Margot Fassler's Music in the Medieval West imaginatively reconstructs
the repertoire of the Middle Ages by drawing on a wide range of sources.
In addition to highlighting the ceremonial and dramatic functions of
medieval music (both sacred and secular), she pays special attention to
the exchange of musical ideas, the development of musical notation and
other methods of transmission, and the role of women in musical
culture.
Western Music in Context: A Norton History comprises six volumes of
moderate length, each written in an engaging style by a recognized
expert. Authoritative and current, the series examines music in the
broadest sense--as sounds notated, performed, and heard--focusing not
only on composers and works, but also on broader social and intellectual
currents.