Vincenzo Galilei and musical experiments

Abstract

There is no consensus among historians when it comes to the importance of Vincenzo Galilei’s role in the history of music and science, especially when it comes to his contribution to the birth of modern experimentalism. Galilei’s written works, even those left in manuscript form, most of which have now been transcribed and published, do not provide a clear picture of his contribution. Moreover, there is a lack of private documents, such as letters, which informally describe his approach, working hypotheses, and doubts. Nevertheless, his writings enable us to conclude two things with certainty: he believed that reason-mediated experimentation was the only reliable source of knowledge, and he engaged in an intense and interesting experimental activity.