PAST CLASS Alchemy and Music: Matter, Geometry, and the Ascent of the Soul, A Four-Week Online Zoom Class with Brian Cotnoir, Beginning February 22
4-week online class
Dates: Wednesdays, Febraury 22, March 1, 8, 15
Time: 7-9 pm Eastern (NYC) time
Admission: $125 Patreon members / $145 general admission
Taught via Zoom by Brian Cotnoir
PLEASE NOTE: All classes will also be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Alchemy and Music: Matter, Geometry, and the Ascent of the Soul is an exploration of these ideas through alchemical practice and worldview. Alchemy is the art and science of bringing something to its final perfection, this “something” may be matter such as lead, or it may be spiritual such as the soul. In all cases it is about transformation through engaging the world.
This course is an exploration of an alchemical approach in working with music as the prima materia in the process of ascent. We will examine music and harmonic concepts and practices through the lens of alchemical theory and practice.
Class 1 – Matter, Geometry, and the Cosmos
Introduction – overview, scope, and limitations of the course
Cosmology, Alchemy, Harmonics - Theories and World-view
Pythagoras – Monochord
Music of the Spheres I
Quintillianus – Three Books On Music
Class 2 – Ascent of the Soul
Neo-Platonic and Hermetic ideas of ascent
Music of the Spheres II
Janus and Hekate and the Orphic Hymns
Alchemy as ascent through descent
Class 3 – Planets, Pitch, and Vowels
Planets and Pitch – Systems of Designation
Pitch and Vowels – The Correspondences
Vowel Signing and Barbaric Words
Marsilio Ficino – Music, Singing, Movement, and Alchemy
Trance and Ecstasy
Music/Sound as a Material Force
Class 4 – Performance and Some Speculations
Atalanta Fugiens – Music, Text, and Meaning in alchemical discourse
Claudio Monteverdi – Music as Emblem/Symbol
Speculations on possibilities, production, and performance
Brian Cotnoir is an alchemist, artist, and award-winning filmmaker. A contributor to Frater Albertus’ Parachemy, he is also the author of a series of Alchemy Zines. His books include Alchemy: The Poetry of Matter (2017), Practical Alchemy: A Guide to the Great Work, Alchemical Meditations, On the Quintessence of Wine, and the Emerald Tablet, his translations of and commentary on, the earliest Arabic and Latin versions of this seminal text. His Emerald Tablet was part of the Language of the Birds: Occult and Art show in 2016 in New York City.He occasionally gives talks and has presented workshops and seminars around the world on various aspects of alchemical theory and practice based on his research.His film work has been screened at Museum of Modern Art, Sundance Film Festival, HBO, PBS and other international venues.
Khepri Press, launched in 2014 with the publication of the Emerald Tablet, is the vehicle and portal for his alchemical work.
4-week online class
Dates: Wednesdays, Febraury 22, March 1, 8, 15
Time: 7-9 pm Eastern (NYC) time
Admission: $125 Patreon members / $145 general admission
Taught via Zoom by Brian Cotnoir
PLEASE NOTE: All classes will also be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Alchemy and Music: Matter, Geometry, and the Ascent of the Soul is an exploration of these ideas through alchemical practice and worldview. Alchemy is the art and science of bringing something to its final perfection, this “something” may be matter such as lead, or it may be spiritual such as the soul. In all cases it is about transformation through engaging the world.
This course is an exploration of an alchemical approach in working with music as the prima materia in the process of ascent. We will examine music and harmonic concepts and practices through the lens of alchemical theory and practice.
Class 1 – Matter, Geometry, and the Cosmos
Introduction – overview, scope, and limitations of the course
Cosmology, Alchemy, Harmonics - Theories and World-view
Pythagoras – Monochord
Music of the Spheres I
Quintillianus – Three Books On Music
Class 2 – Ascent of the Soul
Neo-Platonic and Hermetic ideas of ascent
Music of the Spheres II
Janus and Hekate and the Orphic Hymns
Alchemy as ascent through descent
Class 3 – Planets, Pitch, and Vowels
Planets and Pitch – Systems of Designation
Pitch and Vowels – The Correspondences
Vowel Signing and Barbaric Words
Marsilio Ficino – Music, Singing, Movement, and Alchemy
Trance and Ecstasy
Music/Sound as a Material Force
Class 4 – Performance and Some Speculations
Atalanta Fugiens – Music, Text, and Meaning in alchemical discourse
Claudio Monteverdi – Music as Emblem/Symbol
Speculations on possibilities, production, and performance
Brian Cotnoir is an alchemist, artist, and award-winning filmmaker. A contributor to Frater Albertus’ Parachemy, he is also the author of a series of Alchemy Zines. His books include Alchemy: The Poetry of Matter (2017), Practical Alchemy: A Guide to the Great Work, Alchemical Meditations, On the Quintessence of Wine, and the Emerald Tablet, his translations of and commentary on, the earliest Arabic and Latin versions of this seminal text. His Emerald Tablet was part of the Language of the Birds: Occult and Art show in 2016 in New York City.He occasionally gives talks and has presented workshops and seminars around the world on various aspects of alchemical theory and practice based on his research.His film work has been screened at Museum of Modern Art, Sundance Film Festival, HBO, PBS and other international venues.
Khepri Press, launched in 2014 with the publication of the Emerald Tablet, is the vehicle and portal for his alchemical work.
4-week online class
Dates: Wednesdays, Febraury 22, March 1, 8, 15
Time: 7-9 pm Eastern (NYC) time
Admission: $125 Patreon members / $145 general admission
Taught via Zoom by Brian Cotnoir
PLEASE NOTE: All classes will also be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Alchemy and Music: Matter, Geometry, and the Ascent of the Soul is an exploration of these ideas through alchemical practice and worldview. Alchemy is the art and science of bringing something to its final perfection, this “something” may be matter such as lead, or it may be spiritual such as the soul. In all cases it is about transformation through engaging the world.
This course is an exploration of an alchemical approach in working with music as the prima materia in the process of ascent. We will examine music and harmonic concepts and practices through the lens of alchemical theory and practice.
Class 1 – Matter, Geometry, and the Cosmos
Introduction – overview, scope, and limitations of the course
Cosmology, Alchemy, Harmonics - Theories and World-view
Pythagoras – Monochord
Music of the Spheres I
Quintillianus – Three Books On Music
Class 2 – Ascent of the Soul
Neo-Platonic and Hermetic ideas of ascent
Music of the Spheres II
Janus and Hekate and the Orphic Hymns
Alchemy as ascent through descent
Class 3 – Planets, Pitch, and Vowels
Planets and Pitch – Systems of Designation
Pitch and Vowels – The Correspondences
Vowel Signing and Barbaric Words
Marsilio Ficino – Music, Singing, Movement, and Alchemy
Trance and Ecstasy
Music/Sound as a Material Force
Class 4 – Performance and Some Speculations
Atalanta Fugiens – Music, Text, and Meaning in alchemical discourse
Claudio Monteverdi – Music as Emblem/Symbol
Speculations on possibilities, production, and performance
Brian Cotnoir is an alchemist, artist, and award-winning filmmaker. A contributor to Frater Albertus’ Parachemy, he is also the author of a series of Alchemy Zines. His books include Alchemy: The Poetry of Matter (2017), Practical Alchemy: A Guide to the Great Work, Alchemical Meditations, On the Quintessence of Wine, and the Emerald Tablet, his translations of and commentary on, the earliest Arabic and Latin versions of this seminal text. His Emerald Tablet was part of the Language of the Birds: Occult and Art show in 2016 in New York City.He occasionally gives talks and has presented workshops and seminars around the world on various aspects of alchemical theory and practice based on his research.His film work has been screened at Museum of Modern Art, Sundance Film Festival, HBO, PBS and other international venues.
Khepri Press, launched in 2014 with the publication of the Emerald Tablet, is the vehicle and portal for his alchemical work.