Topics in Musical Interpretation

While interpretation of musical scores is amongst the most frequent of musical activities, it is also, strangely, one of the least researched. This collection of essays seeks to remedy this deficit by illuminating ways in which today’s curious musician – interested in probing beyond the dictates of a faintly understood score – can engage more deeply and thoughtfully with the act of interpretation. Skilful musical interpretation draws on a vast range of knowledges. The chapters of this collection accordingly address a similarly broad set of issues, including notation, rhetoric, theory, historiography, performers past and present, instrument builders, concert presenters, reception history, and more.

Written by leading experts from a variety of musical subdisciplines, these essays are designed to be accessible and practically relevant for musical performance. Many of the chapters utilize case studies and, as such, will be useful for university and conservatory level students as well as music scholars.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Musicological Research.

Sezi Seskir received her first degree in piano in her native, Ankara, Turkey. She continued with her studies in Lübeck Musikhochschule and then completed a DMA degree with Malcolm Bilson at Cornell University, Ithaca, USA. She is currently Associate Professor of Music at Bucknell University, USA.

David Hyun-su Kim is concert pianist specializing in historical performance. He holds degrees in music from Cornell, Yale, and Harvard Universities, as well as a Doctorate from the New England Conservatory. www.davidkimpiano.com