Evolution; Knowledge, Theory of; Philosophy and religion
uniformity of measure, which, as Dr Burney says, “no resources of melody
could disguise.” Lacking the complex rhythm obtained by our equal bars
and unequal notes, the only rhythm was that produced by the quantity of
the syllables, and was of necessity comparatively monotonous. And
further, it may be observed that the chant thus resulting, being like
recitative, was much less clearly differentiated from ordinary speech
than is our modern song. Nevertheless, considering the extended range of
notes in use, the variety of modes, the occasional variations of time
consequent on changes of metre, and the multiplication of instruments,
we see that music had, towards the close of Greek civilization, attained
to considerable heterogeneity: not indeed as compared with our music,
but as compared with that which preceded it. As yet, however,
there existed nothing but melody: harmony was unknown. It was not until
Christian church-music had reached some development, that music in parts
was evolved; and then it came into existence through a very unobtrusive
differentiation. Difficult as it may be to conceive, _à priori_, how the
advance from melody to harmony could take place without a sudden leap,
it is none the less true that it did so. The circumstance which prepared
the way for it, was the employment of two choirs singing alternately the
same air. Afterwards it became the practice (very possibly first
suggested by a mistake) for the second choir to commence before the
first had ceased; thus producing a fugue. With the simple airs then in
use, a partially harmonious fugue might not improbably thus result; and
a very partially harmonious fugue satisfied the ears of that age, as we
know from still preserved examples. The idea having once been given, the
composing of airs productive of fugal harmony would naturally grow up;
as in some way it _did_ grow up out of this alternate choir-singing. And
from the fugue to concerted music of two, three, four, and more parts,
the transition was easy. Without pointing out in detail the
increasing complexity that resulted from introducing notes of various
lengths, from the multiplication of keys, from the use of accidentals,
from varieties of time, from modulations and so forth, it needs but to
contrast music as it is, with music as it was, to see how immense is the
increase of heterogeneity. We see this if, looking at music in its
_ensemble_, we enumerate its many different genera and species—if we
consider the divisions into vocal, instrumental, and mixed; and their
subdivisions into music for different voices and different
instruments—if we observe the many forms of sacred music, from the
simple hymn, the chant, the canon, motet, anthem, &c., up to the
oratorio; and the still more numerous forms of secular music, from the
ballad up to the serenata, from the instrumental solo up to the
symphony. Again, the same truth is seen on comparing any one sample of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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