study of that
ancient music can interest only the curious antiquary. Whereas, for the
practical musician, the most sacred depths of his glorious, truly
Christian art were laid open only when Christianity was shining in its
brightest splendour in Italy, and the mighty masters, in the
consecration of the highest inspiration, proclaimed the holiest
mysteries of religion, in tones before unheard. It is noticeable that,
not long afterwards, when Guido D'Arezzo had penetrated deeper into the
mysteries of the musical art, that art was misunderstood by the
uncomprehending, and thought to be a subject for mathematical
speculation, so that its true essence was utterly misapprehended, just
as it was barely commencing to unfold itself. The marvellous tones of
this spiritual language were awakened, and went sounding forth over the
world. The means of seizing them and holding them fast were discovered.
The 'hieroglyphics' of music (consisting as it does of an intertwining
of melody and harmony) were invented; I mean, the mode of writing down
music in notes. But soon this mode of indication passed cm rent for the
tiling indicated; the masters sunk themselves in harmonic subtleties,
and in this manner music, distorted into a speculative science, would
have ceased to be music when those subtleties should have attained
their highest development. Worship was desecrated by that which was
upon it under the name if music, although, to the heart penetrated by
that holy art, music itself was alone the true 'worship.' So that there
could be but a brief contest, which ended by the glorious victory of an
eternal verity over the untrue. Just when Pope Marcellus the Second was
on the point of expelling all music from the Church, and so depriving
divine worship of its most glorious adornment, the great Master
Palestrina revealed to him the sacred mystery and wonder of the
tone-art in its most individual and specially characteristic qualities.
And from that time music became the most specific feature of the 'Cultus'
of the Catholic Church. Thus it was that at that time the most profound
comprehension of the true inward life of music dawned and brightened in
the masters' pious hearts, and their inimitable, immortal compositions
streamed from their souls in holy inspiration. You, Theodore, well know
that the Mass for six voices, which Palestrina at that time--I think it
was in 1555--composed, in order that the angry Pontiff might hear real
music, became