TY - JOUR
AU1 - Baines, Emily
AB - Understanding music of the past beyond a superficial level is impossible without being cognizant of the people who created, performed and listened to it. Research into automata and automatic musical instruments can be particularly valuable here, as it offers insights into the links between scientific innovation, artistic endeavour and public reception (often documented via a wealth of anecdotal evidence, owing to the spectacles created by such machines). Patrizio Barbieri’s work, including three books and over 130 articles over the past 40 years, will be known to many readers interested in organology and particularly the acoustics of historical instruments. This book’s aim, clearly stated in the preface, is ‘documenting the evolution of [hydraulic musical] automata, together with other kinds of ingenia, in Italy, placing them in their European context and investigating both their mechanism and their symbolism’. Much of the volume is based on articles published between 1981 and 2007, but in reworking this material Barbieri has avoided the repetition which can so easily arise in collected works of this nature. He is also considerate of readers who may not want to read the whole book from beginning to end, and provides a concise summary of the subject matter in his preface, a detailed index, and an extensive list of works cited at the end. The book is divided into two parts: the first ten chapters (A–J) referring to water-organs and their related hydraulically driven automata, and the following seven chapters (K–Q) dealing with other ingenia which may or may not have been water-driven or had hydraulic elements. The central topic is the reconstruction of the water-organ at Villa d’Este at Tivoli between 1998 and 2003, in which Barbieri was closely involved. This organ appears to have been the first instrument of its kind built in the Italian Renaissance, although hydraulic automata had been constructed as far back as the late 13th century (and were described by Guillaume de Machaut as ‘wonders’ and ‘strange things’). The discussion of this reconstruction is fascinating for specialists in historical performance, since many of the problems encountered mirror issues that we also face in our practice, and it is always of interest to observe how other fields resolve the practical questions that historical sources inevitably raise. The Villa d’Este reconstruction gives Barbieri a unique, practical viewpoint on the mechanics of hydraulic instruments, lending credence to his assessment of the viability of the other instruments documented in this volume. Chapters A and B launch the reader immediately into the technical basis for many of the automata, the Aeolian chamber out of which air is forced by water flowing in and the different systems by which this might operate, along with their various advantages and drawbacks. He shows how the systems designed by Hero of Alexandria in the 1st century ce were adapted and improved by 9th-century Arab scholars such as the Banū Mūsā brothers, creating technical systems employed for industrial means (such as cooling systems in mines and even early air-conditioning systems in elite residences) as well as for automata. He then outlines the uses of this knowledge made by engineers between the 13th and 17th centuries, and the different solutions postulated to overcome mechanical or aesthetic shortcomings or technical hurdles. The chapters include many diagrams of different mechanisms as proposed by various designers along with detailed discussion of their physical operation. These can be mathematically dense to read as a music scholar, but are well worth the effort, not least for the thought-provoking links they offer between organology and the history of other facilities and industries. Barbieri is meticulous in explaining the diagrams he provides, making these accessible to non-specialist readers; however, the close positioning of related diagrams and the use of alphabetical labelling systems can sometimes cause confusion as to which diagram he is explaining. These initial chapters, though illuminating, are a dense read, and readers seeking an introduction to the rise and fall of hydraulic automata may wish to begin with Chapters C and D. Here Barbieri introduces the water-organ found in the grounds of the Villa d’Este and its historic context, showing how it was a culmination of ideas and practices in the 16th century, and also a catalyst for further innovation thereafter (not least because this instrument was rebuilt in the following century). Chapter E reports on the reconstruction of the d’Este water-organ from the masonry remnants of the 17th-century remodelling of the original organ. The philosophical considerations underpinning this reconstruction raise important issues for any researcher-practitioners working with historical materials. Should our reconstructions prioritize the historical moment when all technical ‘problems’ had been solved, or is it more valuable to understand the intervening stages in the development of these instruments, with all their perceived ‘flaws’, which were nonetheless marvellous to their exponents and the contemporary public? Often there is more documentation of the later stages, which from a practical perspective may be easier to research and market to a modern public eager for an ‘authentic’ artefact. But earlier stages may have huge importance and beauty as well, as has been shown in other aspects of the historically informed performance movement. Barbieri regularly points out intriguing links between previous and later events, machines and documents. Many readers will be aware of the inventions of Hero of Alexandria, the machine designs of Leonardo da Vinci, and the work of Athanasius Kircher and Salomon de Caus, all of which were ingenious but frequently were not realized in practice. This book provides many connections between these historically disparate figures, and shows how their ideas were practically realized by others. Chapter N details Kircher’s ‘Vulcan’s Forge’ (propounded in his Musurgia universalis) which was intended to reanimate the famous Pythagorean hammers by which the philosopher ascertained the existence of the harmonic series. Barbieri connects this conceptual automaton with ideas conceived by Giovanni Battista Aleotti in 1589, and put into practice by Giulio Parigi in the Pitti Palace in the 1610s. He then discusses the eventual realization of Kircher’s conception in the early 18th century and the use of Vulcan (maker of weapons for the deities) as a political symbol by the Medici family. Barbieri’s writings often cover long time-spans, as for example with his previous books Physics of wind instruments and organ pipes 1100–2010 (Latina, 2013) and Enharmonic instruments and music 1470–1900 (Latina, 2008). This allows for connections to be made across time periods, and patterns to be established. However, his admirable thoroughness can make such accounts a little unwieldy, particularly as his discussion often refers both forward and backwards in time, to characters or events that the reader may not yet have fully encountered. The comprehensive index provided is invaluable in these instances. Of particular interest to me were musical scores of the pieces possibly composed for the automata, as well as the details of the research linking them to these mechanical instruments. I equally appreciated the full translations of primary sources (also included in their original languages). These include diaries from visitors and manufacturers, financial accounts, and much more. They provide historical and technical details but also give a glimpse into how these ingenia and scherzi d’aqua were perceived by visitors at all levels of expertise. House-guests who were soaked at parties, as an outdoor eating area was artificially flooded and then drained as if by magic, seemed to find this most amusing (although one wonders if such feelings were not universal). What were their reactions to soldier-automata firing what we might term ‘water-pistols’ at unsuspecting visitors, or to the hydraulically produced sounds of gunfire? Clearly these mechanical instruments must have been well received, as they remained in place for years, to be visited by many across Europe. We also glimpse the lives and attitudes of the tourists who travelled to these great estates to view the houses and gardens, along with the tour guides who led them through the gardens with rehearsed speeches and even embryonic versions of guide-books. Furthermore, the historical documents illustrate not only the successes in the evolution of technologies but also the failures, faulty calculations and misunderstandings, giving a sense of the ingenuity of the engineers and theorists who were developing solutions to problems which had never been encountered before. Also revealing are the frequent depictions of scenes from daily life as often found in automata. A common assumption about automatic musical instruments is that the maker sought to produce effects which no human could (or would wish to) achieve. However, unearthly or impracticable actions are rare, usually encountered only when deities are represented. Instead the artisan makers showed their virtuosity in the accurate portrayal of the realistic and day-to-day: for example, peasants working in fields, or chirping birds which cease their song as a predatory owl appears, only to nervously resume as it retreats. The music played by water- (and other mechanical) organs may aspire to emulate that of the ‘best hands’, but it must still adhere to standards of taste or the thrill is diminished. Nature in her reality is the miracle to which artisans aspire in their creations. Barbieri’s book then documents the decline in the condition and reception of these ingenia. Chapter H shows that the statue che suonano, constructed at the Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati, for which Barbieri has traced specific scores, was very well received for the first century or so of its existence but by the 18th century French tourists were distinctly underwhelmed by its playing, possibly due to a lack of upkeep but also possibly because by this time France had become a centre for automata and mechanical music (as shown by the work of Jacques de Vaucanson and the writings of Marie Dominique Joseph Engramelle). Evidently the Italians set this artistic genre (literally) in motion, but their efforts had fallen out of fashion by the time other areas of Europe began driving it forward. Appreciation of the value of mechanical and automatic musical instruments to the practice of historical performance has been growing in recent years, particularly because the surviving artefacts or the documentation associated with them can be extremely precise in giving instructions about performance effects. Organology is closely linked with performance practice, and research of this type shows how an understanding of the working of these instruments can directly inform modern performers. No other monograph on this topic encompasses a similarly wide time-span, geographical coverage and level of detail. As such, this book will be an essential text on this subject, and its relatively inexpensive price is to be welcomed. Many readers will be fascinated by the technical accomplishments of ancient and early societies revealed in this book. The study of the reception of these instruments also lends credence to other areas of research into mechanical musical instruments, as a source of direct evidence to inform historical performers. © Crown copyright 2020. This article contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/).
TI - Water wonderlands
JF - Early Music
DO - 10.1093/em/caaa069
DA - 2020-11-17
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/oxford-university-press/water-wonderlands-X8sxAVV0kX
SP - 579
EP - 581
VL - 48
IS - 4
DP - DeepDyve
ER -