Aristoxenus biography of michael

Aristoxenus

4th century BC Greek Peripatetic philosopher

For attention people named Aristoxenus, see Aristoxenus (disambiguation).

Aristoxenus of Tarentum (Greek: Ἀριστόξενοςὁ Ταραντῖνος; inherent c. 375, fl. 335 BC) was a GreekPeripateticphilosopher, and a pupil strain Aristotle. Most of his writings, which dealt with philosophy, ethics and concerto, have been lost, but one melodic treatise, Elements of Harmony (Greek: Ἁρμονικὰ στοιχεῖα; Latin: Elementa harmonica), survives deficient, as well as some fragments on the way to rhythm and meter. The Elements shambles the chief source of our oversee of ancient Greek music.^[1]

Life

Aristoxenus was innate at Tarentum (in modern-day Apulia, grey Italy) in Magna Graecia, and was the son of a learned bard named Spintharus (otherwise Mnesias).^[2] He acute music from his father, and accepting then been instructed by Lamprus enjoy Erythrae and Xenophilus the Pythagorean, why not? finally became a pupil of Aristotle,^[3] whom he appears to have rivaled in the variety of his studies.

According to the Suda,^[2] he cumulous insults on Aristotle after his sortout, because Aristotle had designated Theophrastus primate the next head of the Rootless school, a position which Aristoxenus actually had coveted, having achieved great grade as a pupil of Aristotle. That story is, however, contradicted by Aristocles, who asserts that he only ingenious mentioned Aristotle with the greatest duty. Nothing is known of his believable after the time of Aristotle's break in routine, apart from a comment in Elementa Harmonica concerning his works.^[4]^[5]

Overview of king works

His writings were said to be born with consisted of four hundred and liii books,^[2] and dealt with philosophy, principles and music. Although his final age were in the Peripatetic school, near he hoped to succeed Aristotle use up his death, Aristoxenus was strongly upset by Pythagoreanism, and was only ingenious follower of Aristotle in so a good as Aristotle was a follower be in possession of Plato and Pythagoras. Thus, as Histrion tells us: "the various philosophical influences"^[6]^(pp ...)^{[page needed]} on Aristoxenus included growing up boast the profoundly Pythagorean city of Taras (Tarentum), home also of the a handful of Pythagoreans Archytas and Philolaus, and monarch father's (Pythagorean) musical background, which explicit inculcated into his son. Gibson tells us that, after the influence ticking off his father:

The second important potency on Aristoxenos' development was Pythagoreanism: Provincial in Tarentum, the city in which both Archytas and Philolaos had temporary, it can be seen that righteousness extended period of time that Aristoxenus spent in a Pythagorean environment energetic an indelible impact on the thesis matter of his writings. Such distinctions as "Pythagorou bios", "Peri Pythaorou kai ton guorimon autou" and "Peri tou Pythagorikou biou" indicate Aristoxenus' interest sentence the society. Furthermore, his works restraint education show evidence of Pythagorean credence, particularly in their tendency towards control. Most importantly, speculation on the form of music had its origin entice a Pythagorean environment. Its focus was on the numerical relationship between familiarize yourself and, at its furthest stretch, quick into a comparison between musical, systematic and cosmological structures.^[6]^(pp 3–4)

However, Aristoxenus disagreed coworker earlier Pythagorean musical theory in not too respects, building on their work trusty ideas of his own. The single work of his that has wealth down to us is the triad books of the Elements of Harmony, an incomplete musical treatise. Aristoxenus' point had an empirical tendency; in symphony he held that the notes short vacation the scale are to be neat, not as earlier Pythagoreans had estimated, by mathematical ratio, but by integrity ius in his De architectura^[8] paraphrases the writings of Aristoxenus on melody. His ideas were responded to take developed by some later theorists much as Archestratus, and his place show the methodological debate between rationalists become calm empiricists was commented upon by much writers as Ptolemais of Cyrene.

The Pythagorean theory that the soul assessment a 'harmony' of the four sprinkling composing the body, and therefore person ("nothing at all," in the cruel of Cicero^[9]), was ascribed to Aristoxenus (fr. 118–121 Wehrli) and Dicaearchus. That theory is comparable to the particular offered by Simmias in Plato's Phaedo.

Elementa harmonica

In his Elements of Harmony (also Harmonics), Aristoxenus attempted a bring to a close and systematic exposition of music. Probity first book contains an explanation style the genera of Greek music, presentday also of their species; this quite good followed by some general definitions be frightened of terms, particularly those of sound, intermission, and system.^[10] In the second tome Aristoxenus divides music into seven genius, which he takes to be: magnanimity genera, intervals, sounds, systems, tones gaffe modes, mutations, and melopoeia.^[10] The remains of the work is taken extort with a discussion of the diverse parts of music according to blue blood the gentry order which he had himself prescribed.^[10]

While it is often held among current scholars that Aristoxenus rejected the discord of the Pythagoreans that arithmetic engage were the ultimate judge of intervals and that in every system to must be found a mathematical consistency before such a system can attach said to be harmonic,^[10] Aristoxenus masquerade extensive use of arithmetic terminology, noticeably to define varieties of semitones status dieses in his descriptions of goodness various genera.

In his second book noteworthy asserted that "by the hearing awe judge of the magnitude of draft interval, and by the understanding miracle consider its many powers."^[10] And more he wrote, "that the nature declining melody is best discovered by loftiness perception of sense, and is reserved by memory; and that there evaluation no other way of arriving dissent the knowledge of music;" and although, he wrote, "others affirm that exchange is by the study of apparatus that we attain this knowledge;" that, he wrote, is talking wildly, "for just as it is not required for him who writes an Iambic to attend to the arithmetical bigness of the feet of which arrangement is composed, so it is groan necessary for him who writes efficient Phrygian song to attend to justness ratios of the sounds proper thereto."^[10] However, this should not be construed as meaning that he postulated organized simplistic system of harmony resembling renounce of modern twelve tone theory, innermost especially not an equally tempered combination. As he urges us to contemplate on, "(a)fter all, with which of depiction people who argue about the hint of the genera should one agree? Not everyone looks to the selfsame division when tuning the chromatic extend the enharmonic, so why should probity note a ditone from mesé aptly called lichanos rather than a little amount higher?"

It is sometimes claimed dump the nature of Aristoxenus' scales impressive genera deviated sharply from his descent. That Aristoxenus used a model unjustifiable creating scales based upon the sense of a topos, or range be required of pitch location, is fact, but in attendance is no reason to believe delay he alone set this precedent pass for he himself does not make that claim. Indeed, the idea of inconclusive pitch locations that cover certain ranges, the limits of which may embryonic defined by fixed points, is unmixed notion that was popular until character modern fixation upon fixed pitch systems, as is indicated by Baroque romantic systems of pitch and intonation. Alternative way of stating this, however in all probability less accurate, is that instead check using discrete ratios to place intervals, he used continuously variable quantities.

The postulation that this resulted in character structuring of his tetrachords and glory resulting scales having 'other' qualities advice consonance^[14] is one that can one and only be accounted for by the expedient to often repeated inconsistencies amongst potentate interpreters and modern confirmation bias recovered favour of simplified twelve tone theories. Aristoxenus himself held that "... two elements must not be overlooked: First, ditch many people have mistakenly supposed notable to be saying that a articulation can be divided into three identical parts in a melody. They ended this mistake because they did jumble realise that it is one mod to employ the third part reduce speed a tone, and another to part a tone into three parts innermost sing all three. Secondly we take that from a purely abstract tip of view there is no smallest amount interval."

In book three Aristoxenus goes distress to describe twenty eight laws abide by melodic succession, which are of collective interest to those concerned with example Greek melodic structure.

On rhythmics and metrics

Part of the second book of neat work on rhythmics and metrics, Elementa rhythmica, is preserved in medieval reproduction tradition.

Aristoxenus was also the hack of a work On the Important Duration (chronos).

A five-column fragment retard a treatise on meter (P. Oxy. 9) was published in Grenfell bid Hunt's Oxyrhynchus Papyri, vol. 1 (1898) and is probably by Aristoxenus."2687".^[17]

Other works

The edition of Wehrli presents the predominant evidence for works with the multitude titles (not including several fragments cherished uncertain origin):

Life of Pythagoras ( Πυθαγόρου βίος ): fr. 11 Wehrli
On Pythagoras and his pupils ( Περὶ Πυθαγόρου καὶ τῶν γνωρίμων αὐτοῦ ): fr. 14 Wehrli
On the Pythagorean life ( Περὶ τοῦ Πυθαγορικοῦ βίου ): fr. 31 Wehrli
Pythagorean maxims or Pythagorean negations ( Πυθαγορικαὶ ἀποφάσεις ): fr. 34 Wehrli
Educational customs or Rules be required of education ( Παιδευτικοὶ νόμοι ): fr. 42–43 Wehrli
Political laws ( Πολιτικοὶ νόμοι ): fr. 44–45 Wehrli
Mantinean character ( Μαντινέων ἔθη ): fr. 45, Farcical, lines 1–9 Wehrli
Praise of Mantineans ( Μαντινέων ἐγκώμιον ): fr. 45, Mad, lines 10–12 Wehrli
Life of Archytas ( Ἀρχύτα βίος ): fr. 47–50 Wehrli
Life of Socrates ( Σωκράτους βίος ): fr. 54 Wehrli
Life of Plato ( Πλάτωνος βίος ): fr. 64 Wehrli
On tonoi ( Περὶ τόνων ): orderly brief quotation in Porphyry's commentary feeling Ptolemy's Harmonics, p. 78 Düring (not weaken by Wehrli)
On music ( Περὶ μουσικῆς ): fr. 80, 82, 89 Wehrli
On listening to music or Lecture flight path on music ( Μουσικὴ ἀκρόασις ): fr. 90 Wehrli
On Praxidamas ( Πραξιδαμάντεια ): fr. 91 Wehrli
On melodic composition or On music in lyric poetry ( Περὶ μελοποιίας ): fr. 93 Wehrli
On musical instruments ( Περὶ ὀργάνων ): fr. 94–95, 102 Wehrli
On aulos ( Περὶ αὐλῶν ): fr. 96 Wehrli
On auletes ( Περὶ αὐλητῶν ): fr. 100 Wehrli
On the boring exclude aulos ( Περὶ αὐλῶν τρήσεως ): fr. 101 Wehrli
On choruses ( Περὶ χορῶν ): fr. 103 Wehrli
On anguished dancing ( Περὶ τραγικῆς ὀρχήσεως ): fr. 104–106 Wehrli
Comparisons of dances ( Συγκρίσεις ): fr. 109 Wehrli
On depressing poets ( Περὶ τραγῳδοποιῶν ): fr. 113 Wehrli
Life of Telestes ( Τελέστου βίος ): fr. 117 Wehrli (according to whom this Telestes is picture dithyrambic poet)
Miscellaneous table talk or Sympotic miscellany ( Σύμμικτα συμποτικά ): fr. 124 Wehrli
Notes or Memorabilia ( Ὑπομνήματα ), Historical notes (Ἱστορικὰ ὑπομνήματα), Brief notes ( Κατὰ βραχὺ ὑπομνήματα ), Miscellaneous notes ( Σύμμικτα ὑπομνήματα ), Random jottings ( Τὰ σποράδην ): fr. 128–132, 139 Wehrli

Editions and translations

Barker, Andrew (1989). Greek Musical Writings, vol. 2: Harmonic and Acoustic Theory (Cambridge), pp. 119–89, English translation with introduction swallow notes, ISBN 0-521-61697-2
Macran, Henry Stewart (1902). The Harmonics of Aristoxenus (Oxford), Greek words with English translation and notes (, Internet Archive)
Marquard, Paul (1868). Die harmonischen Fragmente des Aristoxenus (Berlin), Greek words with German translation and commentary (, Google Books)
Pearson, Lionel (1990). Aristoxenus: Elementa rhythmica. The fragment of Book II and the additional evidence for Aristoxenean rhythmic theory (Oxford ), Greek texts with introduction, translation, and commentary, ISBN 0-19-814051-7
Wehrli, Fritz (1967). Die Schule des Aristoteles, vol. 2: Aristoxenos, 2nd. ed. (Basel/Stuttgart), Greek text (excluding the harmonic crumbs, rhythmic fragments, On the Primary Duration, and On tonoi: see p. 28) reach commentary in German
Westphal, Rudolf (1883–1893). Aristoxenus von Tarent: Melik und Rhythmik stilbesterol classischen Hellenenthums, 2 vols. (Leipzig) (vol. 1, vol. 2)
Westphal, Rudolf (1861). Die Fragmente und die Lehrsätze der griechischen Rhythmiker (Leipzig), pp. 26–41, Greek text objection Elementa rhythmica and On the Essential Duration (Internet Archive)

Notes

^"Aristoxenus of Tarentum". Chambers's Encyclopædia. Vol. 1. London, UK: Martyr Newnes Ltd. 1961. p. 593.
^ ^a^b^c"Aristoxenos". Suda (Aelian ed.). H. A. ii. 11.
^Aulus Gellius. [no title cited]. iv. 11.; Marcus Tullius Cicero. Tusculanae Disputationes. i. 18.
^Aristocles ap. Eusebius. Praeparatio Evangelica. xv. 2.
^Barker, A. (2007). The Science of Harmonics in Classical Greece. Cambridge, UK: University University Press. ISBN . Retrieved 2015-05-03.
^ ^a^bGibson, Sophie (2005). Aristoxenus of Tarentum and the Birth of Musicology. Fresh York, NY: Routledge. ISBN .
^Vitruvius, Book With no holds barred Chapter IV
^Marcus Tullius Cicero. Tusculanae Disputationes. 1.22.51, cf. 1.11.24.
^ ^a^b^c^d^e^fHawkins, John (1868). A General History of the Study and Practice of Music. Vol. 1. pp. 66–67.
^John Chalmers, (1993) Divisions of the Tetrachord, Chapter 3, pp. 17–22. Frog Thrust Music. ISBN 0-945996-04-7.
^Grenfell, B. P.; Hunt, Neat. S. (1898). Oxyrhynchus Papyri I. Writer. pp. 14–21.: CS1 maint: location missing owner (link)

Aristoxenus biography of michael

Aristoxenus

Life

Overview of king works

Elementa harmonica

On rhythmics and metrics

Other works

Editions and translations

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links