Yesterday, I listened to a disc of Heinrich Biber (1644-1704) performed
by Harnoncourt and Concentus Musicus Wien:  Biber:  Battalia - Pauern
Kirchfahrt - Ballettae - Sonatae, Teldec 4509-97914-2.  I bought it as a
"cut-out" on the Amazon website.  A very nice disc.

I was surprised to hear a passage that was dissonant.  It occurs in the
Battalia.  According to Harnoncourt's notes, of the "merry makers full of
mirth" section of the work, Biber writes:  "here all the voices are
dissonant, for various songs are shouted simultaneously."

Hearing this work started me wondering just when dissonance began to be
used as a means of expression.

If any list members would help me with this, I would appreciate it.  Cheers,

Ron Chaplin
Iselin, NJ, USA