Musica Ficta in Music
Musica ficta is a term used in European music theory from the late 12th century to about 1600. It refers to pitches, whether notated or added at the time of performance, that lie outside the system of musica recta or musica vera ("correct" or "true" music) as defined by the hexachord system of Guido of Arezzo.
In medieval music, musica ficta referred to notes that were not included within the authorized gamut established by Guido of Arezzo. Performers would add accidentals (sharps, flats, or naturals) to avoid forbidden dissonant intervals, such as tritones, that were not specified in the written notation and often went beyond the medieval musical gamut.
Today, the term musica ficta is often loosely applied to all unnotated inflections that must be inferred from the musical context and added either by an editor or by performers themselves. It is important to note that some of the words used in modern reference books to represent musica ficta, such as "inflection," "alteration," and "added accidentals," may lie outside the way many Medieval and Renaissance theorists described the term.
Musica ficta played a significant role in shaping the performance practice of medieval and Renaissance music, allowing performers to navigate the complexities of harmony and create a more pleasing musical experience.
A Medieval term describing all those notes in use at the time that are not to be found on the Guidonian hand. This term is also used to describe those notes that a modern performer would change by a semitone when playing Medieval music; these alterations are not written into the manuscript.
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