Title: L'arte armonica, or, A treatise on the composition of musick
Description: Giorgio Antoniotto was an Italian living in London when he published his treatise in English. Antoniotto's treatise shows surprising emphases on Rameau's fundamental bass, and on stacked thirds. Further, the musical illustrations include several grids that are close relatives of the Tonnetz. In one such example, Antoniotto's grid shows horizontal and vertical arrangements of perfect fifths and perfect fourths, with one diagonal as a whole-tone scale. After an introduction that summarizes musical development from the Greek system on, the treatise is divided into three books: the first discusses the general and natural systems, and the natural (major) and artificial (minor) scales. The second derives progressions from movements of the fundamental bass; the third covers figured bass, inversions, fugues, imitations, canons, cadences, accents, vocal types, expressive markings, recitatives and the genres of instrumental and mixed ensembles, the sacred, theatrical, and chamber music. Corelli's Violin Sonata, opus 5/1 is used for demonstrations.
Subjects: Composition (Music)