BETWEEN UNCERTAINTY AND EVIDENCE: THE FIRST WRITTEN WITNESSES TO WESTERN POLYPHONY
BETWEEN UNCERTAINTY AND EVIDENCE: THE FIRST WRITTEN WITNESSES TO WESTERN POLYPHONY
Author(s): Pavel-Vlad CerlincăSubject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, History of Church(es), Theology and Religion, Religion and science , Biblical studies, Systematic Theology, Eastern Orthodoxy, Sociology of Religion, History of Religion, Psychology of Religion
Published by: Editura Arhipelag XXI
Keywords: polyphony; uncertainty; multipart music; medieval liturgical music; organum;
Summary/Abstract: This article examines the beginnings of Western polyphony from the perspective of the tension between uncertainty and written evidence. It first discusses the difficulty of defining polyphony, especially in relation to the broader concept of multipart music and to different plurivocal traditions. The study then focuses on the medieval West, where early polyphonic practice gradually moved from oral transmission and practical experience toward theoretical explanation and musical notation. Particular attention is given to Musica enchiriadis, Scolica enchiriadis, Guido d’Arezzo’s pedagogical contribution and the Winchester Troper. These sources are understood not as signs of a fully mature system, but as witnesses to a gradual process through which Western liturgical polyphony became more stable, teachable and transmissible.
Journal: Journal of Romanian Literary Studies
- Issue Year: 2026
- Issue No: 45
- Page Range: 1077-1087
- Page Count: 11
- Language: Romanian
