Two Historiographical Studies in Musicology: Josquin Des Prez, a History of Western Music, and the Norton Anthology of Western Music: a Case Study; & in Search of Medieval Irish Chant and Liturgy: a Chronological Overview of the Secondary Literature

Abstract

STUDY ONE: This study examines the changes made to the biography and works of the Renaissance composer Josquin des Prez (c.1450-1521) through the eight editions of A History of Western Music and its associated score anthologies from 1960 to 2010. It is hypothesized that there are significant correlations between the changes made to Josquin's biography in musicological scholarship at large during the 1990s and the changes to his life and works made in the textbook. STUDY TWO: The study of liturgy and chant in medieval Ireland not only informs our understanding of insular Christianity, but also illuminates the broader practices of the Church throughout the medieval world. This study provides a historiographical overview of the secondary literature on Irish chant and liturgy from 1881 to 2005