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EARLIEST REFERENCES 273
intend to say, nor in translating their terms in accordance with
definitions which were not current until a century or more later.
The language of Johannes Scotus Eriugena (ninth century) is a
further case in point. A passage from his writings has often been
brought forward as evidence for singing in harmony, but when read
in the light of the contemporary definitions of terms, such as those
of Aurelian and Remy, it does not appear to contain any certain
reference to polyphonic music. The passage runs as follows:
Ut enim organicum melos ex diversis vocum qualitatibus et quantitatibus
conficitur, dum viritim separatimque sentiuntur longe a se discre-
pantibus [intentionis et remissionis proportionibus segregatae], dum vero
sibi invicem coaptantur secundum certas rationabilesque artis musicae
reguks per singulos tropps naturalem quamdam dulcedinem reddentibus:
ita universitatis concordia ex diversis naturae urdus subdivisionibus a se
invicem, dum singulariter inspiciuntur, dissonantibus juxta conditoris uniformem
voluntatem coadunata est. 1
This can, though with difficulty, be transkted as it stands. But the
words here enclosed in square brackets seriously affect the balance
of the complete sentence and the author's argument; and as they have
every appearance of being a gloss on 'discrepantibus*, which they
*
explain as separated by various degrees ofpitch *, they can be omitted,
with consequent improvement in the sense. With this omission the
translation will run:
Just as a melody consists of notes of different character and pitch, which
show considerable disagreement when they are heard individually and
separately, but provide a certain natural charm when they are arranged in
succession, in one or other of the modes, in accordance with definite and
reasoned principles of musical science; so the universe, in accordance with
the uniform will of the creator, is welded into one harmonious whole from
the different subdivisions of nature, which disagree with each other when
they are examined individually.
The probability that this passage refers to melody is strengthened by
the analogy, which is designed to illustrate the essential unity of the
many component parts of the universe.
A greater difficulty than the obscurity of language in these early
writers is the entire lack of any specimens of part-music from their
period. Reference has already been made (see p. 90) to the in
definite character of notation before 950. If music existed in parts at
that time there was no method of writing it down. Now throughout
the period covered by this volume (to about 1315) actual music is of
far greater value as evidence to historians of the art than the treatises,
B 825
1 De divisione naturaef m. 6; Migne, Patrologia Latino, cxxii. 638.