Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/173

 HARMONY

139

HARMONY

fifty scientific articles written by scholars of all countries and creeds, presented to him on the twenty- fifth anniversary of his Louvain professorship. The "Melanges" is a striking monument to his ability, energy, and love of truth.

Besides the works mentioned above de Harlez published the following important studies: "Manuel de la langue de I'Avesta " (Paris, 1S79; 2nd ed., ISSS) ; "Manuel du Pehlevi " (Paris, ISSO) ; "Etudes erani- ennes" (Paris, 1S80); "La Bible dans I'lnde" (Paris, 1882); "Le texte originaire du Yih-King"; "V^disme, brahmanisme et christianisme " (Brussels, 1881); etc.

Annuaire de Vuniversite catholique de Louvain (1900), XI sqq., XXII sqq.; Bulletin de I'academie royale de BelfjiQue (1S99), pp. 599 sqq.; The Tablet (London. 22 .tul.v, 1899); Melanges Charles de Harlez (Leyden, 1896); Bibliographie de I'univ. cath. de Louvain (1900), pp. 9, 230 sqq.

Patrick Boylan.

Harmony (Gr., apuovla; Lat., harmonia), concord of sounds, several tones of different pitch soimded as a chord ; among the Greeks, the general term for music. Although it is probable that the notion and practice of harmony existed among the peoples of the North — the Scandinavians, Celts, and Britons — and that singing in two or more parts was in popular use much earlier, the principle was not applied to the chant of the Church, as far as we now know, imtil the ninth century. The first interval which was used simidtaneously with the melodic note was the fourth below (See Counter- point). By doubling this interval in its upper octave, the interval of the fiftli above the melodic note was formed, thus suggesting three-part harmony, which was introduced into practice later on. It was IIuc- bald de St-Amand (S40-930) who systematized and gave a theoretic basis to this manner of performing the music of the Church (Organuin). These added inter- vals were conceived as ornaments to the liturgical melody, and moved in parallel motion with it. The te.xt syllables were ap[")lied to them in the same man- ner as they were to the original melody. When, in the eleventh century, one or more added (or organal) voices were beginning to be sung in contrary motion to that of the original melody, they would begin on the initial note of the melody, on its octave or on the fifth above, and at the end of the organum, or piece of music, return to their starting point, thus forming a final point of repose, consonance, or harmony, ^^'hile, up to the twelfth century, the concept of harmony was restricted on the Continent to the simultaneous sounding of the intervals of the foiu-th below the melodic note with its octave above, in the British Isles — in their gymel (cantus gemellus) — they were using also the interval of the third both below and above the melodic note, and, by transposing the third below an octave higher, they created the so-called falso-bordone, jaux-hourdon, false bass, or three-part harmony (inverted triad), as we know it to-day.

The interval of the third was not definitely recog- nized as a consonance, however, until the end of the fifteenth century. With the introduction in France, in the twelfth century, of the dcchant (discantus), which consisted at first in the addition of one freely improvised melody to the cantus firmus. but which was soon increased to two or three, the idea of har- mony made a further great advance. Contrary mo- tion and rhythmical differentiation of the voices, as against the parallel motion and equal notes in all voices of the organum, gymel, and falso-bordone, now became the general practice, and the necessity arose of formulating rules governing the incipiency, move- ment, and return to the point of rest or consonance of the different voices of the composition. Thus the laws of counterpoint and a system of notation fixing the exact time- value of each note (mensuralism) came into existence. The necessity felt in music as in the other arts during the thirteenth and fourteenth cen-

turies for greater expansion and freer e.xpression orig- inated, developed, and perfected many new forms. Among these was the conductus, a composition in four- part harmony, the principal part being sung and the others generally played on instruments. Another form of composition, the motetus (prototype of our present day motet) consisting of a Gregorian theme with two or more added original melodies, the latter sometimes having differing te.xts, originated at the beginning of the thirteenth century. The motetus meant a considerable step toward the independence of the various voices or parts.

Another very important move takes place at this time in the definitive discarding of the practice of having the intervals of the fifth and octave move in parallel motion (Johannes de Muris, Normannus). With the striving for independence of the voices or parts goes hand in hand the desire for consonance (harmony) on the strong notes of the cantus firmus, even in the many secular forms which came into vogue at this perioil, e. g., caccia (chase), rondeau (round dance), until we have the perfected canon (first Neth- erland school), in which the various voices move with the greatest possible rhythmical variety without detri- ment to symmetry and meet in perfect consonance on the thetic tones of the cantus firmus. From now until the beginning of the seventeenth century, we witness the production of works (Roman school, Palestrina) in which the concept of harmony, or harmonious co- operation of many different parts, is more hnninously exemplified than it has been at any time in the history of music. It must be borne in mind that up to this time the liturgical melody, based upon the diatonic scale, still dominated every field of musical creation, but especially the compositions destined to serve the Church. The melody, vehicle of the Uturgical wonl, was the all-important factor and informing principle of the whole structure. Hence the compositions to liturgical te.xts of those da^-s may be defined as a num- ber of melodies giving expression to the text and harmonizing among themselves. Their flow is un- trammelled and unrestrained, and harmony among them results from their flow incidentally. The dia- tonic character of the melodies or voices, vehicles and servants of the sacred text, imparts and preserves to the whole structure the elevation, serenity, nobility, objectivity, and universality, which characterize the works of the masters of this period. The temporary dissonances resulting from passing notes, suspensions, etc., are constantly being resolved into consonance (harmony, repose, peace), with which the composition also invariably ends. We have here a true image of the Christian's life with its constant change from sor- row to joy, its unceasing combat in working out its ultimate salvation. As the iliatonic character of each voice is kept intact, except when chromatic alteration is necessary as a concession to harmony, the hearer never loses consciousness of the fact that the melodic (moving) principle is paramount, and that harmony (repose) is only a temporaiy result which he may en- joy but not permanently dwell upon.

The endeavour to throw off the supremacy of the liturgical melody with its diatonic character (which was then and is now the e.xpression in music of the spirit of the Church par excellence), and to substitute for it a system better adapted to the expression of individual thought and feeling, began as early as the first part of the thirteenth century. It became known by the general name of ars nova. In the numerous instrumental and secular vocal forms which were de- veloped at this time and later (ricercar, canzone, tiento, toccata, prEeambulum, capriccio, chanson, strambotto, madrigal), original melodies were often substituted for a cantus firmus taken from the Gregorian chant. The harmonic element gradually gained ascendancy over the melodic in the whole field of production, and exer- cised an ever-growing influence over the general taste.