The Ancient Roots of the Theory of Music of the Spheres
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15633/pms.340Keywords:
ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy, music theory, Boethius, music of the spheres, cosmologyAbstract
The theory of “music of the spheres” (musica mundana) introduced by Boethius in his treaty De institutione musica is an original contribution in development of mediaeval theory of music. However, it’s roots trace back to the Greek antiquity. When considering the sources of medieval theory of musica mundana, one shall underline three most important sources: (1) mythology with its complex cosmogony (esp. by Homer and Hesiod), (2) early cosmology by pre-Socratic philosophers (incl. Anaximander, Heraclit), (3) Pythagorean school. Despite of the fact that idea of the music of the spheres – as presented by the Pythagoreans – was criticized by Aristotle in his De caelo, it became one of the most influential cosmological concept. One of the most striking results of this situation is the fact, that for many ages (during mediaeval era) music was regarded as a scientific discipline, despite its aesthetical dimension.
Downloads
Published
2012-12-30
Issue
Section
Artykuły i rozprawy
License
Copyright (c) 2012 Marcin Konik
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain the copyright and full publishing rights without restrictions, and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
