Syntagma musicum III: Termini musici by Michael Praetorius; Jeffrey Kite-PowellReview by: Scott AtwellFontes Artis Musicae, Vol. 53, No. 4 (October-December 2006), pp. 471-473Published by: International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres(IAML)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23510469 .

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REVIEWS 471

logue," several essays are general surveys

with wide applications. They include Carol E. Robertson's "Native Peoples: Intro

ductory Panorama", "Myth, Cosmology,

and Performance", "Music and Healing",

and "Epilogue"; Marina Alonso Bolanos'

"Mexico's Indigenous Universe"; and

Dale A. Olsen's "Aerophones of Traditional

Use in South America, with References to Central America". Other essays form a se

ries of case studies, many by insiders or cul tural specialists. They include, in order of

appearance, Jonathan D. Hill's "Meta

morphosis: Mythic and Musical Modes of Ceremonial Exchange among the Wakuénai

of Venezuela"; Elizabeth Travassos'

"Brazil's Indigenous Universe (to ca. 1990): The Xavante, Kamayurâ, and Suyâ"; Rafael

José de Menezes Bastos' "The Yawari

Ritual of the Kamayurâ: A Xinguano Epic"; Max Peter Baumann's "Music and World

view of Indian Societies in the Bolivian Andes"; Thomas Turino's "Local Practices

among the Aymara and Kechua in Conima

and Canas, Southern Peru"; Maria Ester

Grebe's "Amerindian Music of Chile"; Irma Ruiz' "Musical Culture of Indigenous So cieties in Argentina"; Carol E. Robertson's

"Fertility Ritual" on the Mapuche groups of

southern Chile and Argentina; Ronny

Velasquez' "The Fundamental Role of

Music in the Life of Two Central American

Ethnic Nations: The Miskito in Honduras and Nicaragua, and the Kuna in Panama",

and E. Fernando Nava Lopez' "Musical

Traditions of the P'urhépecha (Tarascos) of

Michoacân, Mexico". Of special interest is the list of acknowl

edgments, in which the existence of this

project is credited to "the imagination of

Barry S. Brook (191-1997)." The excellent caliber of this project is seen as a result of

the hard work of many scholars and the

commitment of various professional organi

zations. Malena Kuss credits Robert

Stevenson, her early mentor at UCLA, for

providing examples she follows in her own

work; this series is a clear demonstration of

Kuss' scholarly excellence.

Brenda M. Romero

University of Colorado at Boulder

Syntagma musicum III: Termini musici.

By Michael Praetorius. Translated and edited

by Jeffrey Kite-Powell. New York: Oxford

University Press, 2004. [xxix, 265 p. ISBN 0 1051-4563-1. $74.00]

Syntagma Musicum III is another volume

in the acclaimed Oxford Early Music Series. The work is translated and edited by Jeffery T. Kite-Powell. It is divided into three parts: Asmatologia ("On vocal music",

twelve chapters); Technologia ("Technical terms", twelve chapters); and Cheiragogia

("Instructions", nine chapters). The head

ings for each of the parts are provided in

Greek, and the complete translation is id iomatic and engaging. The syntax is not

cumbersome, and the writing is clear and

concise. In short, this appears to be an ex

cellent translation that is accessible and

readable without sacrificing accuracy, something that is often evident when major

portions of works are rendered nearly

literally. Kite-Powell notes that the first book of Syntagma Musicum was written in Latin, whereas the latter two books

were written in the vernacular (German),

possibly because Praetorius wanted his

work to be more readily accessible. (The

author alludes also to what was to be

the fourth volume of Syntagma Musicum,

"Musical Composition," which was not

completed.)

Kite-Powell's writing is concise and com

pelling. His translation of the segments on

sesquialtera and related proportional signa

tures (pp. 71-75) is particularly fluid, as is the interpretation offered in the chapter

pertaining to the use of rotundum, quadra

turn, and cancellatum (Part II, chapter 3).

This latter section addresses the augment

ing of diminished fifths by a 'full small semi tone' so as to create a perfect one, and

explores Praetorius's consideration of F fa

ut and B fa b mi hexachordal constructs.

The exposition with regard to the differing sizes of intervals (and on tuning practices

contained in Syntagma musicum II) is more than enough to tempt the reader to investi

gate the remaining volumes contained

within Praetorius's monumental and histor

ically significant work.

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472 FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE 53/4

The definition of most genres is left to (and his publisher, as noted in the Intro the reader, which in the opinion of this duction) beyond the scope of his work, writer is one of the more positive aspects of Another of the more useful features is

the work. It allows for Kite-Powell to devote the inclusion of a "Table of Differences"

more space to the actual translation and in- found in the sources (first and second edi

terpretation of the phraseology used rather tions) of Syntagma Musicum III. Kite than bogging down with numerous terms Powell describes the sources upon which

and composers' names (the latter number- his translation is based, namely an exem

ing around 160 entries). The reader is in plar found in Braunschweig, published in most instances referred to additional bio- facsimile form and edited by W. Gurlitt

graphical and reference sources that can (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1978) (Documenta

provide additional information if warranted. Musicologica, 15) ; and the more recent fac The author states that the work is a transla- simile, edited by A. Forchert (Kassel:

tion, and, as such, intentionally steers clear Bärenreiter, 2001), based on the Wolfen

of delving too specifically into performance büttel exemplar. Other sources were con

practice and biographical content for rea- suited, and these are listed as well in the in sons both pragmatic and economic. troduction. Differences in the sources

One of the more intriguing aspects in- (roughly ten are examined) pertain in most

eluded in Kite-Powell's Introduction is the cases to inconsistencies regarding brack

mention of the dual-language (in this case, eted letters; missing texts and other lacu

Latin and German furnished on facing nae; incorrect mensuration signs; mis

pages) teaching (or 'how-to') manuals that spellings; missing prolation signs; omitted existed at the time. An important distinc- chapter headings; and inaccuracies with re tion is made between which languages gard to pitch names, among others,

were employed (and why) in the creation of "Notes on Clefs and Note Names", as

such texts, a decision based in part on for well as a "Key to Abbreviations", provide whom they were designed (e.g., Latin for the user with useful help. The work also in

professors, theorists, and composers, and eludes footnotes on the page, rather than

the vernacular offered for practical musi- the inconvenient and often cumbersome

cians and children). However, one impres- 'end notes' frequently required by other

sion that is given—and this may not have publishers. It is the content of these same

been intentional on the part of Kite-Powell page references that comprise one of the

—is that not having to know the Latin lan- surest gems within the work, and is, in the

guage (i.e., 'spared the necessity', p. xix) opinion of this writer, where Kite-Powell

was in and of itself a good thing, an opinion truly shines—the careful consideration and

that the present writer does not necessarily addition of a plethora of discursive foot

share for a variety of reasons. notes that provide the reader with a spate of

All musical examples and tables are information on a variety of topics both cen

carefully reproduced, providing readers tral and peripheral to the translation at

with clear reproductions. Figures (particu- hand. Indeed, the scope of the footnote en

larly those included in chapter 2 of Part I, tries is a treat for any reader, and what may

chapter 6 of Part II, and a smattering in in some cases appear to have been a rela

chapter 7, Part II), as is to be expected tively arduous (yet no doubt scholarly when dealing with older works, are slightly pleasing) exercise in bibliographic gymnas less clear, but are nevertheless very nearly tics is a testament to the level of scholarship as clear as the originals from which they undertaken in the work as a whole, re

were gleaned. It is important to note that minding this writer on occasion of the land

facsimiles of Praetorius's original transcrip- mark works of Reese,

tions are rarely provided, since to include The work contains two appendices, one

them would have lengthened the work sub- of which furnishes an index of authors and

stantially and would have taken the author the other, a brief discography. It concludes

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REVIEWS 473

with an extensive bibliography and a gen

eral index. Syntagma Musicum III is highly and unhesitatingly recommended for all

music libraries, and for general undergrad

uate libraries wishing to bolster their early music monographic and treatise collections.

Scott Atwell

Ferris State University

This content downloaded from 185.44.77.82 on Mon, 16 Jun 2014 04:02:05 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions