ECU Libraries Catalog

The interpretation of early music / Robert Donington.

Author/creator Donington, Robert
Format Book and Print
EditionNew revised edition.
Publication InfoNew York : W. W. Norton & Company, ©1989.
Description766 pages : music ; 25 cm
Subject(s)
Contents Introduction: New thinking on early interpretation. Our changing attitude -- Prospects for authenticity -- Authenticity and personality -- Authenticity in early opera -- Past and present -- Present and future -- Book one: Style. The approach of early music -- The interplay of styles -- Music as expression -- Book two: The notes. Part one: Accidentals. Accidentals in early music -- Interpreting written accidentals -- Adding unwritten accidentals -- Part two: Embellishment. The place of embellishment -- Sixteenth-century ornamentation -- Early baroque ornamentation -- Later baroque ornamentation -- Post-baroque ornamentation -- The cadenza -- Ornaments -- The Appoggiatura proper -- The double appoggiatura -- The slide -- The acciaccatura -- The passing appoggiatura -- Tremolo and B: vibrato -- The trill -- The mordent -- Passing notes and C: changing notes -- The turn -- Broken chords, C: broken notes and C: Broken time -- Compound ornaments -- Part three: Accompaniment. Figured bass -- The figuring. Going beyond the figures -- The texture of the part -- The structure of the part -- Instruments of accompaniment -- The good accompanist -- Book three: The expression. Part one: General. Expression in early music -- Repeats and omissions -- Part two: Tempo. Tempo in early music -- Time-words -- Dance tempos -- Time-signatures -- Pulse -- Variations of tempo -- Part three: Rhythm. Rhythm in early music -- Note-values -- Dotted notes -- Other sharpened rhythms -- Inequality -- Triplet rhythm -- Part four: Punctuation. Phrasing -- Articulation -- Part five: Dynamics. Volume -- Balance -- Accentuation -- Book four: Instruments. Instruments in early music -- Pitch -- Temperament -- The voice -- The viols -- The violins -- Plucked instruments -- The wind department -- Flutes -- Reeds -- Brass -- Percussion -- Keyboards -- Choirs and orchestras -- Acknowledgments and conclusion -- Appendices: Ligatures -- Figured bass: three realisations -- Ornamentation -- Orchestral improvisation -- Responsibility for accidentals -- New thinking on ornaments -- Tempo and rhythm -- A footnote to inequality -- Ornamentation in the reciting style -- Index of ornaments (signs).
Abstract Organized for the greatest clarity, the study consists of four main "books," respectively entitled Style, The Notes, The Expression, and The Instruments. Each book is divided into its relevant parts, thus allowing the reader immediate access to the specific subject under consideration. There are also nine invaluable appendices plus an in-depth annotated bibliography. This edition is actually the third revision; it was greatly expanded in 1974, and again for the present volume, in which Professor Donington took into account the very latest research, the explosion of interest in accurate historical performance practice, and recently formulated theories.
General noteFirst American publication of the new revised edition, 1992.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages 673-729) and index.
LCCN 89016241
ISBN0393028275
ISBN039396003X (pbk.)

Available Items

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Music Music Stacks ML457.D64 I5 1989 ✔ Available Place Hold