Peter van Kranenburg - DH Colloquium
Channel: SADiLaR
Date: 25/01/2022

We first focus on the process of computational modelling as explicated by Willard McCarty (2005). Key of the methodology is that modelling is an iterative process, in which a model is confronted with the reality it refers to, thereby primarily focusing on cases where the model fails. These cases offer an opportunity of knowledge gain. The cycle then repeats by manipulating the model and evaluating the adapted model. Thus, each model has a provisional character. In the second part of the talk, we will consider a concrete example of this approach in the study of Medieval Chant. The prominent Medieval tradition that survived till the present day is Gregorian chant, be it with major discontinuities. Around the time of origin of Gregorian chant, the late eight century, several other musical and ritual traditions thrived on the European continent. We examine how Computational language models can assist to investigate the relations between the remnants of these various early traditions, with a special focus on Old Hispanic chant.