The topics suggested below are simply examples of the type of topics that students may choose to complete.
Each student may select and complete any suitable topic.
If a student selects a topic not suggested here, the student must be prepared to demonstrate that the resources to carry out the substitute topic is available, and to plan the course of action in preparing the topic.
Alternate topics must be presented to the course instructor in writing before the topics are assigned to individual students.
Facsimile of a Primary Source of music (notation) or a printed document concerning music history (such as an early printed book concerning music theory, music instruction, instructions for playing an instrument, etc.).
(If a large book is selected, two or more students can work as a team.)
Transcription/Edition from a Primary Source (i.e., a musical Score transcribed and edited from a book or manuscript dating from before 1900 [to avoid copyright difficulties]).
These can be transcribed using any appropriate music notation. Normally, a Music Notation Software program will be used. Since most students will already have Sibelius, this may the most convenient. Nonetheless, any suitable software can be used, including Fonts of Music Symbols for use in Word Processors (or even a scanned image of hand copied notation).
The primary source normally will be available from a facsimile edition.
If an extensive piece of music is selected, two or more students can work as a team.
Each Transcription/Edition music have an Editorial Commentary, consisting of:
Source used (copy text) [required].
Comments concerning the source(s), the music, the historical context, the composer, the transcription, the notation, and any other points of interest [required].
RISM reference for the source used [optional for extra points]. [RISM is a catalogue of primary sources.]
List of Concordances (other sources containing the same music) [optional for extra points].
Note: Transcription/Editions that pass editorial confirmation will become part of the Acadia Early Music Archive.
Annotated lists concerning various subjects.
These can include the type of thing listed in the following, or another similar subject:
A composer's works.
The contents of a particular portion of a composer's works, such as the movements of a series of sonatas, or the titles and first lines of individual madrigals in a collection, titles and first lines of individual songs in a published song book, etc.
A type of music over a period of time.
A type of publication (such as, for example, books of motets published by a particular printer within a certain time period).
Important musicians in employment at an establishment, such as a particular royal court, or Cathedral, etc.
A series of performance presented in a specific location, over a certain time period (such as operas presented at an opera house).
A Project concerning one composer. This would include a reproduction of the composer's portrait(s), a brief biography, perhaps a list of works. Useful and suitable for a WWW site is a chronology of important events, compositions, publications, positions of employment, locations, etc. in the composer's life.
(This could be coordinated with another student preparing a list as outlined in the previous item.)
A Project concerning a particular instrument or family of instruments.
A Project concerning a particular type of ensemble.
A Project with a collection of iconographic evidence about a specific topic. These could illustrate certain aspects of performance: memberships or makeup of certain ensembles, use of certain instruments, particular techniques of one instruments (fingerings, playing position, etc.), performing situations, costumes, scenery for staged performances, the buildings themselves, etc.
A chronology covering a certain span of time, possibly limited to a particular place.
A Project concerning a particular city or state, possibly limited to a particular time span or musical style period.
A Project in the form of an Term Paper. The student may use one of the suggested topics, or any other similar topic. Each topic must be approved by the course instructor in advance.
Projects may be written in French. However, if in French, the vocabulary must be totally consistent in that language; i.e., all terminology, names, etc., must be those normally used in French scholarship. A hybrid of English and French terminology will not be accepted.
