Elina G Hamilton

Medieval Music Theory in Context

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

BANGOR UNIVERSITY

13-14 July 2012

This summer, scholars will gather at the School of Music, Bangor University
for a discussion of the most recent studies of medieval music theory

I posted a post about the music theory conference I am organinsing with Dr. Christian Leitmeir this summer at Bangor University. Now we have dates and have moved forward with planning. This initial meeting will hopefully be repeated in the future with bigger focus and ambitions to bring schoalrs of medieval music theory together in a collegiate discussion.

After years of relative stagnation, the study of medieval music theory is showing the signs of a vital renaissance. Ironically, it is the marginal status of this field which has reignited this interest: as the study of medieval theory moved from the centre of musicology towards its periphery, scholars have become increasingly aware of its close interconnections with other disciplines, discourses and modes of representing knowledge in medieval culture.

A fresh and manifold approach suffers but from the hindrance that specialists are divided between different disciplines and lack a research infrastructure. Building on a workshop for musicologists in Bangor (July 2011), IMEMS supports an interdisciplinary one-day workshop with the aims to identify common areas of interests, synergies and complementary methodologies among a wider range of medievalists.

at 18.5.12

MEDIEVAL SCRIBBLES

A lack of recent blog posts is a testimony to the business of life as I run the final stretch of the race to finish my PhD. Most of my energies now have been poured into writing, with an occasional breather through walks on the beautiful North Wales coast line.

My next paper will be given in Prague at Charles University. This year I am focusing on the interaction between Johannes Kepler and Robert Fludd, showing the link between London antiquarians and Prague astronomers. Following this will be the Medieval & Renaissance Music Conference at the University of Nottingham where I am giving a paper on the manuscript tradition of English theoretical sources.

Among my various recent research trips, I have been also entertained by the scribbles of past scholars working through the same sources - only these readers seemed to have found the contents tiresome, or so I like to imagine about the person who decided to put this lovely lady in the lower margin of a Boethius manuscript.

In the meantime, I must return to writing my thesis...

at 25.3.12

CONFERENCE PAPER

I have arrived in Dubrovnik, Croatia to be greeted by christal-clear ocean waters and posters for the conference 'The Boundaries of Musical Humanism: Slavic Regions & Mediterranean Culture' all over town. Looking forward to beginning the conference tomorrow!

26-28 March 2012
Centre for Mediterranean Studies

Wednesday 28 March 11.10-12.30
Elina Hamilton (Bangor University)
'Understanding the Heavens: Johannes Kepler in the Discourse of Musica'

The full conference program can be found here.

at 11.3.12

OXFORD:

Plainsong and Medieval Music Society Annual Conference

10 March 2012

I spent my weekend attending the PMMS annual conference which was held at the Faculty of Music, University of Oxford. Though the theme of the conference was rather somber, 'Music and Death before 1650', the atmosphere was both enthusiastic and enjoyable. As always, it was nice to catch up with colleagues and share what new things we have been up to in the recent months. Afterwards, several of us headed out to the Bear Tavern, one of Oxford's oldest pubs, for a good after-conference pint (or two!) and casual discussions. These annual conferences have now become a great part of my academic year and I look forward to attending next year's 125th anniversary conference held in York.

Today, I walked to Oddington, a small little villiage just north of Oxford, where the14th-century scientist Walter Odington is known to have been from. Among a scattering of houses is the old parish church which boasts of having a bell tower from the 13th century. An interesting history of Oddington can be found here: Parish of Oddington

The Parish of Oddington

at 2.3.12

The conference poster for Dubrovnik has recently been distributed. I am very much looking forward to presenting a paper here.

at 24.1.12

NEXT PUBLIC PAPER

'Walter of Evesham and His Nine Ladies: Explaining musica in Medieval England'

Music Seminar Series

5.15pm

Tuesday 31 January 2012

Music Hall

School of Music

Bangor University

NEWS

The Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies has awarded Dr. Christian Leitmeir and myself funding to enable a small workshop scheduled to take place in July 2012.

Medieval Music Theory in Context (July 2012, exact date tbc)

at 24.12.11

CAPPELLA ROMANA in PORTLAND, OR

Upon arriving in Portland, OR for the Christmas holidays, I was delighted to find out that Cappella Romana will be performing Rachmaninoff's All Night Vigil at St. Mary's Cathedral (Portland, OR) on 6 January 2012. The Northwest based singers specialise in Slavic and Byzantine repertories in their original languages. I am definitely looking forward to hearing them in this concert!

It's good to be back in the North West.

St. Mary's Cathedral, Portland, OR

Friday 6 January 2012 8.00pm

What I do...

Ph.D Research

Teaching the Old and the New: Didactic Application of Fourteenth-century Music Theory

My Ph.D research focuses on an examination of music treatises from and around the 14th century. Although the content of these treatises are studied and well known to musicologists, it is unclear how exactly these may have been used in an educational environment at the time of their compilation. My research will attempt to shed light onto an as yet little understood aspect of late-medieval music education: What types of musical education was available? What was taught, by whom, and for whom? What didactic methodologies were used to communicate different musical skills?
These questions beg special interest, especially in the early 14th century, a time of conflict between old and new musical paradigms. Spurred on by an experimental impulse, a corpus of innovative music theory emerged, which aimed to revolutionize concepts of notation, rhythm and counterpoint. The radical break with traditional practices propagated under the auspices of an ars nova (new art) resulted in a heated controversy with theorists of a more conservative outlook who remained steadfast to received wisdom, polemically branded ars antiqua (ancient or antiquated art).
My research examines treatises in view of their didactic applications and methodologies. Such a contextualisation is needed, for, in contrast to prevailing views, these works were perhaps not embedded within an university educational environment but used in a much different setting. Other than instructing students of the speculative nature of music, their specific purpose of use remain vague. Moreover, the so-called ars antiqua treatises often exhibit very original features which have been surprisingly overlooked. I am currently focusing on two British treatises: Walter Odington's De speculatione musicae and Bodley 842.

Other Research Interests
My undergraduate (Bachelor of Music, Magna cum laude, Portland State University) focused on piano performance and pedagogy, and European studies. I have performed in various venues in Portland, OR, Japan, and Wales, and held a private piano studio for five years where I taught piano skills, music theory, and coached students in preparation for performances. I also have taught a year-long beginning piano course at Portland State University. My MA research (Master of Arts, distinction, Bangor University) focused on an examination of early forms of music notation with graphic notation from the mid-twentieth century. From this research, I presented a paper, 'Carolingian Notation: The Dawn of Written Sound' at Bangor University. During my MA, I also worked on research of British pianoforte composers from the 18th century which resulted in a paper entitled 'British Pianofortes: An Inquiry into 18th Century British Musical Culture Surrounding the Pianoforte Industry' given at the University of Manchester. My MA dissertation ('Writing Sound') will be discussed further in a conference which I am organizing 'Off the Staves: Writing Music Before and After Conventional Notation' to be held at Bangor University, 26-27 March 2010. Currently, I hold seminars for 'Study of Music,' 'Writing About Music' and 'Frederick Chopin: the pianist and his music (2011-2012)' at the School of Music, Bangor University, while also aiding in the teaching of lectures on music history. I also coach music theory and give piano lessons privately.