Preface

Many times, reflecting to myself and turning over in my mind the various things that the supreme and greatest God has in His goodness granted to mortal men, I have clearly understood that among the most marvelous is the particular gift He has conceded them of using the articulate voice — by means of which alone man, above all other animals, is able to send forth all those thoughts he has conceived within his mind. And there is no doubt that through it there is manifestly shown how much he differs from the beasts, and how far superior to them he is. And I believe one may truly say that such a gift has been of the greatest utility to the human race: for nothing other than speech drew together and attracted men, who in the beginning were scattered through the forests and mountains, living almost like wild beasts, to settle and live in company, as the nature of man requires, and to build cities and castles; and united through the virtue of good ordinances to preserve themselves, and by treating with one another to offer help in every need.

Having assembled and joined together in this way through neighborhood, it was then discovered day by day through experience how great was the force of speech, rough as it still was. Wherefore some men of elevated genius in speaking began to put into use certain ornate and delightful manners, with beautiful and illustrious sayings, striving to surpass other men in that which distinguishes men above other animals. Nor remaining satisfied with this, they attempted to go further still, seeking always to raise themselves to a higher degree of perfection. And having added Harmony to speech for this effect, they began from that point to investigate various Rhythms and diverse Meters, which accompanied by harmony bring the greatest delight to our soul. Having found, then (among other things, which are many), a manner of composition which they called Hymns, they also found the Heroic, Tragic, Comic, and Dithyrambic Poem; and with number, with speech, and with harmony they were able to sing the praises and render glory to the Gods: and with these, according to what pleased them, more easily and with greater force they could restrain unbridled spirits, and with greater delight move the wills and appetites of men, reducing them to a tranquil and well-ordered life. Having happily achieved this, they acquired among the peoples such authority that they were held in much greater esteem and honor than the others. And those who arrived at such knowledge were called without distinction Musicians, Poets, and Sages. But Music being then understood as a singular and supreme learning, musicians were held in great esteem, and there was borne toward them an inestimable reverence.

Though — whether through the malignity of times, or through the negligence of men who have set little store by Music, but also by other studies — from that supreme height in which it was placed it has fallen to the basest depths; and where once incredible honor was done to it, it has since been reputed so vile and abject, and held in so little esteem, that learned men scarcely recognize it for what it is. And this seems to me to have happened because there remained in it neither part nor trace of that venerable gravity which it was once accustomed to have. Wherefore everyone has taken license to mutilate it, and to treat it most unworthily in many indecent ways.

Nevertheless the most good God, to whom it is pleasing that His infinite power, wisdom, and goodness be magnified and manifested by men through hymns accompanied by gracious and sweet accents — not being willing to permit further that that art which serves His worship should be held vile, and that so little account should be made here below of the sweetness that the songs of the Angels, who stand in Heaven to praise His majesty, may possess — has graciously caused to be born in our times Adrian Willaert, truly one of the rarest intellects that Practical Music has ever had in its service: who, in the manner of a new Pythagoras, examining minutely all that can occur in it, and finding infinite errors therein, has begun to remove them and to restore it toward that honor and dignity which it once had and which reasonably it ought to have; and has shown a reasonable order of composing with elegant manner every musical piece, and in his compositions has given a most clear example thereof.

Now, since I have understood that there are many who, some out of curiosity and some truly wishing to learn, desire that someone move himself to show the way of composing musically with beautiful, learned, and elegant order, I have taken pains to write the present Istitutioni, gathering diverse things from the good ancients and also finding some anew myself, to make trial whether I might perchance be capable of satisfying in some part such a desire, and the obligation that man has to benefit other men.

But seeing that just as for one who wishes to be a good painter and to acquire great fame in painting it is not enough to apply colors deftly if he cannot render solid reason for the work he has made — so likewise for one who desires to have the name of true Musician it is not sufficient, nor does it bring much praise, to have joined the consonances if he does not know how to give account of such joining — I have therefore set myself to treat together those things which pertain both to the practice and to the speculation of this science, so that those who shall love to be in the number of good Musicians may, by reading our work attentively, be able to render reason for their compositions.

And although I know that the treatment of this material has many difficulties in itself, I have nonetheless good hope that, reasoning about it with that brevity which shall be possible for me, I shall make it clear and most easy, opening such secrets of it that everyone may perchance remain in great part satisfied. But so that easy understanding may be had of our treatise, it seemed good to me to divide it into several parts, and in such a manner that those things which must be presupposed before one comes to be taught the said science may be shown first.

And because for the construction of the order of sounds contained in Music, the harmonic intervals are needed, both as regards their discovery and their use, on account of the differences that arise among the sounds discovered — therefore I shall first reason about their principles: since we say we truly know things when we know their principles.

Dividing the work therefore into four parts:

In the first we shall reason about Numbers, Proportions, and their operations, leaving out nothing, however small, that pertains to the Musician.

In the second we shall speak of Sounds, showing in what manner all their intervals necessary to harmony are each accommodated to its proportion, and the division of the Monochord in each species of harmony in all the genera. Then, having shown the true intervals that may be used in musical concents, we shall show in what manner they come to be accommodated in artificial instruments; and beyond this, in what manner one may build an instrument in which every genus of harmony may be contained.

In the third we shall consider how, and with what beautiful order, the consonances and dissonances ought to be placed in compositions for two voices, and how they are adapted in those for more voices.

In the fourth and last we shall treat of the Modes — otherwise called by the practical musicians Tones — and their differences; and we shall say in what manner the harmonies ought to be accommodated to the words, and the words accommodated beneath the singable figures.

So that without any doubt, one who shall have well learned all these things may be deservedly placed in the number of the perfect and honored Musicians.

But before we enter upon the treatment of what we have proposed above, we think it cannot but be of pleasure and satisfaction to go recounting certain things — such as the origin and certainty of Music, its praises, to what end it ought to be learned, the utility one has from it, in what manner we ought to use it, and other similar things.