The Science of Harmonics in Classical Greece

This 2007 book examines the ancient science of harmonics, the most important branch of Greek musical theory.

Andrew Barker (Author)

9780521289955, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 16 June 2011

494 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.8 cm, 0.72 kg

Review of the hardback: 'Barker has written an important book for anyone interested in ancient Greek music theory and its relationship with other intellectual activities of the time, such as philosophy and the empirical or mathematical sciences.' Bryn Mawr Classical Review

The ancient science of harmonics investigates the arrangements of pitched sounds which form the basis of musical melody, and the principles which govern them. It was the most important branch of Greek musical theory, studied by philosophers, mathematicians and astronomers as well as by musical specialists. This 2007 book examines its development during the period when its central ideas and rival schools of thought were established, laying the foundations for the speculations of later antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It concentrates particularly on the theorists' methods and purposes and the controversies that their various approaches to the subject provoked. It also seeks to locate the discipline within the broader cultural environment of the period; and it investigates, sometimes with surprising results, the ways in which the theorists' work draws on and in some cases influences that of philosophers and other intellectuals.

Part I. Preliminaries: Introduction
1. Beginnings, and the problem of measurement
Part II. Empirical Harmonics: 2. Empirical harmonics before Aristoxenus
3. The early empiricists in their cultural and intellectual contexts
4. Interlude on Aristotle's account of a science and its methods
5. Aristoxenus: the composition of the Elementa harmonica
6. Aristoxenus: concepts and methods in Elementa harmonica Book 1
7. Elementa harmonica Books 2-3: the science reconsidered
8. Elementa harmonica Book 3 and its missing sequel
9. Contexts and purposes of Aristoxenus' harmonics
Part III. Mathematical Harmonics: 10. Pythagorean harmonics in the fifth century: Philolaus
11. Developments in Pythagorean harmonics: Archytas
12. Plato
13. Aristotle on the harmonic sciences
14. Systematising mathematical harmonics: the Sectio canonis
15. Quantification under attack: Theophrastus' critique
Postscript: The later centuries.

Subject Areas: Classical history / classical civilisation [HBLA1], Theory of music & musicology [AVA], Music [AV], History of art: ancient & classical art,BCE to c 500 CE [ACG]