Johannes de Grocheio

Johannes de Grocheo (also Grocheio; French: Jean de Grouchy, * 1255, † 1320 ) was a French musical theorist of the early 14th century. He is the first to use the word " church music."

About his life nothing is known. Around 1300 he wrote the treatise " Ars musicae " ( "The Art of Music " ), in which he attempted to describe the music of his time, as practiced in Paris and surroundings. In it, he shares the music in three areas:

• " Musica simplex " (popular music, amateur music )
• " Musica composita " ( metric regularities following music, music of the trainees )
• " Musica ecclesiastica " ( church music), includes the Gregorian chant as opposed to the polyphonic genres.

He based this classification on the thoughts of the late ancient philosopher Boethius, the difference between " world music ", " music of the people " and " instrumental music ".

About a third of his treatise devoted Grocheo the " Ecclesiastica " and " Composita ", the rest deals with the " Musica simplex ". Grocheio examines their new social meaning in a systematic and pedagogical way. He writes, for example: " a good fiddler generally results in any musical form a ( introducit ) " He also mentioned a musical feature, the sonus illiteratus.

Grocheo was also one of the first, defined the motet. He was of the view that a motet " was not for simple minds who do not understand its intricacies and derive no audio enjoyment. She is educated and those who are looking for refinement of the art"

He tried to assign specific social functions various forms and genres of music and to withhold proclaimed music as a remedy for social aberrations, which have the force of vicious. He believed that if the old, working and middle classes would sing of the fate undergone by the heroes of the ( chanson de geste ), it would help them to endure their own hardships and thus contribute to the common good. Such Erzählepen deceive therefore also contribute to the satisfaction of the citizens, and thus the stability of the city of Paris.

Andererseit Grocheo was also of the opinion, the songs of the troubadours, called Langues d' oïl dialect " Trouvère ", kings and nobles would inspire to great deeds: "This kind of songs are composed usually of kings and nobles, and in the presence of kings and princes carried forward in the country, so that may be caused at this courage and strength, magnanimity and generosity ... "