A review of Emma Wilby’s The Visions of Isobel Gowdie: Magic, Witchcraft and Dark Shamanism in Seventeenth-Century Scotland (Sussex University Press, 2010)

<div>This is an annotated data management plan (DMP) template for an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) data management plan.<br></div><div><br></div><div>This document (available in .pdf and .docx formats) was created using the <a href="https://dmponline.dcc.ac.uk/">DMPonline tool</a>, which provides templates for structuring major research funders' DMPs. The document includes the guidance text provided in the tool, produced by the <a href="http://www.dcc.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/publications/DMP-themes.pdf">Digital Curation Centre (DCC)</a>, the <a href="https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/about/standards/researchdata/expectations/">EPSRC</a> and the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/library/rdm/dmp">University of Sheffield Library</a>. </div><div><br></div><div>Although the EPSRC does not require that a DMP is submitted as part of a grant application, it still expects one to be in place. A DMP describes how you will collect, organise, manage, store, secure, backup, preserve, and where applicable, share your data. The EPSRC DMP template is organised into seven sections and the resulting DMP is expected to be two or three of pages of A4 in length. </div><div><br></div><div>For further guidance see the <a href="https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/about/standards/researchdata/expectations/">EPSRC expectations concerning management of research data</a> and the DCC webpages on <a href="http://www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/data-management-plans">Data management Plans</a> and <a href="http://www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/how-guides/develop-data-plan">How to Develop a Data Management and Sharing Plan</a>. </div

James MacMillan: Retrospective Modernist

Although he describes himself as a ‘modernist’, tradition has been an integral aspect of the music of James MacMillan from the beginning of his compositional career. Three traditions in particular permeate his works: the cultural tradition of his native Scotland; the religious tradition of the Catholic Church; and the tradition of music from past models to the present day. These three traditions and their relationship to the present are explored in depth in this thesis, which argues that MacMillan should be termed a ‘retrospective modernist’, given the emphasis he places on the relationship between past traditions and the present. Part I examines MacMillan’s political and cultural retrospective modernism, initially in the general context of autonomous and political music, and then more specifically in relation to Liberation Theology, while the remainder explores MacMillan’s complex relationship with Scotland, past and present. Part II discusses religious retrospective modernism, comparing MacMillan with Wagner and Bach. The theological implications of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde are discussed in conjunction with The Sacrifice and St John Passion, and the following chapter addresses three liturgical issues concerning both MacMillan and Bach: musical settings of the Christian Passion narrative; the composition of music for congregational participation; and the practice of recycling music in mass settings. Part III continues with this topic of musical recycling and quotation in MacMillan’s works, first in comparison with Mahler, and then extending to consider the technique of polystylism in the music of Ives, Berio, Schnittke and Maxwell Davies, all of whom have been significant influences on MacMillan. Finally, an in-depth examination of the tension between the concepts of tradition and modernism concludes the study. While some modernists see this tension as irreconcilable, MacMillan considers it to be a positive, creative tension. Issues relating to high modernism, antimodernism, postmodernism, pluralist modernism and finally retrospective modernism are discussed here, demonstrating why the latter is the most appropriate term to describe the music MacMillan composed in the period 1982-2010

James MacMillan’s Miserere: History, Compositional Elements, and A Conductor’s Guide

Scottish composer James MacMillan, born in 1959, composed choral music throughout his life but initially rose to prominence as a composer of instrumental works in the early 1990s. In the first decade of the 2000s primarily with The Strathclyde Motets MacMillan solidified his position as a preeminent composer in both choral and instrumental genres with international notoriety. MacMillan’s Roman Catholic upbringing and continuing faith have had a profound effect on his compositional style which is evident in both his instrumental and choral works. His skill in text-setting coupled with his deep faith provide a rich foundation for choral composition. This project provides contextualizing research on the subjects of MacMillan’s life, musical training, and religion as part of a methodology to begin study for performance of his 2009 Miserere. Further research concentrates on the Miserere text and its history. The concluding chapters focus on analysis and teaching, conducting, and rehearsal techniques appropriate for preparing both the conductor and the choir

La lépanthropie. Approches transdisciplinaires

D'ordinaire, la création d'un personnage littéraire se fonde principalement sur des éléments intratextuels et, en moindre mesure, sur des éléments extratextuels. Dans la nouvelle "The Hare (Le lièvre)" de Toby Litt en revanche, le personnage éponyme ne se construit que par rapport à une suite de références extratextuelles, simples notations qui, malgré leur caractère succinct, confèrent au personnage une remarquable consistance. D'autant plus remarquable qu'elles relèvent de la démonomagie, de la mythologie, des arts (audio)visuels et de la littérature. La nouvelle se présente ainsi comme le réceptacle d'un dialogue soutenu entre ces quatre disciplines qui, tout en s'éclairent l'une l'autre, fournissent autant de filtres interprétatifs qui complexifient vertigineusement le portrait du personnage éponyme

Shakespeare and the Demonization of Fairies

The article investigates the canonical plays of William Shakespeare—Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest—in an attempt to determine the nature of Shakespeare’s position on the early modern tendency to demonize fairy belief and to view fairies as merely a form of demonic manifestation. Fairy belief left its mark on all four plays, to a greater or lesser extent, and intertwined with the religious concerns of the period, it provides an important perspective on the problem of religion in Shakespeare’s works. The article will attempt to establish whether Shakespeare subscribed to the tendency of viewing fairies as demonic agents, as epitomized by the Daemonologie of King James, or opposed it. Special emphasis will also be put on the conflation of fairies and Catholicism that one finds best exemplified in Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan. The article draws on a wealth of recent scholarship on early modern fairies, bringing together historical reflection on the changing perception of the fairy figure, research into Shakespeare’s attitude towards Catholicism and analyses of the many facets of anti-Catholic polemic emerging from early modern Protestant discourse

James MacMillan's "Seven Last Words from the Cross" and "Stabat Mater": analysis and approach

This dissertation focuses on the analysis of James MacMillan’s Seven Last Words from the Cross (1993) and Stabat Mater (2016). Building on the technical analysis, issues of practical application for those who wish to rehearse and perform these works are discussed. Presentation of musical examples, a review of literature, and personal interviews were conducted with MacMillan in preparation of this document. The first chapters provide an introduction to MacMillan, biographical events surrounding the two works, and historical context of each genre. The third chapter then engages with the four main aspects that define MacMillan’s compositional style: the incorporation of Scottish folk music, influence of his Catholic faith, passion to engage with social issues, and balance between conservative and modernist techniques. These four aspects will be examined historically, how they relate to one another, and their role in MacMillan’s music. The fourth and fifth chapters deal with the direct analysis of the Seven Last Words from the Cross and the Stabat Mater. The chapters are structured in a fashion similar to how MacMillan composed both works—starting with the text, developing the structure, crafting important and symbolic musical gestures, and outlining additional compositional techniques. The sixth chapter takes on the analysis of the music and applies it to practical applications one should consider when rehearsing and performing these works. Finally, the conclusion discusses the social relevance of the music and places both compositions in a broader culturally context

An analysis of "Seven Last Words from the Cross" (1993) by James Macmillan

James MacMillan is one of the most well-known and successful living composers as well as an internationally active conductor. His musical language is influenced by his Scottish heritage, the Catholic faith, and traditional Celtic folk music, blended with Scandinavian and European composers including Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992), Alfred Schnittke (1943-1998), and Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971). His cantata for choir and strings Seven Last Words from the Cross, was commissioned by BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) television, composed in 1993, and premiered in 1994 by Cappella Nova and the BT (British Telecom) Scottish Ensemble. While this piece is widely admired as one of his best achievements by choral conductors and choirs, it is rarely performed, perhaps due to its high level of difficulty for both the string players and singers. The purpose of this dissertation is to present an analysis of the Seven Last Words from the Cross by James MacMillan aimed to benefit choral conductors rather than audiences. Very little has been written about MacMillan's choral works. My hope is to establish a foundation on which future scholars may expand and explore other choral works by MacMillan. Chapter one provides an overview of MacMillan’s life focusing on his religious and political beliefs, education and musical influences, specifically how these characteristics appear in his choral music. Chapter two discusses the development of Scottish traditional music with an emphasis on instrumental, vocal and choral music. By looking at Scottish traditional music, I will examine how aspects of MacMillan's musical language and identity come from traditional music. Chapter three examines the history of the seven last words and passion story, including other settings of this text. This chapter also provides an overview of MacMillan’s piece including the text setting and a translation. Chapter four gives an in-depth analysis of the Seven Last Words from the Cross, examining compositional techniques, harmonic relationships, form/structure, unique features, text treatment, use of traditional or historic elements and comparison with other works. For my research, I used two choral scores (a vocal score and a full score) published by Boosey & Hawkes and two CDs published by the Dmitri Ensemble (April 2014, under the direction of Graham Ross) and, Polyphony (August 2005, under the direction of Stephen Layton)