A large rectangular woodcut ornament positioned at the top left of the text block, depicting a figure (possibly a saint or personification of Music) standing within a classical architectural frame decorated with floral motifs.

Here begins the first book of the exposition of musical instruments, composed by the very reverend father Fray Juan Bermudo: in which the praises of practical and theoretical music are treated with great skill and depth, along with certain divisions, determinations, and definitions thereof, and other things annexed and dependent upon this.

Argument of the first book

The intent of the author in this first book was that—having seen and known the utility, delight, and honesty of music, and the obligation that we ecclesiastics have to know it—those who are fond of it might become more so, and those who are not devoted might be invited to learn it.

On the motives I had for writing on Music. Chapter 1.

I had three motives or causes for writing on Music, and they are the following. God, through His infinite goodness, had given me some intelligence in Music, especially after I heard the mathematics: In the Renaissance, music was studied as part of the Quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy), treated as a mathematical science of proportions. at the famous and most learned University of Alcalá. But being occupied in the offices of my Order, I had no time to understand Music; and even if I had, seeing how little it is esteemed today, and how disparaged musicians are within the religious orders, and assuming my own lack of spirit, I would not have involved myself in this business. I had understood (though falsely) that I served God more in the exercises and offices of the Order alone than if I dealt with Music—as if both things could not be done. Writing on Music does not blunt the spear for the service of the Order or the execution of obedience (as experience later taught me). Holding Music as an accessory thing, I took no account of it. Since Music was "infirm" within me, in order to heal it, our Lord God gave me a grave and long-lasting illness. This compelled me to leave the offices and exercises in which obedience had kept me occupied, such as being a guardian: The superior or local head of a Franciscan friary. and preaching. Seeing that I could not serve in those roles because my strength failed me,

and that I should not be idle, I devoted myself to looking at music books. On one hand, my conscience, and on the other, the words of the servants of God, persuaded me to write. It would have been a great fault of mine, knowing the lack [of musical knowledge] that exists in some ecclesiastics, if I did not put the Music (which the grave doctors wrote) into a language that could be understood by everyone Bermudo refers to his decision to write in Spanish rather than Latin, making technical music theory accessible to a wider audience of clergy and laypeople.. No small part in doing this was the necessity of correcting errors in the chant, of composing new offices: The cycle of daily prayers and psalms (Divine Office) performed by members of religious orders., and of understanding many parts of the Roman Ordinary for our family: Refers to the Franciscan Order (the "Seraphic Family").. NATIONAL LIBRARY This indicates a library stamp from the Biblioteca Nacional de España on the original manuscript. Knowing what the Holy Mother Church sings of our Seraphic Father Saint Francis—that it was revealed to him that he should not only live for himself, but that he should benefit his neighbors as much as he could—I determined (as a man of his family and flock, and desirous to imitate him, being obligated to serve in whatever way I could) to write. This was because in other things (as I have said) I could not be of use. Thus, the illness sent by God for this purpose, the necessity of my neighbors, and my obligation made me write. It seemed right to employ myself in Music and not in another faculty. Even if I were capable of writing in all the sciences and had time to spare, I would write in none before Music. God called me to this profession, especially through the illness, and I had to follow Him to be His disciple. In all other faculties much has been written and well, but in Music, in our language, nothing has been written. The grave philosophers, Greek and Latin, and (what is more) the Saints, wrote upon it...