Book dossier

French baroque music from Beaujoyeulx to Rameau

by James R. Anthony

James R. Anthony's French Baroque Music, originally published in 1974, was the first definitive study of French music of the Baroque era and remains the only comprehensive survey of the vast musical output of 17th and 18th-century France. Completely revised and expanded, this new edition incorporates research of the past two decades and includes a wealth of quotations from early writers on the subject. As in the previous English language editions of 1974 and 1978 (and in the French editions of 1981 and 1992), the book provides an overview of French music of the period. Anthony explores music of the stage and of the altar and includes chapters on music for lute, guitar, and keyboard; instrumental music; and vocal chamber music. A revised author's preface considers the present state of research in the area of French Baroque music. Finally, a new and expanded index and an updated bibliography listing more than 1,300 works make this book a superb resource for scholars as well as laymen.