In the writings of Nicola Vicentino (1555) and Gioseffo Zarlino (1558)
is found, for the first time, a systematic means of explaining music's
expressive power based upon the specific melodic and harmonic intervals
from which it is constructed. This "theory of interval affect"
originates not with these theorists, however, but with their teacher,
influential Venetian composer Adrian Willaert (1490-1562). Because
Willaert left no theoretical writings of his own, Timothy McKinney uses
Willaert's music to reconstruct his innovative theories concerning how
music might communicate extramusical ideas. For Willaert, the
appellations "major" and "minor" no longer signified merely the larger
and smaller of a pair of like-numbered intervals; rather, they became
categories of sonic character, the members of which are related by a
shared sounding property of "majorness" or "minorness" that could be
manipulated for expressive purposes. This book engages with the
madrigals of Willaert's landmark Musica nova collection and demonstrates
that they articulate a theory of musical affect more complex and
forward-looking than recognized currently. The book also traces the
origins of one of the most widespread musical associations in Western
culture: the notion that major intervals, chords and scales are suitable
for the expression of happy affections, and minor for sad ones.
McKinney concludes by discussing the influence of Willaert's theory on
the madrigals of composers such as Vicentino, Zarlino, Cipriano de Rore,
Girolamo Parabosco, Perissone Cambio, Francesco dalla Viola, and
Baldassare Donato, and describes the eventual transformation of the
theory of interval affect from the Renaissance view based upon
individual intervals measured from the bass, to the Baroque view based
upon invertible triadic entities.
Contents: Contexts; Definition, evaluation, and validation of the theory
of interval affect; Expressive functions of harmony in the musica nova
madrigals; Willaert's other madrigals and the theory of interval affect;
The compositional legacy of Willaert's theory of interval affect;
Selected bibliography; Index.
About the Author: Timothy McKinney, Associate Professor, School of Music, Baylor University, USA
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Content )
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Chapter 1 - Contexts )
Illustrations: Includes 69 music examples
Published: August 2010
Format: 234 x 156 mm
Extent: 336 pages
Binding: Hardback
