The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-04-11
The Origin and Progress of Music.

this subject, and design to pursue tht
topic still further in the present article.
PLATO, in his second Book of Laws
speaks of the excellence of Egyptian
music, and adduces it as proof of men
tai cultivation and advanced civilization
BRUCE also, in his Travels, speaks O
some harps which he saw sculptured OF
a tomb al Thebes, that were of the time
of Rameses III, or about 1885 wears be
fore Christ.
But Notwithstanding this advancement
IN music, no gamut or musical scale ex
listed till about the year 100 of tht
Christian era. when an Augustan monk
by the name of Guido Aretine, formed
one by adapting the first syllables of tht
lines in the first verse of hymn to St
John, written during the reign of Char
lemagne by Paul Diaconus
"Ut queant laxis resonare ibris
Mira gestorum famuli tuorum,
Solve poluti ldbii reatum,
Sancte Joannes ~
He thus created the gamut, A, B, G, D,
E, +, and Berardi combined the notes il
the following line, about 1850:
20 Ut relevet miserum tata sollicitosquc labores'
This verse was such favorite with CO.
relli that he had it marked on his violin.
After written music was invented-af-
ter a means was formed to catch and pre-
serve things so fleeing and airy as sound
the science advanced apace 1t in
creased in richness, melody and variety
Games, songs, dances, military marches,
religious exercises, and labor, had all
their appropriate tunes. The poetry Of
genius was married to melody enchant-
ing enough for the spheres of that phi
losophizing dreamer, Plato.
1t is curious to trace the simultaneous
improvement of poetry and music. There
was time when song singing was near
ly monopolized by "a strolling set of trou-
badours. Their rugged ballads were
united to rugged tunes, and yet their
rhyming tales of knightly prowess, of ro-
mantle love, of ladies fair, of Paynm
fights, of holy wars, entranced and pleas
ed all to whom they were addressed. Sir
WALTER ScoTT, in his admirable por-
traitures of by-gone personages and by
gone times, has not forgotten the trouba-
dour, and has drawn him for us in the
Lag of tie Last Minstrel. So numerous
did these performers become that they
obtained of the King of France an act OF
incorporation into society, which has
gradually merged into the opera and the
alre Of Paris. Their songs were rough
and unpublished, but they were like dia-
monds before polishing, full of brilliancy
when properly brought to light. They
paved the way for metre and rhyme more
regular and more pleasing. and to wool:
of sound variegated by colors obtained
by means of the scientific musical prism
of modern harmony.
1t has been argued that skill in music
was indicative of effeminancy of man.
ners, and superfciality of mental culture
But facts disproye this proposition. Nc
nation excels the Germans in this art
and yet none equal them in solidty o.
profundity of learning
extensive erudition, laborious research
or patient study. Instead of being the
antagonist of knowledge. it is its auxili.
ary-instead of unsettling the scholars
Ssoi~ It onlivens it by the relaxation ii
affords, and the exhilaration it bestows
To many it would seem work of su
pereogation TO enter into serious defenc,
of the utility of music, and of its limo
cence and propriety. Yet to all persons
this is not unnecessary. There are som,
at this day who prescribe the exercise 0
sweet sounds" as snares of the devil
and wicked yanities of the world Their,
was, too, a time when superstition caused
some religious denominations to proscrib
sacred music in churches as heathenish
unchristian, and abominable. Forgetting
that singing was expressly ordered in tn
laws we are told Moses received from
God, and that a body Of men We're Sc
lected and educated 10 perform this rite
these men denounced itas irreligious an,
unscriptural. Nor is it long, since with
in our remembrance, instrumental must
in meeting was declared, by a certain
class, sinful and idolatrous-since bas
yiols were denominated the Devils bi.
fiddles," and yiolins were thought to turl
pious hymns into profane catches an
drunken glees. Such men would dres
the whole world in drab, would suffer n
flowers to grow, no birds to sing, n
laughter, no amusements, no pleasure
They would clothe every countenance i
gloom, check all mirth, and like the her
nit Uonorius.