160035 UE Principles of Notation and Composition II (2015W)

How medieval music may have sounded, remains an open question. But answers to that question, even preliminary ones, can only be found by investigating the ways of writing music down, its notation. Musical notation underwent between 1200 and 1400 such dramatic changes as seldom before and after. The course wants to discuss the modal notatiton of the Notre-Dame period and the 13th century as well as the transition to black mensural notation in the 14th century in France and Italy. Especially of relevance is the question how the various forms of musical notation informed musical thinking. But the principal requirement for any discussion is the acquirement of solid knowledge on musical notation, that is possible only through practice and personal commitment.