Symposium: Alchemy of Power
Alchemy of Power: Johannes Kepler’s Harmonice Mundi and tthe Interplay of ‘Cosmic Music and Political Power at the Court of Rudolf II’
Speakers: Jemma Thrussell (HfK Bremen) and Prof. Christian Leitmeir (University of Oxford)
Under the spell of stars and the planets: Cosmological themes in Rudolfine music – Prof. Christian Leitmeir (Oxford)
The early modern period inherited Boethius’s vision of musica as an elemental force that governs the cosmos, the human organism and musical instruments. All too often, however, discussions of musica speculativa were the exclusive domain of high-powered intellectuals, far removed from the more hands-on education received by practical musicians and composers.
The Imperial Court of Rudolf II at Prague provides a welcome opportunity to revisit the perceived gulf between mere theorists and mere practitioners. Not only did Rudolf II have the ambition to summon the most exquisite proponents of both fields to Prague. With the astronomer/mathematician Johannes Kepler and the physician/alchemist Michael Maier, his court boasted first-class scientists with interest and practical expertise in music. They worked alongside, but perhaps also together with, composers and performers who were receptive to scientific and intellectual ideas. The contribution of Prof. Leitmeir seeks to delineate the scope and limitations of such synergies through the lens of musical compositions (by Luython, Monte, Kerle and Maier) whose words and compositional strategies resonate with cosmological themes.
Programme
First session
- 10–10.30am | Intrada/musical welcome: ‘Music for Imperial Ceremony’. Led by Jemma Thrussell (PhD student), ensemble: Historical Brass
- 10.45–11am | Opening: welcome and introduction to the symposium and the research project ‘Alchemy of Power’. Speaker: Prof. Dr. Florian Edler (Dean of the Faculty of Music, HfK Bremen)
- 11am–midday | Keynote lecture: ‘Under the spell of stars and the planets: Cosmological themes in Rudolfine music’. Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christian Leitmeir (University of Oxford). The lecture examines the intersection of musica speculativa and practical composition at Rudolf II’s Prague court and explores how intellectuals such as Kepler and Maier collaborated with composers such as Luython and de Monte, using musical strategies that resonate with cosmological themes.
- Midday–1pm | Lunch break
- 1–1.30pm | Lecture: ‘Kepler’s Cosmic Modes: Planetary Movement, Tuning, and the Harmonice Mundi in Court Music’. Speaker: Jemma Thrussell
- 1.30–2pm | Coffee break
Second Session: Theory into Practice
- 2–3.30pm | Workshop and demonstration: ‘From Cosmos to Consort: Applying Kepler’s Harmonice Mundi through Just Intonation and Planetary Modes’. Led by Jemma Thrussell and Carl Hammann. Focus: practical application of just intonation (without keyboard instruments) and planetary modes in a sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century musical context
- 3.30–4pm | Coffee break
Evening Culmination: Performance & Dialogue
- 4–5pm | Closing lecture-performance: ‘Alchemy of Power’, a performance integrating music, visuals and symbolism. Ensemble: Jemma Thrussell and The Curious Consort
- Musical selection: Carl Luython: ‘Super Bassim, Caesar Vive’ · Philippe de Monte: ‘Super flumina Babylonis’ and selected ‘Madrigali spirituali’ · Orlande de Lassus: ‘In me transierunt’
The Curious Consort: Jemma Thrussell (direction), Magdalena Brandauer, Nae Matakas (soprano), Aaron Schmitt (alto), Carl Hammann (tenor), Francisco Henriques (bass), Emilio Botto (cornett), Ayano Shigematsu (violin), David Favila (viola), Ngating Wong (flute), Fang-Chi Hsu (recorder), Jemma Thrussell, Maria Scheu (viola da gamba), William Illingworth (sackbut) - 5–5.30pm | Panel discussion and Q&A on the synthesis of musica theoretica and musica practica in historical performance.
Panellists: Prof. Dr. Christian Leitmeir, Prof. Dr. Florian Edler and Jemma Thrussell
Important information
The symposium will be held in English.