Aaron Scotus

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(b ?Scotland, late 10th century; d Cologne, 18 Nov 1052). Benedictine abbot and theorist. As abbot of St Martin at Cologne, he decreed that his monks should sing the Office of St Gregory the Great composed by Pope Leo IX (1049-54) instead of the Common of Confessors. He wrote three treatises, dealing with singing, the Gregorian psalm tones and consonances.



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Aaron Scotus, Irish abbot and musician, fl. late 10th century – 18 November 1052.

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Background

Aaron was an Irish abbot and music theorist, the term Scotus at the time denoting a native of Ireland (see See also).

St. Martin's of Cologne

A Benedictine, Scotus was the abbot of St. Martin, Cologne, Germany in the year 1042. He pilgrimaged in his youth to Colonia to the Gaelic-Irish convent of St. Martin. He became abbot of the same in 1042. Later, he became abbot of St. Pantaleon.

Work as a composer

It is believed that he first introduced the Gregorian evening service (nocturns) into Germany. He authored two historically important treaties: De utilitate cantus vocalis et de modo cantandi atque psallendi and De regulis tonorum et symphoniarum. The library of St. Martin, Cologne conserves his work Tractatum de utilitate cantus vocalis et de modo cantandi atque psallendi. He wrote three musical treatises, all of which have been lost.

Aaron died on December 14, 1052.

See also

References

  • Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie - online version
  • Slonimsky, Nicolas - Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, 7th ed. 1984. Schirmer Books, New York, N.Y. ISBN 0-02-870270-0.
  • Huglo, Michel. "Aaron Scotus". Grove Music Online (subscription required). ed. L. Macy. Retrieved on September 4, 2007.

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