Seeking Common Ground through Oral Tradition

Performers specializing in early music share many of the questions, challenges, and issues faced by scholars working with oral traditions in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In this article, I draw on my experience as a scholar-musician and artistic director of an early-music ensemble to address matters relating to performance philosophy, cultural sensitivity and authenticity that arise when early musicians endeavor to incorporate in their concert programs oral traditions transmitted through music. In addition, I speak to important questions raised by the other articles in this volume regarding matters of transmission, notation (or the absence thereof), improvisation, and reception. Through this “dialogue” it is my hope to call attention to the gains that may be had when musicians and scholars partner together.