“Juan Bermudo, Self-Instruction and the Amateur Instrumentalist”. Music Education in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Ed. Russell Murray Jr, Susan Forscher Weiss, and Cynthia J. Cyrus. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2010. 126-137.
Previous Next| Publication type | Year | ISBN/ISSN | Bibliog code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Article: book | 2010 | 978-0-253-35486-0 | griffiths2010-3 |
In Declaración de instrumentos musicales (1555), Juan Bermudo gives many chapters providing instruction on the intabulation of vocal polyphony for the vihuela. Even though his book is not a practical tutor, these instructions convey valuable insight into the pedagogical principles of instrumental tuition for use by amateurs teaching themselves. In contrast to later pedagogical systems, Bermudo’s is not based on the acquisition of mechanical skill, but on the systematic development of musical knowledge, and the assumption that mastery of instrumental technique will follow naturally from this. Bermudo advises vihuela students to begin by intabulating two- and three-part homophonic villancicos, presumably to give students some knowledge of simple counterpoint and triadic harmony, as well as some of the common finger positions associated with them. The act of copying parts into score and intabulating them is assumed to bring additional benefit concerning detailed musical understanding of compositional practice. Subsequently, the student is advised to intabulate simple imitative compositions such as the villancicos of Juan Vásquez, moving eventually Masses and motets by Morales and Gombert. His final advice, that the above is prerequisite to inventing one’s own fantasies, reinforces the stylistic nexus between instrumental and vocal music of the period.
Composer
Instrument VIHUELA
Century 16CENT
Region SPAIN
Medium
Music genre
Research field HISTORY, SOCIAL HISTORY, MUSIC, THEORY