Manuel Bryennios: A Theorist of Byzantine Music
Erdinç Yalınkılıç, Nazife Oya Levendoğlu, Cenk GürayThis study examines the less known life and historical significance of Manuel Bryennios (M𝛼𝜈o𝜐𝜂𝜆 B𝜌𝜐𝜀𝜈𝜈𝜄o/Manouel Bryennios; circa 1275–1340). He was a theorist of Byzantine music who was active circa 1300 under the reign of Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos (1282–1328). The Introduction of the paper provides a brief overview of the history and tradition of medieval Byzantine music. This section is followed by a discussion of Manuel Bryennios’ life and the significance of his theoretical works in Byzantine music. According to the information obtained, his students included aristocrats such as Theodoros Metokhit es (Θ𝜖o𝛿𝜔𝜌o𝜁 M𝜀𝜏o𝜒𝜄𝜏𝜂𝜁; 1270–1332), who was the mesazon (chief minister) of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palailogos. As such, he is considered a representative of a theoretical school based in Constantinople and understood to be one of the last great music theorists. The music theory studies conducted by Bryennios are not only known in Medieval Byzantium but also considered important sources of information on ancient Greek music theory by Renaissance scholars. With this research on the life and music theory studies of this valuable theorist during the Byzantine period, this study aimed to increase the interest in research on Byzantine music in Turkey and to enrich intercultural studies by highlighting the figures and works in the music theory history of our geography.
Bizans Müzik Teorisyeni Manuel Bryennios
Erdinç Yalınkılıç, Nazife Oya Levendoğlu, Cenk GürayBu çalışmada, Bizans İmparatoru II. Andronikos Palaiologos’un (1282-1328) saltanatı altında 1300 yılı civarında faaliyet göstermiş Bizanslı müzik teorisyeni Manuel Bryennios’un (M𝛼𝜈o𝜐𝜂𝜆 B𝜌𝜐𝜀𝜈𝜈𝜄o𝜁/Manouel Bryennios 1275-1340 civarı) az bilinen yaşamı ve tarihsel önemi incelenmiştir. Araştırmanın giriş bölümünde Orta Çağ Bizans müziğinin kısa tarihi ve geleneği izah edilmiştir. Ardından, Manuel Bryennios’un yaşamı hakkında bilinenler ikincil kaynaklardan yapılan çeviriler ile ortaya konulmuş ve kuramsal çalışmalarının Bizans müzik teorisindeki yeri ve tarihsel önemi açıklanmıştır. Elde edilen bilgiler ışığında, öğrencileri arasında Bizans İmparatoru II. Andronikos Palailogos’un mesazonu (başyardımcısı) olan Theod ¯ oros Metokhites (Θ𝜖o𝛿𝜔𝜌o𝜁 M𝜀𝜏o𝜒𝜄𝜏𝜂𝜁; 1270-1332) gibi aristokratlar da bulunmakta olan Manuel Bryennios’un İstanbul merkezli "teorik ekolün" bir temsilcisi olarak Bizans’ın son büyük müzik teorisyenlerinden biri olduğu anlaşılmaktadır. Bryennios’un müzik teorisi çalışmalarının yalnız Orta Çağ Bizans’ında bilinmekle kalmayıp, Rönesans bilginlerince Antik Yunan müzik teorisi hakkında bilgiler veren önemli kaynaklardan biri olarak ele alındığı da görülmektedir. Bizans döneminin bu değerli kuramcısının yaşamı ve müzik teori çalışmaları üzerine yapılan bu araştırmayla, Türkiye’deki Bizans müziği ile ilgili araştırmalara olan ilginin artması ve coğrafyamızın müzik teori tarihindeki şahsiyet ve eserlerin ele alınarak kültürlerarası çalışmaların zenginleşmesi hedeflenmektedir.
The manner of thinking and philosophy of the ancient Greek civilization was preserved similar to a museum in a dried up or dull style after the end of the Great Roman Empire in the west under the barbarian invasion until the collapse of the eastern part of the empire centered on Constantinople. Many sources state that Rome inherited the Greek heritage in general but did not lead to much progress in the field of philosophy. Another aspect that is worth examining is the current issue on music. The Byzantine music theory staunchly adhered to the ancient Greek style of conveying music theory, thereby exemplifying the dull preservation mentioned earlier. The reasons underlying the fact that music theory studies were less intense during the Byzantine period are the church and the worship-centered use of music. In this context, music theory itself in Byzantium aims to convey the sacred texts, and musical patterns that contain religious meanings were not considered warmly or, at least, did not need to be questioned theoretically. Nevertheless, very few theorists in the medieval Byzantine period preserved, reiterated, and maintained substantial knowledge of ancient Greek music theory. Manuel Bryennios (M𝛼𝜈o𝜐𝜂𝜆 B𝜌𝜐𝜀𝜈𝜈𝜄o𝜁/Manouel Bryennios; circa 1275–1340) is one ¯ of the important theorists who brought the knowledge of Ancient Greece to the Renaissance by blending his music theory studies in Medieval Byzantium with the music practices of Byzantium. He was a Byzantine scholar, music theorist, and humanist under the reign of Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos (1282–1328). This study examines the less known life and historical significance of Bryennios. First, the paper presents a brief overview of the history and tradition of medieval Byzantine music. The next section describes available data on Manuel Bryennios and elucidates the place and historical importance of his theoretical works in Byzantine music theory. According to the information obtained, Manuel Bryennios acted as a representative of the theoretical school based in Constantinople. His students included aristocrats, such as Theodoros Metokhites (Θ𝜖o𝛿𝜔𝜌o𝜁 M𝜀𝜏o𝜒𝜄𝜏𝜂𝜁; 1270–1332), who was the mesazon¯ (chief minister) of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palailogos. He is understood as one of the last great music theorists. In this period, which can be called the Renaissance of the Palaiologan Period, arithmetic and geometry along with related sciences, astronomy, and music theory formed the Quadrivium, which comprises the sciences taught at the highest level of education. However, a few scholars of the Palaiologan period did not confine themselves to the teachings of ancient authorities, engaged in compiling original commentaries on these authorities, and, in certain cases, even suggested a break with tradition. The music theory studies of Bryennios have survived up to the present day as a large number of manuscripts since the 14𝑡 ℎ century. Giovanni Francesco Burana translated these manuscripts into Latin in the 15𝑡 ℎ century on behalf of the Italian mathematician, philologist, and translator Giorgio Valla and the most important music theorist of the 16𝑡 ℎ century, Italian Franchino Gaffurio. Bryennios’ work has earned a reputation in the medieval world for being the most outstanding and comprehensive source of ancient Greek music theory. This work, which is known as the Harmonica, maintains its unique and distinguished place among the Byzantine texts as one of the most important works that provide information about the ancient Greek music to Renaissance scholars today. In terms of the 14𝑡 ℎ-century Byzantine music theory, two schools are mentioned. The first, whose written sources date back to the 11𝑡 ℎ and 12𝑡 ℎ centuries, is the tradition of Hagiopolites, which has been the subject of many research until today. The second other is the theoretical school, which was developed in a Constantinople-based intellectual studies center represented by elites such as Georgios Pakhymeres ( Γ𝜀𝜔𝜌𝛾𝜄o𝜁 Π𝛼𝜒𝜐𝜇𝜀𝜌𝜂𝜁, 1242–ca 1310) and Manuel Bryennios. Although this theoretical school, which was developed on the basis of the Quadrivium of Ancient Greece, is important for the Greek language, handbooks addressing church practice are only practical music guides. The parallel existence of these two teachings gives the impression that the two traditions are ultimately trying to complement each other. Bryennios’ work is renowned for being a comprehensive compilation of classical Greek music theory. In Christian Eastern Rome, many of the ancient Greek teachings were problematic, because the name Hellen was associated with paganism. However, we find that Bryennios’ music theory writing has been re-examined and has an important place in the humanism movement of the Italian Renaissance. The Greek Science of Harmonics (Harmonics) was preserved and eventually transferred to the Italian Renaissance by Byzantine scholars who not only copied ancient texts but also made editorial interventions, offered interpretations, and produced their syntheses. With this research on the life of Manuel Bryennios, the esteemed theorist of the Byzantine period, the study expects that interest in the research on Byzantine music in Turkey will increase. In this manner, the study aims to enrich intercultural studies by considering important figures and works in the history of music theory in our geography.
