The Fundamenta compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Edition, Translation, and Commentary
Until now, scholars have generally doubted whether Johann Kuhnau, J. S. Bach’s predecessor as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, was indeed the author of the manuscript treatise, Fundamenta Compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Nevertheless the Fundamenta appears to originate from the Thomasschule around 1700, sug...
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Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie (GMTH)
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie |
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| Online Access: | https://storage.gmth.de/zgmth/pdf/1086 |
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| author | Frederik Kranemann Derek Remeš |
| author_facet | Frederik Kranemann Derek Remeš |
| author_sort | Frederik Kranemann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Until now, scholars have generally doubted whether Johann Kuhnau, J. S. Bach’s predecessor as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, was indeed the author of the manuscript treatise, Fundamenta Compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Nevertheless the Fundamenta appears to originate from the Thomasschule around 1700, suggesting that it may stem from Kuhnau’s broader circle. Moreover, recent research has revealed concordances between the Fundamenta and an anonymous manuscript titled Kurtze Verfaßung (“Brief Instruction”), in addition to a number of other sources. Thus, regardless of who compiled the Fundamenta, this manuscript is significant because it reveals the pedagogical priorities, or “fundamentals” (according to the title), that often lie buried in more discursive, theoretical treatises. Therefore the ultimate value of the Fundamenta is not its originality, but rather its explication of topics such as consonance and dissonance, modes, clausulae, cadences, invertible counterpoint, and fugue in a highly condensed, practical manner with numerous musical examples. The Fundamenta is thus an excellent resource for historically informed analysis and composition at the turn of the eighteenth century, before thoroughbass accompaniment displaced vocal polyphony as the dominant pedagogical paradigm in compositional instruction. Part one of this article explores the Fundamenta’s provenance in detail; part two provides a transcription and English translation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f42788a575814efab06eecccb7c8b7de |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1862-6742 |
| language | deu |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie (GMTH) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie |
| spelling | doaj-art-f42788a575814efab06eecccb7c8b7de2025-02-02T01:37:04ZdeuGesellschaft für Musiktheorie (GMTH)Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie1862-67422020-12-0117216318010.31751/10861086The Fundamenta compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Edition, Translation, and CommentaryFrederik KranemannDerek RemešUntil now, scholars have generally doubted whether Johann Kuhnau, J. S. Bach’s predecessor as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, was indeed the author of the manuscript treatise, Fundamenta Compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Nevertheless the Fundamenta appears to originate from the Thomasschule around 1700, suggesting that it may stem from Kuhnau’s broader circle. Moreover, recent research has revealed concordances between the Fundamenta and an anonymous manuscript titled Kurtze Verfaßung (“Brief Instruction”), in addition to a number of other sources. Thus, regardless of who compiled the Fundamenta, this manuscript is significant because it reveals the pedagogical priorities, or “fundamentals” (according to the title), that often lie buried in more discursive, theoretical treatises. Therefore the ultimate value of the Fundamenta is not its originality, but rather its explication of topics such as consonance and dissonance, modes, clausulae, cadences, invertible counterpoint, and fugue in a highly condensed, practical manner with numerous musical examples. The Fundamenta is thus an excellent resource for historically informed analysis and composition at the turn of the eighteenth century, before thoroughbass accompaniment displaced vocal polyphony as the dominant pedagogical paradigm in compositional instruction. Part one of this article explores the Fundamenta’s provenance in detail; part two provides a transcription and English translation.https://storage.gmth.de/zgmth/pdf/1086satzlehrecompositional theoryarchivforschungarchival studiesjohann kuhnauheinrich bokemeyergeorg österreich |
| spellingShingle | Frederik Kranemann Derek Remeš The Fundamenta compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Edition, Translation, and Commentary Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie satzlehre compositional theory archivforschung archival studies johann kuhnau heinrich bokemeyer georg österreich |
| title | The Fundamenta compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Edition, Translation, and Commentary |
| title_full | The Fundamenta compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Edition, Translation, and Commentary |
| title_fullStr | The Fundamenta compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Edition, Translation, and Commentary |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Fundamenta compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Edition, Translation, and Commentary |
| title_short | The Fundamenta compositionis Jean Kuhnaus 1703. Edition, Translation, and Commentary |
| title_sort | fundamenta compositionis jean kuhnaus 1703 edition translation and commentary |
| topic | satzlehre compositional theory archivforschung archival studies johann kuhnau heinrich bokemeyer georg österreich |
| url | https://storage.gmth.de/zgmth/pdf/1086 |
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