Music and the Making of Modern Science

Kepler and the Song of the Earth 79

and manifold, and very nearly infinite. Since it is too much for my muscles, it would be

more correctly passed on completely to the practical men, that is, to practicing musicians,

seeing that without teaching, guided solely by nature, they emerge time and again as the

authors of wonderful tunes. ”^47 As Kepler acknowledges the limits of his ability, he also

confirms that he considers most important the testimony of “ practicing musicians. ”

Though his own harvest of insights is limited to this one small observation, it will turn

out to be pregnant, leading to the climax of Kepler ’ s work, his description of the songs of

the planets. At this point, he pauses to intone a solemn prelude:

Now there is need, Urania, of a grander sound, while I ascend by the harmonic stair of the celestial

motions to higher things, where the true archetype of the fabric of the world is laid up and preserved.

Follow me, modern musicians, and attribute it to your arts, unknown to antiquity: in these last

A

B

Figure 5.2

Kepler ’ s citation of the beginning of Lasso ’ s motet, In me transierunt , and a modern transcription ( ♪ sound

examples 5.5a,b).