Music Theory as Practice

Pedagogical Traditions between Naples and Paris in the 18th and 19th Centuries

Abstract

For many years, Carl Dahlhaus’s perspective dominated: after the eighteenth century, Italian music theory—apart from Giuseppe Tartini’s speculative works and Padre Martini’s scholarly writings—had no impact beyond “the Alps”. However, this assertion is not supported by the extensive body of sources related to the teaching of musical composition of nineteenth century, particularly from France (solfège, accompagnement, harmonie pratique, contrepoint, and marches harmoniques). This article offers an overview of the teaching of practical counterpoint (solfeggio, partimento, and written counterpoint) in eighteenth-century Naples, and subsequently traces its influence on professional music education in nineteenth-century Paris — mainly at the Conservatoire, but also within the Maîtrises. Drawing on a variety of primary sources, we aim to demonstrate that what we now refer to as “theoretical disciplines” were in fact integral to the domain of practical music-making. Moreover, we argue that, despite the challenges such sources may present to modern scholars, their study can yield valuable insights for contemporary music pedagogy.