Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1971 Georg Falck's 'Idea Boni Cantoris...': Translation and Commentary. Ralph Mcdowell Taylor Jr Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Taylor, Ralph Mcdowell Jr, "Georg Falck's 'Idea Boni Cantoris...': Translation and Commentary." (1971). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 2176. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/2176 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 72-17,814 TAYLOR, Jr., Ralph McDowell, 1934- GEORG FALCK1S IDEA BONI CANTORIS...: TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY. The Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1971 Music University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan © 1972 Ralph McDowell Taylor, Jr. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. GEORG FALCK'S Idea boni cantoris . TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The School of Music by Ralph McDowell Taylor B.M., Mississippi College, 1955 M.M., Florida State University, 1956 Decesiber, 1971 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The author recognizes his great indebtedness to several persons fox their assistance in the completion of this translation and commentary. In particular* the counsel of Dr. Wallace C. McKenzie* whose advice led to the undertaking of the project* has been indispensable. Not only have his many suggestions for procedure and comments for improvement been of immense value* but his constant kindness and attitude of cooperation have contributed immeasurably to the pleasure of preparing this study. Dr. S. James Hintze has been extremely generous in assisting this author to develop his knowledge of the German language. Dr. Hintze's willingness to help in any way and at any time is very deeply appreciated. To Dr. Robert Shambaugh much gratitude is due for the careful attention which he has given to the study and for his very useful criticisms* especially regarding matters of form in the arrangement of the text. The author is also grateful to Dr. Milton Hallman* Dr. Richard Heschke* and Dr. Kenneth Klaus for their consideration of the study and for their remarks concerning better presentation of the material. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. In addition, the author wishes to thank Dr. Everett Tiram, Dean of the School of Music at Louisiana State University, for the many ways that he has helped to make this study possible. The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich, Germany, provided a microfilm of its copy of Idea boni cantoris . for use in this translation. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i i ABSTRACT.................................................... v INTRODUCTION................................................ vlii TRANSLATION INTRODUCTION TO THE TREATISE.......................... xxii FOREWORDS by Sebastian Kirchmajer......................... xii by Johann G. Albrecht............................ 1 by Frederic Llpsy................................ H i by Georg Falck, the Younger..................... H i by Johann C. Knorr............................... H i i by Johann B. Falck............................... liv PRINCIPLES OF PRACTICAL MUSIC, FIRST PART............ 1 PRINCIPLES OF PRACTICAL MUSIC, SECOND PART........... 89 INTRODUCTION to Violin--Strings for Beginners........ 186 APPENDIX............................................... 194 TERMS OF MUSIC............................ «........... 203 INDEX to Contents of the Treatise.........».......... 210 ERRORS IN PRINTING........ 216 COMMENTARY.................................................. 218 LIST OF NAMES AND ABBREVIATIONS OF SOURCES................ 297 3IBLI0GRAPHY................................................ 300 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT The Idea boni cantoris . » by Georg Falck (c. 1630- c. 1689) is one of at least fifty, but probably more, treatises which were written in Germany in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to be used as textbooks for students who were beginners in the study of music. Generally, these treatises were intended for reference and review of the subjects which had already been explained in classes taught by a cantor or some other professor of music. Georg Falck was such a cantor and teacher of music in Rothenburg, Germany, for the last thirty-five years of his life. In most of these treatises the entire presentation of material is directed toward the development of skill in the performance of music, and very little discussion of theory is included. The Idea boni cantoris . begins with an introduction and dedication to his patrons by Falck himself. A second dedication was contributed by several of Falck's associates at Rothenburg and two of his sons. The text of this treatise, with 212 pages, is divided into two large parts. The FIRST PART begins with a division of music into three kinds--theoretical, practical, and poetical. The author then states that the Idea boni cantoris . Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. will treat practical music and he divides this into two parts— choral and figural. Choral music is defined as that in which only one or two rhythmic values occur. Figural music contains more elaborate counterpoint and may be plain or ornamented. Using instruction in the art of singing as a basis, the author proceeds to teach proper methods for the performance of music. The names of pitches are taught at the beginning. This is followed by simple and compound Intervals, values of notes, tuning of keyboards, ligatures, the meaning of dots, rests, meter and proportions, syncopation, modes, and solmization. All the explanations are accompanied by extensive use of musical examples. The sources of the musical examples are not always identified. Wherever no source is indicated it may be assumed that the example was composed by Falck or was in common use by teachers of the time. The SECOND PART explains the use of various ornaments, in particular, Exclamatio, Accentus, Tremulo. Gruppo, Tirata, Trillo, and Passaggi. In order to show how these ornaments are used in music, extracts from the Antiphonis a Voce sola by Giovanni F. Sances are contained from pages 119 through 173 of the treatise. After the examples by Sances there is some explanation of transposition, an introduction to the playing of the violin, some additional discussion of solmization, and a list with definitions of musical terms which Falck considered important. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. In some of his explanations Falck displays a conservative attitude. He actually quotes from several, much older, sources, such as the Compendium Musicae, by Adam Gumpelzheimer, on which he bases his information about ligatures. In other ways Falck was progressive. He opposed the use of syllables in singing and supported the use of letter names for pitches. This was a progressive attitude in Germany at that time. The section on playing the violin was one of the first of its kind in any similar treatise. Falck's list of modes contains those that were apparently in common use by German composers of the time of this treatise. The treatise is also valuable as a location for extracts from the works of Sances. As a source for research the Idea boni cantoris . is significant as a representative of treatises of its kind, for the information contained, and the manner in which this information was taught. vii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. INTRODUCTION Extensive musical activity in the Gymnasien of Germany in the seventeenth century and the solution of assignments that were imposed on the cantor in providing music for the worship service caused the cantor to become the educator for music of the whole community. His influence is very great on the music of Germany in the seventeenth century. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries many songs of the German church became evangelical. The texts and melodies of these songs became the original spring from which German musical art frequently drew new strength and through which this art became aware of its own individuality and creative power. Peculiarly German traits are stamped on it. Church music and church songs alone remained German. These alone gave proof that the German spirit still possessed strength for life and creation. This spirit was crowned by the accomplishments of Johann Sebastian Bach. Among the great contributors to this development