The organ in western culture, 750-1250
By: Peter Williams.
Series: Cambridge studies in medieval and Renaissance music
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 1993
Place of publication: Cambridge [England]; New York, NY, USA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 397
Subjects: Organ (Musical instrument) -- History -- 500-1400; Church music -- 500-1400
Description: How did the organ become a church instrument? How did it develop from an outdoor, Mediterranean noisemaker to an instrument which has become the embodiment of western music and responsible for many of that music's characteristics? In this fascinating, investigation, Peter Williams speculates on these questions and suggests some likely answers. He considers where the organ was placed and why; what the instrument was like in 800, 1000, 1200 and 1400; what music was played, and how.

He re-examines known references before 1300, covering such areas as the history of technology; music-theory art history; architecture, church and political history. Central to the story he uncovers is the liveliness of European monasticism around 1000 and the ability and imagination of the Benedictine reformers. Professor Williams's approach is new in both tactics and strategy, giving an interdisciplinary idea of musical development relevant to those both in and out of music
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [380]-387) and indexes.