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Musica enchiriadis is an anonymous musical treatise of the 9th century. It is the first surviving attempt to establish a system of rules for polyphony in classical music. The treatise was once attributed to Hucbald, but this is no longer accepted. ^[1] Some historians once attributed it to Odo of Cluny (879-942). ^[2]

This music theory treatise, along with its companion text, Scolica enchiriadis, was widely circulated in medieval manuscripts, often in association with Boethius' De institutione musica.^[3] It consists of nineteen chapters; the first nine are devoted to notation, modes, and monophonic plainchant.^[3]

Chapters 10-18 deal with polyphonic music. The author here shows how consonant intervals should be used in order to compose or improvise the type of early-medieval polyphonic music called ^[3] organum, an early style of note-against-note polyphony several examples of which are included in the treatise.^[3] (Scolica enchiriadis also observes that some melodies should be sung sung "more quickly" (celerius), others "more slowly" (morosius).) The last, nineteenth, chapter of Musica enchiriadis relates the legend of Orpheus.^[3]

The notation used in Musica enchiriadis. The scale comprises four tetrachords. The symbols indicating the notes are rotated and mirrored depending on the tetrachords. A modern transcription of the notes is below.

The scale used in the work, which is based on a system of tetrachords, appears to have been created solely for use in the work itself, rather than taken from actual musical practice.^[1] The treatise also uses a very rare system of notation, known as Daseian notation. This notation has a number of figures which are rotated ninety degrees to represent different pitches.

A critical edition of the treatises was published in 1981, and an English translation in 1995.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b Hoppin, Richard H. Medieval Music. Norton, 1978, pp.188-193.
^ Finney, Theodore M. A History of Music. Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1935, p. 61
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Erickson, Raymond. "Musica enchiriadis, Scholia enchiriadis". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. London: Macmillan, 2001.

External links

complete Latin text from the Critical Edition

[hoppin-1] Hoppin, Richard H. Medieval Music. Norton, 1978, pp.188-193.

[finney-2] Finney, Theodore M. A History of Music. Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1935, p. 61

[grove-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Erickson, Raymond. "Musica enchiriadis, Scholia enchiriadis". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. London: Macmillan, 2001.

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-'''''Musica enchiriadis''''' is an [[Anonymity|anonymous]] musical [[treatise]] from the 9th century. It is the first surviving attempt to establish a system of rules for [[polyphony]] in [[classical music]]. The treatise was once attributed to [[Hucbald]], but this is no longer accepted.  <ref name=hoppin>Hoppin, Richard H. ''Medieval Music''. Norton, 1978, pp.188-193.</ref>  Some historians once attributed it to [[Odo of Cluny]] (879-942).  <ref name=finney>Finney, Theodore M.  A History of Music.  Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1935, p. 61</ref>
+'''''Musica enchiriadis''''' is an [[Anonymity|anonymous]] musical [[treatise]] of the 9th century. It is the first surviving attempt to establish a system of rules for [[polyphony]] in [[classical music]]. The treatise was once attributed to [[Hucbald]], but this is no longer accepted.  <ref name=hoppin>Hoppin, Richard H. ''Medieval Music''. Norton, 1978, pp.188-193.</ref>  Some historians once attributed it to [[Odo of Cluny]] (879-942).  <ref name=finney>Finney, Theodore M.  A History of Music.  Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1935, p. 61</ref>
-This [[music theory]] treatise, along with its companion commentary, ''[[Scolica enchiriadis]]'', were widely circulated in medieval [[manuscript]]s, typically coupled with [[Boethius]]' ''[[De Institutione Musica]]''.<ref name=grove>Erickson, Raymond. "Musica enchiriadis, Scholia enchiriadis". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians''. London: Macmillan, 2001.</ref> It consists of nineteen chapters; the first nine are devoted to [[musical notation|notation]], [[mode (music)|mode]]s, and [[monophony|monophonic]] [[plainchant]].<ref name=grove/>
+This [[music theory]] treatise, along with its companion text, ''[[Scolica enchiriadis]]'', was widely circulated in medieval  [[manuscript]]s, often in association with [[Boethius]]' ''[[De Institutione Musica|De institutione musica]]''.<ref name=grove>Erickson, Raymond. "Musica enchiriadis, Scholia enchiriadis". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians''. London: Macmillan, 2001.</ref> It consists of nineteen chapters; the first nine are devoted to [[musical notation|notation]], [[mode (music)|mode]]s, and [[monophony|monophonic]] [[plainchant]].<ref name=grove/>
-Chapters 10-18 deal with [[polyphonic music]]. The author shows how [[Consonance and dissonance|consonant]] intervals should be used in order to compose or [[improvisation|improvise]] polyphonic music in early [[Middle Age]]s.<ref name=grove/> A number of examples of [[organum]], an early style of note-against-note polyphony, are included in the treatise.<ref name=grove/> ''Musica Enchiriadis'' also shows rules for performing music and gives some early indications of character for some works, as the Latin words 'morosus' (sadly) or 'cum celeritate' (fast). The last, nineteenth, chapter relates the legend of [[Orpheus]].<ref name=grove/>
+Chapters 10-18 deal with [[polyphonic music]]. The author here shows how [[Consonance and dissonance|consonant]] intervals should be used in order to compose or [[improvisation|improvise]] the type of early-medieval polyphonic music called <ref name=grove/> [[organum]], an early style of note-against-note polyphony several examples of which are included in the treatise.<ref name=grove/> (''Scolica enchiriadis'' also observes that some melodies should be sung sung "more quickly" (''celerius''), others "more slowly" (''morosius'').) The last, nineteenth, chapter of ''Musica enchiriadis'' relates the legend of [[Orpheus]].<ref name=grove/>
 [[Image:DasiaNotation2.jpg|thumb|right|400px| The notation used in Musica enchiriadis. The scale comprises four tetrachords. The symbols indicating the notes are rotated and mirrored depending on the tetrachords. A modern transcription of the notes is below.]]