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BEDFORD (ARTHUR): The Great Abuse of Musick. In Two Parts. Containing An Account of the Use and Design of Musick among the Antient Jews, Greeks, Romans, and others; with their Concern for, and Care to prevent the Abuse thereof. And also An Account of the Immorality and
London: Printed by J. H. for John Wyatt..., 1711. FIRST EDITION. 8vo, pp. [iv], 276, including on the last four leaves "A Canon of Four Parts in One, According to Mr. Purcell's Rule of Fuging...," recent quarter calf, gilt spine, morocco label, marbled boards; p. 268 mis-numbered 168. A fine copy. Bedford (1668 - 1745) was an authority on Jewish music, but the above book complements the various attacks on stage plays, such as Collier's well-known one; he had earlier published The Evil and Danger of Stage Plays (Bristol, 1706). In the above book, he argues that classical authors had used music correctly, while modern composers, with the exception of Purcell (and even he is not entirely to be trusted) abuse music by permitting immodest or indecent words to be set to melodies. Secular music could be at least morally neutral, but the introduction of words inevitably enabled the secular to prevail over the sacred. Bedford thus articulates a form of the argument that Richard Strauss used in his last opera, Capriccio (1942), "What Pity is it then, that there should not be as great Care taken of the Words, as there is of the Notes? and that whilst the one is harmonious, the other should not be offensive?"
Offered for GBP 825.00 = appr. US$ 1349.70 by: John Price Antiquarian Books - Book number: 5588
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