Medieval Music, Magical Minds

About the Book

MEDIEVAL MUSIC, MAGICAL MINDS

It has only been since the Age of Reason that human beings consider music to be strictly an aesthetic experience. Up until that time, however, music was both intended and designed to have a specific effect upon the mind and emotions of the listener. Religious chant was designed to raise consciousness. Dance music was meant to celebrate fertility, both human and that of the Earth, and to bring earthly joy and ecstasy to those both dancing and listening.

This groundbreaking book fulfills two purposes. The first is to introduce interested musicians to the increasingly-popular field of medieval music. The second is to trace the history of all music, as well as its effect upon the level of awareness of the listeners. Internationally-noted soprano Mary Devlin, a great lover of medieval music expounds upon both her studies and her experience with that genre to try to recreate the thoughts and feelings of the people in the Middle Ages who once composed, performed, and lived that music.

About the Author

Mary Devlin is not only an accomplished vocalist, but a prolific author of books and magazine articles. A hopeless medievalist since childhood, she has not only performed the music, but made it a lifelong research project. She presently lives in Richmond, California, with her son and two cats.