Syntagma musicum

The Syntagma Musicum is one of the musicological writings of composer Michael Praetorius. It is one of the most important works of the music-theoretical literature. The three volumes contain valuable information for the study of historical performance practice and historical musical instrument making.

Content

Volume 1: De Musica Sacra ( Wittenberg 1614/15 )

  • Discursus de Musica Choreali et veterum Psalmodia.
  • Comentarii de vel Missodia Leturgia summary.
  • Explicatio Matutinae et vesper tinae Leturgiae: cum aliis Annexis.
  • Contemplatio Musicae instrumental case Ecclesiasticae, cum in Veteris, tum Novi Testamenti Ecclesia usitatae.

Volume 2: De Organographia ( Wolfenbüttel 1619)

  • All musical Old and New / ... / instruments nomenclature
  • The Old and New Organs some description

Volume 3 ( Wolfenbüttel 1619)

  • The meaning / as well Abtheil and description of almost all acquisitions / the Italia niches / Franzößischen / English and current time in Teutschland common chants
  • What in the singing / bey, bey also to observiren the notes and Tactu, Modis and Trans positione, Partibus seu Vocibus and distinct Choris the Unisonis unnd Octavis
  • Be this as the Italian and other terms Musici ... to gewehnen

Classification of Musical Instruments

The second volume contains the last part, which appeared under the title Theatrum Instrumentorum seu Sciagraphia ( Wolfenbüttel 1619), images of contemporary musical instruments and a classification of musical instruments, which are important sources for the historical musical instruments. In addition to the then-known in Europe string and wind instruments there is also the first illustration of an african Pluriarc.

1615 Musical instrument classification Martin Agricola Sebastian Virdung
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