Aaron, Pietro

[also known as Pietro Aron; Piero Aaron]

, who flourished in the sixteenth century, was a Florentine, of the order of Jerusalem, and a voluminous writer on Music. He first appeared as an author in 1516. when a small Latin tract in three books. “De institutione Harmonica,” which he wrote originally in Italian, was translated into Latin, and published at Bologna, by his friend Job. Ant. Flaminius, of Imola, 4to.

2. “Toscanello della Musica, libri tre.” This treatise, the most considerable of all his writings, was first printed at Venice, 1523; then in 1529, and lastly, with additions, in 1539. In the Dedication he informs us, that he was born to a slender fortune, which he wished to improve by some reputable profession; that he chose Music, and had been admitted into the Papal chapel at Rome during the pontificate of Leo X. but that he sustained an irreparable loss by Leo’s death. 3. “Trattato della natura e cognizione di tutti li Tuoni di Canto figurato,” Venice, 1525, fol. 4. “Lucidario in Musica di alcune Oppenioni Antiphe e Moderne,” 4to. Venice, 1545. In this work we have discussions of many doubts, contradictions, questions, and difficulties, never solved before. 5. “Compendiolo di niolti dubbj segreti et sentenze intorno il Canto-fermo e figurato,” 1547, 4to. This seems a kind of supplement to his Lucidario. There is not much novelty in any of his works; but, in the state of musical science in his time, they were all useful.²

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