Subject Historical Musicology

Historical Musicology focuses on the history of music and music in history. In line with this focus, it looks at sources from music manuscripts through to printed music and ego-documents, not forgetting teaching works and musical instruments. That said, it also explores historical sources of all kinds that help us to understand and illuminate the context of the music in question. Furthermore, empirical approaches, such as developing repertoire and documenting facts, are also included. This is just as much part and parcel of the bundle of methods utilised by a historical musicologist as analysis and theoretical, hermeneutic reflection, or, in other words, the exploration and discussion of genres, styles, eras, historical contexts and the history of the ideas and discourses of the subject itself.