Theory of harmony
Date
14 May 1664
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p155
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 307mm
width (page): 190mm
width (page): 190mm
Subject
Description
Figures illustrating proportions of harmony in John Wallis's letter to Henry Oldenburg dated 14 May 1664. It was read at the meeting of the Royal Society on 18 May 1664.
The diagrams in the original letter are at EL/W1/8/002.
The diagrams in the original letter are at EL/W1/8/002.
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 18 May 1664, ‘The secretary produced two letters written to him from Oxford by Dr. Wallis, one of May 7 1664, and the other of May 14, containing his thoughts upon the musical proposals of Mr. Berchensha. It was ordered, that these letters should be referred to the president to peruse and consider them, and to make report thereof to the society; and that Dr. Cotton should be added to the musical committee appointed April 20, 1664’ (Birch 1:425-26).
John Birchensha’s paper on music had been read earlier on 27 April 1664, ‘wherein he gave an account of the desiderata of music, and undertook to bring the art of music to that perfection that even those, who could neither sing nor play, should be able, by his rules, to make good airs, and compose two, three, or more parts artificially’ (Birch 1:418).
John Birchensha’s paper on music had been read earlier on 27 April 1664, ‘wherein he gave an account of the desiderata of music, and undertook to bring the art of music to that perfection that even those, who could neither sing nor play, should be able, by his rules, to make good airs, and compose two, three, or more parts artificially’ (Birch 1:418).
Related fellows
John Wallis (1650, British) , Mathematician
Henry Oldenburg (1612 - 1677, German) , Scientific correspondent
Henry Oldenburg (1612 - 1677, German) , Scientific correspondent
Associated place