zarlino, monteverdi and the roots of rock music

8/13/2019 Zarlino, Monteverdi and the Roots of Rock Music

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The Campaigner, 12:2 December 1979 Pages 8-18

The Case Against Rock:

Zarlino, Monteverdi and the Roots of

Rock Music

by Fay Sober

Claudio Monteverdi and his Madrigals of Love and War

Mention the name of the seventeenth-centur ma!riga"ist an! mono!ic opera

#riter C"au!io Montever!i to most music stu!ents an! music historians an!

the #i"" e$c"aim in reverent tones, %&h, the !ivine Montever!i'the creator

of mo!ern music(%

This appe""ation, besto#e! on Montever!i b the arbiters of musica" taste for

the )ritish )roa!casting Compan*s officia" Music Guide, Denis &rno"! an!

+ige" ortune, an! #i!e" accepte! to!a, is in!ee! true( Montever!i is the

creator of the nineteenth-centur agnerian "inguistic %music-!rama(%



Montever!i is the !octrina" pre!ecessor of the atona"ist seria" cacophon

churne! out b &rno"! .choenberg, an! of the be/er0er pro!uctions of

.toc0hausen an! ohn Cage( Montever!i is, in that !egree, the evi" path-

brea0er for the present !a*s roc0 music, an! the !estruction of our outh b

the !rug-pushing countercu"ture an! its min!-!estroing music(

rom .toc0hausen to the .e$ Pisto"s, the !octrine of the anti-cu"ture against

music is base! on one an! the same princip"e'the #i""fu" !estruction of

human creative potentia" through the embrace of he!onistic so-ca""e!

free!om an! #orship of %m persona" nee!s(% This princip"e Montever!i

pioneere! in #hat he terme! his %!iscover% of the stile concitato 'pure

rage'in music, a !iscover he "ing" c"aime! to have ma!e %in P"ato,% an!

#hich #as "ater !eve"ope! into the pscho"ogica" #arfare armamentarium of

the t#entieth-centur ran0furt schoo" for its ro"e in creating the !rug cu"ts

of to!a(

&"" this an! more #e o#e to Montever!i( &"though he #as uic0"

forgotten in his o#n age, his name is revere! in to!a*s "ea!ing music

conservatories, his #or0s restore! to the mo!ern repertoire, his fame 3#hich

origina"" !i! not out"ive the seventeenth centur4 most recent" revive! b

the "ate +a!ia )ou"anger for her %popu"ar music% efforts against the

humanist musica" schoo" of 5einrich .chen0er(

)ut #ho among even accomp"ishe! musicians an! music stu!ents to!a

0no#s even !im" the #or0s of the monumenta" +eop"atonic music theoristan! teacher of the 6o"!en enaissance, 6ioseffe ar"ino t #as precise"

against ar"ino*s to#ering humanist inf"uence, fift ears after ar"ino*s

!eath, that the "i""iputian Montever!i #as !ep"oe!(

ar"ino, the "ea!ing si$teenth-centur music theoretician an! natura"

scientist, an! church !eacon of .t( Mar0*s Cathe!ra" at ;enice, !eve"ope!

musica" theor an! practice as the %science of the min!% that it #as for P"ato

an! the P"atonic &ca!em, an! #hich #e 0no# to!a through the %6erman

music% of )ach to )eethoven( 5e #as conscious" a member of the

+eop"atonic inner e"ite of humanists in the tra!ition of the s"amic cit- bui"!ers an! a"-arabi, of the great Car!ina" +icho"as of Cusa, of <rasmus of

otter!am an! 6ior!ano )runo'using music an! "anguage to incu"cate a

popu"ation in the science of reason an! to e$tirpate the min!-!estroing neo-

&ristote"ian nomina"ism assau"ting art an! science(



or this, ar"ino is !erisive" footnote! in music te$ts to!a as the %reaction-

ar churchman% #ho !efen!e! the antiuarian c"assica" st"e against the

irrepressib"e %ne# music% of the si$teenth-centur %mo!erns(% t is even

recommen!e! that he %nee! not be stu!ie!% b the mo!ern stu!ent of music(

The purpose of this frau! is to 0eep hi!!en from vie# the inner secrets of thecontrapunta" metho!, the p"atonic !ia"ogue in music(

n his o#n "ifetime, ar"ino #age! a ruth"ess po"emica" batt"e against both

si!es of the &ristote"ian subcu"ture'the he!onistic atona"ism of the so-

ca""e! chromaticists on the one si!e, an! the &po""onian mono!ic opera of

the stoica" %imitators of nature% on the other( Montever!i an! his %ne#

schoo"% !eve"ope! the "atter into the seventeenth-centur cu"t of "inguistic

ta"ian opera( That both these nomina"" antagonistic st"es share! the same

Dionsian pe!igree ar"ino !emonstrate! in his thirt-ear batt"e to

reestab"ish the contrapunta" science of reason as the basis of a"" music(

Gioseffe Zarlino and his ar!onic

"nstitutions

Moreover, as a "ea!er of repub"ican humanist forces #ho ha! himse"f been

traine! in music an! science b the humanist ca!res a""ie! #ith <rasmus of



otter!am'especia"" &!riano i""aert, ar"ino*s pre!ecessor an! teacher

at .t( Mar0*s Cathe!ra"'ar"ino #e"" 0ne# that the strugg"e for a humanist

cu"ture #as a political fight, #hich #ou"! crucia"" !etermine the future of

man0in!(

ar"ino*s <rasmian musica" pre!ecessors in the +ether"an!s ha! use! pub"ic pro!uctions of contrapunta" #or0s an! p"as to po"itica"" organi/e an!

e!ucate a popu"ation against 5apsburg trann( ar"ino*s native ;enice #as

the "ast of the ta"ian 6o"!en enaissance repub"ics at the mi!!"e of the

si$teenth centur, from #hich he cou"! vie# #ith horror on a"" si!es the

economic an! cu"tura" !evastation #rought b )"ac0 6ue"ph hegemon(

The 6enoese o"igarchs* esuits insiste! upon a min!-!ea!ening cu"tura"

forma"ism, !esigne! to entomb the 6o"!en enaissance age of !iscover

an! its inte""ectua" achievements( The 6o"!en enaissance reviva" of

aposto"ic Christianit*s i!ea" of se"f-perfection #as forbi!!en b superstitionan! re"igious stoicism( =pposite to the esuits, ar"ino fought to revive the

metho! of se"f-perfection of min! in music, against the stoic-Dionsiac

cu"tura" forms of )"ac0 6ue"ph feu!a"ism( 5is fight against chromaticist

Dionsian fren/ an! its overt" stoica" mono!ic-opera t#in must no# be

reca""e! into the batt"e against the pscho"ogica"-!eath merchants of the roc0

an! !rug cu"ture to!a, the mo!ern-!a heirs of Montever!i*s anti-rationa"

arts(

The ar!onic "nstitutions

ar"ino insiste! that there is on" one universa" science of music, the science

of the min! e$presse! through man*s perfection of his natura" universe, not

the s"avish submission to %nature% that #as his enemies* motto( n 1>>8, the

reno#ne! choirmaster an! natura" scientist pub"ishe! a four-vo"ume treatise,

the Harmonic Institutions, !e!icate! to this i!ea( ithin three ears, the

treatise #as so"! out in its first e!ition, reissue!, trans"ate! into other

"anguages an! stu!ie! throughout the continent( The Dutch trans"ation of

ar"ino*s treatise b his stu!ent, an Pieters/oon .#ee"inc0, the repub"ican

humanist an! musica" 3an! po"itica"4 co""aborator of Tu!or musician ohn

)u"", #as "ater to profoun!" inf"uence the oung ohann .ebastian )ach(?oung )ach ha! access to both .#ee"inc0*s music an! ar"ino*s teaching(

ar"ino*s four vo"umes #ere: 314 a histor of musica" !eve"opment@ 324 a

treatise on the phsica" science of the pro!uction of musica" tones, in #hich

ar"ino app"ie! his o#n critica" insights to revo"utioni/ing both the teaching

an! practice of music@ 3A4 a thir! vo"ume tit"e! Counterpoint, on musica"



composition 3the on" vo"ume of the #or0 current" avai"ab"e in <ng"ish4@

an! 3B4 an epistemo"ogica" treatment of poetr, "anguage, mathematics,

cosmo"og, re"igion, an! other uestions pertaining to music( +or #as this

monumenta" treatise a mere" aca!emic tour !e force( ar"ino aime! it as a

po#erfu" po"itica"-po"emica" attac0 against the contemporar chromaticist

cu"t of ma!riga" song-#riters an! musica" !ebaucher( =ne entire vo"ume of

his Harmonic Institutions, the Counterpoint, #as "arge" !e!icate! to this

po"emic, naming the chromaticists b name 3an! #ith references to their

"ea!er, Cipriano !e ore, that #ere c"ear enough to anone at the time4, in

the conte$t of a positive course on the basics of goo! music(

n 1>88, thirt ears "ater an! ust t#o ears before his o#n !eath, ar"ino

rene#e! this po"emic in his Sopplimenti Musicale, a reoin!er to the

mono!ic-operatic critics of the Harmonic Institutions. The operatics #ere

the successors to those chromaticists ar"ino ha! thorough" !iscre!ite!#ith his ear"ier #or0( The ne# mono!ics st"e! themse"ves a "orentine

%cu"tura" societ% ca""e! the Camerata. Their "ea!er #as a 6enoese-a""ie!

mon0 from ome, one 6iro"amo Mei, to!a 0no#n as a minor trans"ator an!

popu"ari/er of the #or0s of &ristot"e( Mei open" confesse! his profoun!

ignorance of a"" matters musica"( 5e especia"" professe! a thoroughgoing

!istaste for the contrapunta" compositions of 6o"!en enaissance composers

such as osuin !es Pre/, 5einrich saac, an! others among ar"ino*s !irect

pre!ecessors( 3ar"ino*s teacher i""aert #as a stu!ent of the great osuin(4

Mei*s so"e c"aim to musica" authorit #as base! on 3his o#n4 trans"ations of

&ristot"e*s #or0s on music an! poetr(

ar"ino*s 1>>8 attac0s on the chromaticists ha! been so effective as to

necessitate a recasting of their pecu"iar paro! of po"phonic music( The

%ne# music% #as presente! un!er the banner of a revo"t against the

anarchistic po"phon of the chromaticists( This misname! ne# %opera%

st"e #as tota"" non-harmonic, non-po"phonic, an! atona"'a 0in! of

!roning set to bare-bones accompaniment #hich, not coinci!enta"", stan0 of

the feu!a" !ungeons of 6regorian chant(

The i!entica" pe!igree of both this %ne# st"e% an! its obverse, atona" po"phonic chromaticism, #as !emonstrate! to ar"ino*s fu""est vin!ication

at the turn of the si$teenth centur b the conversion of one of northern

ta"*s "ea!ing chromaticist ma!riga" #riters, C"au!io Montever!i, to the

%ne# st"e(% The convergence of the t#o st"es ha! been fu"" anticipate!

fift ears ear"ier b ar"ino in his Harmonic Institutions, as #e sha"" see(



Music and Morality

The chromaticist !e-composers #ere patroni/e! b ta"*s overripe feu!a"

nobi"it, an! in fact counte! as one of their "ea!ers the notorious ta"ian thug

an! assassin Prince 6esua"!o of ;enosa, particu"ar" fame! for his overt

musica" !ebaucher( The chromaticist artists #ere the "umpeni/e! !etritusof post-enaissance aristocratic societ, "in0e! to to!a*s suburban hippies

b their !istinctive aromas( The esche#e! tona"it for its %"imitations% on

their %tota" free!om% for e$p"oiting the chromatic nuances an! sensua"it of

arbitrari" emp"oe! sha!ings of pitch( i0e to!a*s a// improvisationists,

their stoc0 in tra!e #as the use of #eir! !issonance an! atona" effects to

evo0e the %fee"ing% of sa!o-masochistic "ove songs( %&more morire%'to

"ove, to !ie'#as a favorite refrain, sung to painfu"" sour !issonances an!

pa"pitating sighs #orth of a si$teenth-centur <"vis Pres"e(

ar"ino therefore a!!resse! the chromaticists on the basis of their b"atant

immora"it( n his %ebutta" to the =pinions of the Chromaticists,% the

conc"u!ing chapter of vo"ume three, Counterpoint, of the Harmonic

Institutions, ar"ino first instructe! the chromaticists on ho# chromatic

%singu"arities% ought "a#fu"" be emp"oe! in music'in the universa"i/ing

frame#or0 of !iatonic transfinite organi/ation of tona"it( 5is insistence on

the necessit of the !iatonic tona" sstem as the on" "a#fu" conte$t for

a!vancement of musica" !iscoveries #as his staunchest princip"e( That it

abso"ute" necessitate! man*s intervention into nature an! the %natura" tone

sstem,% to improve nature in accor!ance #ith man-ma!e %natura" "a#,% hea"so insiste!( n his "ater Sopplimenti Musicale he e$pan!e! this po"emic for

the !iatonic sstem into an e$p"icit !eman! for eua" tempering of 0eboar!

instruments( =n" b creating a universa" tona" coherence subsuming in!i-

vi!ua" notes as things in themse"ves, cou"! the %co"or% an! thus !eve"opment

of musica" i!eas occur( &!!ressing the chromaticists* ungovernab"e

penchant for the atona" use of %pitch% as an arbitrar thing in itse"f, ar"ino

#rote in his %ebutta"%:

have #ante! to state this because it is one thing to #rite the

interva"s of a genus as a series of pitches, an! another to sathat the can be use! simp" in the genus #ith goo! effect(

There are man things #hich become goo! an! have an

a!mirab"e effect #hen combine! #ith other things( ( ( ( The

same ma be sai! of these "ast t#o genera Echromatic an!

enharmonicF( &"one the are insufficient to !e"ight the ear, but

accompanie! b the !iatonic an! use! suitab" in a composition



the are of great uti"it an! convenience( This #i"" be c"ear

from #hat am going to sa(

Their first a!vantage is this: b combining their steps #ith

!iatonic steps #e can use the perfect harmonies an! at the same

time obtain #ith the steps of these genera man imperfectconsonances, maor an! minor, at man points in the !iatonic

sca"e #here the are not or!inari" avai"ab"e, as is apparent to

anone #ho has e$perience in composition( ( ( ( ith the steps

of those genera #e can moreover transpose mo!es into higher

or "o#er registers( ( ( ( This cou"! not be !one #ithout the ai! of

those steps( &"though the steps are often use! on such occa-

sions, it !oes not fo""o# that the are other than !iatonica""

treate!( hen #e procee! as !escribe!, the give the highest

p"easure an! !e"ight to a"" #ho "isten( =n the other han!,"isteners are much annoe! an! their senses much offen!e! at

the inappropriate use of these steps #ithout or!er an! ru"e(1

The chromaticists instea! cherishe! the use of their %genus%'a"one an!

unfettere! b the universa"i/ing ten!enc of !iatonic tona"it'for its sheer

sensua" effect( To the unmitigate! cnicism of this vie# ar"ino respon!e!:

EThe chromaticists*F contention that because the voice can sing

ever interva" a"" of them ma an! ought to be use! is a"so not

va"i!( =ne might as #e"" sa that because man is capab"e ofgoo! an! evi", it is "egitimate for him to commit an infam an!

act contrar to goo! custom an! against a"" that is proper an!

ust( Certain" the ancients never he"! such ma"ign opinions or

too0 such presumptuous "icense as to spoi" anthing goo! in

music( ather the sought to !iminish the ba! an! increase the

goo! an! even to improve it( ( ( (

The mu"tip"ications of possib"e soun!s, Ethe chromaticistsF sa,

#ou"! permit the e$pression of ever nuance through ever

0in! of tone( ust ho# ri!icu"ous this is sha"" "et !eci!e#hoever is capab"e of reason( hi"e man steps an! interva"s

are possib"e on an instrument, these shou"! not be use! #ithout

purpose or un"ess !eman!e! b the composition an! the mo!e(

To emp"o something #ithout nee! or purpose is tru" futi"e

an! in!icative of a "ac0 of !iscrimination, not to mention the

irritation that it causes the senses invo"ve!(



True, there are man #ho are not !isturbe! b hearing fantastic

ne# things, #hether the are goo! or ba!( ( ( ( f such persons

#ere sho#n the truth the #ou"! soon change their min!s( ( ( (

.omeone might state that such things !isp"ease not because

the are poor in themse"ves but because our ears are

unaccustome! to them( ( ( ( fee" that even if a person #ere to

habituate himse"f to such soun!s, he #ou"! confess their

povert upon hearing a #e""-#ritten !iatonic composition( ( ( (

have sai! a"" this for those #ho cannot see the !ifference

bet#een a f"ea an! an e"ephant, to ma0e them rea"i/e that

nothing goo! can be accomp"ishe! outsi!e of our E!iatonicF

genus, use! as #e are accustome! to #ith chromatic an!

enharmonic steps #here appropriate(2

ar"ino maintaine! that music #as abso"ute" a mora" an! inte""ectua"

concern #ith an epistemo"ogica" !ictatorship of truth'natura" "a#'over

%st"e(% n the spirit of P"ato*s The Laws, he enforce! a strict uri!ica"

!istinction in music bet#een "harmonia propria" an! "modulatione

propriamente," or %proper harmon% an! %mo!u"ation proper" spea0ing,%

versus "harmonia non propria" an! "modulatione impropriamente" or

%improper harmon an! mo!u"ation(% The former #as the prereuisite for

music that move! the min! an! sou", #hi"e the "atter, he averre!, ha! %no

po#er to move the min!(%A

#hat is Counter$oint%

The uestion of ust ho# music %moves the min!,% an! the sou", "a at the

center of ar"ino*s po"emic against the si$teenth-centur chromaticists, an!

subseuent" against their %ne# music% rep"acement, the operatics( The

secret #eapon ar"ino brought into the fra #as his un!erstan!ing of the

process b #hich the min! #or0s, the metho! of the p"atonic !ia"ogue,

.ocratic reason( ar"ino 0ne# that this process in music #as counterpoint,

the !ia"ogue of the composer*s min! #ith the subect of its o#n !eve"op-

ment(

This counterpoint of %% an! %Thou% is the invariant of musica" !eve"opment

in an progressing cu"ture, an! it is the uniue necessit for the re!iscover

throughout the ages of the tempering princip"e app"ie! to a"tering the %natur-

a" tone sstem% so as to ren!er it susceptib"e of contrapunta" !eve"opment(

The counterpoint of note against note is in turn governe! b the counterpoint



of i!eas, the process of higher hpothesis through #hich the min! 0no#s

itse"f( The sensuous ref"ection of this process a"one is the characteristic of

a"" great music(

ar"ino*s !iatonic sstem #as the transinvariant frame#or0 for the e"abora-

tion of this process(

Gno#n to!a in the form of the t#ent-four maor an! minor 0es, the form

in #hich ohann .ebastian )ach e"aborate! this sstem in his eighteenth-

centur !ellTempered Clavier, ar"ino*s !iatonic organi/ation of the sca"e

invo"ve! a regu"ar" recurring pattern of ha"f- an! #ho"e-tone seuences

transfinite" organi/ing an musica" 0e or %co"or(% ithin the transinvari-

ant %connectivit% of the !iatonic sstem as a #ho"e, contrapunta" singu"ari-

ties, or anoma"ies 3such as chromatic acci!enta"s4, cou"! me!iate "a#fu"

progression into a ne# musica" 0e or emotiona" gesta"t'the motion

connecting the phase spatia" !eve"opment of the #ho"e( The broa! s#eep of

this process in a great contrapunta" musica" #or0 necessitated that the min!

of the "istener or performer engage in the correspon!ing process of the

higher hpothesis'the supersession of an particu"ar emotiona" gesta"t b

the ua"it of min! thin#ing those gesta"ts, the i!entit #ith the creative

process itse"f(

hat the chromaticists ca""e! counterpoint or po"phon #as !iametrica""

oppose! to this( Deceptive" "abe"e! contrapunto alla mente, or %counter-

pointing at "ibert% 3but in no #a re"ate! to the %free composition% $%reieSat&' conception that 5einrich .chen0er use! to attempt to formall give a

name to the creative process in music4, contrapunto alla mente #as a tota"

perversion of the proper meaning of counterpoint, to accommo!ate it to the

evi" purposes of the chromaticists( ) contrapunto alla mente the meant

the tota"" ran!om composition of t#o separate "ines of music, arbitrari"

p"ace! against each other for sheer chaotic effect( n the #or!s of &!riano

)anchieri, a contemporar of C"au!io Montever!i, #hose o#n "a#fu"

transition from his ear" chromaticist st"e to his "ate operatic st"e #as

governe! b the princip"e of contrapunto alla mente, this techniue succee!s

#hen:

no one 0no#s #hat his companion is going to sing ( ( ( but those

!issonances, EconsecutiveF fifths, EconsecutiveF octaves,

e$travagances an! c"ashes are a"" graces that ma0e up the true

effect of contrapunto a""a mente(



The tric0 to composing such music #as to #rite % each part in!epen!ent of

ever other part, as separate harmonic "ines against a fun!amenta" me"o!,

the %tenor(% The c"ashes that thus resu"te! ran!om" bet#een the "ines #ere

cherishe! for their %spontaneous% an! %natura"% effect(

The measures in ()ample * sho# ho# Montever!i emp"oe! the effect ofthis techniue in a ma!riga", Cruda +marilli, sing"e! out for attac0 b

ar"ino*s stu!ent an! Montever!i*s "ea!ing contemporar critic, 6iovanni

Maria &rtusi, in his !ia"ogue,

%*&rtusi, ovvero, De""a mperfe/ione !e""a Mo!erna Musica,% of 1HII(

The use of %artfu"% c"ashes "i0e the !iminishe! fifth an! seventh at the en! of

the first measure, using an natura" instea! of an sharp in the 0e of 6,

intersperse! #ith consecutive fifths an! octaves "i0e those comp"eting the

#or! fugace in the thir! measure, achieve a high" !isruptive stopping an!starting of the piece, arring the "istener #ith unprepare! !issonances an!

eua"" unprepare! ca!ences, arresting the motion of the music mi!#a,

Ta0ing another e$amp"e from the same ma!riga" ()ample 24, &rtusi

attac0e! Montever!i for %fai"ing to accor! the upper parts #ith the bass% 3in

the use of the %acci!enta"% natura" again4, creating an un#arrante! !isso-

nance( Montever!i*s supporter o!ovico acconi !efen!e! the composer

#ith the apt assertion that this !evice %gives so much p"easure an! !e"ight

that it appears to us that #e are hearing so man welltrained -irds" 3em-

phasis a!!e!4(

ar"ino, his ru"es for contrapunta" #riting in the thir! boo0 of the Harmonic

Institutions, ha! #arne! against %some presumptuous persons' #i"" not

ca"" them foo"s% #ho #rote in this #a %so"e" to impress the au!ience #ith

a s0i"" the !i! not even possess( f these improvisations #ere to be #ritten

!o#n, the #ou"! be foun! to contain a thousan! errors against common



ru"es an! to be fu"" of innumerab"e !issonances( t #ou"! not even be

necessar to #rite these counterpoints !o#n for a s0i""e! musician to

recogni/e their errors, because the can be hear! as #e"" as seen(%

)ut this nonethe"ess #as the ver metho! a!apte! b the %operatics% an!

trans"ate! into a mono!ic setting for precise" the same effect(

&'inguistic& ($era Fraud

The mono!ic operatic schoo", or sti"e rappresentativo 3%st"e imitative of

spo0en speech%4 first reare! its hea! in "orence in the mi! to "ate 1>IIs,

simu"taneous" #ith a ne# an! unprece!ente! popu"arit of the #ritings of

&ristot"e in that cit( n "orence, #hich ha! been the +eop"atonic capita" of

the 6o"!en enaissance, the cit of icino, Pico, eonar!o, an! Machiave""i,

a neo-&ristote"ian circ"e ca""ing itse"f the "orentine Camerata set about

organi/ing a cu"tura" revo"ution !e!icate! to a spurious reviva" of #hat theterme! %ancient 6ree0 music(% hatever the intentions of this group'

comprise! of vestigia" e"ements of "orence*s great fami"ies, an! inc"u!ing

;incen/o 6a"i"ei, father of the great si$teenth-centur humanist 6a""i"eo'it

#as entire" co-opte! b the ome-base! esuit net#or0s to be use! in a

vicious counter-!ep"oment against the teachings an! inf"uence of 6ioseffe

ar"ino(

The primar means for !oing so #as to misrepresent the histor of ancient

music, c"aiming it #as non-contrapunta" an! atona" mono! that subugate!

instrumenta" an! voca" counterpoint to a!aptation to spo0en speech( Thisemphasis on the "itera" #or! #as chief" the !oing of the "inguistic mentor to

the Camerata, the mon0 6iro"amo Mei, #ho attache! himse"f to the

Camerata from his base at ome in 1>H1, ust three ears after the first

appearance of ar"ino*s Harmonic Institutions in ta"( Mei !irecte! his

efforts especia"" to#ar! iso"ating ar"ino an! grooming the impressionab"e

amateur composer an! Camerata member ;incen/o 6a""i"ei to become a

spo0esman against the teachings an! #ritings of ar"ino, his former teacher(

n 1>81, ;incen/o 6a""i"ei !i! in!ee! pub"ish a treatise, the ialogo della

Musica +ntica e della Moderna, purporting to refute ar"ino*s theor of

counterpoint an! histor of music( 6a""i"ei*s treatise #as such a sha""o#

regurgitation of Mei*s "inguistic theories of ancient mono!ic 6ree0 music

that it achieve! on" its authors* pub"ic humi"iation #hen ar"ino i!entifie!

the %certain gent"emen% behin! this %stuff an! nonsense% in his 1>88

Sopplimenti Musicale response(



Mei*s theor insiste! that the #or! #as the so"e conveor of inte""ectua"

meaning in music, an! c"aime! that music affecte! the emotions through a

pure" "inear process of changes in vo"ume an! pitch'the highs

correspon!ing to emotiona" e$citement an! happiness, the "o#s to sa!ness(

This sstem permitte! of no !eve"opment e$cept repetition of a sing"e

mono!ic theme in higher an! "o#er registers, at faster or s"o#er tempi( n a

"etter to ;incen/o 6a""i"ei in 1>72, concerning %#h the music of the

ancients !i! such great things as one rea!s an! #h ours !oes not appear to

have for us i!iots an! non-musicians even a trace of these effects,% Mei

commente! that %ancient music% articu"ate! the %!eterminant affections%

so"e" through such %highs an! "o#s% of %sung speech,% #ith %regu"ate!

temperament of the fast an! s"o#(%

This formu"a became the stile rappresentativo of the Camerata composers,

an! "ater Montever!i*s stoc0 in tra!e( t esche#e! counterpoint as%c"uttering% the min! an! %cance"ing out% emotiona" effects through such

characteristics of the contrapunta" metho! as %contrar motion% of simu"-

taneous highs an! "o#s, ascen!ing an! !escen!ing in unison( t a"so reecte!

tona"it, ust as its chromaticist precursor ha! !one, but no# from the

stan!point of Mei*s theor of a simp"e return to the natura" sanctit of

ancient 6ree0 music, untouche! b man*s intervention into even the natura"

3untempere!4 tone sstem( or Mei*s %sung speech,% such comp"e$ities as

tona"it an! contrapunta" !eve"opment #ere tota"" superf"uous, since the

music consiste! so"e" of a non-harmonic "ine of barest accompaniment to

te$ts habitua"" ta0en from oman an! 6ree0 mths(

.uch #as the origin of the ta"ian opera an! its %c"assica"% thematic content

that Montever!i popu"ari/e! at the start of the seventeenth centur, after his

o#n "ate conversion from the si$teenth-centur chromaticist st"e( )ut

ar"ino ha! sho#n that this #as emphatica"" not the music of the 6ree0s(

)Meter, ar!ony, and #ords)

Contrar to Mei*s "ies, ta0en straight from his o#n trans"ations of &ristot"e*s

/olitics an! +rt of /oetr on the subects of music an! poetr, ar"ino ha!!emonstrate! in the Harmonic Institutions that %the ancients consi!ere! a

song to be comprise! of meter, harmon an! #or!s, an! this combination

the ca""e! me"o!,% not the "inear mono! of the operatics(



This contrapunta" notion of %meter, harmon, an! #or!s% combine! #as the

essence of 6ree0 poetr an! music, as ar"ino !emonstrate! from a""

avai"ab"e historica" evi!ence:

( ( ( some of the strings of Eancient 6ree0F instruments #ere

tune! in octaves, fifths an! fourths, as are man have seen an!hear!, an! ( ( ( the harmon that issue! from these strings #as

continuous an! #ithout interva"s of uiet( &bove this the

improvise! another part #ith the higher strings( hat ma0es

me be"ieve this is that there remain ver man instruments

constructe! in this #a an! p"ae! as have in!icate!( ( ( ( t

ma be #hat 5orace commemorates #hen he sas: %Jt gratas

inter mensas smphonia !iscors(% 3&s at a p"easant banuet

#hen a smphon is !iscor!ant4(

Moreover, the operatics* frau!u"ent "inguistic version of ancient 6ree0 music

!isp"ae! the same fi$ation on the thing in itse"f that ar"ino ha! ear"ier

i!entifie! in the Harmonic Institutions* %ebutta" to the =pinion of the

Chromaticists%:

ina"" the chromaticists are of the opinion that an interva"

#hatsoever ma be sung, even though its ratio or proportion is

not foun! among the harmonic numbers( 5ere is ho# the

ustif this( The voice is capab"e of forming an interva", an! it

is necessar to imitate or!inar speech in representing the#or!s as orators !o an! ought( Therefore it is not inappropriate

to use a"" these interva"s to e$press the i!eas containe! in the

#or!s, #ith the same accents an! other effects #e emp"o in

conversation, so that the music might move the affections(

rep" that this is in!ee! inappropriate( t is one thing to spea0

norma"" an! another to spea0 in song( EThe chromaticistsF sa

#e must imitate the orators if our music is to move the

affections( ?et have never hear! an orator use the strange,

cru!e interva"s use! b these chromaticists( f orators #ere touse them, !o not see ho# the cou"! s#a the min! of a u!ge

an! convince him of their point of vie# ( ( ( rather the contrar

#ou"! occur ( ( ( the resu"ts #ou"! compe" one to sea" one*s ears(

The Monteverdian Craft



n the seventeenth centur, the Montever!ians once again ca""e! this

"inguistic cu"t into service, but attempte! to give a +eop"atonic veneer to the

ne# st"e, #hich #as e$periencing great !ifficu"ties in gaining popu"arit(

Montever!i*s contention, constructe! for him b his brother an! %music

theoretician% 6iu"io Cesare, #as that Montever!i*s music fo""o#e! the

!octrine of ar"ino*s hegemonic theories, but !iffere! from ar"ino %in

practice(% The groun! for this !issociation of theor from practice ha! a"so

been prepare! b Mei in his grooming of the Camerata( 5is instructions to

the "orentines, in a 1>77 "etter to 6a""i"ei, #ere: %Consi!ering an! un!er-

stan!ing are one thing an! putting into operation another( The former

be"ongs to the inte""ect an! the "atter to the senses(% urthermore, since

%materia" an! other circumstances% impair the perfectibi"it of the senses,

%the practitioner, having simp" to satisf the sense !oes not ( ( ( esteem

reason as much as the theorist an! is content #henever his art succee!s in

satisfing the sense #ithout going an further(%

Mei*s conviction #as that emotion an! inte""ect #ere t#o !istinct an!

irreconci"ab"e phenomena, the former !epen!ent on the senses an! the "atter

on some un0no#ab"e ua"it of %reason%'in Mei*s scheme, re!uce! to a

pure "inguistic construct( Montever!i*s operatic st"e fo""o#e! this formu"a(

C"au!io Montever!i ha! first come into contact #ith the "orentine

Camerata through his patronage at the court of Du0e ;incen/o 6on/aga of

Mantua in the 1>9Is, #hen he #as sti"" a "ea!ing chromaticist composer in

ta"( Montever!i remaine! pub"ic" a"oof from the "orentine circ"e,ho#ever, an! ma!e his conversion to the operatic st"e co", not #ith the

brash attac0s on ar"ino that characteri/e! the Camerata*s opposition, but

#ith a cnica" attempt to use ar"ino*s reputation to boost Montever!i*s ne#

st"e(

Montever!i*s brother 6iu"io Cesare, his ghost-#riter an! apo"ogist,

appen!e! a !efense of the ne# st"e to Montever!i*s 1HI7 compen!ium of

ma!riga"s in both the o"! an! ne# st"es, the Scher&i Musicale. <ntit"e!

"ichiaratione" 3Dec"aration4, 6iu"io Cesare*s intro!uction portrae! the

sti"" unpopu"ar ne# st"e as base! on #hat he ca""e! ar"ino*s %irstPractice,% but !efining a %secon! practica" usage% #ithin that practice( )

this !oub"e-spea0, 6iu"io Cesare meant to sa that his brother #as not

proposing a %ne# musica" nstitutions% Eto ar"ino*s Harmonic Institutions'

because he confesses that he is not one to un!erta0e so great an enterprise

an! he %"eaves the composition of such nob"e #ritings to ( ( ( the ev(

ar"ino(% )ut, he a!!e!, %ar"ino use! the tit"e *5armonic nstitutions



because he #ishe! to teach the ru"es of harmon@ an! m brother has use!

the tit"e *.econ! Practice,* that is, secon! practica" usage, because he #ishe!

to ma0e use of the consi!erations of that usage, that is of me"o!ic consi!era-

tions an! their e$p"anation(%

6iu"io Cesare #ent on to "ie that %the ev( ar"ino conce!es that the practicetaught b him is not the one an! on" truth( or this reason m brother

inten!s to ma0e use of the princip"es taught b P"ato an! practice! b the

!ivine Cipriano Ethe arch-chromaticist foe against #hom ar"ino ha!

pub"ic" aime! his Harmonic Institutions po"emicKF an! b mo!ern usage,

princip"es !ifferent from those taught an! estab"ishe! b the ev( ar"ino ( ( (

to create the *ne# music*(%

The !ifferences 6iu"io Cesare ha! in min! ha! been state! brief" b

Montever!i himse"f in his o#n ear"ier abortive attempt to #rite a !efense of

the ne# st"e( %There is a !ifferent #a of consi!ering Econsonances an!

!issonancesF from that a"rea! !etermine! Eb ar"inoF,% he #rote, base! on

the %foun!ations of truth% of the %mo!ern composer(% To #hat !i! these

%!ifferences% refer To the same arbitrar e$p"oitation of atona" effects that

ha! characteri/e! Montever!i*s ear"ier chromaticist st"e(

These so-ca""e! !ifferences #ere manifest" c"ear in the !e!ication b

Camerata composer 6iu"io Caccini to his first %mo!ern opera,% (uridice, in

1HII: %n this manner of singing have use! a certain neg"ect #hich !eem

to have an e"ement of nobi"it,% Caccini !ec"are!, %be"ieving that #ith it have approache! that much nearer to or!inar speech(% n 1HI2, in Caccini*s

co""ection of the 0uove Musiche 3+e# Music4, he !eve"ope! the princip"e

further: %E inten! toF bring in a 0in! of music b #hich men might as it

#ere ta"0 in harmon, using in that 0in! of singing, as have sai! at other

times a certain nob"e neg"ect of the song(% This %neg"ect% #as ustifie! since

instrumenta" music itse"f cou"! serve %no other purpose EthanF e$pression of

passion% an! %cou"! not move the un!erstan!ing% #ithout the assistance of

#or!s(

The unmusica" resu"t #as, tpica"", something "i0e ()ample 1 fromCaccini*s 0uove Musiche, in #hich the composer ha! to emp"o numerous

stage !irections to his singers to c"arif the emotiona" ua"it he #ante! the

singer to add to the music at ever point, the music itse"f being entire"

bereft of such inherent ua"ities(



The 'ate ($eras

)ut the st"e for #hich Montever!i is 0no#n to!a cu"minate! in his "ate

perio!, in the %re!iscover from the ancients% of his stile concitato, the

%#ar"i0e genus% of agitation, rage, an! hate( +ot surprising", Montever!i

ma!e this !iscover #hi"e in the emp"o of .ignor 6iro"amo Mocenigo of;enice, the butcher #ho ha! "e! 6ior!ano )runo to the sta0e in 1HII(

Mocenigo*s court #as not un"i0e the sa!o-masochistic 6on/aga court, a

buco"ic ho"!-out of feu!a" ta", fast coming un!er the s#a of the 6enoese

factions at ome an! their esuit nuisition( Mocenigo ha! turne!

6ior!ano )runo over to the nuisition "ess than 1> ears before Montever!i



began his infamous career at that same court in 1H1A, assuming at the same

time the post of choirmaster of .t( Mar0*s Cathe!ra" at ;enice, the post

ar"ino ha! he"! unti" his !eath in 1>9I(

Montever!i compose! his Madrigals of Love and !ar, "i0e the %Combat of

Tancre! an! C"orin!a,% in 1HA8, !e!icate! to 5apsburg <mperor er!inan!

an! his hope!-for success in the genoci!a" Thirt ?ears* ar against the

repub"ican factions of <urope( The emperor gratefu"" accepte!

Montever!i*s offering, an! re#ar!e! him b financing its pub"ication

throughout <urope(

The #or0 initiates Montever!i*s stile concitato as the #ar"i0e genus of "ove

an! #ar( n it he euates the emotions of a!versit an! conuest to the

%combat% for "ove, a favorite them of his ear"ier pornographic chromaticistsma!riga"s(B

The "over must conuer his be"ove! an! !ie consummating his erotic

!esires( This sa!o-masochistic stile promotes the same Dionsian fren/ as

the !rug-in!uce! orgies of roc0 cu"ture to!a(

Montever!i cro#ne! his career #ith the u"timate e$pression of this sa!o-

masochistic stile in his "ast opera, The Coronation of /oppea, #ritten in

1HB2( The opera ce"ebrates the tota" victor of heteronom an! gree! in the

oman <mpire an! its emperor, +ero( Poppea*s ambition to becomeempress of ome triumphs in a spectac"e of mur!er an! "ust(

)ut there is no mora"it over #hich it triumphs( Montever!i*s foi" to the

imperia" coup"e is the stoic, pseu!o-p"atonic phi"osopher .eneca, #ho

a!vises +ero against the a""iance #ith Poppea'an! then passive" submits

to assassination as his fate for crossing the emperor*s #ishes(

The opera begins as Poppea*s "over, the so"!ier =tho, returns from the #ars

to fin! Poppea se!ucing +ero( The enrage! =tho sta"0s off to p"ot his

revenge #ith +ero*s i"te! empress, =ctavia(

Mean#hi"e, +ero pauses in the pursuit of his p"easures "ong enough to enact

a ritua" confession to the #ise o"! phi"osopher .eneca( .eneca counse"s

propriet, against +ero*s "ascivious intentions, an! !utifu"" submits to

assassination as the conseuence of his #is!om( )ut #ho carries out the

b"oo! !ee! &ct T#o e$a"ts the success of .eneca*s assassination #ith a



"e#! !uet of +ero an! Poppea to ove( t is the go!!ess of ove #ho s"as

.eneca, an! intervenes from ="mpus on Poppea*s beha"f to gui!e the

success of her b"oo! p"ans(



Love conuers reason 3impotent, passive .eneca4 through "ust an! hate, the

ha""mar0s of the stile concitato. ove is a"so the agent for Poppea against

the p"ots of =tho an! =ctavia( ith true "ove*s intervention, +ero succee!s

in sen!ing =tho an! =ctavia into e$i"e, "eaving him free to consummate

affairs #ith Poppea( Poppea an! +ero sing another of their innumerab"e

bana" !uets to "ove 3%ou are mine, am ours@ ou are mine, am ours,% et

cetera, et cetera4 as the #atch a sobbing =ctavia sai" out of sight( &t once

the reve"r of Poppea*s coronation procee!s an! the opera c"oses ami! a

scene of bacchana"ian org(

Poppea*s coronation #as thus the coronation of the ne# st"e in a"" its erotic

sp"en!or, !rape! in the %c"assicism% of mperia" ome( t #as the Dionsian

si!e of the &po""onian c"assicism of the Camerata, !eve"ope! accor!ing to

&ristot"e*s prescription for art as opposed to reason,> an! it fo""o#e! the

ancient Dionsian an! Phrgian cu"ts in preparing for the spa#ning of theroc0-!rug countercu"ture to!a( +ote the simi"arit bet#een the monoto-

nous beating of a sing"e note in Montever!i*s Lament of 2lmpia, on #hich

he mo!e"e! =ctavia*s "ament in the Coronation of /oppea an! the min!-

!ea!ening !rum beat of to!a*s ung"e music( The intent an! resu"t are the

same(

ar"ino ha! attac0e! this emerging horror in his response to the Camerata,

pub"ishe! in his Sopplimenti Musicale in 1>88, ust t#o ears before his

!eath( ar"ino use! this "ast po"emic against both the chromaticists an! the

inchoate operatic st"e to !rive home the arguments of his Harmonic Institutions 'but no# from the vantage point of a more e$act un!erstan!ing

of the specifica"" &ristote"ian nature of the frau!( 5e "ambaste! the ersat/

oratorio of the stile rappresentativo as not music at a"", but the incoherent

babb"ings of %c"o#ns*% on a stage, aping nature not "i0e men, but %anima"s(%

Citing &ristot"e*s "ie in the /olitics an! +rt of /oetr that art is a cathartic

%imitation of nature,% ar"ino e$p"aine! %ho# one ought to spea0 in an

imitation ma!e b means of music(% 5e ma!e an ana"og to the contra-

punta" metho! of fuga" music #riting, an! to the ironic u$taposition of part

an! #ho"e in the perspective of enaissance painting or the epic poetr of

5omer an! ;irgi", #here %inte""ect an! u!gment% are use! to create contra-

punta" %arrangements% in the subect*s min!(

Fro! Zarlino to Fidelio

n!ee!, this higher or!er of counterpoint is precise" ho# )ach an!

)eethoven !eve"ope! rea" opera, through the counterpoint of chora" an!



instrumenta" voices( Montever!i #as uic0" forgotten after en!ing his !as

in 1HBA 3one ear after the pro!uction of /oppea3 as a superstitious re"igious

mstic an! fervi! a"chemist, #ho ha! ta0en vo#s to #ar! off the p"ague in

;enice in 1HAI( )ut ar"ino*s humanist science "ive! on in the northern

enaissance of the seventeenth centur that "e! to the creative geniuses of

eibni/ an! )ach, an! ran0"in an! )eethoven in the ne$t centur( ar"ino*s

teachings #ere !irect" convee! to the northern <uropean net#or0s of

music-scientists that a""ie! #ith <ng"ish an! rench repub"ican forces in

<urope*s batt"e against the 5apsburg o"igarch an! its 6enoese-bac0e!

.tuart successors( an Pieters/oon .#ee"inc0, the seventeenth-centur

Dutch composer #ho trans"ate! ar"ino*s #or0s an! incorporate! their

contrapunta" metho! into his organ pieces an! 5uguenot Psa"ms, #as the

music teacher of Christiaan 5ughens, an! !irect" inf"uence! )ach(

.#ee"inc0*s stu!ents in 6erman in the ne$t generation pro!uce! an &!ams

ein0en*s semina" #or0 on fugue an! !oub"e-fuga" #riting, base! onar"ino*s %Counterpoint(% ein0en himse"f #as brief" associate! #ith

ohann .ebastian )ach, at 5amburg in 1721( =n hearing )ach perform at

that cit*s great church organ, the age! ein0en, then in the ninet-ninth ear

of his "ife, e$c"aime!: % thought this art #as !ea!, but see that in ou it

sti"" "ives(%

That music "ives to!a in the #or0s of u!#ig van )eethoven, #ho brought

music to its highest "eve" et 0no#n, in the tra!ition of %me"o!, meter, an!

#or!s% combine!( )ach*s chora" #or0s an! )eethoven*s 0inth Smphon,

Missa Solemnis, an! opera %idelio sho# us the rea" content of opera as thecounterpoint of voca" an! instrumenta" music( The antithesis of Monte-

ver!i*s ce"ebration of mperia" ome in the !ebaucher of /oppea is

)eethoven*s ce"ebration of the &merican evo"ution, the "ove of afaette

an! his #ife &!rienne'"orestan an! enoreH 'an! the triumph of "ove an!

ustice, in his %idelio. This notion of human "ove, the creative process itse"f,

victorious over the enemies of man0in! is the "egac ar"ino beueathe! in

the fina" pages of the Harmonic Institutions4

hope some !a to see this science so #e"" estab"ishe! an!

perfect that no one #i"" !esire more than #hat is actua"" in use(

sa this because !o not see that it is no# in such a perfect

state as ma come( This cannot !escribe but can imagine( t

ma come #hen music is embrace! b some nob"e spirit #hose

goa" #i"" be not the mechanica" one of gain, but honor an!



immorta" g"or( These he ma earn after "aboring in our science

an! raising it to the u"timate point that have suggeste!(

*otes

1( Harmonic Institutions, )oo0 , chapter 77( <mphasis a!!e!(

2( I-id.

A( Harmonic Institutions, )oo0 , chapters 12 an! 1B(

B( Perhaps the best c"inica" appreciation of these ear" ma!riga"s #as ma!e

in a tribute b )ritish )roa!casting Compan Music Guide #riter Denis

&rno"! in his 19H7 ana"sis of the Montever!i ma!riga" %& un giro so" !e*

be""* occhi "uccenti(% riting in the ))C*s Guide, &rno"! sas:

The poet again #or0s out the !oub"e meaning of the #or!%!eath(% % #ish to !ie,% he begins, %no# fee" the "ove" mouth

of m be"ove!(% 5e en"arges on the 0isses( irst he is content

#ith a "ove-bite'an! no #on!er, for %in this s#eetness of her

breast am e$tinguishe!(% 5e hurries to the c"ima$, tasting the

"ips, in a conventiona" 0iss, then biting vo"uptuous" again'

an! then he %!ies(% n itse"f it is not a !istinguishe! poem@ but

Montever!i is rea! to see0 out its potentia"ities( The #ish to

!ie is repeate! three times in a meaningfu" !escent( The mouth

of the be"ove! arouses him again( 5e bites #ith a !e"icious!issonance@ as it is about to reso"ve, the !iscor! bites again,

an! again, an! et again( )ut the rising phrase is e$tinguishe!

in conventiona"" fa""ing suspensions( 5e ca""s for haste in a

canon, so hast that there is but a sing"e crochet Euarter noteF

bet#een the t#o parts( .he p"afu"" resists( 5e tries once

more, using three voices so that t#o of them continua"" push

the thir! up an! up( .he sho#s "ess resistance this time 3using

three voices instea! of five as before4 but no# nothing can ho"!

him bac0( The canon resumes in the sopranos, the bass p"ea!s,

%&h mouth, ah 0isses, ah tongue(% 5e conuers'an! %!ies%#ith the ver first !escen!ing phrase(

The composer #ho can !o this un!erstan!s "ove@ an! these

shepher!s are no i!ea"i/e! rustics( The are ver human(



>( %To be entire" convincing Ethe poetF must be ab"e to enter into the

motions of his character through sharing their nature( =ne enacts agitation

or anger most convincing" #hen he is actua"" fee"ing them( That is #h

poetr reuires either a natura" ta"ent or an enthusiasm that verges on

ma!ness: b one a man is a!aptab"e, b the other ecstatica"" inspire!(%

rom &ristot"e*s +rt of /oetr.

H( .ee %i!e"io: )eethoven*s Ce"ebration of the &merican evo"ution,%

Dona"! Phau, The Campaigner, 11:H, &ugust 1978(

zarlino, monteverdi and the roots of rock music

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