Title: Music in the seventeenth century /
Authors: Bianconi, Lorenzo.
Date: 1987
Publisher: Cambridge University Press,
Physical description: xii, 346 pages ; 23 cm
Language: English
LC classification: M
Abstract: The seventeenth century was a period of profound change in the history of music. In this volume Lorenzo Bianconi considers the radical developments of the century as long-lived musical traditions died out and others were created in response to new social functions. This period saw, for example, the flowering of the polyphonic madrigal and its subsequent decline in favour of a new concertato style, the rise of the basso continuo and the growth of purely instrumental composition. Most importantly it saw the rapid rise and persistent growth of a new genre of immeasurable significance: opera. In examining the plurality of coexistent musical styles Lorenzo Bianconi also discusses the socio-historical and cultural aspects of seventeenth-century music history: the opening out towards rational modes of scientific enquiry and theoretical speculation; the social position of the musician in the age of the first theatrical and musical entrepreneurs; the decline of Italian music publishing and the spread of the market to northern Europe. In considering these problems Lorenzo Bianconi presents a fresh picture of musical life in the seventeenth century, taking, like other books from the Italian series Storia della Musica, a broadly contextual approach.
Contents: The early decades. The seventeenth-century madrigal -- Giovan Battista Marion and the poesia per musica -- Music for solo voice -- Claudio Monteverdi before 1620 -- The 'crisis' of the seventeenth century -- 'Concerto' -- Monteverdi after 1620 -- Problems of seventeenth-century music. The classification of styles ; Scientific thought and musical theory -- Theory and practice -- Musical publicity -- Music publishing and music collecting -- Social condition of the musician -- Instrumental and dance music -- Sacred vocal music. Music in the Catholic liturgy -- Catholic devotional music -- The music of the Lutheran church: Heinrich Schutz -- Sacred music as music of state: France and England -- Opera. The historiography of opera -- Opera before 1637 -- The Venetian theatres -- The diffusion of opera in Italy -- Formal and dramatic convention; the lament -- Opera in German-speaking lands: Vienna and Hamburg -- The tragedie lyrique: Jean-Baptiste Lully -- Theatrical music in England and Spain -- Source readings. A musical banquet: Florence 1608 -- A court ballet: Turin, 1620 -- The social and intellectual condition of the musician: Antonio Maria Abbatini -- Historical and stylistic awareness: Heinrich Schutz -- Celestial music and poetic topoi: Ode on the death of Henry Purcell -- The impresarial organization of Venetian theatres: Cristoforo Ivanovich -- Dramaturgy of opera: Barthold Feind.
Notes: Translation of: Il Seicento. Includes index.
Subject headings (LCSH): Music--17th century--History and criticism; Music--Italy--17th century--History and criticism.