Senses of History

If you love early modern European music, as I do (or even if you don't, but think that your students ought to be able to see and hear it), have a look at and listen to"Music of The Early Printers."

Many of the Renaissance printers who played an important role in the advance of printing were also accomplished musicians, composers and arrangers, and used the new printing process developed by Gutenberg and others to publish and distribute music. This was the first stages of music being made widely available to the public.

The spread of instrumental and vocal music during the Renaissance was in large part due to a number of enterprising music printers, many of whom were active musicians and composers and played a direct role in arranging the pieces which they published.

The site features lovely prints, biographical sketches, and MIDI files of the music. Thanks to Mirabilis and Dale Light of Light Seeking Light for the tip.

There's an interesting excerpt,"Sense and Segregation," in the current Chronicle of Higher Education from the new book, How Race is Made: Slavery, Segregation, and the Senses, by the University of South Carolina's Mark M. Smith. He argues that race was constructed in America by sensory perceptions. We thought we could know racial differences by sight, smell, sound, and touch.

Jean Baudrillard,"The Pyres of Autumn," New Left Review, January/February 2006, argues that the disintegration of France and of Europe is palpable. Thanks to Matt Christy at Pas-au-dela and Nathanael Robinson at Rhine River for the tip.

Mark Benjamin,"The Abu Ghraib Files," Salon, 16 February, presents additional newly released photographs of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib. Warning: viewer discretion is advised. The images are offensive.

George Will,"No Checks, Many Imbalances," Washington Post, 16 February, makes palpable the conservatives' argument against the Bush administration's interpretation of its war powers.