Gafurius (6 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Translated and edited with musical transcriptions by Irwin Young. Volume, measuring approximtely 6.75" x 9.75", is bound in light blue cloth, with stamped silver lettering to spine. Book displays light shelfwear. Binding is firm. Previous owner's bookplate is pasted to front flyleaf. Interior is clean and bright. Price-clipped dust jacket exhibits light shelfwear. xxvi/273 pages. "The High Renaissance in northern Italy was a crucial period in the development of the music of western civilization. The Pythagorean definition of interval in terms of precise mathematical ratio, concepts of tuning, the controversy between ratio and the "errant" senses -- all were coming under increasing scrutiny as music grew more remote from classical theory. Franchinus Gafurius' "Practica musicae" recognized both innovation and tradition in summarizing musical theory and practice, and more than any other work of its period, helped bridge the gap between music as a philosophical science and musicas as a secular art. One of the most eminent authorities of his day, Gafurius was an accomplished and fertile composer whose extant compositions include a substantial amount of music in all forms then prevalent. His three major theoretical works -- "Theorica," "Practica," and "De harmonia" -- comprise a complete and unified course of instruction in music theory and practice as it had evolved both from ancient and medieval tradition and from the demands of performance in the late fifteenth century. The "Practica musicae," first published in Milan in 1496, in the best single source for understanding the structure of Renaissance music. It was considered so important by Gafurius' contemporaries that it went through five editions during Gafurius' lifetime and was circulated throughout Europe.".

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Included. 1st Ed. Near Fine in VG price-clipped dust jacket with a little edge wear. An understanding of the structure of Renaissance music by one of the most eminent authorities on the music of his day, first published in Milan in 1496. Music, Renaissance.

hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Appears to be unread--a nice copy.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Folio. White cloth. Very Good. Some toning and light soiling to cloth. Previous owner's name and address inked to front fly page. Text in Latin.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. [MUSIC INCUNABULUM] Small folio. 68 unnumbered ll., [*]4 a8 b-i6 k8. Roman letter. Handsome woodcut t-p of musician at the organ, full-page woodcut divided into 4 scenes showing Iubal, Pythagoras and Phylolaus playing instruments, several full-page or smaller woodcut diagrams on notation and music theory. T-p and blank verso of last dusty, latter ink spotted, t-p and last two ll. strengthened at gutter, upper outer blank corner slightly holed, few small marginal worm holes to first and last few ll., very light oil stain to lower outer corner of large figurative woodcut, small water stain at lower gutter of last four ll. A very good, crisp copy, on thick paper, in a C14 (probably German) rubricated vellum gradual leaf over boards (C20), a bit dust-stained. C20 bookplate of Alfred Cortot and tiny monogram WH to front pastedown, Cortot's small initials stamped to lower margin of t-p, the odd C16 annotation and contemporary to verso of final leaf. A very good copy, of illustrious provenance, of this ground-breaking work for the history of printed music. This second edition was revised and more complete than that of 1480. The t-p displays one of the most famous early music woodcuts, one of the earliest depictions of the organ; the four woodcuts of Pythagoras are 'the first to portray him as a musician' ('History', 76). Franchinus Gaffurius (Francesco Gaffori, 1451-1522) was an Italian music scholar and composer. A Benedictine monk and priest, he became 'maestro di cappella' in the Duomo at Milan in 1484, which hosted one of the most renowned choirs in Europe, patronised by the Sforza family. In addition to writing church compositions for his choir, he also published on the theory and practice of music, and the harmony of instruments. 'Theoria' begins with a general section on the benefits of music and the difference between celestial, human and instrumental music. From the second part onwards it is solely devoted to musical mathematics, as at the time music was correctly considered closely related to mathematics and geometry. Gaffori was heavily inspired by the ancient Greek tradition, by which all music intervals are established around set ratiosa system illustrated with woodcut diagrams of proportions. Using the ratios of Pythagoras (himself portrayed in four handsome woodcuts) as well as Greek notation (diapason, diapentes, etc.) as a starting point, Gafurius discusses consonanceswith long analyses on the mathematical proportions, their definition, types (including the 'superparticulares', containing fractions)tones and semitones, the invention and disposition of sounds along strings, intervals and the application of syllables to notation. The staffs with letters and notation reproduced at the end were produced with wood blocks, 'so cut that the lines of the staff and the shapes of the notes stood out in relief, [] locked in the form with the letterpress, and the whole page was easily printed in one impression' (Kinkeldey, 'Music', 100-1). From the library of Alfred Cortot (1877-1962), famous Franco-Swiss pianist and conductor, especially praised for his interpretations of musical classics of the Romantic era. Goff G6; Sander 2982; Kristeller 161; BMC VI 785; GW 10437; ISTC ig00006000. D.E. Smith, History of Mathematics (New York, 1958); O. Kinkeldey, 'Music and Music Printing in Incunabula', PBSA 26 (1932), 89-118.

Hardcover. Condition: Gut bis sehr gut. 5. oder spätere Auflage. Quart. 82 num. Bl., 3 ganzseitige Holzschnitte, sowie zahlreiche Notenbeispiele in Holzschnitt. Titelblatt mit kleiner Fehlstelle am unteren Blattrand, hinterlegt. Letztes Blatt mit 3 Fehlstellen (ohne Textverlust), hinterlegt. Teils finger-bzw. leicht stockfleckig. Wenige Blatt mit kleinen Randläsuren. Moderner blindgepresster Lederband im Stil der Zeit. EXTREMELY RARE AND IMPROTANT CIMELIA OF MUSIC THEORY! The importance of this famous work led to 5 editions until 1512, the first edition was printed in Milan 1496. Not a single copy of all published 5 editions registered in bookauction records/JAP-Online! - Our splendid copy as extremely rare fifth edition with the magnificent full-page title woodcut "Singing Choir". - "Practica Musicae" is the last of Gafurius' three major works on music theory. "With great didactic skill, the 'professor musicae' summarizes the theoretical foundations of the musical practice of the time in clear rules and supplements them with detailed practice examples and commentaries" (Ausst. Kat. Wolfenbüttel 1985, p. 92). "The Practica is the most original part, because in it Gafurius wants to make the student apply the rules in practice right away, simplifying the whole theory of proportions, leaving out the mode . and already showing a strong sense of chord and tonality. He already aims at the concept of vertical sound, at the harmonic conception of music, for the lawful definition of which Zarlino was to provide only 60 years later" (MGG 4, 1242). - Gafurius, also called Gaffurios, Gafurus, is considered one of the most important musical personalities of his time in Italy. In 1484 he was appointed cathedral chapel master in Milan. There he published his three great writings on music theory, which quickly became widely known. - RISM I, 343; coll. Hirsch 196; Maggs cat.12, 1928, no. 25a; not Wolffheim; not Cortot. - Bedeutendes musiktheoretisches Werk, das erstmals 1496 in Mailand gedruckt wurde. Bis 1512 sind davon fünf Ausgaben erschienen. Keine einziges Exemplar aller erschienenen 5 Ausgaben in bookauction records/JAP-Online! - Extrem seltene fünfte Ausgabe mit dem prachtvollen ganzseitigen Titelholzschnitt "Singender Chor". - "Practica Musicae" ist das letzte der drei musiktheoretischen Hauptwerke Gafurius. "Mit großem didaktischen Geschick faßt der 'professor musicae' die theoretischen Grundlagen der musikalischen Praxis der Zeit in klare Regeln und ergänzt diese durch ausführliche Übungsbeispiele und Kommentare" (Ausst. Kat. Wolfenbüttel 1985, S. 92). "Die Practica ist der originellste Teil, weil Gafurius in ihr den Schülern gleich zur praktischen Anwendung der Regeln veranlassen will, indem er die ganze Theorie der Proportionen vereinfacht, den Modus wegläßt . und schon einen starken Sinn für Akkord und Tonalität zeigt. Er zielt bereits auf den Begriff des Vertikalklangs, auf die harmonische Auffassung der Musik ab, für deren gesetzmäßige Festlegung erst 60 Jahre später Zarlino sorgen sollte" (MGG 4, 1242). - Gafurius, auch Gaffurios, Gafurus genannt, gilt als einer der wichtigsten Musikerpersönlichkeiten seiner Zeit in Italien. 1484 wurde er zum Domkapellmeister in Mailand ernannt. Dort veröffentlichte er seine drei großen musiktheoretischen Schriften, die schnell weite Verbreitung fanden. - RISM I, 343; Slg. Hirsch 196; Maggs Kat.12, 1928, Nr. 25a; nicht Wolffheim; nicht Cortot.