Music of the spheres and the dance of death : studies in musical iconology / Kathi Meyer-Baer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Meyer-Baer, Kathi, 1892-1977, author.

Series:

Princeton legacy library.

Princeton Legacy Library

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Music--Philosophy and aesthetics.

Music.

Death in music.

Music in art.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (405 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, 1970.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The roots and evolution of two concepts usually thought to be Western in origin-musica mundana (the music of the spheres) and musica humana (music's relation to the human soul)-are explored. Beginning with a study of the early creeds of the Near East, Professor Meyer-Baer then traces their development in the works of Plato and the Gnostics, and in the art and literature of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Previous studies of symbolism in music have tended to focus on a single aspect of the problem. In this book the concepts of musica humana and musica mundane are related to philosophy, aesthetics, and the history of religion and are given a rightful place in the history of civilization.Originally published in 1970.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Preface

Photographic Sources

Contents

List of Illustrations

ONE. MUSIC OF THE SPHERES

Introduction to Part One

I. Theories of the Cosmos in Antiquity

II. The Hellenistic Period

III. The Early Christian Centuries

IV. The Early Works of Art

V. Tonal Theories of Music of the Spheres

VI. The Emergence of Celestial Musicians in Christian Iconography

VII. Late Medieval Writings and Dante's Paradise

VIII. Musician Angels

DANCING ANGELS AND THE DANCE OF THE BLESSED

SINGING ANGELS

ANGEL ORCHESTRAS

ANGELS OF THE PSALTER

ANGELS' INSTRUMENTS - REAL OR IMAGINARY?

IX. Renaissance and Humanism

X. Two Offshoots of the Idea of the Music of the Spheres

TWO. MUSIC AND DEATH

Introduction to Part Two

XI. Music as a Symbol of Death in Antiquity

XII. Later Greek Concepts and the Hellenistic Period

XIII. The Christian Era the Development of Early Medieval Images

XIV. Later Medieval Images: The Dance of Death

XV. The Fifteenth-Century Mystics

XVI. Survivals of Earlier Images

Conclusion: Survivals in Contemporary Musical Concepts

Appendix I. EXCERPTS FROM FIRST CHAPTER OF LETTER ON HARMONY ADDRESSED TO ARCHBISHOP RATHBOD OF TREVES BY REGINO OF PRÜM

Appendix II. EXCERPTS FROM THE HYMN "NATURALIS CONCORDIA VOCUM CUM PLANETIS" ("NATURAL HARMONY OF THE TONK AND THE PLANETS")

Appendix III. THE MUSIC IN DANTE'S COSMOS

Appendix IV. A NOTE ON THE SINGERS OF THE GHENT ALTAR

Appendix V. REAL OR IMAGINARY INSTRUMENTS: AN EXAMINATION OF THE BEATUS MANUSCRIPTS AND THE UTRECHT PSALTER

Index

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 08. Jul 2019)

Description based on print version record.

Includes index.

ISBN:

0-691-64780-1

0-691-62111-X

1-4008-7233-2

OCLC:

903442356