Music and Musicians in the Escorial Liturgy under the Habsburgs, 1563-1700

by Michael Noone

Overview

The performance and composition of liturgical music at El Escorial re-examined.

Philip II of Spain founded the great Spanish monastery and royal palace of El Escorial in 1563, promoting within it a musical foundation whose dual function as royal chapel and monastery in the service of a Counter Reformation monarch was unique; this volume explores the performance and composition of liturgical music there from its beginnings to the death of Charles II in 1700. It traces the ways in which music styles and practices responded to the the changing functions of the institution, challenging notions about Spanish musical patronage, scrutinising musical manuscripts, uncovering the biographical details of hundreds of musicians, and examining musical practices.

Michael Noone is Professor of Musicology at the University of Hong Kong.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781878822710
Publisher:	BOYDELL & BREWER INC
Publication date:	02/10/1998
Series:	ISSN , #9
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	15.20(w) x 22.80(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Musical Transcriptions
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations

Introduction
1. The Escorial as Structure and Symbol
2. The Reign of Philip II from the Escorial's Foundation to 1586
3. The Reign of Philip II from 1586-1598
4. The Reign of Philip III (1598-1621)
5. The Reign of Philip IV (1621-1665)
6. The Reign of Charles II (1665-1700)
Epilogue

Appendix 1: Manuscript Polyphonic Choirbooks of Escorial Provenance
Appendix 2: Biographical Notes on Escorial Musicians
Appendix 3: Transcriptions of Documents
Appendix 4: Dynastic Table of Spanish Rulers, 1474-1665
Appendix 5: Musical Transcriptions

Selected Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

A solid achievement that will be an important work of reference for years to come.

MUSIC AND LETTERS

Michael Noone's book is something of a trailblazer...it is a valuable, and at the moment unique, corrective.

Autumn 1998 MUSICAL TIMES

Noone's work will inspire and inform future research in a wide variety of areas.

March 1999 NOTES

An interesting book; about half the book is devoted to narrative, full of often-lengthy and always fascinating quotations from the sources. This is followed by catalogues of polyphonic MSS from the Escorial, biographies of the musicians, the Spanish texts of some documents and two samples of music from the MSS.

Vol. 42 EARLY MUSIC REVIEW July 1998

An interesting book; about half the book is devoted to narrative, full of often-lengthy and always fascinating quotations from the sources. This is followed by catalogues of polyphonic MSS from the Escorial, biographies of the musicians, the Spanish texts of some documents and two samples of music from the MSS. --EARLY MUSIC REVIEW July 1998, Vol. 42

Michael Noone's book is something of a trailblazer...it is a valuable, and at the moment unique, corrective. --MUSICAL TIMES, Autumn 1998

Noone's work will inspire and inform future research in a wide variety of areas. --NOTES, March 1999

A solid achievement that will be an important work of reference for years to come. --MUSIC AND LETTERS

From the Publisher