ABSTRACT
A music book, such as a handsome Gradual, an ornate collection of polyphony or a marginal jotting, is a powerful document, whether one considers it in its historical context or as a modern symbol of past cultures. It can be experienced in a multisensory way: seeing the notation, text and decoration; feeling and smelling the parchment; and perhaps above all realising its notation as sounding text, and hearing its effects. Intellectually, one can also engage with a book by meditating upon the text, analysing musico-textual relationships or by marvelling at the beauty of illuminated scripts and imagery.
