Music, Magic, and Humanism in Late Sixteenth-Century Venice: Fabio Paolini and the Heritage of Ficino, Vicentino, and Zarlino

Abstract

This paper examines the musical chapters in the Hebdomades (1589), an encyclopedic commentary by the humanist Fabio Paolini on a single line of Vergil (Aeneid VI.646: ‘Obloquitur numeris septem discrimina vocum’). This book, originally given as a series of lectures before the Accademia degli Uranici in Venice, shows that Paolini, though not a professional musician, had read a variety of musical writers, such as Boethius, Vanneo, Vicentino, and his friend Zarlino, as well as the philosopher Marsilio Ficino, whose works also include discussions of musical matters. As a professional Hellenist, Paolini was better acquainted with the surviving Greek musical writings than most music theorists, and he gives valuable information about Greek manuscripts owned by Zarlino. However, the Hebdomades also show that Paolini’s practical understanding of music theory was a little shaky. Furthermore, his comments betray a distinct humanist disdain for the music of his own time. Paolini’s work thus gives a good indication of...