The concept of rhetorical-musical figure in the treatises Musica Poetica (1606) by Joachim Burmeister and Musices poeticae, sive De compositione cantus praeceptiones (1613) by Johannes Nucius.

• Grant number: 23/17857-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Arts - Music
• Principal Investigator: Monica Isabel Lucas
• Grantee: Pedro Seara Pastor
• Host Institution: Escola de Comunicações e Artes (ECA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/07761-4 - Reconsidering the Figurenlehre in light of the treatises Musica Poetica (Joachim Burmeister, 1606) and Musices Poeticae (Johannes Nucius, 1613), BE.EP.MS

Abstract

Between the 16th and 18th centuries, a series of musical treatises relating aspects of the rhetorical discipline to the compositional act were produced in the regions where the Lutheran Reformation was in force. This new way of musical thought was called musica poetica. Within the time frame of musica poetica, the 17th century appears to be the period of assimilation of the concept of rhetorical figures for musical composition. This research aims to analyze the concept of figure in two of the most important treatises of the time, Musica Poetica (1606) by Joachim Burmeister (1564-1629) and Musices poeticae, sive De compositione cantus praeceptiones (1613) by Johannes Nucius (1556-1620). Following the conventions of the 17th century and based on discussions in linguistic literature, this research will seek to define the concept of figure in each of the two treatises. By comparing them, we will primarily investigate how the relationship between a musical figure and a non-figure is conceived. In this way, we hope to shed light on the nature and vicissitudes of the conceptualization of musical rhetorical figures.