In this, the first volume in the new Norton Introduction to Music History series, Richard Hoppin’s discussion of medieval music ranges from earliest chant of the Roman Church to polyphony in the beginning of the fifteenth century. An introductory chapter provides the background of political, social, and geographical events in Western Europe during the first millenium of the Christian era. The author then considers the development of Western liturgies and the place of music therein. The remainder of the book concentrates on the music itself, covering questions on secular song in both Latin and vernacular languages, and the growth of sacred and secular polyphony in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The book concludes with a discussion of the new Renaissance style as exemplified in the works of Dunstable, Dufay, and Binchois.
Richly illustrated and replete with music examples, this book is the product of a lifelong study of and a boundless enthusiasm for the music of the Middle Ages. The study renders the book authoritative; the enthusiasm makes it lively and fascinating.
The works discussed in detail have been gathered together in a separate volume entitled Anthology of Medieval Music.
Richard Hoppin has been professor of music at The Ohio State University since 1961. A medievalist of national reputation, he received his doctorate from Harvard University and has published extensively.