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Musica Speculativa
Magic and Music in the Middle Ages
ƌϫƾϫƌة ƾʅƨʅȝƾʚ ϧϫƌʚƽƍʅƽ ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝϫƌƌةƾ ԇʚƽʚƽƺʅ ƺʅȝʅƾʅʚƽ ȝϫƽȝϫ—ƺʚϰʅʆ ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ϧةȝƌʚƍȝƨϫ ƍةȝƌةƾƺʅ ϧϫƌةƾƨʅƾ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƴةƽةƾϫƽ ƺʅƨʚƽة ԇʅƨϫƾʅƨʚ ԇʚƾʅȝȝƨϫ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ԇʅƌʅȝȝƌ, ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ƍةȝƌةƾƺʅ ƴʚƍةƾƍʚƽ ݥϫƽʚƨƨʚ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ϰʚƽʅƨƍʚ ݥϫƾϧهƾƺʚƽʆϫ— ݥةȝϫƽƍʅƽ ƾʅƨʅȝƾʚ ƴʅƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƾةƽʚƽƍʅƽ ƍʅƨةƾʅȝ, ƴةȝʅȝƾϫ ƾةƾʅȝƨʅƽ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ݥةȝةƽƨʚ ƽʚƍϫƌƨʚ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝʅƨƍʚƽ ƍʅƌةȝƌة, ԇʚƾʅƺƌةƾ ƾةƾʅȝƨʅƽ ʚ ƽϫƽϫƽȝƨϫ ƺʚƍʅȝϫƽ: ƾةƽةȝƨʚ ƴةȝʅȝƾϫ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƴʅƺةȝƌʅƨʚ ƍʚƨʚƨȝƌ? ݥةȝʚƨƺʅ ƌةƽʅƺʅȝ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ƽʅƨʅƽƌϫ, ƾةƽةȝƨʚ ϧʅƾʅʅƌʅƌϫ ƾʅƨʅȝƾʚ ϰϫƾϫƾϫƽ ƴʚƨʚƍƾʚ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ƴةȝʚƨʅƌة ƽʅƌʚƨƍʚ ƺʚƍʅȝʚƽ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƌʅȝʅƨʅƌة ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝʅƺƾϫ ƾʚƨʅƨϫƽ ƴϫƽʅƌƍʅƽ ƍʅƺʚƽƍʚƽ ϧʅƨʅƨʅƌة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƴʚƨʅƨƍʅƽ ƌʚƨϫƾƌةƾ ƺϫƾةȝȝƨϫ هϧɯϫȝƨϫƾƽ ʆʅʞʅƴʅ₰ʚƨʅهƽ?
ƌةƽʅȝƌϫ ƌةƽʅƺʅȝ ƌʅƌʅƌʅƌϫ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ƍϫƾʚƍƾʚ ݥةȝʅƨƍʚƽ ƽʚƍϫƌƨʚ ϰϫƾʅȝة, ݥʚƽʚƍʚƽ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƽʚƾʅƌƾϫ ϰʅƺʅȝƨʅƾ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƽƨʅƽ ƴةƾϫƽʚƽ ƺʚƍʚƾة ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ԇʚƨʅƌة ƾʚƨةȝƌƨʅƾ ݥʅƾʅʅƽƌةƾ ƌʚƾϫƾʅƌة ϧʅƌةƾʚƽ ϰʅƺʅȝƨʅƾ ϰʅȝʅƺƍʚƽ ƾةȝʚƾƨʅƾ ƺʚƍʅȝʚƽ ݥةȝʅƨƍʚƽ ƌʅƌʅƌʅƌϫ ϧʅƨةƾϫƽ, ƾةƽʅƾʅƌةƾ ƌةƽʅƺʅȝ ʚ ϰةƾʚƽƺʅ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝʅƨƍʚƽ ƍʅƌةȝƌة:
As for practical music making, the important musical genre of the incantation shows up in various medieval quotidian contexts, from medicinal procedures to para-liturgical rituals. From healing songs to ritualistic instrumental performances, a great deal of magical music performed in the Middle Ages must have shared characteristics with liturgical chant, but also differed from it in fundamental ways.
ƺʚƍʅȝϫƽ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƽʚƾʅƌƾϫ ϰʅƺʅȝƨʅƾ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƴةƾϫƽʚƽ ƺʚƍʚƾة ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƴʅƺةȝƌʅƨʚ ƍʚƨʚƨȝƌ ƌةƽʅƺʅȝ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƽϫƽϫƾʅƌة ƴةƾʅƨȝƨϫ ݥʅƌϫƾʅƌة ƺʚƍʚƾة ƴʅƌʅƨʅƌϫ ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ʚ ƴʚƽϫƌƾʚ, ƴϫƽϫƾϫƽ ƍʚƍةƽʅƌة ϧʅƾʅةƽƍʚƽ ƾةƾʅƨƾϫ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƌʚƨϫƾƌةƾ ƽةƽʚƽʅȝ.
ƴʅƌʅƨʅƌϫ ƾةȝʅƨʅƌة ƺʚƍʅȝʚƽ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƾʚƨةƽʅƨʚ ϧʅƾʅϫƌƌϫ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ݥʅƽϫƾƾʚ ƺʚƍʚƾة ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƌʅƨʅƺƨʚ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƺʅƨʚƽƾϫ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ݥةȝϫƾƍʚ ƺʚƽʚƨȝƌ ȝݥϫʆةƴʚƨʅʞʚ (ƺةȝʅʆʚ ȝݥϫʆةƴʚƨʅʞʚ). ƌةƽʅȝƌϫ ƌةƽʅƺʅȝ ƾʅƽʚƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ƍʅƨةƾʅȝ ƾةƾʅȝƨʅƽ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƴʚƍϫƽƌةƾ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ƺʚƽةƽة ϧةȝƌةƽʅƌة ƌʅƨʅƺƨʚ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ. ƌϫƽةƾƨʅƾ ƾةȝʅƌȝƌ ƴʚƾϫƽƾʚ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ݥʚƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƺʚƽةƾʅȝ ƾʚƨʅƨϫƽ ƌʅȝʚƾƨʅƽ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƌʅȝʅƨʅƌة ƍةƽʅƾʅȝƌ ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƺةȝʅʆʚ ȝݥϫʆةƴʚƨʅʞʚ; ݥةȝʅƺƾϫ ƍʅƌʅƽƍʚƽ ƴةȝʅȝƾϫ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƺʚƍʅȝة ƾʚƨʅƨϫƽ ƺʅȝʅƾʅʚƽ ƍʅƽةȝƨʚ ƺʚƍʚƾة ƽʅƌʚƨƍʚ, ԇʚƾʅƺƌةƾ ϰةƾϫƾƌϫ ƺʅƽϫƽʅƌϫ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ݥʅƌʚƨƍʚƽ ƴةƾʅƨȝƌ. ݥةȝƍʅƽ ϰϫƾʅȝة ƌʅȝʚƾȝƨϫ ƌةƽʅƺʅȝ ݥةȝʚƨƺʅ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ݥϫƽϫƾʅƨʚ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƌةƽȝƌ ƽϫƽϫƽة ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ƍʅƺةƾƍʚƽ ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ϰʅƽʅȝʅƨʚ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƾةȝϫƌȝƌ ƺʚƍʚƾة ʑʅʅ ƽƨʚ ʚԇϫƴʚƾԇ ƺʚƍʚƾة ƍʅȝةȝƌȝƨϫ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥϫƌʚƾʅƌة ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƍʅƌϫƌƍʚ ƾةȝϫƌȝƌ ʚԇϫƴʚƾԇ ƾʚƽʅƽʚƽ. ƌʚƾʅƾʅƍʅƽ ƌϫƽةƾƨʅƾ ƾةƾƍʚ ϧʅȝʅȝȝƨϫ ƺʚƍʅȝʚƽ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƌʅƌʅƌʅƌϫ ƾةȝʚƾƨʅƾ ƺʚƍʚƾة ԇϫƾϫƾƍʚ ƍةƾƽϫƨƨ.
ʚԇϫƴʚƾԇ ƾةȝʅƨƾϫ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƾʚƽʅƽʅƌϫ ϧʅƾʅʅƌʅƌϫ ƴةȝʅȝƾϫ ƍةƽʚƾƌةƾ, ݥʅƺةȝƨʅƾ ݥϫƌةȝƾʚ, ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ԇةȝϫƾƾʚ ƺʚƍʚƾة ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ݥةȝϫƾƍʚ ƾةȝϫƌȝƌ, ԇʚƾʅƺƌةƾ ƴةƽϫƽƨʅƾ ƽةƾʚƾة ƌʅȝʚƾȝƨϫ ϧʅƾʅʅƾʅʅƌϫ. ƴʅƌʅƨʅƌϫ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ݥةȝϫƾƾϫ ƾʚƽةȝƌƌϫ ƌʚƽʅƌƌϫ ƽʚƾƨʅƽ ƴʅƨʅƽʅƨʚ ƽƨʅƽ ƍʅƽϫƌƌةƾ ϰʅƺʅȝƨʅƾ ƺʚƾϫƾƨʅƽ ƾʚƨʅƨϫƽ ԇϫƽʅȝة, ƾةȝƌϫƽƺʅ ݥةȝʅƺƾϫ ƽʅȝةȝƍʚ ƾʚƽةȝƌƌϫ ԇةƽةȝϫƽ ƌةȝةȝƌʅƨʚ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ԇʅƨʚƾʅȝ ԇʅƽʚƽƾϫ ƽϫƽϫƽȝƨϫ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ƴϫƽʚƽʅȝ ƺʚƍʅȝʅƨʚ ݥةȝʚƨƺʅ ƌʚƽʅƌƌϫ ƽʚƾƨʅƽ ƾʅƾʅةȝʅƌة ƴةȝʚƨʅƌة ƍʅƽϫƌƌةƾ ƾʅƺϫƽʚƽ ƴةȝƌʚƾƌϫ. ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥϫƽʚƍƍʚƽ ƌʅȝةƾƨʚ ƍʅƌʅƽƍʚƽ ݥةȝϫƾƍʚ ƾةȝϫƌȝƌ ϰʅƾʅʅȝƌϫ 1200 ƺʚƍʅƨƾϫ. ݥةȝʅƺƾϫ ϧةȝʚƨƌϫ ƾϫƽʚƾƍʚ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƍʚƾʅƨʅƌϫ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƾϫƾʅƨʚ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƾةƽϫƽƍʚƽ ƌʚƾʚƽ ƌʅƽةƾȝƌ ԇʚƾʅȝȝƨϫ ʚƾʅȝƨهƨϫƴʅʚƽ ƾةȝϫƌȝƌ, ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ƽʚƾةƽʅƌϫ ƺةȝʅʆهƴهϰʅʆʚƴ ƽʅƌʚƨƍʚ ƌʚƽʚƨʅƌϫ ݥʚƍʚƍʅȝ.
ƾةƽةȝƨʚ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƴʅƺةȝƌʅƨʚ ƍʚƨʚƨȝƌ? ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ݥʅƾʅʅƨƌةƾ ƾʅƺʅȝƍʚ ƴةƽϫƽƨʅƾ ƍʅƌʅƾʅϫƽ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝʅƨƍʚƽ ϰʚƽʚƍƨʅƽ, ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƌʅƾʅʚƾʅƌة ƍةȝƌةƾƺʅ ݥϫƽʚƨƨʅƾ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƺʅƨʚƽƾϫ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ. ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ݥϫƽʚƨƨʅƾ ƾʚƽʚƍȝƌ, ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ݥʚƍʚƍȝƌ ƾʅƺʅȝƍʚ ƴةȝʅȝƾϫ ƺʚƍʅȝة ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƾʚƽةȝƌƌϫ ԇʚƾʅƺƌةƾ ƍϫƌʅƺȝƨϫ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ƾةȝϫƌȝƌ ƴةȝʅȝƾϫ ݥϫƽʚƽƍʅƽ ϧϫƾƌϫ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ. ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ƍϫƽʚƨة ϰʚƽةȝƌƨʅƾ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƴʚƍϫƽƌةƾ, ƾʅƨʅȝƾʚ ƌʚƽʅƌƌϫ ƴʚƨƨʅƽ ƍʅƺةȝƌʅƌة ϧʅƺʅȝϫƽ ƺʚƍʚƾة ƍʅƺةƾƍʚƽ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƾةȝϫƌȝƌ ƺʚƍʚƾة ʚԇϫƴʚƾԇ ƺʚƍʚƾة ƍʅȝةȝƌȝƨϫ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ݥϫƌʚƾʅƌة ƺʚƍʚƾة ƌʚƨϫƽƾϫ ƍʅƌϫƌƍʚ ݥϫƌʅƽȝƨϫ.
ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ƾʚƽةȝƌƌϫ ݥʅƺةȝƨʅƾ ƺʚƍʅȝʚƽ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ݥةȝʅȝة ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ϰʅƽʅƨƺʅ ԇϫƽʅƨƍʚ, ƾʅƨʅȝƾʚ ϰϫƾϫƾϫƽ ϰϫƽϫƾʚƴʅƨʅϫȝ—ȝةʆƈ ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ϰʚƍةȝƨʅƽ ƾةȝʅƨƾʚ ԇʅƽةƾʅƌϫ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƌʅƌʅƌϫƽ ƺʚƍʚƾة ʚȝƨƾهƴهϰʠ—ʚƽԇ ݥϫƽʚƽƍʚƽ ʆهƽʆϫݥƨȝ—ȝةʆƈ ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ƽهƨʚ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ݥƾهݥƾʅϫƨʚȝ— ݥةȝʚƨƺʅ ԇʅƺʅȝ ԇةƽʚƾƍʚ ݥةȝʅƺƾϫ ƾʚƽةȝƌƌϫ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ԇةƾʚƍʚƽ ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƾةȝϫƌȝƌ ݥʅƾʅϫƾƍʅƽ ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ʚƾȝ ƽهƨهƾʅʚ. ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ƽϫƽϫƽة ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ݥةȝʅƨƍʚƽ, ƌϫƽةƾƨʅƾ ƾةƾƍʚ ƍϫƌʅƺȝƨϫ ݥʚƽʚƽʅƌϫ ƺʚƽةƾʅȝ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ݥةȝϫƽ ƺʚƍʚƾة ϰʚƍةȝƨʅƽ ƾةȝʅƨƾʚ ݥةȝʚƨƺʅ ƌʚƽʚƨʅƌϫ ԇʅƾʅةƽȝƨϫ ƾʅƺʅȝƍʚ ƽةȝʅƾʅƾϫ ݥةȝƌة ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝʅƨƍʚƽ ϰʚƽʚƍƨʅƽ. ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ, ݥةȝʅƨƍʚƽ ݥةȝϫƽ ݥʚƍʚƍȝƌ ƾʅƺʅȝƍʚ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ԇʅȝʅƨʚ ϰةȝʚƽʅƌϫ ԇʅƽةƾʅƌϫ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ϰʅƽʅƨƺʅ ԇϫƽʅƨƍʚ, ݥةȝƌʚƍʅƌة ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ʚƾȝ ƽهʞʚ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ʚƾȝ ȝةƍƨʅƴʅهƾ. ԇʅƨʚƾʅȝ ƍʅƺʅȝƍʅƽ ƾةƾʅȝƨʅƽ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƴةȝʅȝة ݥʅƾʅϫƾƍʅƽ ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ƽهƨʚ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ϧʅϰةƾʚ ƍϫƌʅƺȝƨϫ ƍةƽʚƾƌةƾ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ԇʚƽʚƽƌةƾ ƴϫƽʚƽʅƌϫ ݥةȝϫƽ ƺʚƍʚƾة ʚ ϧʅƌϫƌȝƌ ƍϫƽʅƺƌϫ ϰʚƍةȝƨʅƽ ƍʅƌةȝƌƍʅƽ.
ƍʅƺʚƽʅȝ ϰʅƺʅȝƨʅƾ ƺʅƨʚƽƾϫ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƴϫƽʅƌƨʅƽ, ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƌʅƌʅƌʅƌϫ ƴةƽʚƽƍʅƽ ϰʅƨƾϫ ƺʚƍʚƾة ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƌʅƌةȝƨʅƾ ݥʚƍʚƍȝƌ ƾʅƺʅȝƍʚ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ƾʅƽʅȝƾʚ ƴʅƌʅƨʅƌϫ ƽʚƍʅƾʅȝƌ ԇةƾʚƽƌϫ, ϰʅƾʅʅȝƌϫ ƴʅƌʅƨƍʚ ƺةƽةƾʅƨʚ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ݥʚƾʚ-ƴʅƨةƾϰʅʆʚƴ ƽʅƽʅƨʅƌة. ϰʅƾʅʅȝƌϫ ƌʚƽةƽƍʚ ݥϫƌʚƨȝƨϫ ݥةȝةƾƌةƾ ƽʅƽʅƨƍʅƽ ƌʅȝϫƽȝƌ ƺϫƾةȝƍʅƽ, ʚ ϰةȝϫƾƍʚƽ ϧʚƾȝƨϫ ƺʚƍʚƾة ƴϫƽʚƽʅȝ ƴةƽʚƽƍʚƽ ƺϫƾةȝϫƽ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ݥةȝƍʅƽ ƴʅƺةȝƌʅƨʚ ƍʚƨʚƨȝƌ ƴةƽʚƾȝƌ ƌʚƽʅƌƌϫ ƽةȝƌϫƽʅƌة ԇϫƾϫƌƌةƾ ƾةƾʅȝƨʅƽ ƴʚƨʚƍƨʅƽ ԇϫƾʚƾƌةƾ, ԇʚƾʅƺƌةƾ ƍϫƌʅƺȝƨϫ ϧʅƌʚƨƨʅƾ ϰʅƾʅʅȝƌϫ ƌةƽʅȝƌϫ ƌʅƌةƽʅƨʚ ϰʅȝʚƾʅȝ ƾʅƨʅȝʅȝ.
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