The critical nexus : tone-system, mode, and notation in early medieval music / Charles M. Atkinson.
| Author/creator | Atkinson, Charles M., 1941- |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2009. |
| Description | xiii, 306 pages : illustrations, music ; 25 cm. |
| Subjects |
| Series | AMS studies in music AMS studies in music. ^A610677 |
| Contents | The heritage of antiquity. Part I. The eighth and ninth centuries ; The reception of ancient texts in the Carolingian era ; The heritage of the church -- Part II. The synthesis of ancient Greek theory and medieval practice ; Hucbald of St. Amand and Regino of Prum ; Alia musica ; Pseudo-Brenelinus, Bern of Reichenau, Pseudo-Odo, and Guido d'Arezzo. |
| Abstract | In this book, the author unravels this vexing mystery by creating a broad framework that moves from Greek harmonic theory to the various stages in the transmission of Roman chant. Out of this examination emerges the central point behind the problem: the tone-system founded in the Greek harmonic tradition and advocated by several medieval writers was not well suited to the notation ofchant, and this basic incompatibility led to the creation of new theoretical constructs. By tracing the path of subsequent adaptation at the nexus of tone-system, mode, and notation, Atkinson brings new and far-reaching insights into what mode meant to the medieval musician and how the system responded to its inherent limitations. Through a detailed examination of the major music treatises from the fifth through the twelfth centuries, this text establishes a central dichotomy between classical harmonic theory and the practices of the Christian church. Atkinson builds the foundation for a broad and original reinterpretation of the modal system and how it relates to melody, grammar, and notation. Richly illustrated, this book will be of interest to all musicologists, music theorists working on mode, early music specialists, chant scholars, and medievalists interested in music. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 259-291) and indexes. |
| LCCN | 2007011368 |
| ISBN | 9780195148886 (alk. paper) |
| ISBN | 0195148886 (alk. paper) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Music Stacks | ML174 .A85 2009 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |