Abstract · The Heterophonic Practice in the Accompaniment of Song: A Reading of Pl., Leg., 7, 812... more Abstract · The Heterophonic Practice in the Accompaniment of Song: A Reading of Pl., Leg., 7, 812d-e · This article offers a reading of the remarkable passage from Plato’s Laws which contains the only occurrence of the word ἑτεροφωνία in a musical context and is the most detailed account known to us of ancient instrumental accompaniment (namely on the lyre) to songs. The terms used by Plato for describing the practical aspects of heterophony are discussed in the light of the evidence we can gather from other sources (e.g., the pseudo-Aristotelian Problems) and the achievements of modern musicological and ethno-musicological research. The case is made that Plato’s rejection of heterophony has less to do with ethical and political reasons than with the need to ensure that young pupils do not face overwhelming difficulties in the early stages of their musical education.
From the earliest stages of Greek thought, sound was thought to originate as the result of an imp... more From the earliest stages of Greek thought, sound was thought to originate as the result of an impact between two objects. At first it was believed that the swiftness and force of the impact affected both volume and pitch; then it became clear that these were two different parameters. Pitch, in particular, was connected either to quantitative factors, such as the speed of the movement or the number of subsequent impacts, or to qualitative ones, like the idiotes (“peculiarity”) theorized by Theophrastus. The least investigated parameter of sound is timbre, which was usually attributed to the physical characteristics of the source.
Dottorato di ricerca in Scienze letterarie, retorica e tecnica dell'interpretazione, Ciclo XX... more Dottorato di ricerca in Scienze letterarie, retorica e tecnica dell'interpretazione, Ciclo XXVI, a.a. 2013-2014
Dottorato di ricerca in Scienze letterarie, retorica e tecnica dell'interpretazione, Ciclo XX... more Dottorato di ricerca in Scienze letterarie, retorica e tecnica dell'interpretazione, Ciclo XXVI, a.a. 2013-2014
This contribution is meant to shed light on how ancient Greek music theorists structure argumenta... more This contribution is meant to shed light on how ancient Greek music theorists structure argumentations and address their readership in order to be understandable, effective and persuasive. On the one hand, some of the most important treatises, e.g. Ptolemy’s Harmonics (with Porphyry’s Commentary) and what remains of Archytas’ and Theophrastus’ works, are taken as case studies; on the other hand, the paper deals with some argumentative patterns recurring in harmonics demonstrations, especially with reference to the usage of everyday life experience as evidence supporting acoustic and harmonic theories.
Where does musical beauty come from? Can it be comprehended into rules or formulae? Since music w... more Where does musical beauty come from? Can it be comprehended into rules or formulae? Since music was ubiquitous in the life of the ancient Greeks, it is no surprise that they posed these questions, thus triggering one of the most fascinating debates in their intellectual history.
Abstract · The Heterophonic Practice in the Accompaniment of Song: A Reading of Pl., Leg., 7, 812... more Abstract · The Heterophonic Practice in the Accompaniment of Song: A Reading of Pl., Leg., 7, 812d-e · This article offers a reading of the remarkable passage from Plato’s Laws which contains the only occurrence of the word ἑτεροφωνία in a musical context and is the most detailed account known to us of ancient instrumental accompaniment (namely on the lyre) to songs. The terms used by Plato for describing the practical aspects of heterophony are discussed in the light of the evidence we can gather from other sources (e.g., the pseudo-Aristotelian Problems) and the achievements of modern musicological and ethno-musicological research. The case is made that Plato’s rejection of heterophony has less to do with ethical and political reasons than with the need to ensure that young pupils do not face overwhelming difficulties in the early stages of their musical education.
From the earliest stages of Greek thought, sound was thought to originate as the result of an imp... more From the earliest stages of Greek thought, sound was thought to originate as the result of an impact between two objects. At first it was believed that the swiftness and force of the impact affected both volume and pitch; then it became clear that these were two different parameters. Pitch, in particular, was connected either to quantitative factors, such as the speed of the movement or the number of subsequent impacts, or to qualitative ones, like the idiotes (“peculiarity”) theorized by Theophrastus. The least investigated parameter of sound is timbre, which was usually attributed to the physical characteristics of the source.
Dottorato di ricerca in Scienze letterarie, retorica e tecnica dell'interpretazione, Ciclo XX... more Dottorato di ricerca in Scienze letterarie, retorica e tecnica dell'interpretazione, Ciclo XXVI, a.a. 2013-2014
Dottorato di ricerca in Scienze letterarie, retorica e tecnica dell'interpretazione, Ciclo XX... more Dottorato di ricerca in Scienze letterarie, retorica e tecnica dell'interpretazione, Ciclo XXVI, a.a. 2013-2014
This contribution is meant to shed light on how ancient Greek music theorists structure argumenta... more This contribution is meant to shed light on how ancient Greek music theorists structure argumentations and address their readership in order to be understandable, effective and persuasive. On the one hand, some of the most important treatises, e.g. Ptolemy’s Harmonics (with Porphyry’s Commentary) and what remains of Archytas’ and Theophrastus’ works, are taken as case studies; on the other hand, the paper deals with some argumentative patterns recurring in harmonics demonstrations, especially with reference to the usage of everyday life experience as evidence supporting acoustic and harmonic theories.
Where does musical beauty come from? Can it be comprehended into rules or formulae? Since music w... more Where does musical beauty come from? Can it be comprehended into rules or formulae? Since music was ubiquitous in the life of the ancient Greeks, it is no surprise that they posed these questions, thus triggering one of the most fascinating debates in their intellectual history.
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Papers by Massimo Raffa
most detailed account known to us of ancient instrumental accompaniment (namely on the lyre) to songs. The terms used by Plato for describing the practical aspects of heterophony are discussed in the light of the evidence we can gather from other sources (e.g., the pseudo-Aristotelian Problems) and the achievements of modern musicological
and ethno-musicological research. The case is made that Plato’s rejection of heterophony has less to do with ethical and political reasons than with the need to ensure that young pupils do not face overwhelming difficulties in the early stages of their musical education.
most detailed account known to us of ancient instrumental accompaniment (namely on the lyre) to songs. The terms used by Plato for describing the practical aspects of heterophony are discussed in the light of the evidence we can gather from other sources (e.g., the pseudo-Aristotelian Problems) and the achievements of modern musicological
and ethno-musicological research. The case is made that Plato’s rejection of heterophony has less to do with ethical and political reasons than with the need to ensure that young pupils do not face overwhelming difficulties in the early stages of their musical education.