Which term denotes cosmic music in the sense of the order of the cosmos?

• A. Musica Mundana
• B. Musica Mandana
• C. Musica Instrumentalis
• D. Musica Humana

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is the medieval idea that music exists in three levels: the music of the universe (the cosmic order), the music within the human being, and the music produced by instruments. The term for cosmic music, the harmony and order of the cosmos, is the one that denotes Musica Mundana—the music of the heavens and the ordered structure of the universe. This notion captures the sense that celestial motions and ratios produce a kind of overarching harmony that governs the cosmos. The other terms refer to different levels: the internal resonance of the human body and soul, or the actual sound created by playing instruments. Some sources may show spelling variants, but the intended cosmic concept is Musica Mundana, the harmony of the world as a whole.