Bibliograph

Capturing music, the story of notation, Thomas Forrest Kelly

Type

Label

Capturing music, the story of notation, Thomas Forrest Kelly

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 221-225) and index

Illustrations

illustrationsmusic

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Capturing music

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

881721206

Responsibility statement

Thomas Forrest Kelly

Sub title

the story of notation

Summary

Thomas Forrest Kelly transports us to the lively and complex world of monks and monasteries, of a dove singing holy chants into the ear of a saint, and of bustling activity in the Cathedral of Notre Dame -- an era when the only way to share even the simplest song was to learn it by rote, church to church and person to person. With clarity and a sense of wonder, Kelly tells a story that spans five hundred years, leading us on a journey through medieval Europe and showing how we learned to keep track of rhythm, melody, and precise pitch with a degree of accuracy previously unimagined. Kelly reveals the technological advances that led us to the system of notation we use today, placing each step of its evolution in its cultural and intellectual context. Companion recordings by the renowned Blue Heron ensemble are paired with vibrant illuminated manuscripts, bringing the art to life and allowing readers to experience something of the marvel that medieval writers must have felt when they figured out how to capture music for all time

Classification