The Ghent Altarpiece: Angels Playing Music

The Book of Revelation mentions that when angels and all creatures sang the praises of the Lamb of God, twenty-four elders bowed down before him (Revelation 5: 11-14). The twenty-four elders wearing white robes and gold crowns who take part in the Apocalypse are not present in this picture, but it is conceivable that the panel of the musical angels makes some hidden reference to them. The use of twenty-four strings instead of twenty-five on the harp may be interpreted in this manner. The other instruments also differ from those used in the period: the organ has twenty-one pipes instead of the usual fifteen, or three full octaves, which may be taken to symbolize the Holy Trinity, while the viol has five strings, not four or six, and this is in accord with the mysticism of numerology relating to the number five.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 5 minutes): Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon a Duodecimi Toni