Music by Subscription: Composers and their Networks in the British Music-Publishing Trade, 1676–1820

This book explores the social and cultural history of eighteenth-century music in Britain by examining subscription lists to musical publications, revealing insights into the social status, employment, and musical interests of subscribers. It discusses female composers and listeners, music and the slave economy, musical patronage, the print trade, and nationality, providing innovative perspectives on music's social spheres, the emergence of music publishing, and the potential of digital musicology research.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 254 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This groundbreaking work in eighteenth-century British social and cultural history delves into a previously overlooked realm: the lists of subscribers that adorned a wide array of publications, including musical works. These invaluable records provide a wealth of information about the individuals who subscribed to music, encompassing their social status, occupation, residence, and musical preferences. By conducting a comprehensive analysis of subscription data, the contributors unveil insightful details about social and economic transformations during the period, as well as the musical tastes of various groups, such as music clubs, the aristocracy, the clergy, and men and women. Spanning chapters on female composers and listeners, music and the slave economy, musical patronage, the print trade, and nationality, this book offers innovative perspectives that enrich our understanding of the social contexts of music, the emergence of music publishing, and the potential of digital musicology research.

Weight: 500g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367756833