Polyphony and the Modern

Polyphony and the Modern explores how polyphony can be used as an index of modernity, suggesting that it can provide a bridge between the Medieval and Early Modern periods and enable artists to embody the outlook of a subsequent age.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 266 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Polyphony and the Modern delves into a fundamental inquiry: what does it mean to be modern in one's own time? To address this question, this volume explores polyphony as a key indicator of modernity. In his work "The Principle of Hope," Ernst Bloch demonstrated that every moment in time possesses the potential to be fractured, with individuals living in the same country potentially inhabiting different centuries. Some may align themselves with the past, while others bet on the future, but all are, at least technically, confined within the temporal moment. However, can a claim of modernity also encompass something more ambitious? Can an artist, either by accident or design, transcend the limitations of their own time and embody the outlook of a subsequent age?

This book posits polyphony as a bridge that facilitates the crossing of the temporal barrier between the Medieval and Early Modern periods. Chapter 1 of this book is freely accessible as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license. You can access it at https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781003129837.

Through the lens of polyphony, this book seeks to unravel the complexities of modernity and its relationship to historical periods. It offers a rich tapestry of insights and perspectives that will captivate scholars and enthusiasts alike.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032006642