ECU Libraries Catalog

Music and religious identity in counter-reformation Augsburg, 1580-1630 / Alexander J. Fisher.

Author/creator Fisher, Alexander J.
Format Book and Print
Publication InfoAldershot, Hants, England ; Burlington, VT : Ashgate, ©2004.
Descriptionxv, 345 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.
Subject(s)
Series St. Andrews studies in Reformation history
St. Andrews studies in Reformation history. ^A394208
Contents Music and religious identity in a divided city -- Protestant song and criminality -- Musical life and Lutheranism at St Anna -- The Counter-Reformation and the Catholic liturgy in Augsburg -- Devotional music in Counter-Reformation Augsburg -- So vil Choros Musicorum: Music in Catholic processions -- The holy mountain: music in Catholic pilgrimage -- Music, confession and the disaster of the Thirty Years War -- Appendix: Transcripts of trial records.
Abstract By the late-sixteenth century, Augsburg was one of the largest cities of the Holy Roman Empire, boasting an active musical life involving the contributions of musicians like Jacobus de Kerle, Hans Leo Hassler, and Gregor Aichinger. This musical culture, however, unfolded against a backdrop of looming religious schism. From the mid-sixteenth century onward, Augsburg was the largest 'biconfessional' city in the Empire, housing a Protestant majority and a Catholic minority, ruled by a city government divided between the two faiths. The period 1580-1630 saw a gradual widening of the divide between these groups. The arrival of the Jesuits in the 1580s polarized the religious atmosphere and fueled the assertion of a Catholic identity, expressed in public devotional services, spectacular processions, and pilgrimages to local shrines. The Catholic music produced for these occasions both reflected and contributed to the religious divide. This book explores the relationship between music and religious identity in Augsburg during this period. How did 'Catholic' and 'Protestant' repertories diverge from one another? What was the impetus for this differentiation, and what effect did the circulation and performance of this music have on Augsburg's religious culture? These questions call for a new, cross-disciplinary approach to the music history of this era, one which moves beyond traditional accounts of the lives and works of composers, or histories of polyphonic genres. Using a wide variety of archival and musical documents, the author offers a holistic view of this musical landscape, examining aspects of composition, circulation, performance, and cultural meaning.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages 315-336) and index.
LCCN 2003057864
ISBN0754638758 (alk. paper)

Available Items

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Music Music Stacks ML3129 .F57 2004 ✔ Available Place Hold