The origins of music theory in Saint Augustine

Abstract

This article outlines the possible concepts derived from Classical Antiquity that provided Saint Augustine, the fourth century African philosopher, with the theoretical references to formulate his thoughts on music. Sequentially, the research analyzes music as the art of sound modulation, its role in memory, its numerical structuring, and its metaphysical nature. The study also mentions the literary traditions that influenced the Bishop of Hippo, particularly in shaping his understanding of the sacred nature of music and its expansion in the universe by means of measurement patterns. Finally, it presents the implications of the rule of harmony, which generates psychological effects that reflect on behavior and architecture as an expression of beauty.

Keywords: Music. Art. Numbers. Harmony.