Incorporating a Musical Iconography Component into a Music Research Course

Date

2020-01-10

Authors

Gerber, Steven K.

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Abstract

Most master's programs in music include a required seminar in music research that must broadly introduce a variety of investigatory areas. One such area is the scholarly study of musical iconography, visual works which depict or reference music-making. Students are not generally aware of this interdisciplinary field (which requires dual expertise in music history and art history) and its range of topical approaches; the standard handbooks on music research usually give it only two or three pages. My music research seminar includes a 30-minute illustrated presentation on the aims, tools and resources of musical iconography, with additional class discussion of one or two sample articles by scholars in this field and inspection of selected antiquarian prints in the Special Collections department.

Description

Short illustrated paper given at winter meeting of Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter of Art Libraries Society (ARLIS) at George Mason University, on January 10, 2020.

Keywords

Music; iconography

Citation