Magic, astrology and music : the background to Marsilio Ficino's astrological music therapy and his role as a Renaissance magus
This thesis is structured in four substantial chapters with subsections. The first two cover the background to Ficino's thought, the second two present his own attitudes towards magic, astrology and music. Chapter one is concerned with aspects of xnusica inundana as represented by Ficino's three main authorities, Plato, Hermes Trismegistus and Plotinus. Firstly I present the fundamental ideas underlying Ficino's mode of thought and musical practice: the structure of the cosmos, Pythagoreanharmonia arid the human soul as microcosm, concluding with the nature of Platonic wisdom. Secondly I consider the role of Hermes and the Hermetic texts with their emphasis on intuitive revelation, aichemical transformation and the imagination. From, this synthesis of the intellectual and the intuitive emerges Plotinus, whose understanding of cosmic sympathy and resonance has profound implications for a significatory attitude towards astrology. chapter two moves on to musica humana, and the magical means by which the Pythagorean and Platonic traditions aspired to bring the human soul into harmony with the cosmos. I discuss the nature of magic and mysticism, of occult ritual and the value of a symbolic mode of perception. The
Voss, Angela M.
M Music
Magic, astrology and music : the background to Marsilio Ficino's astrological music therapy and his role as a Renaissance magus. This thesis is structured in four substantial chapters with subsections. The first two cover the background to Ficino's thought, the second two present his own attitudes towards magic, astrology and music. Chapter one is concerned with aspects of xnusica inundana as represented by Ficino's three main authorities, Plato, Hermes Trismegistus and Plotinus. Firstly I present the fundamental ideas underlying Ficino's mode of thought and musical practice: the structure of the cosmos, Pythagoreanharmonia arid the human soul as microcosm, concluding with the nature of Platonic wisdom. Secondly I consider the role of Hermes and the Hermetic texts with their emphasis on intuitive revelation, aichemical transformation and the imagination. From, this synthesis of the intellectual and the intuitive emerges Plotinus, whose understanding of cosmic sympathy and resonance has profound implications for a significatory attitude towards astrology. chapter two moves on to musica humana, and the magical means by which the Pythagorean and Platonic traditions aspired to bring the human soul into harmony with the cosmos. I discuss the nature of magic and mysticism, of occult ritual and the value of a symbolic mode of perception. The
magic astrology music background astrological music therapy role renaissance structure substantial first_two cover background think second present attitude_towards magic astrology music concerned aspect represent three_main authority plato plotinus firstly present fundamental idea underlie mode_think musical practice structure cosmos arid human_soul microcosm conclude nature platonic wisdom secondly consider_role text emphasis intuitive revelation transformation imagination synthesis intellectual intuitive emerges plotinus whose cosmic sympathy resonance profound implication attitude_towards astrology move magical mean platonic tradition aspire bring human_soul harmony cosmos discuss nature magic mysticism occult ritual value symbolic mode perception