46. While the old masters were thus eagerly engaged in improving harmony, and exerting their ingenuity and indus try in Canon and Fugue, melody or air was in a great mea sure neglected. "lir had no existence but in the national tunes of different countries, handed down, perhaps by tra dition, from the songs of the Troubadours, the wandering minstrels of the affe of chivalry; or produced by unknown jongleurs and vioCars, as dance tunes. About the middle of the 16th century, musicians began to harmonize these tunes, and to compose variations to theni for keyed instruments. " The first secular music in parts," says Dr. Burney, " that I have been able to discover on the Continent, is the har mony that was set to the rustic and street tunes of the king dont of Naples; and these under the several denominations of Aric, Canzonettc, Villotte, and Villanelle alla tana, were as much in fashion all over Europe, during the Ifith century, as Provencal songs were in preceding times, and Ven-lian ballads have been since. Besides the old tunes, which were collected and published in four parts, others were composed, not only by the natives, but in imi tation of these short primitive airs, by almost all the princi pal composers of other places, of which innumerable vo lumes were printed at Venice, Antwerp, and elsewhere, un der the same titles. Indeed, with respect to Air, which consists in symmetry and grace, it was long unprincipled; and, till the establishment of operas, no better was perhaps produced than are to be found among the Neapolitan Villa nelle: for during these times even the key was seldom ascer tained; and the number of bars are, indeed, still more regu lar by chance and sensibility, perhaps, than principle. The repetition of a lucky series of notes, by which they are more deeply impressed on the mind of the hearer, was hardly be gun to be practised so late as the sixteenth century; though in the next, the secret was not only found, but men of small genius and resources mailed themselves of it to a disgusting degree." 47. At the same time another species of secular music prevailed, under the name of Madrigals. These were vo cal compositions in many parts, generally in fugue. They do not seem to have contributed greatly to the improvement of melody; but as greater freedom of combination and mo dulation were allowed, than in the church, these secular compositions afforded an opportimity to ingenious men of trying new effects, by which the bounds of harmony- were enlarged.
48. One of the most successful of these innovators, was Claudio Monteverde, of Cremona. In 1582, he published I\ladrigals for three, four, and five voices, in the style of the times; but his courage increasing, he ventured, in subse quent productions, to violate many rules of counterpoint, which having been long established, were held sacred by orthod'ox professors. Ile was severely attacked by many, and especially by Artusi of Bologna. Alonteverde's licenses, however, pleasing the public ear, were soon adopted by all, and brought about a revolution in harmony. Since that time, every fortunate breach of an old rule seems to be re garded as the establishment of a new one; by which means, says Dr. Burney, the code is so enlarged that we may almost pronounce every thing to be allowable in musical composi tion that does not offend cultivated ears. Monteverde was the first who used double discords, such as the 9, 2, and 4 27, as well as the lesser fifth ancl seventh, without prepa ration.
It was not only by the use of these discords that he im proved music, for by quitting the eceesiastical modulation in his secular productions, he determined the key of each movement, smoothed and phrased the melody, and made all his parts sing in a more natural and flowing manner than bad been done by any of his predecessors.
49. The beginning of the 17th century is a notable era in the history of music. About the year 1600, the invention of Recitative by JACOPO PERT, at Florence, and by Emtwo DEL CAVELJERE, at Rome, gave birth to the Opera and the Oratorio. The success of Peri's musica parlante, in his operas of Dafne and Euridice, whiclt last was composed and performed at Florence, on occasion of the marriage of Henry IV. of France with Mary de !Medici, excited the emu lation of all the musicians of Italy ; and their united efiltrts, and progressive improvements, brought melody to its highest perfection.
50. Monteverde was among the first who emulated Ja copo Peri, in his new invention. His opera of Ariadne had great success, and was among the first that were published with the music. Frotn this opera we shall give, as a speci men of the harmony of that age, a dance tune, alla Maresca. It is coraposed in five parts, and being in simple counter point, is a better example of the harmonies a good composer chose, than a composition in lupe would be.
This :Maresca consists of one strain, repeated in four keys, G and C major, A and D minor. We niay ask, which is the principal key? There being neither sharp nor fiat at the clef, seems to indicate C; but the air neither be gins nor ends in that key. In the major mode the harmony is much the same as a composer of the present day might employ. To the third note in the bass, (A in the key of 0, D in that of C) modern would prefer the chord of the greater sixth, second inversion of the dominant, to the common chord here given to it, 'Plie chord of the major "ith to the fourth of the key, resolving by the diatonic ascent of the bass on the lending chord, is not so usual now as it once was : the chord of the 6tb or 6 is preferred. The 5 ascent of the minor 7th of the leading chord in the melody, (3d bar) while the bass takes the third of the key, is a li cense still practised by good composers. But the harmony in the two minor keys is very curious. The fifth of the key has a minor chord, though it is to be followed by the chord of the key. In A this is the case, even when the imitation of the air in the principal rnelody requires G)'6. It is only in the final close that the leading chord has a major third; yet lie has thought it necessary to give the fourth of the key (proceeding to the fifth) a •major third. A modern com poser would have just reversed the matter: He would have reckoned the minor harmonv admissible to the fourth; but the major indispensable to the fifth. In both these minor strains the conclusion is a major chord, which the French call the Tierce de Picardie. The major common chord being reckoned the most perfect harmony, it was a rule in the church to end every composition with that harmony. Padre Martini recommends the practice, and Dr. Burney approves of it, in ecclesiastical music. In secular music, it is a rule more honoured in the breach than in the observance. These remarks show that music was not yet delivered from the trammels of the ecclesiastical modes, and that the minor mode, as now understood, was not as yet completely esta blished.