He seems to have belonged to that familiar type of artistf



I 34 THE ART OF MUSIO

who regard expression as the one and only element of import-
ance. He had been educated in the learning of the ancients,
but had early shown his want of submission to the time-
honoured restrictions by using chords and progressions which
were out of place in the old choral style. He had endeavoured
to introduce effects of strong expression into an order of art
which could only retain its aspect of maturity by excluding
all such direct forms of utterance. A decisive harshness
breaking upon the ear without preliminary was shortly to
become a necessity to musical mankind ; but to the old order
of things it was the omen of immediate dissolution. The
methods of choral art did not provide for dramatic force or
the utterance of passionate feeling ; and under such circum-
stances it was natural that Monteverde should misapply his -.
