The binary pair of prima pratica (first practice) and seconda pratica (second practice) arose in the course of theoretical debates concerning the changing understanding of music in Italy around 1600. Seconda pratica denoted modern, text-based music in which a freer approach was taken to the system of rules of counterpoint in the interests of expressing the sound and meaning of the words (see Late modern period 3.), whereas the first priority in prima pratica was observance of those rules…