Shakespeare’s Songbook takes an encore with new award
Duffin honored by American Musiciological Society
with Claude V. Palisca Award
November 17, 2005
| For more information: Susan Griffith 216-368-1004
Hailed as “entirely original and brilliant” and a “musicological
tour de force,” Shakespeare’s Songbook, written by Ross Duffin,
the Fynette H. Kulas Professor of Music at Case Western Reserve University,
was awarded the inaugural Claude V. Palisca Award from the American Musicological
Society. It is the most recent honor bestowed on Duffin’s book, , which
is a scholarly investigation into the original music in Shakespeare’s
plays.
“The editor’s immense knowledge of the field, breath-taking command
of sources and limitless patience are worn with deceptive lightness. Aimed
at the general reader, both lay and scholarly, this book reaches beyond the
musicological community to speak successfully to many different audiences,” said
Margaret Bent, of All Souls’ College at Oxford University and the chair
of Palisca Award selection committee.
The Palisca Award recognizes “the highest quality of originality, interpretation,
logic and clarity of thought and communication.” An individual can only
receive the award once. Five scholars sat on the committee and reviewed nominations.
Duffin spent eight years studying the 160 songs that appear or are referenced
by Shakespeare in his writings. In addition to writing about the songs, Duffin
produced an accompanying CD to bring the music from Shakespeare’s time
and culture alive for the book’s readers.
“The result is a collection of pieces Shakespeare knew or could have
known, and a major contribution toward understanding the role of music in the
plays, including not only set pieces but hidden references to ballads and other
music,” explained Bent.
She continued that Duffin matched tunes to texts “through the merest
hints, such as titles in concordant sources, or where no tune can be found.
This is a musicological tour de force, totally without pedantry, a book which
will forever change Shakespeare productions, and have enormous practical value
beyond musicology, for drama and music, as well as a delight both for the general
reader and the scholarly community.”
Earlier this year, Duffin received the Thomas Binkley Award in early music,
given for outstanding achievement in both performance and scholarship by the
director of a university or college collegium musicum. The award came after
his book’s 2004 publishing by Norton.
Duffin received the Palisca Award during the annual meeting of the AMS, This
is the second honor bestowed on him from the organization: In 1980, Duffin
received the Noah Greenberg Award from the AMS for an edition of Dufay chansons
in original notation.
About Case Western Reserve University
Case is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826
and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western
Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its strengths in education, research,
service, and experiential learning. Located in Cleveland, Case offers nationally
recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dental Medicine, Engineering,
Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Work. http://www.case.edu.
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