WAS THERE AN ARS CONTRATENORIS IN THE MUSIC OF THE LATE TRECENTO?

The author reflects the issue on whether there was a theoretical discourse to accompany the composition of ballatas and madrigals for three voices in Italy around 1400. He notes that the treatises teach the composition of contratenor to an existing cantustenor framework. However, none of them were codified in writing before 1450. He relates that study of these texts shows that they do not transmit a unified set of regulations, but concerns with different issues and offers contradictory advice. He contends that the significance of these texts for musical practice can only be applicable to each single text.