The Production and Reading of Music Sources, 1480-1530 (PRoMS)

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Renaissance sources of polyphonic music not only convey a rich repertoire of some of the most impressive music ever written; they are also objects of striking physical appearance and often great artistic beauty. They are also among the most complex sources of their time, typically combining verbal text, musical notation and other graphic devices. This project presents the first systematic study of mise-en-page - the ways in which these three layers interact on the page - for the period c.1480-1530, when the transmission of polyphonic music had spread across the whole of Europe and had achieved its fullest variety in terms of source and repertoire types. We will investigate the ways in which meaning is constructed through these interactions by the makers and users of these sources. The project will achieve its objectives by expanding approaches developed for text manuscripts, incorporating aspects specific to musical sources and combining them with digital technology; it will also transfer the results of the investigation to present-day performances.Mise-en-page forms an integral part of music sources and therefore provides crucial information for the understanding of the repertoire that is transmitted through them. Its complexity is particularly great in sources containing polyphonic music notation, where the different voice parts are arranged to be read separately by the performers, yet to be performed simultaneously. Some sources, albeit mostly earlier and/or exceptional ones, have been examined in detail from this viewpoint, but a unified methodology and a consistent terminology are now required.We will analyse and present the material in two different ways. On the one hand, we will compile a database of mise-en-page information for all extant sources from this period (c.300 manuscripts and exemplars of c.80 editions) to facilitate comparisons and codification. As part of this work, we will develop a template for the description of page information and compile a terminological glossary which can become a standard resources for future research. On the other hand, we will analyse and compare a sample of 25 sources (20 manuscripts and 5 prints) in detail. The selected sources encompass the full geographical and chronological spread as well as the full breadth of formats, layouts, functions, repertories, languages and levels of decoration which can be found during this period. In the online presentation of these sources, we will map correlations between visual and textual elements through electronic markup, establish cross-references to the database and to other images with similar (or opposing) strategies of visualization, and provide a prose commentary for every selected opening. The selected sources will also be available for online browsing in their entirety, enabling users to contextualize the conclusions within the wider context of the source.Finally, in collaboration with the vocal ensemble Cappella Pratensis, we will explore with performers how an understanding of the mise-en-page (which 'disappears' or is distorted in modern transcription) informs how the music is sung and heard. The performances and a combined CD/DVD release will include multimedia projections of marked-up sources to convey this to the audience, providing a guide through the various visual layers.