Writing Assignment 1,

Camilo Leal

FEATURES OF THE DAESIAN SCALE AS PRESENTED IN MUSICA ENCHIRIADIS TREATISE.

In the history of medieval western music we can find several theoretical treatises that addressed musical behaviors which reflected specific aesthetic and theoretical thoughts. Some of those behaviors tended to disappear or evolve into new rules that might have transformed, redefined or even rejected those old ones that those treatises were attempting to preserve. Nevertheless, it is important to understand that the influence that those ideas had on the specific values of a period, were crucial to the evolution of western music as we know it today. The Daesian symbols were referred to in just a few theoretical treatises dated between the late IXth and the second half of the XIth centuries,1 one of those being the Musica Enchiriadis treatise.2 (A treatise concerned with theoretical and practical issues related to chant and particularly with those of two voices polyphony, referred in the book as organum and/or diaphony).3 They [Daesian Symbols] are a series of symbols that organize the Daesian scale, 18 tones in four groups of four plus two added notes.4 The name Daesian refers to the type of symbols utilized and their shape of a daseia5, which is a Greek character.6 The four groups of tones called above are, from bottom to top, Graves, Finales, Superiores and Excellentes, plus 2 more tones above.7 The names of the tones in every group were the same: protus, deuterus, tritus and tetrardus.8 A common organizational feature of all
1

Raymond Erickson, The Daesian scale and notation, "Musica enchiriadis, Scolica enchiriadis " in Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/19405 (accessed September 8, 2012). 2 Ibid. 3 Raymond Erickson, Introducction to Musica enchiriadis and Scolica enchiriadis. Trans. Raymond Erickson. ed. C.V. Palisca (New Haven, CT, 1995), xxii, xxxiii. 4 Raymond Erickson, The Daesian scale and notation in "Musica enchiriadis, Scolica enchiriadis.". 5 Raymond Erickson, Introducction, xxxi. 6 Raymond Erickson, The Daesian scale and notation in "Musica enchiriadis, Scolica enchiriadis.". 7 Musica enchiriadis and Scolica enchiriadis, 3. 8 Ibid., 2.

Writing Assignment 1,

Camilo Leal

FEATURES OF THE DAESIAN SCALE AS PRESENTED IN MUSICA ENCHIRIADIS TREATISE. groups is the interval of a whole tone between the protus and the deuterus, a half step between the deuterus and the tritus, and a whole tone between the tritus and the tetrardus.9 Ex. 1

10

We observe that the scale is formed by the superposition of tetrachords related one to each other within the placement of the interval of a half step between the second and the third tone, the deuterus and the tritus.11 As can be seen in example 1, specifically looking at the relationship between the tones bb, b, f, f#, c and c#, the Daesian scale is not based on the relation of a perfect octave and its division in tones and semitones,12 and it might appear that the scale is not consistent with the practice of doubling the melody at the [interval of an] octave.13 Nevertheless, we should consider the possibility that the Dasian system was developed in order to describe and project the systematic harmonization of the original melody within an interval of a perfect fourth or a perfect fifth instead of an octave, mainly because the harmonization at the interval of the octave was
9

Ibid.

10 11 12
13

Taken from the Article The Diatonic "Chromaticism" of the "Enchiriadis"; Lincoln Bounce Spiess. Journal of the American Musicological Society, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring, 1959), pp. 1-6.University of California. Press on behalf of the American Musicological Society Stable, 2. Musica enchiriadis and Scolica enchiriadis, 6. Raymond Erisckson, Introduction, xxxi. Lincoln Bunce Spiess, The Diatonic "Chromaticism" of the "Enchiriadis", 2.

Writing Assignment 1,

Camilo Leal

FEATURES OF THE DAESIAN SCALE AS PRESENTED IN MUSICA ENCHIRIADIS TREATISE. considered as something that occurs naturally.14 Thus, it did not necessarily have to follow the structure of the Daesian scale in relation to its position (of that voice in relation of the group in which it moves).15 Also, there are some chromatic alterations referred to in the Enchiriadis treatises,16 which apply, apparently, only to the organal voice17 (that which is harmonizing a given melody at the interval of a fourth or fifth), to avoid the harmonic interval of an augmented 4th or diminished 5th. We can conclude that the Daesian system, as presented in the Musica Enchiriadis treatise is a conceptualization which attempts, quite successfully, to theorize practices that were already in usage18, is functional to the performance (improvisation) of the organum at the interval of a fifth below the principal voice19, it doesnt solve by itself the issues related to the performance of the organum at the interval of a fourth or an octave and, thus, it depends on the teaching of techniques and devices to avoid those issues.20 But maybe the most relevant conclusion is the fact that the conceptualization of those polyphonic practices shows us an intellectual and highly developed musical environment,21 concerned with the task of education as an important way to preserve its values. Moreover, the word Daesian appears not to be familiar to the contemporary music student or even music teacher, considering the affirmation of Lincoln Bunce Spiess (on his article The Diatonic "Chromaticism" of the "Enchiriadis" Treatises) THE SIGNIFICANCE of the
14

Raymond Erisckson, Introduction, xxxiii. Lincoln Bunce Spiess, The Diatonic "Chromaticism" of the "Enchiriadis" , 2. Ibid., 4, 5. Ibid., 3, 4.

15 16 17
18

Claude V. Palisca, preface to Musica Enchiriadis and Scholica Enchiriadis; Trans. Raymond Erickson. ed. C.V. Palisca (New Haven, CT, 1995), xii. 19 Raymond Erickson, Introduction, xxxiii. 20 Ibid. 21 Claude V. Palisca, preface, xi.

Writing Assignment 1,

Camilo Leal

FEATURES OF THE DAESIAN SCALE AS PRESENTED IN MUSICA ENCHIRIADIS TREATISE. Enchiriadis treatises for our knowledge of the beginnings of polyphony is known to any student in a music history course. The musical illustrations in those treatises are less known, however, except for a few examples 22 ; which take us to the following reflection: How do we know now what is and what is not important to study about music history? Practical issues in the chant practices of the IXth century appear not to be so important today except for the performers of that repertoire, but could the study of these ancient thoughts be important for the understanding of why music sounds like it does? We tend to believe that it is. Especially since aesthetic values change over time and, thus, old practices could always become new referents.

22

Lincoln Bunce Spiess, The Diatonic "Chromaticism" of the "Enchiriadis", 1.

Writing Assignment 1,

Camilo Leal

FEATURES OF THE DAESIAN SCALE AS PRESENTED IN MUSICA ENCHIRIADIS TREATISE.

Bibliography Anonimous. Musica enchiriadis and Scolica enchiriadis, trans. R. Erickson. ed. C.V. Palisca (New Haven, CT, 1995). Erickson, Raymond. "Musica enchiriadis, Scolica enchiriadis". In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/19405 (accessed September 8, 2012). Spiess, Lincoln Bounce. The Diatonic "Chromaticism" of the "Enchiriadis". Journal of the American Musicological Society, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring, 1959), pp. 1-6.University of California. Press on behalf of the American Musicological Society Stable.