the fine professions of the Florentines, Mme.
Archilei was permitted to embroider Peri's _Euridice_ in something like
this fashion. But we must admit that even in those days a prima donna
had power, and that something had to be conceded to popular taste.
Furthermore, we shall see that the Florentines did not purpose to
abolish floridity entirely.

CHAPTER XV

The Medium for Individual Utterance

A closer examination of the musical reforms instituted by the camerata
which met at the Vernio and Corsi palaces will convince us that they
were directed toward two objects; first, the restoration of the Greek
method of delivering the declamation of a drama, and second, the
reduction of purely lyric forms to a rational musical basis on which
could be built intelligible settings of texts. The revolt was not only
against polyphonic music in which text was treated without regard for
its communicative purpose, but also against the decorative manner of
solo singing, which made words only backgrounds for arabesques of sound.
On this point we have the conclusive evidence of Caccini's own words as
found in the preface to his "Nuove Musiche."[36] He begins by giving the
reasons why he had not earlier published his lyrics in the new style,
though they had long been sung. He continues:

"But when I now see many of these pieces torn apart and altered in
form, when I see to what evil uses the long runs are put, to wit,
those consisting of single and double notes (repeated ones), as if
both kinds were combined, and which were invented by me in order to
do away with the former old fashion of introduced passages, which
were for wind or stringed instruments rather than the human voice;
when further I see how dynamic gradations of tone are used without
discrimination, what enunciation now is, and how trills, gruppetti
and other ornaments are introduced, I consider it necessary--and in
this I am upheld by my friends--to have my music printed."

[Footnote 36: "Nuove Musiche di Giulio Caccini detto Romano."
Florence, 1601.]

Furthermore he will explain in this preface the principles which led him
to write in this manner for the solo voice. He says that for a long time
he has been a member of the Florentine circle of cultivated men and that
he has learned from them more than he acquired in thirty years in the
schools of counterpoint.

"For these wise and noble personages have constantly strengthened me