Aaron Scotus

Aaron Scotus was an Irish abbot and musician, fl. late 10th century – 14 December 1052.^[1]

Background

Aaron was an Irish abbot and music theorist, the term Scotus at the time denoting Irish (person).

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. He was identified with Aaron, abbot of St. Pantaleon. Today historians reject this identification.^[2]

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.^[1]

Aaron died on 14 December 1052.

Bibliography

Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie – online version
Slonimsky, Nicolas (ed.): Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, 7th edition, New York: 1984). ISBN 0-02-870270-0.
Huglo, Michel: "Aaron Scotus", Grove Music Online Archived 16 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine, ed. L. Macy, (subscription required; retrieved on 4 September 2007).

References

^ ^a ^b Keay, John; Keay, Julia, eds. (1994). Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland (9th ed.). London: HarperCollins. p. 1. ISBN 0002550822.
^ Gieysztor, Aleksander (1970). "O kilku biskupach polskich XI wieku". Europa – Słowiańszczyzna – Polska. Studia ku uczczeniu profesora Kazimierza Tymieckiego. Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicz w Poznaniu. p. 313.