Hoc in volumine haec opera continentur

Decorative initial letter H containing a floral or foliate design.

Harmonic science is the theoretical and practical study of the nature of modulating. Modulation consists of sounds phthongoi and intervals having a certain order. Of this, there are seven parts: on sounds, on intervals, on genera, on melopoeia the art of composing melody, on systems, on tone, and on mutation. Therefore, a sound is a movement of the voice that can be modulated in one pitch. An interval is that which is comprised between two sounds in sharpness and gravity. A genus is a certain division of four sounds. A system consists of more than one interval. A tone is a certain place of the voice, lacking width, receiving a system. Mutation is the transposition of something similar into a dissimilar place. Melopoeia is the use of those things which are subject to harmonic exercise for that which is the goal of any argument. These are inspected in the quality of the voice, of which there are two movements. One is called continuous and rational; the other is intervallic and modulable. Therefore, the continuous movement of the voice makes intentions and remissions obscure, never resting until silence. But the movement of the voice by intervals moves continuously in reverse, for it makes only intervals between the sounds, doing both by changing. These we call pitches tenores. From the pitches come the transits, intentions, and intervals; that which makes a difference in pitch is intention and remission. This furthermore is the perfection of sharpness and gravity, for one thing made through intention acts toward sharpness. The other, through remission, acts toward gravity. Gravity is the perfection made through remission. But sharpness is the perfection made through intention. For it happens to individuals to exert themselves. Indeed, they are called pitches and sounds. Pitches, indeed, from the contact of instruments by stretching; sounds, however, because they are exercised under the voice. Sounds are certainly infinite in pitch, but in power, they are finite.

The margin contains scattered and partial Latin words, likely remnants of the original manuscript text or notes that were partially obscured during the printing or binding process.