Performance practice is the study of how music was performed over the centuries, both by its originators (the composers and performers who introduced the works) and, later, by revivalists. This first of its kind Dictionary offers entries on composers, musiciansperformers, technical terms, performance centers, musical instruments, and genres, all aimed at elucidating issues in performance practice. This A-Z guide will help students, scholars, and listeners understand how musical works were originally performed and subsequently changed over the centuries. Compiled by a leading scholar in the field, this work will serve as both a point-of-entry for beginners as well as a roadmap for advanced scholarship in the field.
Biography
Roland Jackson
"Educators, students, musicians, and lay listeners alike---anyone with an interest in how written music is to be translated from the page into sound---will welcome this timely, wide-ranging synthesis of the research and scholarship that lend authority to thoughtful interpretation... The book is thorough in its coverage... Recommended. All levels." -- Choice
"For students, performers, and scholars, this alphabetical reference to performance proactice gives information on the historical performance of instruments, genres, techniques, and ornaments, and contains entries on performers, early and more recent composers, and theorists, with some illustrations. Some entries are brief and some are extensive. Provides a list of theorists and early writers, and bibliographic references within the text." -- Reference & Research Book News
"Performance Practice is an excellent ready-reference work for investigating the many aspects of historical performance practices and how one might approach the subject today. Praise goes to the author for presenting this work in dictionary form; not only does it make the subject accessible, it also artfully engages the reader to explore this fascinating subject of performance practices. This work is highly recommended for all musicians and reference divisions of college and university libraries." -- American Reference Books Annual"This guide to the current literature on the subject is a tour-de-force by one of the pioneers in the field... While many entries provide basic definitions as guides to beginning studenets, other more technical essays are aimed at advanced acholars... This groundbreaking guide will be essential for academic music collections." --Lawrence Looks at Books, Gale Reference Reviews
