Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Instrumental music
(2,215 words)

1. Concept

Instrumental music is a heterogeneous collective term describing, in principle, two phenomena: a performance practice (the playing of musical instruments) and a practice of composition (free or standardized compositions for certain instruments and instrumental ensembles). Both phenomena are associated with structural, social, and ritual functions that f…

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Heidlberger, Frank, “Instrumental music”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 28 March 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_021465>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20190124



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