The Magnificat: Facets and Research Paths by Elizabeth F. McLean Dec 2009

1. The Magnificat: Facets and
Research Paths
December 16, 2009
LSC831 Fall 2009
Elizabeth F. McLean

2. “The Magnificat is such a beautiful prayer that
the Church uses it every day at Evening
Prayer, in the Liturgy of the Hours. It perfectly
summarizes Mary's faith and trust in God and
is also the longest direct quote from any
woman in the New Testament. In the
Women's Bible Commentary, author Jane
Schaberg writes: "The Magnificat is the great
New Testament song of liberation—personal
and social, moral and economic—a
revolutionary document of intense conflict and
victory."
(McCloskey, 2004.
http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/May2004/Wiseman.asp)

4. Subject facets
Religious Significance
Criticism, interpretation
Performances, Performers, Practices
History and Criticism
Geographic survey
Recital repertoire
Instrumental history
Monophony, Polyphony
Modern forms

5. General Research Strategies
Library Catalogs
Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
Subject or Composer Bibliographies
Indexes (Indices)
Dissertations & Theses (EDTs)
Discographies, Streaming Audio
Services
Special Works or Resources

6. Special sets or resources
International Societies
Musicological Publication of the
International Bruckner Society plus
companion score
Special Archives & Collections

7. Libraries and their Catalogs
What libraries will you want to check
Special Collections
Subject Expertise
Explore the Catalogs
http://libraries.cua.edu/musicoll/index.ht
ml
http://libraries.cua.edu/relicoll/index.html

8. Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
Broad topic coverage
Begins to familiarize aspects of the
topic for further study
Identifies important and historically
valuable sources to consult
Used in this project:
Grove Music Online
Oxford Music Online

9. Bibliographies
Comprehensive reference tools
Provide extensive, scholarly
annotations and descriptions
May help to broaden or narrow scope
of project

10. Bibliographies-in this project
Music Reference and Research
Materials
The Sources of Polyphonic Magnificat
and Te Deum Settings until the
Middle of the 16th Century

11. Bibliographies-in this project
German Sacred Polyphonic Vocal
Music between Schütz and Bach
Sacred Music. Part 1. Hymns,
Magnificats, Motets and Passions
Choral Music: A Research and
Information Guide (Routledge Music
Bibliographies)

13. Indexes: Periodicals, Dissertations
RILM Abstracts
JSTOR/Project Muse
Directory of Open Access Journals
RISM
IPM
Online incorporate of Heyer and Hill & Stevens
editions of historical sets, collected editions and
musical monuments
ProQuest Dissertation Abstracts
International (CUA)

14. Discographies
Serve a similar function as song indexes
for score anthologies
Historical and musicological studies
Repertory studies, reception histories,
performance histories
Facilitate access to every title on disc
International Bibliography of Discographies:
Classical Music & Jazz & Blues*
NAXOS*
SONIC (Library of Congress)
WorldCAT
*=used in this project

15. Facets for research:
Musicological
Recordings Theological
Modalities, Forms Composers, Compositions
Magnificat
Contemporary Criticism
Geo-political Repertory
Instrumentation, voicing