Music Publishing in London From 1780 to 1837 as Reflected in Music Publishers' Catalogues of Music for Sale: A Bibliography and Commentary.

Type of content
Theses / Dissertations
Publisher's DOI/URI
Thesis discipline
Music
Degree name
Doctor of Philosophy
Publisher
University of Canterbury. Music
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
Date
2008
Authors
An, Yu Lee
Abstract

This study documents and analyses the music-selling and publishing industry in London from 1780 to the end of the Georgian period as reflected in publishers' catalogues of music for sale. It assembles the histories and activities of these music publishers in relation to the society they served. Catalogues inform us quite precisely not only of the activities of music publishers, but also the role they played in accommodating, influencing, expanding and educating the contemporary musical taste. In addition, catalogues provide documentary evidence of compositions in issues no longer extant, and even of some works themselves at least by the lesser-known composers. Nearly 600 catalogues in over 1100 states, issued by over 100 London music-publishing firms from 1780 to 1837 have been gathered from the British Library, London; the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and Cambridge University Library, Cambridge. Arguably, publishers' catalogues are among the sharpest yet least appreciated mirrors of changes in musical taste. This study attempts to bring them into the foreground, place them in their proper historical perspective and establish their role in musicological research.

Description
Citation
Keywords
Music Publishing, catalogues, Britain
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Rights
Copyright Yu Lee An