The Diapason Press

Tuning and Temperament Library

Christiaan Huygens

LE CYCLE HARMONIQUE
(Rotterdam 1691)
NOVUS CYCLUS HARMONICUS
(Leiden 1724)
with Dutch and English translations

edited by Rudolf Rasch

TTL 6

The mentioned titles are also presented in Dutch and English translations. Huygen’s dealings with tuning and temperaments are detailedly described from the first beginnings in 1661 onwards. In addition, the edition contains an English translation of Huygen’s Latin text on the monochord of August 1661, which describes meantone tuning as well as instructions how to apply this tuning.

1986
ISBN 90-70907-09-7 (paper)
179 pp. - 17 illus.
15 x 21 cm
€30 or US$30

Contents

Preface 7
     
Introduction
1. Short biography 10
2. Musical education 13
3. Musical activities: The early years (1649–1666) 19
4. Musical activities: The middle years (1666–1681) 25
5. Musical activities: The later years (1681–1695) 26
6. Huygens and the theory of music 30
7. Notation 40
8. Tuning and temperament: The early years (1661–1666) 45
9. Tuning and temperament: The middle years (1666–1681) 56
10. Tuning and temperament: 1691 61
11. Keyboards 69
12. The Codex Hugenianus 27 of the Leiden University Library 76
13. The Histoire des Ouvrages des Sçavans 85
14. The Lettre touchant le cycle harmonique 91
15. Huygens’ significance as a theorist of tuning and temperament 99
Notes 108
     
Bibliography 115
     
     
Christiaan Huygens: The division of the monochord 121
     
     
CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS: LETTRE TOUCHANT LE CYCLE HARMONIQUE 129
     
CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS: NOVUS CYCLUS HARMONICUS 143
     
English translation: Letter concerning the harmonic cycle 155
     
Nederlandse vertaling: Brief betreffende de harmonische cyclus 165
     
Index 175
     
     
TABLES
     
Table I. Systemata indeterminatum and determinatum 50
Table II. Interval sizes in meantone and 31-tone tunings 54
Table III. Temperings in meantone and 31-tone tunings 55
     
     
MUSIC EXAMPLE
     
Music example 1. Courante in E minor by Christiaan Huygens 43
     
     
ILLUSTRATIONS
     
Figure 1. Constantijn Huygens and his children, by Hanneman 14
Figure 2. Christiaan Huygens, by Netscher 27
Figure 3. Christiaan Huygens, by Clérion 29
Figure 4. Christiaan Huygens, by Vaillant 40
Figure 5. Si du triste recit 41
Figure 6. Courante by Christiaan Huygens 42
Figure 7. Systemata indeterminatum and determinatum 51
Figure 8. Division de l’octave en 31 parties egales 58
Figure 9. Huygens’ monochord 60
Figure 10. Autograph table of Lettre 63
Figure 11. Keyboards with split upper keys 70
Figure 12. Twleve-tone keyboard with pins 73
Figure 13. 12-tone/19-tone transposing keyboard 75
Figure 14. 12-tone/31-tone transposing keyboards 77
Figure 15. Christiaan Huygens, by Edelinck 92
Figure 16. Christiaan Huygens, by Fokkens 93
Figure 17. 31-tone circle by Quirinus van Blankenburg 105