Page:Philological Museum v2.djvu/450

440 440 On Ancient Greek Music, fourths, although the effect of the latter is somewhat less harsh than that of the former. The introduction of conse- cutive fifths or fourths in a composition would be a great bar in the way of a musician'^s fame. How imperfect then must that harmony have been, which using only these consonances besides the octave, was forbid- den by a correct ear to employ either of them twice succes- sively ; and how still more imperfect that which in defiance of the dictates of the natural ear, played strains in consecu- tive fourths and fifths. Well indeed might Aristotle enquire (Prob. XIX. ^ 16) ^^a tl yj^lov to avTiiptovov (symphony by octaves), tov avjucpcovov (symphony by fourths and fifths), whichever of the two last-mentioned methods of concert their harmonists adopted. It seems then pretty evident that we are not to look for the skill of the Greeks, or the effects recorded of their music, in counterpoint, or the mingling of consonant sounds, but in the themes or airs of musical passages. And I find that it is to these that the attention is principally directed in their musical treatises. While modern notions of proficiency are almost wholly confined to the knowledge of the laws of harmony, the ancient musicians studied rather how to become masters of musical sentiment and expression. Which of these two is the true artist-like method of cultivating music I need hardly enquire'. That both ought to unite in an excellent musician, of course 7 That the ancients really did consider the subject in this way will appear by the following quotations from Aristoxenus ; Harmonic^ p. 39. ov yap OTL Trepan TrJ9 dpjULoviKfj'S eirLTTtijULrj^ ecTTlv ij 'jrapa(n)ixav'TLKr, oXka ovoe [jL6p09 ovSeu. el pr] Kal tiJ^ pen-pLKrj^^ to ypaxl/aadac twv p-eTpcov eKarrTOV* ei C a)5- 'irep eirl tovtmv ovk dvayKolov ecTLVy tov ovvdpevov ypaxf/acrdaL to iapfBLKOVy outoj? €')(^6L Kal eirl t(Zv peXcoSovpevwv, ov yap dvayKatov ecrrt tov ypardp€V0V to (ppvyiov peKo^f Kal eidevai tl ea-Ti to (ppvyLov peXo^, And p. 40, speaking of persons who held irepa^ t?)? dppoviKrj^ eiria-Tiipi]? elvai TtjV 'Trapaa-riiuLavTLKijv, after having said that if they held it through ignorance, that igno- rance must be lorx^pci Tts Kal peydXi], he adds : el Se qvvopuivTe^ otl ovk ecrTi to 7rapaa-7]p.aLve(TdaL ^epa^ ttJs elprip.evi]^ eTrtcmj- prj^f ^apiX^o pev 01 6e toIs t^tcoVats, Kal Tre ipcS pevo l aTroSiSovaL o<p' 6ap.O€Ld€9 TL epyoVf TavTtjv €KTedeLKa<TL ti]v VTToX-ijxf/LV peydr]v avQi'S avTUiV dToirlav tov Tpoirov KaTayvou]v» 'irpojTov pev, otl KpLTrv olovTai oeTv KaTacKeva- Xt^LV Tcov eTTLcrTiipwv TOV ISloStiiv. k,t,. The whole of this part of the treatise is very interesting. See also on this subject Sir Joshua Reynolds, Disc. iv. p. 49. (Sharpe's edit.)