The Compendium Music Of Ren Descartes

Rene Descartes's Compendium musicAe was one of the most widely-read texts on the mathematics of music in the second half of the seventeenth century, offering a succinct and lucid summary of its subject. It was translated into English, French and Dutch before the end of the century--though its idiosyncratic geometrical approach to music drew criticism as well as praise--and its sophisticated mathematical thinking attracted a number of later scholars to explore its ideas further in print or manuscript. This volume presents for the first time a critical edition of the English translation of the Compendium, published in 1653 by the natural philosopher Walter Charleton. Also included are the unpublished manuscript treatises written by Nicolaus Mercator and Isaac Newton developing similar ideas to those in the Compendium, and the printed remarks of William Brouncker which appeared with Charleton's translation. This rich collection of texts, most of them appearing in critical editions for the first time, provides a unique view of the early reception of Descartes's musical treatise in England.

The soul rejoices in perceiving harmonious sound; when the sound is not harmonious it is grieved. From these affects of the soul are derived the name of consonances for the harmonic proportions, and the name of dissonances for the unharmonic proportions. When to this is added the other harmonie proportion whieh consists of the longer or shorter duration of musical sound, then the soul stirs the body to jumping dance, the tongue to inspired speech, according to the same laws. The artisans accommodate to these harmonies the blows of their hammers, the soldiers their pace. As long as the harmonies endure, everything is alive; everything stiffens, when they are disturbed.! Thus the German astronomer, Johannes Kepler, evokes the power of music. Where does this power come from? What properties of music enable it to stir up emotions which may go far beyond just feeling generally pleased, and which may express themselves, for instance, in weeping; in laughing; in trembling over the whole body; in a marked acceleration of breathing and heartbeat; in participating in the rhythm with the head, the hands, the arms, and the feet? From the beginning of musical theory the answer to this question has been sought in two different directions.

"The effect of this man on his age and the new age cannot be imagined broadly enough... René Descartes is indeed the true beginner of modern philosophy, insofar as it makes thinking the principle. "- Hegel "Descartes was the first to bring to light the idea of a transcendental science, which is to contain a system of knowledge of the conditions of possibility of all knowledge." - Kant "Descartes is rightly considered the father of modern philosophy" - Schopenhauer A new 2023 translation directly from the original manuscripts into English of Descartes' famous 1619 work "Abstract of Music" (Compendium musicæ). This edition contains a new introduction and afterword from the translator, as well as a timeline of Descartes' life and summaries of each of his works. Descartes composed this treatise in 1618, during his stay in Breda, when he was only 22 years old. It was not printed until after his death. It discusses the relationship between music and mathematics, and how music can be understood through mathematical principles. This work influenced later discussions on the mathematical basis of music.

"Descartes is rightly considered the father of modern philosophy" - Schopenhauer A new 2023 translation directly from the original manuscripts into English of Descartes' famous 1619 work "Abstract of Music" (Compendium musicæ) sometimes translated at "Treatise on Music". This edition contains a new introduction and afterword from the translator, as well as a timeline of Descartes' life and summaries of each of his works. Descartes composed this treatise in 1618, during his stay in Breda, when he was only 22 years old. It was not printed until after his death. It discusses the relationship between music and mathematics, and how music can be understood through mathematical principles. This work influenced later discussions on the mathematical basis of music.