Greek Musical Writings, Vol. 2

Harmonic and Acoustic Theory

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Edited by Andrew Barker

Cambridge University Press

Due/Published April 2005, 589 pages, paper

ISBN 0521616972

This second volume of Greek Musical Writings contains important texts on harmonic and acoustic theory, illustrating the progress of these sciences from their beginnings in the sixth century BC over the subsequent thousand years. Writers represented include Philolaus, Plato, Aristotle, Theophrastus, Aristoxenus, Ptolemy, Aristides, Archytas, and Quintilianus. All the Greek texts are newly translated by the editor. Some replace inadequate existing translations; other significant portions of the book include much that is essential for an understanding of medieval and Renaissance musicology. Dr Barker provides detailed and authoritative commentary and annotations to all the texts. Each section is prefaced by an introductory essay and some of the more complex issues are discussed further in appendices.

Contents

Acknowledgements; Abbreviations, texts and typographic conventions; Introduction; 1. Pythagoras and Early Pythagoreanism; Appendix: the scalar Divisions of Archytas; 2. Plato; 3. Aristotle; 4. The Aristotelian Problemata; 5. The Peripatetic De Audibilibus; 6. Theophrastus; 7. Aristoxenus Elementa Harmonica; Book I; Book II; Book III; Appendix: Aristoxenus" Elementa Rhythmica Book II; 8. The Euclidean Sectio Canonis; 9. Minor authors quoted by Theon and Porphyry; Passages from Theon of Smyrna; Passages from Porphyry; 10. Nicomachus Enchiridion; 11. Ptolemy Harmonicas; Book I; Book II; Appendix to Book II; Book III; 12. Aristides Quintilianus De Musica; Book I; Book II; Book III; Bibliography; Index.