The Musical World of a Medieval Monk: Adémar de Chabannes in Eleventh-century Aquitaine

by James Grier

• ISBN13: 9780521856287
• ISBN10: 0521856280
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-12-14
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

James Grier documents the musical activities of Adèmar de Chabannes, eleventh-century monk, historian, homilist and tireless polemicist for the apostolic status of Saint Martial, patron saint of the abbey that bore his name in Limoges. Adèmar left behind some 451 folios of music with notation in his autograph hand, a musical resource without equal before the seventeenth century. He introduced, at strategic moments, pieces familiar from the standard liturgy for an apostle and items of his own composition. These reveal Adèmar to be a supremely able designer of liturgies and a highly original composer. This study analyzes his accomplishments as a musical scribe, compiler of liturgies, editor of existing musical works and composer; it also offers a speculative consideration of his abilities as a singer; and finally, it places Adèmar's musical activities in the context of liturgical, musical and political developments at the abbey of Saint Martial in Limoges.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Adé

mar de Chabannes and Saint Martial de Limoges

Music scribe

Compiler

Editor

Composer

Singer

Conclusion: the success of the Apostolic Campaign

Appendix A: Manuscripts with Adé

mar's music hand

Appendix B: Adé

mar's original compositions

Bibliography.