Biography

Guido d’Arezzo, or Guido Monaco, was a music theorist in the early 11th century, born in Arezzo, a city state of Italy at the time. His exact birth date is unknown but it is believed that he was born around 995 BC. His career began in St. Maur des Fosses, a Benedictine Abbey in Pomposa. It was here that Guido had his first breakthrough; developing a system that singers could use to memorise chants more quickly and easily. This system quickly became known through all of Italy. He later moved on from this abbey though, (about 1025) as fellow monks gave him negative attention over his work. After he left Pomposa he became a musical teacher at a cathedral school and wrote his very famous book //Micrologus de disciplina artis musicae //(more well known as //The Micrologus//), as bishop Theobald appointed. In 1029 he travelled to the Camaldolese monastery, in Avellana, where he finished and publicised most of his earlier work. After his long and successful life he died in 1050 BC.
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Guidonian hand ,used to help singers remember Gregorian chants. From the Granger collection, New York