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Galilei and Caccini were probably the first to write monodies, with such success that by 1585 attention was strongly attracted to what seemed like a new style of decided value. Just what these monodies were is not clear, but they certainly contained the germ of both the recitative and the aria.

The monodic style was at once applied in musical plays, with plot and personages. After some tentative essays (with more or less madrigal material), in 1594 was produced the first real musical drama, Dafne, with words by Rinuccini and music by Peri and Caccini, followed in 1600 by two more significant works, commonly known as 'the first opera' and 'the first oratorio' respectively (see sec. 76).

71. Instruments and Instrumental Music.—The 16th century inherited from its predecessors a bewildering variety of instruments, most of which it continued to use, pending the time when experience should determine which contained the largest artistic possibilities. The keyboard instruments—the organ, clavichord, harpsichord and their relatives—stood in a class by themselves, having obvious capacity for concerted effects. The remaining forms were small and portable, representing the standard stringed, wind and percussive groups. These were utilized variously, and the artistic importance of some of them, especially the lute and the viol, were more and more perceived.

Virdung's Musica getutscht (1511) is an invaluable source on this subject near the opening of the century, giving both descriptions and woodcuts. His list includes, besides the keyboard instruments (omitting the harpsichord proper), in the stringed group, the lyra (hurdy-gurdy), two forms of lute, two viols (tenor and bass), harp, psaltery, hackbrett (dulcimer) and trumscheit (nun's-fiddle); in the wind group, the schalmey and bombarde (oboes), several varieties of flute or recorder, zinken, cromornes and other horns, bagpipes, trumpet, clarion and trombone; and among percussives, drums and some nondescript forms. Other similar sources are Agricola's Musica instrumentalis (1528) and, about a century after Virdung, Prätorius' Syntagma musicum (1615-9), which latter is the most elaborate of all.

The lute was the characteristic instrument of the period, since it gave opportunity for concerted effects and for variety of force and color. Much pains were taken with its construction. All kinds of music were arranged for it, most musicians sought proficiency in playing it, and socially it was more fashionable than any other instrument. That it contributed powerfully to the