I. Before I ceased to be a young man, or indeed before I became one,
the difficulty you now propound occurred to me, and is, in my humble
opinion, a very grave one. It seems beyond a doubt, that the music
of these times, does not produce the admirable effects which are
related of the music of antiquity, and it seems also as if this argued
a greater degree of perfection in the antient than the modern. On the
other hand, it appears difficult to explain, in what this superior
degree of perfection in the antient consisted; not so much for the
reason you mention, as for another, which I shall point out in the
sequel.
II. We at present know of no musician whatever, who, by the use of his
art, can excite, or appease a violent passion; but if various authors
do not deceive us, the music of antiquity, produced both the one
and the other of these effects. It is related of the two musicians,
Timotheus and Antigenides, that they could, whenever they pleased,
enrage Alexander to such a pitch, as to make him seize on his arms,
and fall into such excesses of fury, as terrified the by-standers, and
filled them with apprehensions that their lives were in danger. They
tell us also of a trumpeter of Megara, named Herodotus, who perceiving
the strength and endeavours of the soldiers of Demetrius, insufficient
to move a warlike machine of enormous weight towards the walls of
Argos, which they were then besieging, he, by blowing two trumpets at
a time, so inspired them, that they found their vigour in a manner
doubled, and themselves enabled to conduct the machine to the place
they wished. They tell us likewise, of a remarkable flute-player, who
was a Milesian, that by touching in the Phrygian mode enraged certain
men, and by changing to the Doric from the Phrygian, immediately calmed
them again. Of the famous musician Terpandro, they relate, that with
his lyre, he stifled the flame of a sedition among the Lacedæmonians;
and of Empedocles, that he also with his lyre, disarmed a youth of his
choler, who was on the point of committing a parricide. I shall omit
many other cases of this kind.
III. If it appears wonderful, that the antient music should have
inflamed, and calmed violent passions, it seems more so, that it should
have been made use of to cure various diseases; and sometimes, not
only in here and there an individual, but even in a whole kingdom; for
Plutarch says, that Thaletas, a native of Crete, with the energetic
sweetness of the lyre, freed the Lacedæmonians from a plague; and it
may be gathered from various authors, that antiently, they used music
for the cure of fevers, the falling-sickness, the epilepsy, deafness,
the sciatica, and the bite of a viper.
IV. But to tell you the truth, I think these facts should not pass
current without some critical examination. And first of all, none of
the authors who testify these extraordinary instances of the power
of music over the passions, speak of them, as transactions they had
been eye-witnesses of, or as things that they knew from their own
experience. All the facts cited, are much anterior to the author by
whom they are handed down to us; so that it seems very probable,
the information came to them by tradition, or proceeded from some
popular rumour unworthy of all credit. In matters that favour of the
marvellous, both with respect to natural, and præter-natural things,
nobody is ignorant how many fables have been delivered down to us in
the writings of the ancients.
V. Secondly, in some of the cases, there seems no occasion to have
recourse to miracles for their explanation; I mean there is no occasion
for attributing the events they tell of, to the wonderful powers of
music. It required but little impulse, to rouze the warlike ardour of
Alexander; a spark only will cause a vast conflagration, if it falls
on a large quantity of gun-powder. Athenæus, who relates the story
of Herodotus, says, he was a man of gigantic size, and extraordinary
robustness. He gives him near eight feet of stature, and says further,
that he ate twenty pounds of meat a day, and drank wine in proportion.
A man of such robustness, could make use of much larger trumpets than
those of the common size, and might blow his breath through them with
such an impetus, as might strikingly agitate the mind, and might also
add some temporary degrees of vigour to the body; and for accomplishing
this, it is not necessary to suppose any special dexterity in the
management of the instruments, for strength was more requisite to
produce such an effect than address; and whoever at this time, should
be equally robust with Herodotus, might be capable of doing the
same thing. Neither perhaps in the other instances, I mean those of
irritating and mitigating rage, is there so much to be admired; for
the influence of the music, might be applied to subjects, who are
very easily moved; some such as we frequently see, that like light
weather-cocks, are wafted and turned round with the slightest breeze;
and perhaps some modern musician, might be able to work equal changes
in the passions, on subjects who are equally susceptible.
VI. Thirdly, the tales of cures which are pretended to have been
performed by the means, or power of music, I consider as fabulous
relations; at least, I have no doubt of the major part of them being
such. Who, I won’t say can believe, but if he has any understanding,
can endure to hear the chimera, that the sound of a lyre banished the
plague from a whole kingdom? Such tales as these, were written by the
authors of last year, in order that the fools of this might believe
them.
VII. With respect to the curing some particular diseases, it may be
proper to allow to music, an equal degree of credit, to that given
to many other remedies, so much puffed, and blazoned in books, which
although in reality they seldom do any good, still preserve their
reputation; not so much on account of the few times they have proved
serviceable, as from the sick person’s having owed his recovery to
the assistance of Nature; when at the same time, people vainly and
mistakingly have attributed it to the application of the chosen remedy.
In this manner, and with these explanations and restrictions, we should
understand music as a specific, for this or that disease; for if we
consider it, as having influence to cheer the mind, there is no doubt,
that it may contribute somewhat to the relief of such sick people, as
are very fond of it; in the same manner, as any other thing would do,
which gave them special pleasure or delight. I don’t however, find
any reason to prefer the antient music to the modern, as best suited
to produce either the one or the other of these effects; for we have
seen cases, in which we have experienced this last, to have been very
beneficial to sick people; and probably the antients never knew one,
in which the curative excellence of music shone forth with more lustre,
than it did in an instance, which happened in the present century, and
which is related in the history of the Royal Academy of Sciences at
Paris, in the year 1707, which I shall here transcribe, in nearly the
words of its illustrious author.
VIII. A famous musician and great composer, was attacked with a
fever, which continued augmenting, till on the seventh day, it threw
him into a violent delirium, which remained on him with little or
no intermission, accompanied with shrieks, lamentations, terrors,
and perpetual watching. On the third day, one of those natural
instincts, which are said to cause sick brutes to seek such herbs
as are beneficial for them, induced him to request some music for
his entertainment. They sung to him, properly accompanied with
instruments, some of the compositions of Mons. Bernier, a celebrated
French musician: as soon as the harmony began, his countenance appeared
serene, his eyes looked more tranquil, the convulsions ceased intirely,
and he shed tears of pleasure; the fever left him while the music
continued, but when that ceased, the fever and the symptoms returned
again. Upon this happy and unexpected success, they repeated the music
again and again, and always obtained a suspension of the fever and
the symptoms, while the music lasted. A relation of his, used some
nights to sit up with him, whom he intreated to sing and dance to him,
and always found great relief from it; and it sometimes happened,
that for want of other music, they entertained him with common nurses
songs, and such as are used to divert children, and from which he found
great benefit. In fine, ten days music, without any other medicinal
assistance than one bleeding in the ankle, which was the second that
had been prescribed for him, perfectly cured him.
IX. There may be some doubt, whether the total cure of this man was
owing to music; and I must confess, there is no certainty that it
was. He might owe his recovery to the second bleeding; or he might be
indebted to Nature for it. The transitory relief which he received from
the melody, had no more fixed connection with the substantial part
of the cure, than those intervals of amendment have, which in many
diseases, Nature affords of herself. The suspension of the symptoms,
frequently proceeds from principles, which have not sufficient
influence to entirely extirpate the malady. The knowing, that in
general, it can’t be inferred, that the thing is able to perform the
whole, which only executes a part, makes such a connection as we have
mentioned before doubtful. But even if this was admitted, there still
exists in the case related, an undubitable and marvellous effect of
music; and perhaps, the quick suspension of the fever and the symptoms,
every time they repeated the music, is a more striking instance of its
immediate and wonderful power, than the perfecting a total cure would
have been. I say, this appears more amazing to me, than if the remedy
had worked an intire cure, by contributing to the recovery of the sick
person, by slow degrees, and by little and little, and which could not
have been compleated, but in the course of a considerable number of
days.
X. It seems to me also, that those who are of opinion the modern music
is brought to greater perfection than ever the antient was, may avail
themselves of this instance very advantageously; first of all, because
there can’t be produced in favour of antient music, another of the
same character; and secondly, because it has appeared in the case
of our sick person, that he not only received relief from concertos
of excellence, but even from the most trifling and imperfect songs;
whereas the cures attributed to antient music, are alledged to have
been effected by that of the first class.
XI. However, let this proof, whose force or debility I shall not
dwell upon at present, amount to what it will; that which you urge
in favour of modern music, does not appear to me of any weight or
efficacy. You say, that at present this art is much more cultivated,
and by men of more industry, and better informed, than the unlearned
and barbarous antients of yore, who flourished in the times when these
extraordinary effects of music are related to have been experienced.
From this supposition it should follow, that the modern music is much
more perfect than ever the antient was. But I look both upon the
opinion, that it is more cultivated at present than it was formerly;
and likewise, that it is more perfect now than it was then, not only as
uncertain, but even entirely false and ill-grounded.
XII. Two facts of public notoriety, which are related by Polybius,
are sufficient to induce a belief, that music was as much, or more
cultivated among the antients, than it is in our times. The first
is, that both the Cretans, and Lacedæmonians, did not make use of
the horrible clang of trumpets, even in battles, but of the melody
of flutes. The second is, that the Arcadians, from the foundation of
their republic, caused it to be observed as an inviolable law, that all
their sons, from their infancy till they attained the age of thirty-one
years, should apply themselves to music. In what kingdom in the world,
is these at this time, so great and so general an application to this
art?
XIII. The vast inferiority of the antients, compared to the moderns,
with respect to industry and ability, is also a voluntary supposition.
If this was so, it ought not only to be inferred, that they were
deficient in the science of music, but in all the other arts also; but
this is so far from being the case, that it is known to a certainty,
there were many men among them, who arrived to the highest pitch of
excellence, both as painters, statuaries, and poets, and who were
such, as can hardly be equalled for eminence by any modern whatever.
Of the two last of these arts, there are still monuments subsisting,
which are invincible proofs, of their great talents for, and masterly
performances in both of them; and their skill in the first, may be
reasonably inferred, from their ability in the other two; for as
Vincentio Carducho, in his _Dialogues on Painting_, justly reasons, if
the works of the painters had been defective in any of the material
requisites, as some have conjectured, the skill of the statuaries,
and the perfection of the statues, would glaringly have displayed the
faults of the painters; and would consequently, have discredited them
as artists; but this was not the case, for it is established by the
authority of history, that their works were exceedingly prized.
XIV. This proof then, falls to the ground as ill-founded; but the
partizans of modern music, urge another that is tolerably specious;
which is, that the antient was very limited, both in the modulation
and harmonies of it. As to what regards the modulation, we should
observe, that before the time of the famous musician Timotheus, who
flourished in the reign of Philip of Macedon, the lyre had no more than
seven strings, which expressed or marked seven tones or points only;
because to the antient lyre, there were no frets, nor any substitute
for them, wherewith they could make on the same string any progression
of distinct sounds. Timotheus added two strings to it, which made it
an instrument of nine; others maintain it had nine before, and that he
added two to them, and made it one of eleven. But admitting this last
to be the fact, it then remained an instrument of very small compass,
compared to modern instruments. The chant could not exceed the bounds
of the instrument, and by all this we may perceive the little variety
and extension of antient modulation.
XV. With respect to harmony and concordances, authors, who have
examined the thing with much attention, assure us, the antients knew
no other than the third, the octave, and the double octave; adding,
that they were entirely ignorant of the concerto, or music of different
tones; and therefore all their accompanyments, either of an instrument
with the voice, or of one voice, or one instrument with another, were
constantly in unison. It may be asked now, what excellencies could
be contained in a music, which was so limited and so simple? Or what
comparison can you imagine there is between that and ours, either to
delight the ear, or give satisfaction to the understanding?
XVI. I have acknowledged, that this objection is specious, but deny
that it is conclusive. In the first place, the parts of Plutarch’s
works, as well as those of other authors, from whence they pretend to
have collected this system of antient music, are so complicated and
obscure, that nothing can with certainty be determined on the credit
of them; hence it comes to pass, that writers, in their reasonings and
disquisitions on this subject, are much divided in their opinions.
XVII. In the second place, I do not assent, that music, on account of
its being somewhat the more simple, is the less delicious or pathetic.
I acknowledge, that the variety in that, as in all other things,
contributes to the delight of it; but then the variety ought to be
confined within certain limits, for that, like every other thing,
has two vicious extremes, the one of which is incurred by excess,
the other by deficiency. If the variety is very small, you soon grow
tired of it, and it seems rather surfeiting. If it is excessive, the
soul is disturbed and bewildered by the many parts of the object, and
by being tossed and hurried from one to the other, is not allowed,
nor has it leisure, for that extatic suspension, in which the most
intense part of the pleasure consists. I have seen an infinite number
of people, much more regaled by hearing a good voice, accompanied by
a guittar just scraped, than by hearing a concert of many voices and
instruments; and I have sometimes seen a person of very good talents
shed tears of delight and tenderness, on hearing a guittar played
pointedly, and with expression; which never would have happened to
him, by hearing a symphony of various instruments, although he should
have attended such performances ever so often. The musicians of these
times boast exceedingly of the improvements they have made in their
profession, and of having, from an insipid, heavy, coarse harmony,
advanced to a sweet, airy, and delicate music; and many of them have
been brought to conjecture, that the practice of this faculty in the
present age has been carried to as high a degree of perfection, as
it is capable of attaining. In my Discourse on Music in the first
volume of the Theatrico Critico, I made a comparison between antient
and modern music; but what seems of the most importance to examine
here is, whether the music of the last and present century is so much
improved, as to intitle it to be considered as greatly superior to that
which was practised by the Greeks twenty centuries ago. The author
of the Dialogues of Theagenes and Callimachus, printed at Paris in
1725, treats this point most learnedly; and affirms, that the antient
musicians excelled the modern in expression, delicacy, and variety; and
also in the fineness of their execution; and our great expositor of the
scripture, father Don Augustin in Calmet, is of the same opinion; as
he is likewise, with regard to the antient music being more excellent
than the modern taken in general. In the first volume of his work,
intitled _Dissertationes Biblicas_, page 403, where he approves and
confirms my sentiment and taste with respect to music, as expressed
in my before-mentioned discourse, he speaks thus: Many look upon the
simplicity of the antient music as rudeness and imperfection; but I
consider it as an argument of its excellence, for an art is reputed
by so much the more perfect, by so much the nearer it approaches to
Nature; and who can deny, but simple music is the most natural, and
best suited, to imitate the voice and passions of man? It rises, or
glides easier from the interior part of the breast, and has a more
certain effect to cheer the heart, and stir the affections; besides,
the opinion which is generally entertained of the simplicity of antient
music, is erroneous. It is true, that it was exceedingly simple, but
notwithstanding that, it was very copious also; for the antients had
many instruments, which we are strangers to; and on the other hand,
their music was not wanting in concord and harmony. To this we may
add, that it had the advantage of ours in another respect, for it was
a part of the excellence of the antient music, that the sound of the
instruments did not confound or interrupt the words of the song, but
rather enforced or gave energy to them; so that at the same time the
ear was delighted with the sweetness of the voice, the mind tasted the
elegance and nervous expression of the verse. We ought not therefore
to wonder at the prodigious effects which we are told were produced
by the music of the antients; because it possessed, joined together
and united, all those excellencies, which are contained in ours, only
single or divided. Calmet also, in his Dictionario Biblico, gives us
a sheet of engraving, containing twenty different instruments which
were in use among the Hebrews; and it is very probable, that among
the Greeks, who were a more polished people, and greater lovers of
music than the others, they had many more; neither have we any great
reason to value ourselves upon our invention in contriving musical
instruments being greater or better than that of the antients; for
there has never yet appeared among us an hydraulic organ, which was
in use among the antients, and of which Ctesibius, a mathematician of
Alexandria, was supposed to be the author, a hundred years prior to the
christian æra; and Vossius says, they have often tried and laboured
since, but without effect, to restore it. It is also proper to observe,
that some instruments, which we reckon the invention of latter ages,
were in use among the antients; such as the violincello, and violin;
whose antiquity the author of the Dialogue of Theagenes and Callimachus
proves, by a medal which is described by Vignete, and a statue of
Orpheus, which is at Rome.
XVIII. In the third place, I do not assent, that the antient music was
so simple as it is pretended to have been; but am rather inclined to
think, that in the essential it was more complicated than the modern.
My reason for this opinion is, that over and above the Diatonic and
Chromatic species which is contained in our music, and which is
common to both, they, in the division of the octave, made use of the
Enharmonic also, which our music does not possess or partake of.
The Enharmonic consists in the introduction of the tenths, which are
intervals of no more than the quarter part of a tone, or of two comas,
and the quarter part of another. It is true, that the moderns give the
name of tenth to the minor semi-tone; but in the music of antiquity,
tenths had the signification which I have here assigned to them.
XIX. This, as I said before, creates a very essential variety in a
music, and different from that which consists purely in running the
composition through two, three, or more octaves; and which may be
called accidentals, because the points of one octave are little more
than a mere repetition of the correspondent ones of another; and I not
only judge this variety of the antient music essential in itself, but
think it is likewise so with respect to the effects of it; for it must
necessarily produce a greater, and very probably a much more lively
variation of the affections. So that by mixing the Harmonic species
with the other two, the same advantages will accrue as arose by mixing
the Diatonic with the Chromatic; and the music, in consequence of doing
it, will be as much benefited, as it was by joining those two together,
which made it infinitely preferable to what it was when they used each
singly, and by itself.
I have now stated to you the arguments and reasonings on both sides
of the question, with respect to the competition between antient and
modern music; and methinks I already hear you say, to which shall we
give the preference? To this I shall only answer, that I have sent
you all the pleadings and documents in the cause, and must beg you to
pronounce the sentence, for I must confess, for my own part, that I am
undecided.