The historical performance of music : an introduction / Colin Lawson and Robin Stowell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lawson, Colin (Colin James), author.

Stowell, Robin, author.

Series:

Cambridge Handbooks to the historical performance of music.

Cambridge Handbooks to the historical performance of music

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Performance practice (Music)--History--18th century.

Performance practice (Music).

Performance practice (Music)--History--19th century.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiii, 219 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Offering students and performers a concise overview of historical performance, this 1999 book takes into account the many significant developments in the discipline. It addresses practical matters rather than philosophical issues and guides readers towards further investigation and interpretation of the evidence provided, not only in the various early instrumental and vocal treatises, but also in examples from the mainstream repertory. Designed as a parent volume for the series Cambridge Handbooks to the Historical Performance of Music, this book provides an historical basis for artistic decision-making which has as its goal the re-creation of performances as close as possible to the composer's original conception. It relates many of the issues discussed to major works by Bach, Mozart, Berlioz and Brahms, composed c.1700-c.1900, the core period which forms the principal (though not exclusive) focus for the whole series.

Contents:

Music as history. Introduction ; The nature and development of historical awareness ; Influential reworkings of Bach and Handel ; Historical considerations ; The pioneers : individuals and institutions ; The role of musical expression ; Arguments pro and con ; Post-war philosophies ; Period Mozart and beyond ; The current scene

The application of primary sources. Surviving instruments ; Iconographical sources ; Historical archives ; Literary sources ; Practical treatises - uses and limitations ; Practical treatises - a summary ; Theoretical treatises ; The importance of communication ; The role of editions ; Musical taste

Changes in musical style. National idioms ; Articulation ; Melodic inflection ; Accentuation ; Tempo ; Rhythmic alteration ; Ornamentation ; Extempore embellishment ; Improvisation ; Continuo accompaniment

Conditions and practices. Introduction ; Pitch ; Temperament ; Vocal practices ; Venues and programmes ; Orchestral constitution and placement ; Direction ; Nineteenth-century changes

Case studies in ensemble music. J.S. Bach : St Matthew passion BWV 244 ; W.A. Mozart : Serenade for 13 instruments K361 ; Berlioz : Episolde de la vie d'un artiste, Symphonie fantastique en cinq parties op. 14 ; Brahms : Symphony no. 2 in D major op. 73

The continuing debate. Introduction ; The social position of historical music ; A snapshot from 1983 ; Authenticity and early music ; The 1990s ; The future?

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references (p. 199-208) and index.

ISBN:

1-107-11490-X

0-511-17331-8

0-511-32497-9

0-511-15236-1

1-280-41881-8

0-521-62193-3

0-511-05046-1

0-511-48171-3

OCLC:

51283852