OF THE

HARMONIC DEMONSTRATIONS

BY THE REVEREND

M. GIOSEFFO ZARLINO

OF CHIOGGIA, CHAPEL MASTER

OF THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS SIGNORIA OF VENICE.

A decorative drop cap initial G depicts a scholar standing in a classical landscape featuring distant hills and a fortified castle.

THE YEARS of our salvation had already reached the number 1562, and it was the month of April, when the Most Illustrious Signor Don Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, for the sake of seeing a beautiful, noble, and rich city, which is not only the glory, splendor, and reputation of beautiful Italy, but also of all Christendom, and perhaps for other important business of his, came to Venice. Therefore, he was received by our Most Illustrious Venetian Lords with most solemn pomp and royal displays, just as is their custom to receive all those persons who are of high standing. This Signor had brought with him the best musicians to be found in his company, among whom (leaving the others, so as not to be long) was Francesco Viola, his Chapel Master and my singular friend. One day, he came to find me, and having taken me into his company, we set off toward the very beautiful piazza of San Marco. Seeing there its famous and rich temple, which is built of beautiful and very fine marbles with a great abundance of columns, and because it was already the hour of vespers, we entered it. Feeding our sight for a good length of time with the beautiful paintings that are found there, executed by good and excellent masters of ancient and modern mosaic, we went along discussing together their beauty, the richness of the said Temple, and the great expense that the aforementioned Most Illustrious Lords make upon it, as those who have always been religious and devoted to God, in order to adorn it with those things that they see to be necessary and appropriate, and which bring beauty, decorum, and majesty to Divine worship. But while we were discussing many things with great pleasure, the vespers having already finished, there appeared the most gentle M. Claudio Merulo of Correggio, the sweetest Organist of the said temple, who, having seen us, approached us and, having recognized Viola, after the embraces given one to another, we sat down. Because we had discussed many worthy and honorable things together, as the place required, for a time, we made a plan to depart. We all agreed to take the path toward M. Adrian Willaert, then Chapel Master of the Most Illustrious Signoria, who lived not far away, to visit him, for, troubled by gout, he did not leave the house, so that the presence of so many of his loving and dearest friends might bring him some relief. Therefore, having arrived, and having found that the aforementioned Signor had just been to see him with a beautiful, worthy, and honorable company of lords and gentlemen, after many conversations had on one side and the other, which commemorated the courtesies that this excellent Signor had many times shown them, and how dear...