Call for Proposals | “Atlantic Crossings: Music From 1492 Through the Long 18th Century”
David Bailly, Vanitas (ca. 1650) AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE at Boston University, June 7-8, 2019 Rajen Kilachand...
During the Fall 2018 – 2019 semesters, the Center for Early Music Studies will offer four mini courses, by Italian early music tenor Gian Paolo Fagotto and theorbist David Dolata (October 7-8), medieval specialist and Director of the Boston Camerata, Anne Azéma, early music recordings producer Brad Michel (February 9-10) , and vihuelist and musicologist Ralph Maier (April 6-7). Students wishing to register for the mini-courses, which carry one elective Musicology credit, should enroll in MH 629 Early Music Studies. Auditors are welcome.
Mini-Course Overview
To understand the performance and essential background of Italian monody of the early 17th century – including the works of Monteverdi in this style – it is important to study the way singers of the Renaissance reduced polyphonic works (madrigals, canzonettas, etc.) into solo-song versions with lute accompaniment, a style that is at the root of monody. In this mini-course, we will examine this and other early stages in the development of monody from the middle of the 16th century and isolate their distinguishing characteristics. Since, the birth of the recitative style introduced not only a new relationship between music and text, but also new and unique methods of performance, we will examine the many expressive devices that are possible in this music. In addition, we will survey the main sources describing the vocal techniques that are fundamental to this music, including vocal delivery, the use of embellishments, and the technique of making diminutions.
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Mini-Course Overview
The Roman de Fauvel s a 14th-century satire about public corruption meaningful in the present day? The metamorphosing horse Fauvel is the protagonist of an acerbic and witty fable, satirizing religious and political life in 14th-century France, and laden with implications for contemporary society. Anne Azéma will present a generous selection of music and text from one of the most famous of all medieval manuscripts: there will be an abundance of monodies, motets, instrumental music as well as a close look at the source (edition, transmission) and media aspect of this celebrated manuscript through the numerous miniatures from the original source. Fauvel, the abusive leader with an orange mane, appears variously in these illustrations as animal, as man with a horse’s hindquarters, as a man with an animal’s head.This group welcomes: musicians (singers, instrumentalists), musicologists, and students from Romance Language Art History, and History.