Observations placeholder
Andreas Werckmeister - Musicalische Paradoxal
Identifier
005983
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Andreas Werckmeister (November 30, 1645 – October 26, 1706) was an organist, music theorist, and composer of the Baroque era.
Werckmeister is best known today as a theorist, in particular through his writings Musicae mathematicae hodegus curiosus... (1687) and Musikalische Temperatur (1691), in which he coined the term well temperament and described a system of well temperament now known as Werckmeister temperament.
Werckmeister's writings were well known to Johann Sebastian Bach, in particular his writings on counterpoint. Werckmeister believed that well-crafted counterpoint, in particular invertible counterpoint , was tied to the orderly movements of the planets, reminiscent of Kepler's view in Harmonice Mundi. According to George Buelow, "No other writer of the period regarded music so unequivocally as the end result of God’s work," a view harmonious with that of Bach. Yet in spite of his focus on counterpoint, Werckmeister's work emphasized underlying harmonic principles.
A description of the experience
Andreas Werckmeister – Musicalische Paradoxal – Discourse oder Allegemeine Vosrtstellungen wie die musica einen Hohen und Gottlichen Uhrsprung habe [translated by Professor Joscelyn Godwin]
Consider the inspiration and composition of music as it has been practised for about 2000 years; how the styles and compositions change markedly from one period to another, even altering considerably from one twenty year period to the next; how the compositions of about 100 years ago are now unknown to anybody, perhaps having become disagreeable through much use and too artificial for our taste.
The cause, one will agree, is that we are ruled by the constellations above, which are now quite different from that time; hence the old style and melodies do not seem so pleasant to us.
One could say much about this, but I leave each to his own opinion