Arti musices, Vol. 43 No. 2, 2012.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
Paideia and the Neo-Platonic Ideas on Music Education and Culture in Renaissance Dubrovnik in the Works by Nikola Vitov Gučetić (1549-1610)
Monika Jurić
orcid.org/0000-0003-1507-4179
; Muzička akademija Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Odsjek za muzikologiju, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Music played a specific role in Renaissance Dubrovnik, which is best proved in texts left by Dubrovnik Renaissance thinkers. One of the outstanding personalities among them was Nikola Vitov Gučetić, who was held in high esteem by his contemporaries, being elected seven times to the position of the Dubrovnik Duke. Thus, his ideas on music and culture in general could be considered as widely shared and accepted among the Dubrovnik intellectuals of his time. Gučetić treated music subjects in shorter passages in three of his works: Dialogo della bellezza (Dialogue on Beauty, 1581), Governo della famiglia (The Governing of the Family, 1589), Dello stato delle republiche (On the State of the Republics, 1591). When writing about music, Gučetić always put it into the same context — the paideia. As is well known, the notion of paideia referred in ancient Greece, not only to education and learning but also to the totality of the cultural and ethical experience.
In analysing the three above-mentioned works, it is obvious that his thoughts on music had been mostly influenced by Plato’s Republic and Laws, as well as Aristotle’s Politics. Plato’s influence is manifested above all in Gučetić’s pleading for the homogeneity of paideia. Along with Plato, Gučetić proclaimed that the greatest significance in the part of paideia dealing with spiritual issues should be given to music. However, Gučetić also moved away from Plato by pointing out the diversity of individual human beings. Regarding Aristotle’s influence on Gučetić, several aspects should be sorted out. Firstly, Gučetić accepted Aristotle’s introducing of the idea of plurality in the discussion on the functions of music. Gučetić saw one of the final goals of music in its function within leisure time, but differed from Aristotle when talking about leisure time as something damaging for paideia. Secondly, Gučetić took over from Aristotle the notion of music as a necessity, not only within paideia but for human life in its totality. Thirdly, Gučetić agreed with Aristotle that practical learning of music should be introduced into paideia. However, in this aspect, too, he shifted away from Aristotle, talking about the agreeableness brought to men by practical musicmaking, while in this context Aristotle mentioned only gaining experience necessary for the later assessment of music.
It can be concluded that Gučetić’s thoughts on music did not remain at the level of mere taking over of ideas produced by two greatest philosophers of Antiquity. Certainly, Gučetić did adopt particular ideas from both ancient thinkers, but he produced his own specific Neo-Platonic/Neo-Aristotelian compound, offering his personal version of an original notional "third way". In this, a swing from the initial juvenile Platonic metaphysical standpoint to a more down-to-earth Aristotelian standpoint could be traced, where Gučetić’s own successful engagement as politician and statesman certainly played a decisive role. Thus, his speculative thoughts on music in general can be regarded as both reflections and direction-giving references on the specific Dubrovnik cultural and social environment of the late 16th century.
Ključne riječi
music; Renaissance Dubrovnik; Nikola Vitov Gučetić; culture; paideia; Neo-Platonism; Neo-Aristotelism
Hrčak ID:
96175
URI
Datum izdavanja:
23.11.2012.
Posjeta: 1.785 *