebus, Lycaon, Theophrastus, Timothy, and others who achieved an immortal name through this discipline.

The author lists a "who's who" of ancient musical authority, blending Greek mythology (Orpheus, who could charm stones), biblical figures (Solomon), and historical theorists (Pythagoras and Ptolemy) to establish the prestige of music.

These were the men whom venerable antiquity so admired that it said they moved wild beasts by the sweetness of song, possessed the hearts of men, recalled souls into bodies, bent the spirits of the dead to mercy, and drew hardy mountain-ashes from the mountains. Though these things may seem like fables exceeding belief, there is no doubt that music is the producer of marvelous works. It is well known that Saul, King of the Jerusalemites, when vexed by an evil spirit, was accustomed to be cured by the playing of the kithara original: "cythare," a lyre-like stringed instrument.. David used the song of the psaltery original: "psalterij," a medieval string instrument often associated with the Psalms. to prophesy, as if lifting his mind upon a certain vehicle. Elisha, the great disciple of the father of the Carmelites The author identifies the prophet Elijah as the "father of the Carmelites," a common medieval tradition., called for a psalmist when he wished to prophesy.

Who does not know that crying infants are calmed by the songs of nurses? And that the inflamed heat of the blood is extinguished by measures? Horses, at the sound of the trumpet, prick up their ears, their limbs tremble, they neigh loudly and leap, unable to stand still, thirsting for battle and war. Priscian A famous 6th-century Latin grammarian. is the authority that there is a fountain among the Sicilians that appears to dance at the sound of the lyre.

Music undoubtedly possesses the greatest energy and immense authority over human souls, whether it wishes to soothe or to uplift. If in our own time so many miracles are not performed through music, it is not to be blamed on the art—which is perfectly written above nature—but on those who use the art poorly. For if those most proven musicians whom we mentioned above were brought back to life, they would deny that the music of our time was invented by them; to such an extent has it been rendered inept, unharmonious, and scattered by the depravity of certain singers.

Moved by these reasons, we have published the present work, hoping that even if there are perhaps some now living who are goaded by envy to detract rather than to improve, there will be many among posterity who, with the poison of envy buried, will praise our labor and, driven by the love of virtue, will favor our work.

Therefore, let this be the division of the work:
In the first book, we shall set forth subtle practice.
In the second, we shall discuss theory accurately.
In the third, we shall discuss semi-mathematical and semi-physical music, and the reasoning behind it.

First, therefore, let us discuss what music is and what harmony is.