The Notation Is Not the Music

From a pioneer of the historically informed performance movement, guidelines for performance that takes into account the early music composer's intention.

Written by a leading authority and artist of the historical transverse flute, The Notation Is Notthe Music offers invaluable insight into the issues of historically informed performance and the parameters—and limitations—of notation-dependent performance. As Barthold Kuijken illustrates, performers of historical music should consider what is written on the page as a mere steppingstone for performance. Only by continual examination and reexamination of the sources to discover original intent can an early music practitioner come close to authentic performance.

“In a climate where marketing and convenient practicalities have increasingly tended to overwhelm historical evidence, Kuijken's book is timely and worthwhile.” ―Performance Practice Review

“Kuijken is peerless.” ―Barbara Kallaur, founding member of Ensemble Voltaire and the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra

“A treasure trove for anyone who has dedicated his or her life in the service of music, whether musicologist or general reader.” ―Masahiro Arita, Baroque and modern flautist, conductor, and professor

“An eminently readable compendium. . . . [Kuijken's] inspiring, carefully-researched work is at once insightful―a comprehensive exploration of source material―and provocative, challenging tradition and posing questions for readers to answer for themselves.” ―Stanley Ritchie, Professor of Violin, Early Music Institute, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music