Musica Poetica: Musical-Rhetorical Figures in the German Baroque
1998; Volume: 19; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
2291-2436
Autores Tópico(s)Reformation and Early Modern Christianity
ResumoDietrich Bartel. Musica Poetica: Musical-Rhetorical Figures in German Baroque. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 1997. xv, 471 pp. ISBN 0-8032-1276-3 (hardcover). When scholarship in field of English literature began to take an interest in historically informed methodologies, Lee A. Sonnino published A Handbook to Sixteenth- Century Rhetoric.1 With its alphabetical compilation of textualrhetorical figures as defined in various primary sources, coupled with its appendices that aid in finding of particular figures, this work has since become standard resource tool. A similar undertaking by Dietrich Bartel in field of musical rhetoric resulted in his Handbuch der musikalischen Figurenlehre (Laaber: Laaber Verlag, 1985), work which has also become standard source. Bartel's latest effort presents revised, expanded and translated version of his earlier work. Bartel divides book into three major parts. first part, Introduction to Concepts, presents new material that is not present in his original Handbuch. Four chapters make up material of this first part. opening chapter, on Music: A Theological Basis for German Baroque Music, provides summary of Luther's writings on music. In short, Luther views music as a divine gift to humanity (p. 3), most important element of quadrivium (p. 4), and fundamental in education of children (p. 7). second chapter, Toward Musica Poetica: Emergence of German Baroque Music describes shift in pedagogical emphasis from music as linked to speculative mathematics to musica poetica that embraces concepts of rhetoric and oratory. In addition, Bartel demonstrates progression of musical rhetorical emphasis from elaboration of text to more general expression of affections. Citing Johann Mattheson, Johann Adolph Scheibe, and Johann Nikolaus Forkel, Bartel contends that, as result of this shift, musica poetica became relevant to both vocal and instrumental compositions by beginning of eighteenth century (p. 24). In next chapter, The Concept of Affections in German Baroque Music, Bartel discusses relationship between affections and such compositional parameters as key, mode, rhythm, and text. Here, Bartel acknowledges that composers relied more on rhetoric than on the frequently contradictory concepts of mode or key characteristics (p. 46). final chapter of first part, Principles of Rhetoric in German Baroque Music, describes dissemination of rhetoric as part of Lateinschule curriculum. It also links musical rhetorical concepts with their counterparts in literary rhetoric. remaining parts of book, Treatises and Sources and Definitions and Translations of Musical-Rhetorical Figures, are largely taken from his earlier work. Treatises and Sources outlines musical rhetorical sources in more detail. Bartel opens each discussion with brief biography of author, followed by summary of pertinent material of each treatise. Bartel's useful comparison and contrast of sources in chronological context confirms development of musica poetica from its textual and theological orientation during Renaissance to its affective orientation during Baroque period. It is in third part of book that its true value emerges. In this, largest part of work, Bartel presents musical rhetorical figures in alphabetical order. He begins each definition with his own summarized interpretation. This is followed by presentation of definitions as they exist in their original sources coupled with their page number references, musical examples where extant, and Bartel's translations. …
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