CHAPTER VI - THE RISE OF SECULAR MUSIC

Summary

Without taking into consideration the many external causes which influenced and modified the character of various arts about the end of the sixteenth century, it might have been foreseen that a new departure in music was inevitable on internal and artistic grounds alone. The range of the art had been extremely limited so far; and though its limitations had conduced to the development of singularly perfect results, such advantages could not prevent men from wearying of apparent monotony, and becoming restive under restrictions which seemed to be hindrances to the fullest expression of their musical ideals. A reaction, such as in analogous situations in ordinary life drives men accustomed to ease and refinement of surroundings to court hardship, danger, and privation, drove men of the highest taste and refinement, and such as were most thoroughly in touch with the spirit and movement of their age, to cut themselves adrift from the traditions of a perfectly mature art – to cast aside the principles which the accumulated observations and efforts of past generations had brought to an admirable practical issue – and adopt a kind of music which was formless, crude, and chaotic.

The higher type of conservative mind instinctively feels that such wellbeing as society enjoys, and all the wealth of artistic technique, and the skill by which men achieve all they do well, are the fruits of the experiences and intelligent efforts of previous generations.