Scribes at Work, Scribes at Play: Challenges for Editors of the 'ars subtilior'

Abstract

This study examines how editing might utilize an understanding of underlying paradigms or epistemes of systems of knowledge in its critical approach to past sources of notated music. For the most part, the focus here is the Western European polyphonic song repertoire evident in the quarter-century either side of the year 1400 commonly called the 'ars subtilior'. Scholars define this repertoire according to technologies of music writing (notational innovation) and elements of musical style such as polymensurality, advanced proportionality, and an expanded relative-pitch field. Investigating both past and more recent epistemologies of music and music writing presents an opportunity to throw present editing's critical approaches into stark contrast with past concepts. Awareness of the differences between past and present approaches to musical writing and to the musical performance must inform music editing. The reasons for this statement will become apparent during this discussion. For now, I begin with a brief overview of recent paradigm shifts in communication and their immediate effects on music technologies.