Music theology
The term “musico theologia” or (Germanized) musicotheology appears in 1738 by Lorenz Christoph Mizler , possibly suggested by Andreas Werckmeister . To understand this term, the context of the history of ideas is important: At that time, the subject of theology was not yet separated from that of the subject of religious studies, which was only established later . Rather, Mizler's “musica theologia” becomes understandable in the context of physics theology and in the German Enlightenment, especially the theologia naturalis of the philosopher Christian Wolff .
Mizler's musica theologia or musico theologia was also created in connection with the book by William Derham (1657–1735): Astrotheology; or, A demonstration of the being and attributes of God, from the survey of the heavens , London 1715. This work appeared in the translation by Johann Albert Fabricius with the title Astro-Theologie or heavenly pleasure in God , Hamburg 1732. Just like here Proofs of God are listed in the context of natural phenomena, Mizler also wanted to show them in the context of music. In his lecture concept, Mizler also described his concept, which is based on natural theology .
The theology term coined by Mizler no longer appeared explicitly here, but the idea of combining music with natural theology was retained. Accordingly, the sources for divine revelations can also be non-verbal in nature. Mizler emphasized the numerical character of the music and referred to the Pythagorean - Platonic tradition that pervades his entire music-theoretical work. The spread of this philosophy was felt to be in competition with the traditional biblical theology of revelation and so in Zedler's universal lexicon the fear was expressed that followers of the "Heydnian" Pythagoras "attached such a divinity to their old teacher in its origin, qualities, properties, functions and teachings, which they could oppose our dearest Heyland and thereby throw the foundation stone of the Christian religion over a heap ”. However, according to Mizler's idea, the audible sound of the music should not be understood as a direct image of divine glory, but rather conveyed nothing less than a shadow image, because in "heaven" there is "inexpressible music". Similar thoughts appear in the medieval work speculum musicae by James of Liège . In a witty analysis, Aertsen speaks of a "metamusic" by James of Liège, which relates to the vision of God and the Trinity. In contrast to the “ God of the philosophers ”, who since Blaise Pascal has had a taste for the purely rational knowledge of God, the divine revelations of music are also emotionally perceptible.
A few years after Mizler's explanations, Johann Michael Schmidt published the book Musico-theologia, or edifying application of musical truths [ Musico-theologia. Or, instructions for the knowledge of God and his will from music ]. He quoted several times from Mizler's musical library , which he obviously knew well. Schmidt, however, sets different accents than Mizler, because for him the Pythagorean-Platonic tradition is of less importance because, for example, the harmony of the spheres cannot be proven. In Johann Sebastian Bach's comments in the three volumes of his "Calov Bible" is a sacramental understanding of music in terms of points Musico theology at. Bach's comment on 2 Chronicles 5:13, which is often quoted there, relates not only to vocal music , but also to instrumental music in line with the contemporary concepts of natural theology : “NB. During a devout music, God is always present with his grace. ”The above-mentioned authors Mizler and Schmidt worked in the immediate vicinity of Bach in Leipzig. According to Dammann , "one can safely assume that Werckmeister's tracts, when they were widely distributed, also belonged to the holdings of JS Bach's library, or that he was at least familiar with their contents."
The idea of looking at music as an independent source of revelation led to the term “ art religion ” around 1800 , with German romantic music subsequently being based on the idea that music was “the holy of the arts” (Hugo von Hoffmansthal).
Individual evidence
- ↑ He writes “in my musico theologia”. What is meant is the ablative : Theology with the help of or on the basis of music: Musikalische Bibliothek , I.5 [1738], p. 69, ( source online ) .
- ↑ Lorenz Christoph Mizler: De usu atque praestantia Philosophiae in Theologia, Iurisprudentia, Medicina, breviter disserit, simulque Recitationes suas privatas indicat M. [agister] Laurentius Mizlerus , Leipzig 1736, p. 16 ( source online ) .
- ^ "Recitationes suas mathematicas philosophicas musicas de novo futur" in Mizler's De natura syllogismi , Leipzig 1742 ( ( source online ) ).
- ↑ Zedler 1732–1754, Vol. 29, 1741, Col. 1866 . See Siegfried Oechsle / Bernd Sponheuer, Art Religion and Music , Kassel 2015, p. 19
- ↑ Musikalische Bibliothek , III.3 [1747], p. 583. ( source online ) .
- ↑ Aertsen 1998, p. 307ff .; 318f.l James of Lüttich refers with his expanded concept of music and with the title of his work to the biblical passage from the first Corinthian letter of Paul (13, 12): "videmus nunc per speculum et in aenigmate, tunc autem facie ad faciem" ("We now see each other through a mirror in a riddle, but then face to face."), Cf. the almost literal quotation, which then refers to the musica coelestis , in Speculum musicae (Edition Bragard 1955, I, 12, p. 41). This vision of God refers to the angels and the homines sancti who could see God face to face.
- ↑ Source online .
- ↑ cf. Jochen Arnold: Talking about God poetically and musically - God's hidden and obvious action in Bach's cantatas , Göttingen 2009, p. 60.
- ^ Rolf Dammann, On the theory of music by Andreas Werckmeister, in: Archiv für Musikwissenschaft 9 (1954), p. 206.
- ↑ Quoted from Oechsle / Sponheuer 2015, p. 9.
literature
- Lutz Felbick : Lorenz Christoph Mizler de Kolof - pupil of Bach and Pythagorean "Apostle of Wolffian Philosophy" (University of Music and Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig - Writings, Volume 5), Georg-Olms-Verlag, Hildesheim 2012, ISBN 978- 3-487-14675-1 .
- Siegfried Oechsle / Bernd Sponheuer (eds.), Art Religion and Music (Kieler Schriften zur Musikwissenschaft Vol. LIII), Kassel 2015
- Jan A. Aertsen, Speculum musicae as a mirror of philosophy, in: Music - and the history of philosophy and natural sciences in the Middle Ages , ed. by Frank Hentschel, Cologne 1998, pp. 305–321.