With the help of notes in music, various sounds are graphically indicated, and a musical composition is a correct combination of certain sounds. Notes are very important.
They allow you to create and record new, as well as reproduce famous works. When did the familiar “do-re-mi” and other names appear?
Sheet music is an integral part of musical notation. But before their appearance, musicians used special signs - nevmas, with the help of which they graphically recorded musical compositions. However, the Neumas had many disadvantages. They could only be used if the melody was well known.
Sheet music appeared in the 11th century thanks to the Italian theorist and music teacher - Guido Aretinsky (approximately 991-1033 AD). He made a huge contribution to the music of the Middle Ages, as well as Western European music in general. Guido worked at various church churches, taught music, choral singing. He set himself the task of creating a musical literacy that would be easily used all over the world. So, one day he invented a way to more easily memorize new melodies.
For this, Aretinsky used an acrostic prayer to John the Baptist called "Ut queant laxis". The author of this prayer, written in Latin, is believed to be the monk Paul the Deacon.
Guido used the first syllables of each line as the name for the notes. He was also the first to record musical compositions on the stave, consisting of rulers and gaps between them. Thus, Aretinsky invented a system of solmization - chant, which is still used today.
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Interesting fact: in the future "Ut queant laxis" became a hymn to John the Baptist. In the Catholic liturgy, it is timed to the day of the Nativity of John the Baptist. The hymn is sung according to this principle - each new line is sung in accordance with a certain pitch and key of sounds.
A note translated from Latin "nota" means a mark or sign. The peculiarity of the acrostic is that all notes are easy to sing, since they end in a vowel sound (except for the first Ut). Therefore, around the 17th century, the note Ut was replaced by Do for convenience. This was done by the Italian humanist Giovanni Doni. The note Si has also been added.
The original hymn reflects the appeal of a believer to John the Baptist with a request to forgive sins and see a real miracle. There is a more modern interpretation of the names, according to which each note has a full name. For example, Do - from the word Dominus (Lord), Mi - from the word miraculum (miracle), etc.
Despite the prevalence of this interpretation, it is considered false, because the names of the notes originated precisely from the acrostic prayer.
Guido Aretinsky also skillfully led the choir with his left hand. At certain moments, he bent the joint on his fingers, thereby showing the singers which note to play.