Meaning of Quadrivium in Music
The term "quadrivium" refers to a specific division of the seven liberal arts in medieval education. It consists of four subjects: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. The quadrivium was considered the more advanced division of the liberal arts, building upon the foundation of the trivium, which included grammar, logic, and rhetoric .
In the context of music, the quadrivium focused on the study of harmonics and the proportions between musical intervals created by the division of a monochord. However, it is important to note that the study of music within the quadrivium did not include a direct relationship to music as it was practiced at the time. Instead, it primarily explored the theoretical aspects of music, particularly its relationship to number and time.
The quadrivium's inclusion of music as a subject reflects the belief that music is a fundamental aspect of the universe and has inherent mathematical and harmonic principles. This understanding influenced the development of music theory in both European and Islamic cultures.
It is worth mentioning that the quadrivium's classification of music as a subject was formalized by Boethius and remained a significant part of the medieval monastic system of education for over a millennium.
One of the divisions of the seven liberal arts studied in Medieval times. The seven were divided into the mathematical four, the quadrivium, which included arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, and music, and the trivium (rhetorical three), grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
Leave a Reply