The last decade has seen an unprecedented burgeoning of research on musical performance in the fields of musicology and music psychology. There is now an extensive and continually expanding body of theoretical knowledge about the practice strategies of performers, the motor skills involved in playing an instrument, the psychological and social factors that influence the ways in which performers work, and the acoustical properties of so-called expressive performance. Furthermore, within musicology a sophisticated and increasingly mainstream discourse exists with regard to the relationship between performance and analysis, and issues of historical performance. This accumulating research has led to the establishment of performance studies as a musicological discipline in its own right. The aim of this conference is to address issues of performance in relation to a particular period in music history and its legacy, namely the Romantic period. Its main focus will be on the performance of Romantic repertoire, and on the influences that musical Romanticism in all its dimensions has had on musical performance.

Proposals for individual papers or panels are invited on any aspect of performing Romantic music, and the relationship between Romanticism and music performance.

Papers and panels might focus on such issues as:

• analysis in relation to the performance of music composed during the long nineteenth century • composer-performers early recordings of Romantic music • national traditions and institutional frameworks • pedagogy • performance criticism • performance editions • performer-editors • performing Romantic music in the 21st century • Romantic conceptions of the performer’s role • Romantic repertoire • Romanticizing early music in performance • rubato, expression marks, phrasing and articulation • schools of playing • theories of interpretation and expressivity in performance • teachers and their pupils • virtuosity and work character

Proposals on other relevant topics are also welcome.

Papers and discussions will take place in English.

INDIVIDUAL PAPER LENGTH: 20 minutes, followed by 10-minute discussion

PANEL LENGTH: 1 hour, with no more than four papers (paper lengths to vary in length accordingly)

WORKSHOP LENGTH: maximum 1 hour

LECTURE/PERFORMANCE: maximum 45 minutes, followed by 15-minute discussion

ABSTRACTS:

Abstracts are invited as follows:

Individual papers: an abstract of no more than 250 words, including (1) the paper title; (2) the abstract; and (3) contact information

Panels: a single proposal of no more than 750 words, including (1) the panel title; (2) a short description of the conceptual framework of the panel; (3) the number and title of individual papers; (4) a short abstract for each paper; and (5) contact information for all panel participants

Workshops: a single proposal of no more than 500 words, including (1) the workshop title; (2) a short description of the aims and objectives of the workshop; (3) the number of people involved in delivering the workshop, as well as their particular role; (4) contact information for all relevant workshop participants; and (5) any special requirements, such as technological equipment, instrument provision, particular performance spaces and so on

Lecture/Performance: an abstract of no more than 250 words, including (1) the lecture/performance title; (2) the abstract; (3) contact information; and (4) any special requirements, such as technological equipment, instrument provision, particular performance spaces and so on

ABSTRACT DEADLINE:

Thursday 31 January 2008

Contact bennett.zon@durham.ac.uk