_{Image citation: Liber quindecim missarum, à præstantissimis musicis compositarum (Nuremberg, 1539), Tenor book, fol. 47v. Copy owned by Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Universitätsbibliothek, München, Cim. 44n(1 (= 4° Liturg. 448).}

Who owned and read music books in early modern Europe? Who had access to printed musical material, how did they interact with it, and to what end? To investigate these broad questions and thus approach the musical source from the perspective of its consumption, is the aim of this interdisciplinary project. It centres on the time from 1500-1545 – a period in which the application of printing from type for music accelerated the availability of musical sources. Along with this expansion came a rise in musical literacy. Being able to read music opened up new avenues: individuals could teach themselves instruments, partake in musical groups and, at times, participate through this format also in new religious discourses. However, to date we have very little information on who these new readers were and how they interacted with their musical sources. By investigating the three categories of the dissemination, ownership and reading of early music books this project addresses the wider topic of musical literacy, allowing us to find out more about the individuals that made up the musically- literate part of society as well as the interaction of literacy with other forms of dissemination. 

In answering these questions this project aims to decisively shift the discourse around early music books from their production to their consumption. Building on ideas and methodologies from wider book history while being aware of music’s specific status it allows to include music into the discourse around early literacy as well as provide tools for describing and analysing annotations and reading habits specific to music.

Alongside a range of publications and dissemination events this project will also generate a database which investigates and describes marks of ownership and annotations in surviving copies of polyphony printed across Europe between 1500 and 1545.