Dante, Music, and Lyric

Dante’s works contain a wealth of musical references, and his linguistic treatise, De vulgari eloquentia, is an invaluable source knowledge regarding the performance practice contemporary lyric poetry. Despite these indisputable facts, several scholars have cast doubt on actual knowledge, extent to which we can interpret references as representing historical practice. This paper explores issue poems, both by Dante represented within works. It addresses question first-hand experience melodic delivery meanings terms in thoughts sung its relationship with texts, every instance there suggestion that poem was during lifetime.