Introduction
In contrast to other classic musictheoretics, for example Nicomachus of Gerasa, not that much has been done on Gaudentius. Or, for that matter, all the authors in Karl von Jan's great book Musici scriptores graeci. There's a french study by C.E. Ruelle from the nineteenth century (1895), more recently L. Zanoncelli, in italian (1990), and of course the edition of Marcus Meibomius, Amsterdam 1652. It is that edition I encountered whilst studying Colizzi (see the Diss. Phil par. 7), and more specific this: GAVDENTIVS Philosophus, M. MEIBOMIO interprete, in Introduct. Harmon. dicit: Initium autem inventionis rationum Pythagoram sumsisse, cum casu praeteriisset fabrilem officinam, ac malleorum supra incudem sonitus percepisset dissonos & consonos. This little anecdote and consequently the whole work by Meibomius in the Utrecht Library (in the raroria collection of the musicology department) led to what I hope this will become: a study, in English, with text, notes and translation. |
Contents
Translation