Alexis Risler

Department: 
Music Research
Area(s): 
Music History/Musicology
Group: 
Doctoral Student
Current research: 

“From Vocal to Instrumental: 16th-Century Lute Intabulation as Translation”

Recent research sees intabulations as “translations” whose aim is not to mirror a vocal work, but to create a new instrumental reading of the model that gains autonomy and meaning. My research focuses on this translation process, by which 16th-century lutenists made vocal repertoire their own in order to develop new compositional skills. Intabulation thus becomes an intermediary between vocal music and original instrumental compositions such as fantasias and ricercars. Instrumental music is no longer an isolated phenomenon, but is fully integrated into the global musical culture of the Renaissance.

Program: 

Ph.D. Musicology

Graduate supervision: 

Supervisor: Julie Cumming

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