‘Stupid ’

Visualising Musical Judgement and Tim Shephard Patrick McMahon Moral Judgement in ca.1520 University of Sheffield

1. Musical Judgement and Moral Judgement 3. A) Cima da Conegliano, The Judgement Sat at the centre of the painting in contemporary elite of Midas, oil on panel, 1513-17. Statens The Ancient Discourse dress, Midas looks straight at the viewer, caught at the exact moment of formulating his faulty musical judgement. Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen.  Harmony is governed by proportion, and so is human tem- perament; thus music can affect human behavior ‘For rhythm and harmony penetrate deeply into the mind and take a most powerful hold on it, and, if education is good, bring an impart grace and beauty, if it is bad, the reverse’ (, Republic)  Music should therefore play a role in moral education Suggestive ‘music has indeed the power to induce a certain character of soul, and if it can do that, then An older, more position of clearly it must be applied to education’ (, Politics) severe Tmolus, in ’s bow more modest makes a direct  Good musical judgement engenders good moral judgement contemporary link between ‘the proper training we propose to give will make a man quick to perceive the shortcomings attire, also his musician- of works of art or nature …; anything beautiful he will welcome gladly … and so grow in true goodness of character; anything ugly he will rightly condemn and dislike’ (Plato, Republic) interrogates the ship and his viewer with his sexuality. The Renaissance Discourse gaze.  The ethical effects of music are repeatedly cited ‘the ancients believed the soul to be a number and a harmony … and there was nothing which so softened and delighted our souls as harmony and number’ (Bruni, The Study of Literature)  Conduct books endorsed the use of music in education as a source of moral improvement This painting reads the Midas story through the conventional Stood on Midas’ right hand side, ’s inappropriate military ‘for many reasons that would take too long to explain, [Plato and Aristotle] say that [music] contemporary moral dichotomy between rational, heroic music garb identifies him as the choice of masculine heroic virtue. has to be learned in childhood, not so much for the sake of its audible melodies but because and sensual, effeminate music. of its capacity to breed good new habits and a virtuous disposition ’ (Castiglione, The Courti- er) B) Nicola da Urbino, Armorial Plate: The Story  Good musical judgement begets good moral judgement of King Midas, maiolica, ca.1520-25. Metropol- ‘music must be sought after for the sake of morals, inasmuch as the habit of passing judge- ment on what is similar to morals in its rational basis cannot be considered to be different itan Museum, New York . from the habit of passing judgement on the rational basis of morals themselves, and of In Hygenis’ version of becoming expert in this latter judgement through imitation ’ (Cortese, The Cardinal) setting is the Contest of Apollo appropriate both to the and , Apollo  Good moral judgement identified with virtue of prudence and to Isabella ‘[virtue as a whole] may be defined more or less as prudence and the knowledge of how to wins another music d’Este’s country villa for choose what is good ’ (Castiglione, The Courtier) contest by playing his which this maiolica upside down. Here  Musical judgement takes priority over executive skill service was made. ‘There are three classes of those who profess harmonic practice. One plays instruments, Pan is depicted foolishly another composes songs, and the third judges the work of instruments and song. ... The third trying to match his class are those who possess the expertise for judging, so that they are truly able to grasp opponent—the finger rhythms and melodies and also song as a whole. ’ (Gafori, Theory of Music) holes on his pipes are at  Music presents a specific moral choice between rational/ the wrong end.

martial/heroic music and sensual/effeminate/bestial music Arms and devices make ‘Now when I talk about music, I do not mean that theatrical and effeminate music which it clear that the scene destroys rather than forms public morals, but rather that moderate, manly music celebrated by the ancient heroes’ (Gafori, Practice of Music) depicted on this plate is King Midas is shown presented to Isabella’s wearing a tunic— dinner guests as an appropriate to his 2. aspect of her identity, status as a king, but The Judgement of Midas inviting them to reflect perhaps also remind- on her exemplification , ing the viewer of the of good musical poor judgement he ‘So Pan made music on his rustic reeds and with his uncouth song entranced the judgement and the displayed in the ‘Midas king. Midas by chance was there. To Apollo next grave Tmolus turned and, as he related virtue of touch’ episode. turned, his fringe of trees turned too. Apollo's golden hair was garlanded with prudence. laurel of Parnassus; his mantle, rich with Tyrian purple, swept the ground he trod; in his left had he bore his lyre, inlaid with gems and ivory; his right the plectrum Isabella’s impresa delle pause is a musical stave filed held; his very pose proclaimed the artist. Then with expert touch he plucked the with rests. This silence reflects her good musical strings and, won by strains so sweet, old Tmolus bade the reed bow to the lyre. judgement, since she knows when it is best to Tmolus’ judgement and award pleased all who heard; yet one voice challenging, It was quite common to combine the remain silent, displaying the virtue of prudence. crass-witted Midas' voice, called in unjust. Apollo could not suffer ears so dull to stories of Marsyas and Midas into a single C) Agnolo Bronzino, Apollo keep their human shape. He filled them with coarse grey hairs, and hinged their narrative, and common also to link in and Marsyas, oil on panel base to move and twitch and flop; all else was man; in that one part his punish- Minerva who invented the flute in the first This panel formed the lid of an ‘arpicordo’, i.e. a ment; he wears henceforth a little ambling ass's ears.’ place, but the presentation here of both polygonal virginal; its stark messages about musical transferred to canvas, Marsyas’ and Midas’ punishments is very judgement were presented to the owner as they sat ca.1530-32. Hermitage Mu- Raphael Regius’ commentary, 1493 ed. unusual. down to play. seum, St Petersburg. ‘Midas, who was freed from the ability of making what he touched gold, and who was hated for his powers, lived in the woods and worshipped Pan, the god of shepherds. Pan, since the pipe that was invented by him was seen to be pleasing by the , was ready to challenge Apollo in a contest, with Tmolus the god of the mountain being ordered as judge. After the verdict brought in favour of Apollo had truly pleased everyone, only Midas, being led by his natural stupidity, disapproved of it as if it were an injustice. Wherefore Apollo, being angry, turned his ears into ass’ ears, by which his stupidity would be shown.’

Renaissance Mythographic Readings  Apollo is understood to represent harmonious proportion, properly understood and controlled by reason  Pan is equated with Marsyas and understood as hotheaded, ignorant, bestial and lusty  This story and that of the ‘Midas touch’ both exemplify Midas’ gormless stare and slumped Midas’ barber here whispers the secret of the king’s Apollo’s back displays his heroic posture contrast with Minerva’s Midas’ poor judgement, a result of his ‘natural stupidity’ embarrassing ears into a hole in the ground, but the musculature, mirroring the shape of alert and elegant pose and her his lira da braccio, whilst in contrast  In the various attempts to re-create the ‘Calumny of Apel- reeds growing there spread it abroad when the military dress; unlike Midas, wind gave them voice. the line of the upright plant obscur- Minerva’s judgement is informed by les’, Midas’ ass’s ears become the portals through which ing Marsyas’ genitals is continued in reason. Ignorance and Suspicion prompt poor moral judgement the line of his shawm. 4. Conclusions

 The concept of musical judgement was central to Italian elite musical culture in the years around 1500, because it allowed the operation of musical taste to be configured as natural, rational, and moral.  The story of the Judgement of Midas offered a way to represent allegorically the operation of taste judgements in music which was very open to moral readings.