It Wasn't Easy

The development and growth of music notation did not happen accidentally, quickly, nor haphazardly. It was a deliberate but difficult process demonstrating great sacrifice and dedication to the truth. Like many great inventions, music notation became what it is today partly due to the desire of the people to have music in their hand and partly due to the relentless tenacity of one man who found a better way and did not give up in his quest for improvement.

Without the printing press, computers, cell phones, cds, and recorded music, maintaining consistent performance of music was hit or miss at best and entirely dependent on the oral tradition and the teaching of the so-called experts in music. To an extent, music belonged to the people, but was reserved for the elites to understand and to offer their inside knowledge whenever necessary. Like a faucet with an on/off valve, the leaders, generally a branch of the papacy, would govern the knowledge that would be allowed to be released to the people. This practice then gave the authority to those in the know, to the elite group of music readers with the special gifts and abilities to read and understand the secret code called music.

Recall that the educational system was closely tied to the religious orders of the time with the teachers being pulled directly from the Roman-Catholic churches and monasteries. Education, as it has always been, was limited to the resources available, which included physical materials, human ingenuity, and the accepted systems for teaching whatever particular discipline was being taught. While many may disagree, it has been argued that the finest education does indeed occur through direct connection to the church and its teachings. And yet, there is also little doubt that when ideas of an individual are squelched, the result is a deplorable lack of progress. Society and culture grow dramatically from the creative spirit of a person with ideas.

Originally, the system for teaching music was based on church modes, unison melodies, and neumatic notation with the oral tradition having more influence than the written notes. The teachers and musicians were limited to both the prescribed neumatic system and the tradition of music presentation in the church. But limits do not imply a lack of expression, for the music was beautiful, engaging, and spiritual. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=MZ8iRv67lVM&mode=related&search=) The challenge was not in advancing the case for greater complexity, but rather to teach the precise expectation of that which was required in performance. The clergy were restricted by a difficult system that was not easily understood by the common people. Since knowledge is power, the mysteries of music notation gave them a misguided sense of autonomy over the people.

It was the heroism of one man who countered the authorities and sought a way to demystify the notation of music and thus bring music to all the people, making it available to the common man. His name was Guido (995-1050) of Arezzo and he is one of the earliest and most significant music educators in history. Although his treatise, Micrologus (c.1025), is an important an early source for understanding the development of polyphony and ultimately harmony in music, it was his contributions and innovations in the area of music notation that he placed his handprint on the world.

In Guido's efforts to teach students music, he used a remarkably simple but effective tool--his own hand. By pointing to and eventually using a drawing of his own hand, he developed an advanced system of what is referred to as solmization, or the use of Do, Re, Mi to teach the order of pitches in music. For his efforts and remarkable invention, which quickly became a threat to the old ways, Guido was removed from his position at the monastery he resided and opened shop somewhere else. But as it is impossible to stop the tide of truth, and great ideas cannot be kept within the walls, the Guidonian Hand found an excited audience in the people desperate to read music and to have music around them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guidonian_hand

Guido's invention, which ultimately lead to the five line staff that we use today, gave us tools to understand and to apply one of God's greatest gifts, the gift of music. Guido and his method were eventually, but not without pain, accepted and supported by Pope John which led him to return to his home in Arezzo. For a more detailed expository of his life and contributions please read: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07065a.htm.

While it was not easy, and took sacrifice, tenacity, and commitment, we owe it to Guido d'Arezzo for bringing music to the people and giving all of us an opportunity to experience and enjoy the power of music. Music is indeed a universal language, a language for everyone, and music belongs to the people and mostly in the hands of people. We owe a special thank you to Guido for handing us the system of music we use today.