"The principal purpose in writing these essays is to make available to the reader a much broader understanding of the practice of music in earlier societies than that which is provided in traditional music history texts." ~ David Whitwell
About David Whitwell
View essays in this category:
Concerning the Mysteries of Music
Essay Nr. 1
On Animals and Music
Essay Nr. 2
On the Music of the Spheres
Essay Nr. 3
On Pythagoras
Essay Nr. 4
Curiosities in Music Etymology and Metaphor
Concerning Music and Religion
Essay Nr. 5
Thoughts on Music and Religion in Ancient Civilizations
Essay Nr. 6
Thoughts on Music and Religion among the Romans and early Christians
Essay Nr. 7
Thoughts on Roman Church Music in the Dark Ages
Essay Nr. 8
Thoughts on Roman Church Music in the Pre-Renaissance
Essay Nr. 9
Thoughts on Roman Church Music of the 14th Century
Essay Nr. 10
Thoughts on Roman Church Music of the 15th Century
Essay, Nr. 11
Thoughts on Church Music of the 16th Century
Essay Nr. 12
Martin Luther on Music
Essay Nr. 13
Praetorius on 16th Century Performance Practice
      Syntagma Musicum, Volume III
Essay Nr. 14
Thoughts on Church Music in the Baroque
Essay Nr. 15
Thoughts on Music in Heaven
Essay Nr. 16
Thoughts on Music and Prophesy
Concerning Ancient Definitions of Music
Essay Nr. 17
What is Music?
Essay Nr. 18
Music: Theory or Practice?
      (Musica speculative versus Musica practica)
Essay Nr. 19
Music Defined as Mathematics
Essay Nr. 20
Music Defined as Truth
Essay Nr. 21
On Reason versus Experience
Essay Nr. 22
On Reason versus Emotion
Essay Nr. 23
More Early Views of our Bicameral Mind
Essay Nr. 24
On Right-Hand Preference
Essay Nr. 25
On Early Views of the Emotions
Essay Nr. 26
On the Emotions and Music
Essay Nr. 27
On the Doctrine of the Affections
Essay Nr. 28
On Catharsis
Essay Nr. 29
On Composition
Essay Nr. 30
On Music as a Language
Concerning the Physiological Nature of Music
Essay Nr. 31
On Movement and Music
Essay Nr. 32
On Oratory and Music
Essay Nr. 33
On Early Accounts of Music Therapy
Essay Nr. 34
"...to soothe a savage breast"
Essay Nr. 35
On Geography and Music
Essay Nr. 36
Are Musicians Born or Made?
Essay Nr. 37
Is Music Genetic?
Concerning Music and Ethics
Essay Nr. 38
Music and Character Formation
Essay Nr. 39
Music and Manners
Essay Nr. 40
On the Character of the Performer
Essay Nr. 41
Women not Allowed!
Essay Nr. 42
The Ancient Artist and the Public
Essay Nr. 43
The Renaissance Artist and the Public
Essay Nr. 44
The Baroque Artist and the Public
Essay Nr. 45
The 19th Century Artist and the Public
Concerning Performance
Essay Nr. 46
On Ancient Concert Halls
Essay Nr. 47
Memories of Ancient Concerts
Essay Nr. 48
On Early Performers
Essay Nr. 49
On Ancient Singers
Essay Nr. 50
On the Ancient Rhapsodist
Essay Nr. 51
On Women Performers of the Ancient World
Essay Nr. 52
Ancient Reflections on Repertoire
Essay Nr. 53
On Ancient Conductors
Essay Nr. 54
On Early Views of Critics
Essay Nr. 55
On Music Competition in the Ancient World
Essay Nr. 56
Entertainment Music in the Ancient World
Essay Nr. 57
Banquet Music in the Ancient World
Essay Nr. 58
Wedding Music in the Ancient World
Essay Nr. 59
Funeral Music in the Ancient World
Essay Nr. 60
Theater Music in the Ancient World
Concerning Performance Practice
Essay Nr. 61
On Memorization
Essay Nr. 62
Weird Science
Essay Nr. 63
On Acoustics and the Perception of Music
Essay Nr. 64
On the Pyramid Principle
Essay Nr. 65
Thoughts on Tempi
Essay Nr. 66
On Early Musical Instruments and Consorts of Dogs
Essay Nr. 67
Early Views on Percussion
Concerning Ancient Music
Essay Nr. 68
On the Ancient Gods of Music
Essay Nr. 69
On Ancient Muses and Myths
Essay Nr. 70
What was Ancient Greek Music like?
Essay Nr. 71
On the Ancient Greek Modes
Essay Nr. 72
On the Ancient Greek Chorus
Essay Nr. 73
On the Ancient Roman Chorus
Essay Nr. 74
On the Ancient Oboe (Aulos)
Essay Nr. 75
The Social Standing of Music in Ancient Societies
Essay Nr. 76
On Music of Ancient Courts
Essay Nr. 77
On Secular Music in Ancient Societies
Essay Nr. 78
On the Secular Festivals of Ancient Greece and Rome
Essay Nr. 79
On Music of the Ancient Military
Essay Nr. 80
On the Ancient Trumpet
Concerning Medieval Music
Essay Nr. 81
Music as Viewed by Medieval Philosophers
Essay Nr. 82
On the Jongleur
Essay Nr. 83
On the Minstrel
Essay Nr. 84
On Music of the Medieval Courts
Essay Nr. 85
On Medieval Civic Music
Essay Nr. 86
On the Medieval Chorus
Essay Nr. 87
St. Augustine on Music
Essay Nr. 88
Boethius on Music
Essay Nr. 89
Cassiodorus on Music
Essay Nr. 90
On Music Treatises of the 9th to 11th Centuries
Essay Nr. 91
St. Thomas Aquinas on Music
Essay Nr. 92
The Music of the Troubadours
Essay Nr. 93
The Music of the French Romances and Chansons de Geste
Essay Nr. 94
The Music of the Minnesingers
Essay Nr. 95
The Music of the Goliards
Essay Nr. 96
On Medieval Military Music
Essay Nr. 97
On the Medieval Trumpet
Concerning Renaissance Music
Essay Nr. 98
On Music and Society in the 14th Century
Essay Nr. 99
Machaut on Music
Essay Nr. 100
Petrarch on Music
Essay Nr. 101
Boccaccio on Music
Essay Nr. 102
Chaucer on Music
Essay Nr. 103
On Music and Society in the 15th Century
Essay Nr. 104
Leonardo da Vinci on Music
Essay Nr. 105
Tinctoris on the Aesthetics of Music
Essay Nr. 106
On Music and Society in the 16th Century: The Growth of Italian Humanism
Essay Nr. 107
On the Censure of Polyphony
Essay Nr. 108
Castiglione on Music
Essay Nr. 109
On the "Well-Rounded Man"
Essay Nr. 110
Michelangelo on Art and Music
Essay Nr. 111
On Academies
Essay Nr. 112
On Music and Society in th 16th Century: the Growing Irrelevance of the Universities
Essay Nr. 113
Cardano on Music
Essay Nr. 114
On the 16th Century Music Treatises
Essay Nr. 115
On Music and Society in the 16th Century: the Opposition of the Church
Essay Nr. 116
Erasmus on Humanism
Essay Nr. 117
Erasmus on Music
Essay Nr. 118
On the Music of the Renaissance Court
Essay Nr. 119
On Music of the Courts of Burgundy
Essay Nr. 120
On Music of the Courts of France
Essay Nr. 121
On Music of the Courts of Italy
Essay Nr. 122
On Music of the Courts of Spain
Essay Nr. 123
On Music of the German-Speaking Courts
Essay Nr. 124
On Music of the Court of Henry VIII
Essay Nr. 125
On Music of the Court of Elizabeth I
Essay Nr. 126
Shakespeare on Music
Essay Nr. 127
In Praise of Women
Essay Nr. 128
Comments on Renaissance Performance
Essay Nr. 129
Comments on Renaissance Performance Practice
Essay Nr. 130
Comments on Renaissance Improvisation
Essay Nr. 131
The Lute in Renaissance Literature
Essay Nr. 132
On Singers of the Renaissance
Essay Nr. 133
On Renaissance Civic Music
Essay Nr. 134
On the Serenade
Essay Nr. 135
On Occupational Music
Essay Nr. 136
On Popular Music of the Renaissance
Essay Nr. 137
Some Comments on Music and Dance
Essay Nr. 138
Music of the Renaissance Banquet
Essay Nr. 139
On Music of Renaissance Weddings
Essay Nr. 140
Music in the Elizabethan Theater
Essay Nr. 141
Military Music in the Renaissance
Essay Nr. 142
On the Renaissance Trumpet
Concerning Baroque Music
Essay Nr. 143
On Defining the Italian Baroque
Essay Nr. 144
Thoughts on the Beginning of Italian Opera
Essay Nr. 145
On Court Music of the Italian Baroque
Essay Nr. 146
On Civic and Military Music of the Italian Baroque
Essay Nr. 147
On Church Music of the Italian Baroque
Essay Nr. 148
Italian Views on Baroque Performance Practice
Essay Nr. 149
Kircher on Music
Essay Nr. 150
Thoughts on Music of the Spanish Baroque
Essay Nr. 151
Thoughts on the Musical Scene in Baroque Germany
Essay Nr. 152
On Emotion in Music in the German Baroque
Essay Nr. 153
On Court Music in the German Baroque
Essay Nr. 154
On the Hautboisten
Essay Nr. 155
On Civic Music of the German Baroque
Essay Nr. 156
On Instruments in Church Music of Baroque Germany
Essay Nr. 157
On the Golden Age of the Trumpet in Germany
Essay Nr. 158
On the Influence of Turkish Music
Essay Nr. 159
On German Military Music of the Baroque
Essay Nr. 160
A few Comments on German Performance Practice
Essay Nr. 161
Mattheson on the Nature of Music
Essay Nr. 162
Mattheson on Emotion in Music
Essay Nr. 163
Mattheson on the Composition of Good Melody
Essay Nr. 164
Mattheson on Performance
Essay Nr. 165
Leibniz on Music
Essay Nr. 166
On Court Music in the French Baroque
Essay Nr. 167
On French Military Music of the Baroque
Essay Nr. 168
On Some Views of French Baroque Musicians
Essay Nr. 169
Mersenne on the Nature of Music
Essay Nr. 170
Mersenne on Performance
Essay Nr. 171
French Philosophers on Music
Essay Nr. 172
French Philosophers on the Character of French Musicians
Essay Nr. 173
French Philosophers on Opera
Essay Nr. 174
Descartes on Music
Essay Nr. 175
The French Theater on Music
Essay Nr. 176
Music in French Fiction
Essay Nr. 177
Music in French Non-Fiction
Essay Nr. 178
Voltaire on Music
Essay Nr. 179
Voltaire on Opera
Essay Nr. 180
Music at the Jacobean Court
Essay Nr. 181
Music in the Masque
Essay Nr. 182
Jacobean Church Music
Essay Nr. 183
Civic Music in the English Baroque
Essay Nr. 184
Music in Jacobean Society
Essay Nr. 185
Entertainment Music in Baroque England
Essay Nr. 186
Military Music of the English Baroque
Essay Nr. 187
Views by English Musicians of the Baroque
Essay Nr. 188
Contemporary Views on Performance Practice
Essay Nr. 189
North on Music
Essay Nr. 190
Jacobean Philosophers on Music
Essay Nr. 191
Bacon on Music
Essay Nr. 192
Music in Jacobean Poetry
Essay Nr. 193
Milton on Music
Essay Nr. 194
Music in the Jacobean Theater
Essay Nr. 195
Music in English Prose
Essay Nr. 196
Music in the Restoration Court
Essay Nr. 197
Music in the Restoration Church
Essay Nr. 198
Isaac Newton on Music
Essay Nr. 199
Restoration Philosophers on Music
Essay Nr. 200
Music in the Restoration Theater
Essay Nr. 201
Dryden on Music
Essay Nr. 202
Music in Restoration Poetry
Essay Nr. 203
Music and English Manners
Essay Nr. 204
Pepys on Music
Essay Nr. 205
Restoration Journals on Music
Essay Nr. 206
English Views on Foreign Opera
Essay Nr. 207
Dryden on Opera
Essay Nr. 208
Restoration Journals on Opera
Concerning Education
Essay Nr. 209
Music Education before Plato
Essay Nr. 210
Plato on Music Education
Essay Nr. 211
Aristotle on Music Education
Essay Nr. 212
Greek Views on Music Education after Aristotle
Essay Nr. 213
Music Education in Ancient Rome
Essay Nr. 214
Why the Church Closed the Schools
Essay Nr. 215
How the Church Reinvented Music Education
Essay Nr. 216
Music Education in the Dark Ages
Essay Nr. 217
Music Education in the Pre-Renaissance
Essay Nr. 218
Early Renaissance Views on Education in General
Essay Nr. 219
Music Education in the 14th Century
Essay Nr. 220
Music Education in the 15th Century
Essay Nr. 221
Views on Education in General in 16th Century Italy
Essay Nr. 222
Music Education in 16th Century Italy
Essay Nr. 223
Montaigne on Education
Essay Nr. 224
Music Education in 16th Century France
Essay Nr. 225
Vives on Education
Essay Nr. 226
Erasmus on Education
Essay Nr. 227
Views on Education in General in 16th Century Germany
Essay Nr. 228
Views on Music Education in 16th Century Germany
Essay Nr. 229
Music Education Treatises of 16th Century Germany
Essay Nr. 230
Martin Luther on Music Education
Essay Nr. 231
Views on Education in General in 16th Century England
Essay Nr. 232
Music Education in 16th Century England
Essay Nr. 233
On Music Education in Baroque Italy
Essay Nr. 234
On the Philosophical Roots of German Music Education
Essay Nr. 235
The Music Education Scene in Baroque Germany
Essay Nr. 236
Views on Education in General in Baroque France
Essay Nr. 237
On the Philosophical Roots of French Music Education
Essay Nr. 238
The Music Education Scene in Baroque France
Essay Nr. 239
Jacobean Philosophers on Education in General
Essay Nr. 240
The Music Education Scene in Jacobean England
Essay Nr. 241
Restoration Philosophers on Education in General
Essay Nr. 242
On Music Education in Restoration England
Essay Nr. 243
Schumann on Music Education
Essay Nr. 244
Schumann Recalls his University Experience
Essay Nr. 245
Chopin on Music Education
Essay Nr. 246
Mendelssohn on Music Education
Essay Nr. 247
Liszt on Music Education
Essay Nr. 248
Berlioz on Music Education
Essay Nr. 249
Wagner on Music Education
Concerning the Aesthetics of Music
Essay Nr. 250
On the Definition of Aesthetics in Music
Essay Nr. 251
On the Classification of the Musical Experience
Philosophical Letters
Letter Nr. 1
Townsend on the Band Music of the Donizetti Brothers
Letter Nr. 2
Henk Badings on Wind Music
Letter Nr. 3
Aram Kachaturian on Wind Music
Letter Nr. 4
Benjamin Britten on Wind Music
Letter Nr. 5
Ingolf Dahl on Wind Music
Letter Nr. 6
David Diamond on Wind Music
Letter Nr. 7
Alan Hovhaness on Wind Music
Letter Nr. 8
Walter Piston on Wind Music
Letter Nr. 9
Ross Lee Finney on Wind Music
Letter Nr. 10
William Schuman on Wind Music
Letter Nr. 11
Fennell "in Irons"
Letter Nr. 12
James Neilson on the Ethical Responsibilities of the Band Director
Letter Nr. 13
James Neilson on "the Changing Scene"
Letter Nr. 14
James Neilson on Ethics in Performance
Letter Nr. 15
Geoffrey Emerson on Ethics in Publication
Letter Nr. 16
A Young Composer Reflects on the Band
Letter Nr. 17
Paul Yoder on the Sousa Oral History Project
Letter Nr. 18
David Ludlow Stackhouse on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 19
Alfred W. Bleckschmidt on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 20
Arthur H. Brandenburg on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 21
Russell Howland on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 22
Jack Mahan on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 23
James Melichar on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 24
Rudolph Timmel on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 25
James C. Harper, Sr. on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 26
Leonard Falcone on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 27
Leonard B. Smith on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 28
Himie Voxman on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 29
William D. Revelli on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 30
Glenn Bridges on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 31
Hugh E. McMillen on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 32
Mark Hindsley on Hearing the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 33
Frank Sullivan on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 34
William Clarke on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 35
Robin Davis on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 36
Earl Kilgour on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 37
Joe Lefter on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 38
Randall Webber on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 39
Carl T. Rundquist on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 40
Ralph K. Ostrom on Playing in the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 41
Owen D. Kincaid on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 42
Mayer, Lefter and Mueller Discuss Playing in the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 43
Richard Kent on Playing in the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 44
Harold Stephens on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 45
Emmett Wilson on Playing in Sousa's Naval Band
Letter Nr. 46
Edmund C. Wall on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 47
Benjamin Hudish on Playing in Sousa's Band
Letter Nr. 48
Paul Yoder on the Decline of the Sousa Band
Letter Nr. 49
Fennell Reflects on the Eastman Wind Ensemble
Letter Nr. 50
Fennell on Recording with the Kosei Wind Orchestra
Letter Nr. 51
On the Search for the Longy Club Performance Materials
Letter Nr. 52
Whitwell on Seating Plan Theory
Letter Nr. 53
A Whitwell Proposal for a new Festival Format
Letter Nr. 54
A Letter to California High School Band Directors (1989)
Letter Nr. 55
A Letter to California High School Band Directors (1991)
Letter Nr. 56
On Whitwell's Music Education Book
Letter Nr. 57
Whitwell on the "Roots" of the Modern Wind Band (1984)
Letter Nr. 58
A Recommendation for the ABA
Letter Nr. 59
Recommendations for WASBE
Letter Nr. 60
On "The Art of Musical Conducting"
Letter Nr. 61
On "Friends"
Letter Nr. 62
Band Director Oaths for a New Century
Letter Nr. 63
Thoughts on the Berlioz Symphony for Band
Letter Nr. 64
Thoughts on Possible Mozart Cadential Ritards
      (K. 388 and Gran Partita)
Letter Nr. 65
The Forgotten Man
      (in the Music Department)
The Portrait Gallery
Portrait Nr. 1
Eugene Ormandy
Portrait Nr. 2
Aaron Copland
Portrait Nr. 3
Ernst Krenek
Portrait Nr. 4
Vaclav Nelhybel
Portrait Nr. 5
Frank Erickson
Portrait Nr. 6
Karel Husa
The Gallery of Miniatures
Miniatures 1
Miniature Portraits of Conductors, Part I
      Bernstein, Solti, Stokowski & Giulini
Miniatures 2
Minature Portraits of Conductors, II
      Karajan, Maazel, Barenboim & Boulez
Miniatures 3
Miniature Portraits of Conductors, III
      Reiner, Szell, Walter & Barbirolli
Miniatures 4
Miniature Portraits of some Bandsmen
Miniatures 5
Miniature Portraits of some Composers
      Hovhaness, Stravinsky, Villa-Lobos & Orff
Miniatures 6
Whitwell: European Conducting Reviews
Composers Corner
Nr. 1
Mozart through the Eyes of his Friends
Nr. 2
Mendelssohn as he saw himself
Nr. 3
Mendelssohn defines Great Music
Nr. 4
Mendelssohn on his Creative Process
Nr. 5
Mendelssohn on his Employment
Nr. 6
Mendelssohn on his own Performance
Nr. 7
Mendelssohn on Current Performance Practice
Nr. 8
Mendelssohn on other Composers
Nr. 9
Mendelssohn on National Characteristics
Nr. 10
Mendelssohn's Outlook on Life
Nr. 11
Chopin on his Creative Process
Nr. 12
Chopin on National Characteristics
Nr. 13
Chopin on Personalities of the Day
Nr. 14
Chopin as he Viewed Himself
Nr. 15
Chopin on his Health
Nr. 16
Chopin on his Career
Nr. 17
Chopin on his Daily Life
Nr. 18
Schumann on his Personality and Character
Nr. 19
Schumann on his Health and Mental Attitude
Nr. 20
Schumann on Talent versus Genius
Nr. 21
Schumann on Composition in General
Nr. 22
Schumann on his Creative Process
Nr. 23
Schumann on his Compositions
Nr. 24
Schumann on the Public and Criticism
Nr. 25
Schumann on other Composers
Nr. 26
Schumann on National Characteristics
Nr. 27
Schumann's Outlook on Life
Nr. 28
Schumann on Clara
Nr. 29
Liszt Looks in a Mirror
Nr. 30
Liszt on Philosophy