'John Stevens has opened up a virtually new field, not simply by his study of the musical and literary texts … but also by his original inquiry into the relationship between their words and music; the social meaning of the courtly lyric; and the state of music and musicians in the society of the period. Enriched with the fullest references and scholarly apparatus, it is a deeply interesting book, lucidly written, on a subject new to nearly all of us.' Musical Times

• Preface; Introduction; Part I. Music and Poetry: 1. The problem - assumptions and distinctions; 2. The tradition and the divorce; 3. Popular songs; 4. Ideas and theories, medieval and humanist; 5. The Reformation; 6. Music and the early Tudor lyric, I: song-books and musical settings; 7. Music and the early Tudor lyric, II: the 'literary' lyric and its tunes; Part II. Courtly Love and the Courtly Lyric: 8. Introductory: 'a new company of courtly makers'?; 9. The 'game of love'; 10. The courtly makers from Chaucer to Wyatt; Part III. Music at Court: 11. Music in ceremonies, entertainments and plays; 12. Domestic and amateur music; 13. Professional musicians; Epilogue; Appendices; Index.

'John Stevens has opened up a virtually new field, not simply by his study of the musical and literary texts … but also by his original inquiry into the relationship between their words and music; the social meaning of the courtly lyric; and the state of music and musicians in the society of the period. Enriched with the fullest references and scholarly apparatus, it is a deeply interesting book, lucidly written, on a subject new to nearly all of us.' Musical Times

• Preface; Introduction; Part I. Music and Poetry: 1. The problem - assumptions and distinctions; 2. The tradition and the divorce; 3. Popular songs; 4. Ideas and theories, medieval and humanist; 5. The Reformation; 6. Music and the early Tudor lyric, I: song-books and musical settings; 7. Music and the early Tudor lyric, II: the 'literary' lyric and its tunes; Part II. Courtly Love and the Courtly Lyric: 8. Introductory: 'a new company of courtly makers'?; 9. The 'game of love'; 10. The courtly makers from Chaucer to Wyatt; Part III. Music at Court: 11. Music in ceremonies, entertainments and plays; 12. Domestic and amateur music; 13. Professional musicians; Epilogue; Appendices; Index.

'John Stevens has opened up a virtually new field, not simply by his study of the musical and literary texts … but also by his original inquiry into the relationship between their words and music; the social meaning of the courtly lyric; and the state of music and musicians in the society of the period. Enriched with the fullest references and scholarly apparatus, it is a deeply interesting book, lucidly written, on a subject new to nearly all of us.' Musical Times

• Preface; Introduction; Part I. Music and Poetry: 1. The problem - assumptions and distinctions; 2. The tradition and the divorce; 3. Popular songs; 4. Ideas and theories, medieval and humanist; 5. The Reformation; 6. Music and the early Tudor lyric, I: song-books and musical settings; 7. Music and the early Tudor lyric, II: the 'literary' lyric and its tunes; Part II. Courtly Love and the Courtly Lyric: 8. Introductory: 'a new company of courtly makers'?; 9. The 'game of love'; 10. The courtly makers from Chaucer to Wyatt; Part III. Music at Court: 11. Music in ceremonies, entertainments and plays; 12. Domestic and amateur music; 13. Professional musicians; Epilogue; Appendices; Index.