1 MUSIC IN MEDIEVAL ENGLISH ROMANCE: MUSICAL THEORY AND MUSICAL PRACTICE, c. 1200–1400 by Emilia P. Klimova A thesis submitted for the Degree of PhD in English Literature Word Count: 99,093 University College London English Language and Literature 2018; rev 2020 2 I, Emilia P. Klimova, confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis. Signed: 3 Abstract This thesis examines the depiction of music as an affective force in three kinds of narrative from the corpus of insular romance – kingship quest romances, romances engaging with magic, and Tristan romances – which represent a thematic cross-section of ‘music romances’, as I am dubbing them. The attitudes to the representation of music and musicians in these samples of music romances is, even within a single set of case studies, fluid and variable, but I will show how these romances draw from a shared pool of musical tropes which create a commonality between seemingly disparate texts. I argue that the differences in the portrayal of music’s affective, transformational capabilities in the case studies are primarily a function of the thematic concerns of these texts and their respective genres and modal possibilities. In each case study, one of the romances depicts music’s affective force in its ideal form, where the other challenges the ideal by inverting or undermining the tropes, devoting more attention to the limitations and shortcomings of music’s capabilities. I will look at the various kinds of narratives that these tropes enable: the same set of tropes binding these narratives together allows for considerable range in the representation of concerns about and attitudes to the powers of music. Bringing together the disciplines of medieval musicology and medieval literary studies, I argue that the primary audiences of medieval romance would have been familiar with certain musical contexts, and that these frameworks would have facilitated their understanding and appreciation of music as depicted in the romances, especially in scenes of ritualised elite entertainment. Building on scholarship that discusses music’s affective powers in the Middle Ages, this thesis rests on a conviction of music’s ability – as an aesthetic, social, and affective phenomenon – to influence the physical world and the emotional state of listeners. I trace the development of these principles in medieval musical treatises and their inheritance from classical and late antique precursors, especially Boethius, who curated this older tradition. My analysis reveals a shift from theoretical music (musica speculativa) to practical music (musica practica) in the medieval period, moving away from classical thought; argues for the centrality of education in debates as to whether musical skill is innate or acquired; and shows how abstract precepts of harmony (whether understood as the music of the spheres, social 4 harmony, or the temperate individual) manifest themselves as material effects registered in the listener’s affect. 5 Statement of Impact The insight and expertise presented in my research into the role of musical theory and musical practice in medieval romance could be put to beneficial use in a number of ways, both inside and outside academia. Within academia, my work will be beneficial towards further research in areas of shared interest for musicology and literary studies. My own work has looked at a small corpus of texts, but there is a wider body of medieval poetry that can be explored through the lens of musicology. More broadly, my thesis will be of value to scholars from other research areas, such as history and linguistics, potentially opening up new collaborative cross-disciplinary projects between departments and even universities. I feel that this exchange of knowledge, approaches, and perspectives would be of great value to the field of medieval studies. In terms of further contributions to academia, aspects of my work offer up points which could be additionally explored in journal articles, building up avenues of research which could be expanded incrementally over many decades. Potentially, my work will also be of value on the curriculum of those university courses which look at the development of the medieval romance genre and the cultural history of late medieval music and musicians. Aside from scholarly journals, this research could be made accessible to the wider public through media such as blogs covering various aspects of medieval music, culture, and literature. My work should also be beneficial outside academia, through such public- engagement enterprises as workshops and seminars aimed at enriching and expanding public awareness of medieval music and romance. My findings on the musicality of medieval poetry may also be helpful to musicians who perform early music, as a way of informing their performances not just of song and instrumental music, but of medieval romances. One such example would be an event where romances are sung or recited to musical accompaniment, letting a modern, non-academic audience experience what medieval storytelling might have been like. My research might also be a point of reference to film-makers or game developers looking to depict medieval music in their own media. This potential would be equally interesting to the general public, and to 6 schools looking to run musico-literary workshops, as it would enrich immersion in the texts being studied. In the course of my work it has come to my attention that there are many medieval romances in Old French which are inaccessible to public and undergraduate readers as there are no modern or widely available translations. What translations there are, are often from the nineteenth century and possess glaring inaccuracies or creative reinterpretations which affect the sense of these texts. Because my work focuses on the etymological nuances of musical keywords in romance, it will be of value to future translations looking to provide a more accurate, varied reading of the poetic language of these texts. Over all, there are many directions in which my work can be expanded to shed more light upon insular cultural inheritance. 7 Acknowledgements I owe immense gratitude to my two wonderful supervisors, Emma Dillon and Chris Stamatakis, without whose insightful and patient advice, selfless help, and meticulous attention to detail, this project would never have come together. Thank you for taking on and steering my thesis with such aplomb, for the many hours of editing and reading, for your unwavering cheerleading and support, and for showing me how to take a step back and see the bigger picture every time I got frazzled by the details. I am also deeply grateful to Susan Irvine, who has been incredibly generous and kind with her friendship and advice over the years, regarding various pieces of writing and navigating the academic field more generally. Nigel Ramsay shared with me his immense expertise of manuscripts, archives, and his own academic experiences, sent me many relevant and interesting references to follow, and offered many cups of coffee. Alison Channon went above and beyond in more ways than I could count, and I doubt if I could have stayed sane through this project without her friendship: thank you for helping in a thousand different ways, rick-rolling, proofreading, and drinking wine. Alexander Millington has come to the rescue countless times when I got stuck, armed with fry-ups, terrible fantasy books, insight, wisdom, and snarky marginal comments about florid prose. You’re right – Chaucer’s Man in Black must surely be a reference to the Dread Pirate Roberts. Calum Cockburn has been a fantastically patient friend and flatmate, looking at drafts, bouncing ideas, and co-organising conferences. He has shown an instinctual awareness of when to keep the diet coke flowing. Ethan Doyle-White took me on diverting historic walks, kept a sharp eye out for typos, and offered an archaeological perspective. Christoph Witt and Maria Rupprecht checked various strands of my German, and enlightened me on cultural aspects that would have gone entirely over my head. Thank you to Mike Bintley for his friendship, the chance to teach on his module, and showing me the Thomas Tallis. Simon Thomson, Hadas Elber-Aviram, Chantelle Martins, and Kim Rastberger, for commiserating over deadlines, for many stimulating discussions about books, and for being inspirational. Thank you also to the UCL English department for much help over the years. Last but not least, I owe endless thanks to my family, particularly my parents, grandparents, and uncle, who offered unwavering support, faith, and enthusiasm for my work over the years, fussed over me with every visit, and offered hugs whenever I needed them most. It would be impossible for me to find the words to adequately thank all the friends and colleagues who have enriched my life over these four years. 8 Table of Contents PART I Chapter I: MUSICAL PRACTICE AND THE ROLE OF MUSICIANS IN SOCIETY 10 1. Prologue 10 1.1 Music in romance: a proposition 18 1.2 Approaches: between literary studies and musicology 21 1.3 Determining the audience of medieval romance 35 1.4 Musical milieu in late medieval England 43 1.5 The musical ethos of late medieval manuscripts 50 2. Music theory as a context for romance 54 2.1 Authorities and ideas: sixth to the fourteenth century 55 2.2 Questions of practical music from late antiquity to the Middle Ages 65 2.3 Diffusion of musical learning 74 2.4 Tracing the influence of music theory on medieval romance 77 Chapter II: APOLLONIUS: PRECURSOR TO THE MUSIC ROMANCES 80 1. Apollonius as a proto-music-romance 82 2. Courtly virtues, minstrelsy, and learning in the medieval Apollonius 84 PART II Chapter III: MUSIC IN KINGSHIP QUEST ROMANCES 104 1.