Crossroads Clarification

[Corrosion of conformity]

So where does the "Legend" of the tri-tone come from? Or would that be a silly discussion?

 

The tritone was rarely used in church music (and almost all Western medieval age music) due to its dissonant sound. From what I understand, it was given that name sometime in the 1700's as a way to remember the interval. The interval still wasn't used in many types of music (including churches) because of its dissonance!

 

It's likely that the myth of the tritone being banned came about recently, as the tritone wasn't used very often. People love to demonize the Catholic Church.

[FirstMeasure]

The tritone was rarely used in church music (and almost all Western medieval age music) due to its dissonant sound. From what I understand, it was given that name sometime in the 1700's as a way to remember the interval. The interval still wasn't used in many types of music (including churches) because of its dissonance!

 

It's likely that the myth of the tritone being banned came about recently, as the tritone wasn't used very often. People love to demonize the Catholic Church.

Yeah, after all that Inquisition, Witch Trials, and Crusades (not to mention the social problems it's had in the last 50 years) it's truly a wonder how the Church got it's reputation. Darned "People" demonizing such a friendly institution.

 

And I can't assume the Tritone got it's reputation in such an innocent manner. It's much more likely that a preacher or church leader somewhere along the way used it as an excuse to kill, maim, or somehow take control of an economy or government. Just makes more sense than simple dissonance, specially since the Southern Churchgoers went nuts when blacks started playing Baptist "Church Music" in secular settings. If there was the lords Music, then there was the Devils music. Just makes logical sense.

[Corrosion of conformity]

Yeah, after all that Inquisition, Witch Trials, and Crusades (not to mention the social problems it's had in the last 50 years) it's truly a wonder how the Church got it's reputation. Darned "People" demonizing such a friendly institution.

 

And I can't assume the Tritone got it's reputation in such an innocent manner. It's much more likely that a preacher or church leader somewhere along the way used it as an excuse to kill, maim, or somehow take control of an economy or government. Just makes more sense than simple dissonance, specially since the Southern Churchgoers went nuts when blacks started playing Baptist "Church Music" in secular settings. If there was the lords Music, then there was the Devils music. Just makes logical sense.

 

LOL

 

I'm not sticking up for the Church, the atrocities speak for themselves...Still, there is no documentation anywhere saying the interval was banned! This isn't about what the Church has done, it's about what it hasn't done. :)

 

Again, if you have anything that proves otherwise, please let me know.

[FirstMeasure]

LOL

 

I'm not sticking up for the Church, the atrocities speak for themselves...Still, there is no documentation anywhere saying the interval was banned! This isn't about what the Church has done, it's about what it hasn't done. :)

 

Again, if you have anything that proves otherwise, please let me know.

Proof in a discussion about legends? No such thing, if there was proof it would be a legend or myth and wouldn't require any discussion at all. The fact that the Royal Conservatories were teaching that the Tritone was not to be written as music (effectively banned), and that the Royal Conservatory was under the control of the Roman Catholic Church, then it's just a matter of Why it was banned, not if. Then it was a matter of what extreme the Church/State was willing to go to enforce that "Law".

[Thermionik]

Donald Grout's History of Western Music, ISBN-13: 978-0393932805

Albert Seay's Music in the Medieval World, ISBN-13: 978-0881336351

Geoffrey Hindley's The Larousse Encyclopedia of Music, ISBN-13: 978-0600023968

Jeremy Yudkin's Music of Medieval Europe, ISBN-13: 978-0136086215

John Caldwell's Medieval Music, ISBN-13: 978-0253337313

Grove's Dictionary of Music, ISBN-13: 978-1144854872

Derrick Henry's The Listeners Guide to Medieval & Renaissance Music, ISBN-13: 978-0871967510

Gustave Reese's Music in the Middle Ages, ISBN-13: 978-0460036528

Thomas Day's Why Catholics Can't Sing, ISBN-13: 978-0824511531

 

Someplace in there I read something about the church and musical constraints imposed by them.

 

Heck - some Churches ban instrumental music entirely..... let alone types of music.

 

Perhaps they didn't ban specific intervals - rather the style of music inclined to use them.

Perhaps they didn't. My bad for bringing it up. I withdraw my statements to prevent further unrest.

[zigzag]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgcWfVvT_UM