Music studies in 1254 at the University of Salamanca. An al-Ándalus legacy

A groundbreaking analysis reveals that the University of Salamanca, founded in 1254 and the fourth university in Europe, introduced music studies as part of its academic curriculum. Contrary to contemporary norms where music education was confined to religious institutions, the 'organo teacher' (maestro en organo) at Salamanca represented a secularized approach inherited from al-Ándalus. This study demonstrates that the position was not merely a semantic interpretation but a formal professorship, likely teaching the theory of sound and music, akin to practices in al-Ándalus. The research contextualizes this within the historical framework of the Quadrivium, suggesting early integration of acoustics principles into university education.

Montano Rodríguez, W. A. (2025). Music studies in 1254 at the University of Salamanca. An al-Ándalus legacy. Proceedings of the 11th Convention of the European Acoustics Association Forum Acusticum / EuroNoise 2025, 909–914. https://doi.org/10.61782/fa.2025.0596