The First
Multimedia Production?
Alchemist Michael Maier's
Atalanta FugiensAtalanta Fugiens may well be one of the first multimedia productions ever created. The work was created in 1617, by Renaissance alchemist Michael Maier.
The complete title is Atalanta fugiens, hoc est, emblemata nova de secretis naturae chymica. The publication is a complex early example of multimedia art made up of 50 sections. Each section contains an engraved emblem and has a verse and an epigram associated with the emblem, and a short prose discourse which elaborates an alchemical interpretation of the symbolism in the emblem. Each of the 50 sections also includes a short musical canon composed by Maier.
Maier also composed 2 pieces called Rosicrucian canons.
We have created a complete MP3 collection of all 50 canons from Atalanta Fugiens, the 2 Rosicrucian canons, and the opening "Golden Apple Theme" from Atalanta Fugiens. You can listen to samples and download the collection below on this page.
Michael Maier (1566-1622)
Michael Maier was an alchemist, physician, and a hermetic philosopher and was affiiliated with the Rosicrucians. He was a contemporary and an associate of many famous hermetic philosophers and alchemists such as Robert Fludd. Michael Maier during his life was an accomplished writer, diplomat, physician, poet, and classical scholar. He was born at Rendsburg, educated at the University of Rostock, and later received his doctorate of medicine at Basel. He lived for many years in Prague as physician and confidant of the Emperor Rudolf II, an important patron of the arts, who had an special interest in hermetic philosophy and goals.
The early Rosicrucian movement was deeply involved with alchemy. While it has often been dismissed by modern scientists as nothing but an somewhat primitive precursor to chemistry which dealt with the naive idea of transmuting base metals into gold, alchemy in its most profound sense was, in fact, a highly sophisticated system which dealt with a quest for spiritual transformation and awareness through the application of the universal processes of nature on all conceivable levels-- physical, psychological and spiritual: a process that was known as (and still is known today by those who pursue it) the "Great Work".
Maier was the author of numerous alchemical and Rosicrucian works, many illustrated with symbolic engravings of great beauty. These include Arcana Arcanissima (1614), Lusus Serius (1616), De Circulo Physico Quadrato (1616), Atalanta Fugiens (1617), Examen Fucorum Pseudo-Chymicum (1617), Jocus Severus (1617), Silentium Post Clamores (1617), Symbola Aurea Mensae Duodecim Nationum (1617), Themis Aurea (1618), Tripus Aureus (1618), Viatorum (1618), Tractatus de Volucri Arborea (1619), Verum Inventum (1619), Septimana Philosophica (1620), Civitas Corporis Humani (1621), Cantilenae Intellectuales de Phoenice Redivivo (1622), Ulysses (posth., 1624) and Subtilis Allegoria super Secreta Chymiae (posth., 1749).
Atalanta Fugiens MP3s
Amaranth Publishing is now offering for download a collection that includes the music of all the canons from Atalanta Fugiens, the opening Golden Apple theme, and the 2 Rosicrucian Canons in MP3 format, arranged for 3-part chorus.
MP3 Samples from the collection
10-Da_ignem_igni,_Mercurium_Mercurio,_et_sufficit_tibi
27-Qui Rosarium intrare conatur Philosophicum absque clave, assimilatur homini ambulare volenti a
Downloading Atalanta Fugiens MP3s
The complete MP3 collection Atalanta Fugiens (53 MP3 files) is available for download, in the form of a "zip" file (33 MB download) for $8.00.
You can purchase this collection using the following secure link. After your credit-card or Paypal payment is processed, you will be immediately directed to the download link .Contact us by e-mail if you have any questions..........
All Music - Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved
The Atalanta Fugiens Screensaver
This is a screensaver with the emblems of the entire original Atalanta Fugiens manuscript. The price is $2.00, and you can purchase the screensaver using the following link.
After making a secure Paypal or Credit Card payment you will be immediately directed to the download link.
After you download the screensaver, place the screensaver file in the directory where your screensavers are stored. On some Windows systems such as XP, you can also right click on the file and choose install.
If you have any questions, contact us by e-mail.
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