The Cat & the Fiddle

by Barlow, Jeremy

• ISBN13: 9781851243006
• ISBN10: 1851243003
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-05-01
• Publisher: Bodleian Library

Summary

InThe Cat and the Fiddle, Jeremy Barlow explores 700 years of musical humor, a topsy-turvy world in which monkeys fiddle and pigs play the bagpipes. It is a vision of chaos and devilry as depicted in a variety of sourcesthe illuminated borders of medieval manuscripts, eighteenth-century prints of urban life, and even the illustrations of children's books. Barlow reveals the shifting meanings behind such images, as they were often symptomatic of larger cultural trend such as rapid industrialization and urbanization, an emerging class system, and the moral movements of the late nineteenth century. As he compellingly argues, the development of the printing press, the popular spectacle of public concerts, and the rise of new political uses for music all played a critical role in musical history and were distinctly evident in images of musical humor. The archives of Oxford's Bodleian Library provided a rich supply of previously unpublished material for Barlow's research. With full-color images throughout,The Cat and the Fiddlewill be a delight for scholars of art and political history as well as lovers of music everywhere.

Author Biography

Jeremy Barlow has made a special study of English popular and dance music from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. His group, the Broadside Band, has won an Edison award, and his many broadcasts include a recent BBC Radio 4 series on the history of social dance.

Table of Contents

Preface

Marginal Musicians

Animal Amusements

Carnival, Coxcombs, and Commedia

Social Satire

Class Contrasts

Mind your Manners

Victorian Ventures

Soulful Soloists

Notes

Works Consulted

List of Illustrations and Sources

Glossary of Obsolete Instruments

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.