Ru
EnZh. Savitskaya
The features of Wolfgang Caspar Printz’s “Historical description…”
This article presents an analytical examination of the treatise Historische Beschreibung der edelen Singund Kling-Kunst (“Historical Description of the Noble Art of Vocal and Instrumental Music”, 1690) by the German music theorist and historian Wolfgang Caspar Printz. Recognized as one of the earliest significant works on music history written in German, this treatise is explored in terms of its methodological, stylistic, and conceptual features, highlighting its crucial role in the development of Baroque-era music historiography.
As the article argues, Printz constructs his historical account by systematically organizing disparate facts from various sources in an effort to create a coherent and comprehensive narrative. His work follows a strict chronological sequence, allowing individual elements to be woven into a unified historical continuum. Furthermore, the inclusion of numerous historical anecdotes about musicians of the past makes the treatise accessible to a broad readership.
A central idea of the treatise is the divine origin of music. Printz presents music as a God creation, endowed with specific purposes and properties, ranging from its profound influence on the human soul to its supposed power to drive away evil spirits. The author also engages with the long-standing debate on the superiority of ancient versus contemporary music, aiming to demonstrate the continuous progress of the musical art.
Despite later criticism of “Historical Description…”, Printz’s work marked a significant milestone in the formation of music historiography and had a lasting impact on subsequent scholarship in the field.
Key words
historiography, toposes, Baroque era, origin of music, benefit and misuse, musical progress.
For citation
Savitskaya Zh. The features of Wolfgang Caspar Printz’s “Historical description…”. In: South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2025. No. 1. Pp. 60–67.
