Medieval Polyphony and Song

A comprehensive introduction to medieval vocal and choral music, with their rich variety of genres and regional and linguistic traditions.

Helen Deeming (Author), Frieda van der Heijden (Author)

9781107151161, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 11 May 2023

272 pages
24.4 x 17 x 1.6 cm, 0.461 kg

'Providing an expert introduction to seven centuries of European polyphony and song is a daunting task, but Deeming and van der Heijden meet the challenge in highly impressive fashion. Every chapter is chock-full of information, and the in-depth discussions of individual pieces provide micro-tutorials on all important aspects of medieval music theory and practice.' Thomas Schmidt, The University of Manchester

What characterises medieval polyphony and song? Who composed this music, sang it, and wrote it down? Where and when did the different genres originate, and under what circumstances were they created and performed? This book gives a comprehensive introduction to the rich variety of polyphonic practices and song traditions during the Middle Ages. It explores song from across Europe, in Latin and vernacular languages (precursors to modern Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish); and polyphony from early improvised organum to rhythmically and harmonically complex late medieval motets. Each chapter focuses on a particular geographical location, setting out the specific local contexts of the music created there. Guiding the reader through the musical techniques of melody, harmony, rhythm, and notation that distinguish the different genres of polyphony and song, the authors also consider the factors that make modern performances of this music sound so different from one another.

1. Introduction and historical outline
2. Monastic centres in the early middle ages
3. Court and cloister in Aquitaine and Occitania
4. City, cathedral, and university in Paris
5. Courts and cities in northern France
6. Scribes, scholars, and secretaries in fourteenth-century France
7. England after the Norman conquest
8. On the shores of the mediterranean: Italy, Sicily, and the Iberian Peninsula
9. The German- and Dutch-speaking lands
10. Medievalisms: modern encounters with medieval polyphony and song
Glossary
Bibliography
Discography
Index.

Subject Areas: Medieval & Renaissance music [c 1000 to c 1600 AVGC2]