Music in Medieval Europe

Rezensionen / Stimmen

A treasury of current research in the history of medieval music! Twenty studies by established scholars, each reporting with an individual approach and method, each with a passionate interest in the subject. Taken together, the studies present a full range of recent scholarly achievement in the field, revealing the richly varied tapestry of medieval music that has come to light during the twentieth century. Topics range from thought-provoking meditations on perennial fundamental questions to intense engagement with the detail of materials both familiar and unfamiliar, including liturgical practices and musical traditions in specific times and places, life histories and fortunes of specific manuscripts, developments in musical style and practice, theory of monophonic and polyphonic music. At every turn these materials are treated with an eagerness to experience music as it was made in the Middle Ages. Richard L. Crocker 'Essays on liturgical chant, polyphony, music theory, and computer-assisted analysis of melodic phrases are just some of the fascinating inclusions in this book, which is a seminal addition to the literature on medieval music. Highly recommended.' Choice 'There are 20 contributions here, many by distinguished scholars - a tribute to Gillingham's distinction as scholar and publisher.' Early Music Review 'The volume under review feels almost like a birthday present for every reader, not just for the dedicatee; it is the sort of book over whose contents page one lingers for awhile before sampling a sentence or two of particularly attractive-looking essays, and finally settling down to devouring the volume from cover to cover... It is an essential addition to any university library, and to the private library of any musicologist specializing in the early medieval period. The range of topics is wide, encompassing many of the primary concerns of scholars in the field. I have rarely encountered a collection whose essays are of such consist