A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Yriarte, Tomas

by Edward John Payne

YRIARTE, Don Tomas De, author of a Spanish poem on music published in 1779. The work, which is in irregular metre, is divided into five cantos. The first two deal with elements such as the notes, scales and ornaments, and with musical expression in its various branches. In the third, which treats of Church music, the writer distinguishes three principal species—(1) the Gregorian, having no measure of time in its five varieties; (2) the Mixed or Florid, measured by common or triple time, admitting of various cadences and ornaments; and (3) the Organic, to some extent a combination of the two former, in which both voices and instruments were employed. Here the writer takes occasion to praise the Spanish composers Patiño, Roldan, Garcia, Viana, Guerrero, Vittoria, Ruiz, Morales, Duron, Literes, San Juan, and Nebra. The canto closes with a description of the examinations for admission to the Royal Chapelle, from which it appears that candidates were required to show proficiency on the organ, violin, flute and hautboy, and to play sonatas at sight. The fourth canto treats of theatrical music: the shade of Jomelli appears, and after assigning to Spain the palm for pure vocal music, to Germany and Bohemia for instrumental, to France for science, and to Italy for the opera, gives a lengthened description of the Orchestra, of Recitative, 'greater than declamation, less than song,' which he limits to the compass of an octave, and of the Aria with its various graces, the Rondeau, Cavatina, Duos, Trios, Quartets, etc. Among dramatic authors the palm is assigned to Gluck, whose rivalry with Sacchini and Piccini was distracting the musical world. The fifth and last canto, which treats of chamber music, contains a long eulogy of Haydn, who is said to have enjoyed special appreciation in Madrid, where prizes were given for the best rendering of his compositions. The poem concludes with a wish for the establishment of a Royal Academy of Music. Not the least interesting portion of Yriarte's book is the Notes: altogether it presents an amusing picture of music a century ago, which may be compared with Salvator Rosa's Satire 'La Musica' a century earlier. It was translated into French, German and Italian; and an English version by John Belfour, who acknowledges the assistance of Dr. Burney, Dr. Callcott, and S. Wesley, was published in 1807.

[ E. J. P. ]