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

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.

The following beneficiaries ouside the academic realm can be identified:

1. Early music performers and audiences
There is a sustained and high demand for early music both in recordings and in live performance, nowhere more than in the UK.
The project will have a vital impact in this area through an international collaboration with Cappella Pratensis (currently the only professional early music ensemble consistently performing from reproductions of original sources). Our collaboration will build on their expertise and go beyond it, by combining and publicizing visual information on the sources and the performance itself through multimedia devices. This will enable audiences to see, hear and read the sources simultaneously and to gain a fuller understanding of the repertoire and how it is transmitted through the sources.
Engagement and exploitation:
a. 2011 'Laus Polyphoniae' festival in Antwerp
- concerts accompanied by multimedia presentations/projections of the sources
- public workshops
- consultation and supply of material from the project team.
b. Combined audiovisual CD/DVD publication of the repertoire performed at the festival with source images, markup and commentary prepared by the team.
c. Public exposure of the project at the festival and through the CD/DVD will foster interest in the web resource of our project; as an online guide to the reading of early music sources, it will serve as the basis for similar multimedia performance projects by other ensembles.
It speaks volumes for the engagement potential of this project that our partners (Cappella Pratensis and Alamire Foundation) are prepared to fund the performance/recording outputs without any direct financial contribution from our side.
Expertise:
- A formal collaboration with Cappella Pratensis and the Alamire Foundation is in place, based on previous collaborations with Schmidt-Beste and Leitmeir. By working with these partners who, on their part, have long-standing experience in engaging the cultural sector with research-informed performances of early music, the project team will gain valuable experience and expertise.
- The project team will use their contacts with other UK-based early vocal ensembles to initiate further performance projects based on the findings.

2. Members of the wider public interested in medieval and Renaissance history, music and art
There is sustained public interest in medieval and early modern history and culture. Music and art are a major part of this.
Engagement and exploitation:
- a website presenting research findings through markup and links, enhancing the experience of users;
- a wide range of visual and textual material presented in a fashion whose appeal will reach beyond academic audiences to the wider public;
- engagement through concerts and the sale of the resulting CD/DVD (see above), also by posting on social networking sites, mailing lists, blogs.
Expertise:
- the project team's wide-ranging contacts outside academia will ensure the greatest possible dissemination;
- our project partners DIAMM and CCH will share their expertise in the engagement of the public with the digital humanities.

3. Libraries and archives (and through them, their users)
The holding libraries and archives (about half of them in the UK) will be presented with an invaluable outreach tool regarding items from their own collections.
Engagement and exploitation:
- contact with all holding institutions to acquire the images and publication rights;
- free linking from library website to the project website;
- assistance in further developing and adapting our resource for their purposes.
Expertise:
- experience of RAs in particular and also of DIAMM in digital projects involving libraries.

All these uses are in principle global and freely accessible, but particularly focused in the UK, with its large base