Prologue

Second prologue for the pious reader.

A large decorative woodcut initial 'D' featuring a scholar or cleric seated at a desk, surrounded by books and architectural elements.

After having, pious reader, printed the first book of the Declaration of Musical Instruments, in which, and in the Art of Three Parts arte tripharia Bermudo refers to his 1550 work, which categorized music into three types: plainchant, polyphony, and instrumental music, I promised certain books: I decided to change my purpose and print all my works in one volume and body, although divided into books; for which I had great reasons. Given (as experience has taught us) that one of my books cannot be fundamentally understood without the others: therefore, the singer who wishes to enjoy my books must have all six books (which speak of Music). Since those who desire to be learned in Music have need of all six books: it is reasonable to find them together in one volume. I know that those who have enjoyed the first book seek the others, and even if each were printed separately, some books do not always go where the others have been sold; and therefore, by printing each one by itself, singers would sometimes lack the true understanding of music because they could not have them all together.

With the desire that they might benefit from my labors and vigils original: "vigilias," referring to long hours of late-night study or scholarly work, I changed my initial purpose (seeing the benefit that would result from it) and organized the present book, in which I print not only what I had yet to print, but also what was already printed—though many things have been changed, and others corrected and added, and examples placed in their necessary locations for clarity. In this printing, I looked more to the profit and utility of the readers than to the expense incurred by my relatives As a Franciscan friar, Bermudo may be referring to his religious "brethren" or family members who funded the printing due to such additions and examples in the aforementioned printing. Also original: "Iten," from the Latin "Item," used to introduce a new point, if I were to print each book separately, it would be a very wordy prolix work, because there would be a need to repeat not only sentences but entire chapters; which is avoided by printing it all in one volume and body.

I have shortened the material as much as possible. In such a way, I take care not to annoy the learned with many words, while considering the needs of beginners in music. Some say that I am wordy, and others obscure; and I do not know how both things can coexist, especially considering the work. To the first group, I say that I have not written in Music all that I would have liked and could have. The great amount of writing on Music in Spain causes wonder original: "admiracion," here meaning a sense of shock or bewilderment in those who know little, and even more in those who do not desire to know it from its root and foundation. Rather, some would prefer to work ten or twenty years without knowing what they are doing, and survive on the crumbs original: "migajuelas" of those who know something and do not wish to teach it, than spend a month reading these books. Those who lack the patience to read a long work: how will they have the patience to study it with attention? Every art must be studied, and since the present work is an art of Music: he who wishes to understand it must study it. A universal art of all Music has not been seen in our language Spanish, as opposed to Latin, which was the traditional language for music theory until now, and as music is one of the deepest sciences sciences In the Renaissance, music was part of the Quadrivium, the four mathematical sciences, alongside arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy, it has been necessary to write at such length about it.