Following on from his two previous publications, The Essential Bach Choir (2000) and Composers' Intentions? (2015), Andrew Parrott has released a third text, The Pursuit of Musick.
The book explores the myriad ways in which the people of Europe have engaged with music in the period of c1200 - 1770. This encyclopedic anthology of illustrations, manuscripts and analysis offers a uniquely accessible window into a treasure trove of musicological experiences.
The book has received glowing reviews and endorsements from critics and academics alike:
‘A magisterial collection…I have already lost many an evening to this book, enjoying passages both familiar and lesser known.’
Gramophone Magazine, February 2023
a ‘magnificent publication’ … ‘it would be possible to pass many a rewarding and pleasurable hour just browsing the hundreds of illustrations’
Early Music Review
‘The originality and uniqueness of this book cannot be overstated. It’s a version of musical history which we always needed but could never have imagined. ... Above all, the voice, spirit, industry and engagement of musicians (so often omitted from history in favour of didactic theorists) are always forefronted in this persuasive demonstration of how music came to be the way it is.’
Judith Weir, Master of the King's Music
You can learn more about the book here.
