REVIEW OF AESTHETICS AND FINE ART
1897-1898
The lessons of the Schola Cantorum
"Art is a means of life, a means of life for the body, a means of life for the soul"
​
Vincent d'Indy, Preamble of his musical composition course
Aesthetics and musical composition according to Vincent d'Indy
Introduction The Artwork and the Artist
"The artistic faculties of the soul"
The faculties put into action by the human soul in the work of artistic creation are seven in number:
Creative faculties of Printing
- Fantasy
- Heart
- Creative Faculties of Expression
- Spirit
- Intelligence
- Memory
Creative Faculties of Realization
- Will
- Consciousness
The work of art is the result of the work of these seven faculties in the man provided with his creator.
The melody
The starting point of the melody is the accent. Since feeling is the creative principle of all art, in declamation as in music, the expressive or pathetic accent of feeling prevails over the logical significance of meaning. (...)
Every melody begins with an anacrouse expressed or implied. (...)
The emphasis is on the very essence of the melody; it gives it its meaning by determining the melodic rhythmic
​
​
The rhythm in Art
The mysterious power of rhythm has never stopped acting on the destinies of art.
Rhythmic laws govern Time and Space together
The rhythm does not coincide with the measure. (...) The measure is a very imperfect figuration of rhythm.
​
The harmony
The harmony comes from the melody. Harmony results from the superposition of two or more different melodies.
