Anthony Ruff, O.S.B., has written a brilliant, comprehensive, well-researched book about the treasures of the Church's musical tradition, and about the transformations brought about by liturgical reform. The liturgy constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium stated many revolutionary principles of liturgical reform. Regarding liturgical music, the Council's decrees mandated, on the one hand, the preservation of the inherited treasury of sacred music, and on the other hand, advocated adaptation and expansion of this treasury to meet the changed requirements of the reformed liturgy. In clear, precise language, he retrieves the Council's neglected teachings on the preservation of the inherited music treasury. He clearly shows that this task is not at odds with good pastoral practice, but is rather an integral part of it. The book proposes an alternate hermeneutic for understanding the Second Vatican Council's teachings on worship music.

Max Reger (1873-1916) is perhaps best-known for his organ music. This quickly assumed a prominent place in the repertory of German organists due in large measure to the efforts of Reger‘s contemporary Karl Straube (1873-1950). The personal and collegial relationship between the composer and performer began in 1898 and developed until Reger‘s death. By that time, Straube had established himself as an important artist and teacher in Leipzig and the central authority for the interpretation of Reger‘s organ music. The Reger-Straube relationship functioned on a number of levels with decisive consequences both for the composition of the music and its interpretation over a period fraught with upheaval on sociopolitical, religious and aesthetic fronts. This book evaluates the significance of the relationship between the composer and organist using primary source materials such as autograph performing manuscripts, reviews, programmes, letters and archival sources from contemporary organ building. The result is a much enhanced understanding of Reger in terms of performance practice and reception history, and a re-examination of Straube and, more broadly, of Leipzig as a musical centre during this period.

This volume unites a collection of articles which illustrate brilliantly the complexity of European cultural history in the Renaissance. On the one hand, scholars of this period were inspired by classical narratives on the sublime effects of music and, on the other hand, were affected by the profound religious upheavals which destroyed the unity of Western Christianity and, in so doing, opened up new avenues in the world of music. These articles offer as broad a vision as possible of the ways of thinking about music which developed in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

This is the first serious study of the conflict that affected music in early modern Europe in 1470s - the gradual introduction of polyphony. Examining this major change in sensibility and mentality, Rob C Wegman illuminates a key period of change in Western musical history.

This volume provides a multidisciplinary view on the complexity of an emerging city, offering, for the first time in English, an overview of the current state of research on Vienna in the Middle Ages.

Liturgy and Music: Lifetime Learning is not only for pastoral music majors but also for professional pastoral musicians, pastors, and liturgical practitioners. This volume should help those involved with liturgy - especially its music - gain a basic knowledge of liturgy / worship and an introduction to the scope and role of liturgical music and musicians in various Christian denominations.

Martin Luther's relationship to music has been largely downplayed, yet music played a vital role in Luther's life -- and he in turn had a deep and lasting effect on Christian hymnody. In Luther's Liturgical Music Robin Leaver comprehensively explores these connections. Replete with tables, figures, and musical examples, this volume is the most extensive study on Luther and music ever published. Leaver's work makes a formidable contribution to Reformation studies, but worship leaders, musicians, and others will also find it an invaluable, very readable resource.