Singing with Vicentino’s organ

With my studies at the Schola Cantorum, my affinity for the music of the 17. and 18th century then became a profession. I actually discovered the music of the 16th century for myself only after my studies – via the path of the Arciorgano and Nicola Vicentino, who is in a way the protagonist in this concert program.

TC: As a Swiss lecturer at the Schola, you are almost an exception. Does the internationality of the conservatory inspire your work or do language barriers remain an issue at the “ETH of Basel”?

JK: It is definitely an irreplaceable enrichment to get to know so many people from different regions, with their own mentalities and ways of expression, so directly. I experienced this very strongly, especially as a student. Difficulties in communication are part of the daily routine, but with an alert mind and an open heart, solutions can always be found. One learns to express oneself in a differentiated way even beyond a mastery of language.

TC: You have made a name for yourself with the research project “Studio 31” and especially with Renaissance microtonal music. Can you briefly explain to our concert visitors what is meant by enharmonic tuning or an enharmonic instrument?

JK: That’s not an easy question! Answering them without getting lost in technical details is a real challenge. An attempt: Around Nicola Vicentino (Italy in the second third of the 16th century) a “modern music” had just been established, various innovations distinguished it from the old-fashioned way of writing music. Boundaries were explored, there was a lot of experimentation. Vicentino observed, however, that one particular element remained untouched in modern music: the gamut. This is a kind of universal scale, within which the intervals of all melodies and all harmony sounds had to be played.

Vicentino found a way to significantly expand this gamut by inserting numerous intermediate tones. He did not do this arbitrarily, however; rather, he broke down the components of normal modern music into their component parts, viewed them through the lens of ancient music theory, and reassembled them into a whole in a much more complex manner. In doing so, he followed the principle of the three ancient tones, the “diatonic”, the “chromatic” and the “enharmonic”. The latter requires the smallest and thus most unusual tone steps. Thus, when one speaks of “enharmonic music” in the context of Vicentino, one is referring to a type of polyphony that operates with extraordinarily small intervals.

TC: You also collaborate with contemporary composers. This raises the question of whether it is easier to build bridges to the present from the experimental and improvisational world of early music than, say, from the classical or romantic periods?

JK: Bridges are actually quite natural to build in the case of 16th century, especially for Nicola Vicentino and those of contemporary music. This may have to do with the fact that pitch systems were still negotiable at that time and did not follow binding international conventions, as can be observed from the 18th century onwards. However, if you focus on the numerous other aspects that make up music, you would certainly find it in later eras. I would be careful to answer your question in a generally positive way.

TC: Regarding the reconstruction of the organ or a harpsichord with 36 keys per octave, allow me to refer to the program of our Vicentino concert in the Barfüsserkirche in Basel. Rather, as a final question, I am interested in her assessment of the new appeal of Renaissance music. Is it just awakening from a slumber and will soon experience similar flights of fancy as baroque music, or will its intimacy remain largely reserved for a niche audience?

JK: I am not able to give such a prognosis, I am not sure if that is even possible. But I observe that certain present-day tendencies are found in particular density in the past of Western culture. From my point of view, there is a certain resonance between the increase in awareness of diversity that can be observed everywhere today and eras that were characterized by upheaval more than by standardization and uniformity. Another tendency is the increasing need for a counterpoint to the scientific-technological perspective. I also feel that this resonates with a society in which multiple perspectives could seemingly coexist as a matter of course.

It is hard to imagine what would have happened if he had been successful … Our music today, for example, would certainly sound different, since he had Don Nicola Vicentino in his service, who had novel and quite unheard-of musical ideas – and also put them into audible practice. In 1561, for example, he had the arciorgano built in Venice, an organ with 36 notes in the octave, in order to imitate the subtle subtleties of different languages and thus singing styles, and to accompany each with consonances. After this organ was rebuilt at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Vicentino’s ideas can be verified – but listen for yourself!

Martin Kirnbauer