Chaucer Studies - 1: Music in the Age of Chaucer

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Although Chaucer himself was never described as a musician, a number of his poems are based on French models which belong to a well-established musical tradition, and there are also many references to musical activities in his larger works. This is the starting point for Dr Wilkins's book, which explores both the wider question of the relationship between music and literature in the 14th century and the specific area of Chaucer's "songs". He surveys the musical and literary scene in France, Italy and Britain during Chaucer's lifetime, with special emphasis on composers such as Machaut and Landini, and on the differences in national styles. The performance of music and the instruments used are also fully explored. The final chapter is an illustrated index of contemporary instruments. There are over fifty illustrations, including facsimiles of many musical landmarks of the ages, and numerous musical examples in the text. An appendix contains the words and music of all the songs attributed to Chaucer.