The Dedicatory Epistles of Vocal Music Books Printed in the Southern Low Countries in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Some Theoretical and Epistemological Reflections - 2026
Paper published in a journal (Scientific congresses and symposiums)
The Dedicatory Epistles of Vocal Music Books Printed in the Southern Low Countries in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Some Theoretical and Epistemological Reflections
Massart, Romane
2026 • In International Journal for History, Culture and Modernity, 13 (3), p. 289-319
Dédicaces; Épîtres dédicatoires; Musique imprimée; Première modernité; Anciens Pays-Bas; Mécénat musical; Épistémologie; Théories du don
Abstract :
[en] This article explores the dedicatory epistles of vocal music books printed in Antwerp and Leuven during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, analyzing their function at the intersection of paratextual discourse, social exchange, and musical patronage. Drawing on a corpus of printed dedications, it examines how composers and music printers used these texts to negotiate their positions within the patronage system and to construct both their public images and those of their dedicatees. By combining literary theory, the anthropology of gift-giving, and book history, this study demonstrates that dedicatory epistles were not mere conventional prefaces but powerful symbolic tools that staged the reciprocal obligations of the donor and the patron. Ultimately, it argues that the dual nature of musical works bridges the gap between market-driven values and gift-based values, with economic and symbolic capital playing a crucial role in defining and legitimating their worth and the status of the author and dedicatee.
Research Center/Unit :
Transitions - Transitions - Unité de recherches sur le Moyen Âge et la première Modernité - ULiège
Disciplines :
History
Author, co-author :
Massart, Romane ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Transitions - Unité de recherches sur le Moyen Âge et la première Modernité
Language :
English
Title :
The Dedicatory Epistles of Vocal Music Books Printed in the Southern Low Countries in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Some Theoretical and Epistemological Reflections
Alternative titles :
[fr] Les épîtres dédicatoires des livres de musique vocale imprimés dans les anciens Pays-Bas méridionaux aux XVIe et XVIIe siècles. Quelques réflexions théoriques et épistémologiques.
Original title :
[en] The Dedicatory Epistles of Vocal Music Books Printed in the Southern Low Countries in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Some Theoretical and Epistemological Reflections
Publication date :
15 January 2026
Event name :
The Art of Asking. Strategies of patronage solicitation through the ages in music, literature, visual arts, and intellectual culture.
Event organizer :
Kennispunt Mecenaatstudies (Utrecht University)
Event place :
Utrecht, Netherlands
Event date :
15 novembre 2024
Audience :
International
Journal title :
International Journal for History, Culture and Modernity
ISSN :
2214-9910
Publisher :
Utrecht University Library Open Access Journals, Utrecht, Netherlands
Special issue title :
The Art of Asking. Strategies of Patronage Solicitation Through the Ages in Music, Literature, Visual Arts, and Intellectual Culture
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