Greek and Latin Music Theory - Principles and Challenges

A long-needed overview of, and guide to, the principles behind the treatises on music theory written in ancient Greece and Rome and continuing through the Middle Ages.

List of contents

Introduction
Part I: The Ancient Greek Tradition in Practice and Theory
The Ancient Harmoniai
The Tonoi
Alypian Notation
Part II: Mathematical Foundations
Pythagorean Harmonic Ratios from the Octave to the Comma by Continuous Subtraction
Boethius's Error in the De institutione musica 4.6
Aristoxenus's Proof That the Perfect Fourth Is the Sum of Two Tones and a Semitone
Aristoxenus's Anticipation of the Logarithmic Logic of Musical Cognition
The Three Mathematical Means in the Theories of Euclid, Boethius, Glarean, and Zarlino
Guido and the Monochord
Part III: Emerging Theories of the Ecclesiastical Modes
Transposition and the Doctrine of Modal Affinity
The Misunderstood Confinalis
Reading the First Quidam of the Alia musica
The Prologus in tonarium of Bern of Reichenau: A Translation
Reading Hermannus
Idealist and Empirical Perspectives in Theories of the Ecclesiastical Modes
Glossary of Terms
Notes
Bibliography
Index

About the author

EDWARD NOWACKI is Professor Emeritus of musicology at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati.

Summary

A long-needed overview of, and guide to, the principles behind the treatises on music theory written in ancient Greece and Rome and continuing through the Middle Ages.

Product details

• Authors: Edward Nowacki, Edward (Author) Nowacki
• Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.06.2020
• EAN: 9781580469951
• ISBN: 978-1-58046-995-1
• No. of pages: 236
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 14 mm
• Weight: 485 g
• Series: Eastman Studies in Music
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Music > General, dictionaries; Musikgeschichte, Musik: Stile und Gattungen, MUSIC / History & Criticism, MUSIC / Instruction & Study / Theory, Music / Songbooks, MUSIC / Genres & Styles / Latin