Music in the middle ages
With an introduction on Music of Ancient Times
Reese Gustave

The most authoritative modem study of
medieval music in any language, Dr. Reese’s
book opens with a section devoted to what
is known of music before the middle ages. It then deals with the background of
Christian Chant and proceeds to treat separately—among others—the Syrian, Byzantine, Russian, Ambrosian, and Gregorian Chants. The history, notation, rhythm, modes, and forms of the last of these are discussed individually. Thereafter the author discusses secular monody in France,
Germany, Italy, England, and Spain. The rest of the book is devoted to European polyphony from the 9th century to the death of Dunstable in 1453: the earlier stages of organum, the great music emanating from Notre Dame de Paris in the late l2th and early l3th centuries; French,
Italian, Spanish, and German l4th-century
polyphony, and polyphony in the British
Isles, from the l2th to the middle of the
l5th century.
This is obviously one of the most valuable
music books published in America in many
years both for the general reader and for
the student of music. It reads as a continuing narrative but stresses consideration of
musical style and includes a full bibliography and a list of phonograph records. It aims to take account of the most recent research on the subject and offers new interpretations of old facts.

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