Wrapping up Notation, Moving into Dissertation
Greetings, music enthusiasts!
I took my exams and since then I've been hard at work on a dissertation prospectus, which is almost done. I've done a lot of reading, so I figured I might begin sharing some of my work toward my dissertation. Let's tie up some loose ends first, and then we'll mosey on.
Previously, I wrote a couple of histories of early music notation. I had in mind to write a third part, but after writing the first two, it occurred to me that there isn't much to add. If you have any questions, please do comment or email me at violentbrainfever@ gmail. There are just one or two points I can add.
In the 15th century, scribes develop what's known as white, or void notation. The note shapes and values are the same as in previous centuries, they are simply written with hollow note heads. Only the smallest note durations are written in black, or increasingly rarely, sections of syncopation (such as sesquialtera) are indicated by black (solid) note heads. Here's what that looks like:
With only a little help, the average modern musician could read most late Renaissance mensural notation. The mensural devices, such as the mensuration signs and ligatures, are still in place, but their conventions become increasingly standardized and streamlined, so there are generally fewer rules and exceptions to memorize. By the end of the 16th century, bar lines and scores are coming into use, and modern notation is essentially born.
But why did scribes change from black notation to white? The general consensus is because of the increasing use of paper. Parchment is porous but it is still a piece of leather, so ink tends to sit in the surface. But we all know what happens when you put a large drop of ink on a piece of paper. It bleeds through and feathers through the paper fibers. So a page filled with heavy ink droplets simple became unfeasible.
And there you have it! I know the previous parts were a lot of heavy reading. Being preparation exercises for my exams, I couldn't afford to skimp on details. (And I wound up being grateful I'd written them, because it turned out to be relevant to several questions on the exam!) Going forward, we'll return to a kindler, gentler Music 101. As always, if you ever wonder about anything music related, drop me a line and I'll do a post to answer your question!
In a couple of months, if all goes well, I will officially begin work on my dissertation. I'm quite excited about this and looking forward to doing only my own original research. Hopefully I'll think of a snappy title, but the working title of my dissertation is the same as its subject: Medieval References in 20th Century Popular Music. Basically, I will be looking at various genres of pop music that are characterized by references to medieval music or subject matter, and how these genres use the medieval to create meaning. Beyond the obvious hermeneutics, I hope that my dissertation might begin to create a better understanding of some under explored music and the relationship between various genres and subcultures that are sometimes thought to be at odds with each other (for example, industrial music and hippies--they're related, I promise).
Since I haven't written the thing yet, what you can expect is some general musings and sharing of interesting tidbits that I unearth as I explore this topic. Recently I had been doing a lot of background reading on metal, and now I'm building a bibliography on ethnic nationalists and the Nazis' völkisch paganism. Fun times! But more on that later. Excelsior!
I took my exams and since then I've been hard at work on a dissertation prospectus, which is almost done. I've done a lot of reading, so I figured I might begin sharing some of my work toward my dissertation. Let's tie up some loose ends first, and then we'll mosey on.
Previously, I wrote a couple of histories of early music notation. I had in mind to write a third part, but after writing the first two, it occurred to me that there isn't much to add. If you have any questions, please do comment or email me at violentbrainfever@ gmail. There are just one or two points I can add.
In the 15th century, scribes develop what's known as white, or void notation. The note shapes and values are the same as in previous centuries, they are simply written with hollow note heads. Only the smallest note durations are written in black, or increasingly rarely, sections of syncopation (such as sesquialtera) are indicated by black (solid) note heads. Here's what that looks like:
If you compare to the tables of note values from earlier centuries, you might notice that some of the longer note values are missing. There are no more duplex longas or maximas. Even longas typically exist only as final notes to a piece, or in the tenors of liturgical works. The longer notes simply became outmoded.
Below is an example of white mensural notation from a printed book (early 16th century). Music is still produced part by part, not in score form. Because it's mensural notation, it still has its idiosyncrasies compared to modern notation, but it's starting to look pretty familiar, isn't it?
But why did scribes change from black notation to white? The general consensus is because of the increasing use of paper. Parchment is porous but it is still a piece of leather, so ink tends to sit in the surface. But we all know what happens when you put a large drop of ink on a piece of paper. It bleeds through and feathers through the paper fibers. So a page filled with heavy ink droplets simple became unfeasible.
And there you have it! I know the previous parts were a lot of heavy reading. Being preparation exercises for my exams, I couldn't afford to skimp on details. (And I wound up being grateful I'd written them, because it turned out to be relevant to several questions on the exam!) Going forward, we'll return to a kindler, gentler Music 101. As always, if you ever wonder about anything music related, drop me a line and I'll do a post to answer your question!
In a couple of months, if all goes well, I will officially begin work on my dissertation. I'm quite excited about this and looking forward to doing only my own original research. Hopefully I'll think of a snappy title, but the working title of my dissertation is the same as its subject: Medieval References in 20th Century Popular Music. Basically, I will be looking at various genres of pop music that are characterized by references to medieval music or subject matter, and how these genres use the medieval to create meaning. Beyond the obvious hermeneutics, I hope that my dissertation might begin to create a better understanding of some under explored music and the relationship between various genres and subcultures that are sometimes thought to be at odds with each other (for example, industrial music and hippies--they're related, I promise).
Since I haven't written the thing yet, what you can expect is some general musings and sharing of interesting tidbits that I unearth as I explore this topic. Recently I had been doing a lot of background reading on metal, and now I'm building a bibliography on ethnic nationalists and the Nazis' völkisch paganism. Fun times! But more on that later. Excelsior!
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