German Music Theory in the Early Seventeenth Century : The Treatises of Johannes Lippius

Every student of Baroque music theory, when reading about emerging harmonic concepts in the seventeenth century, invariably encounters the name of Johannes Lippius (1585-1612), but this is the first systematic analysis of his writings by any German or American musicologist. The study focuses on the treatises of Lippius, seen in the context of other seventeenth-century musical theorists.

Two initial chapters on the life and works of Lippius precede six chapters following the ideas presented in his major treatise, the Synopsis musicae novae.

The author incorporates quotations and translations of the most important passages in Lippius's treatises; in addition, a separateappendix presents Lippius's complete discourse on the musical triad.BENITO V. RIVERA is Professor of Music Theory at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.Reprint of UMI title not previously generally available outside the US market; first published 1984, o/p since 1990.