27^e année, 10 janvier 2026.

Performance Practice at Graz Court around 1600

11- 13 May 2026, Graz.

University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG), Institute for Early Music and Performance Practice.

Following the death of Ferdinand I in 1564, the Habsburg hereditary lands were divided, resulting in the establishment of three independently run courts in Vienna, Innsbruck and Graz. Dynastic ties led to lively exchanges between these courts, which also impacted musical life. As the southernmost archducal seat, Graz played a special role politically, socially and musically. The earliest traces in Austria of the then flourishing Italian musical culture were found here, and when Archduke Ferdinand II of Graz became emperor in 1619, he moved his existing court chapel to Vienna, thus beginning almost 200 years of Italian musical dominance in the Habsburg capital. While court music in Vienna and Innsbruck and its socio-cultural context have already been well researched and are regularly discussed in both specialist and interdisciplinary discourse, there is an almost complete lack of up-to-date academic analysis of the sources on music and musical practice at the Graz court from 1564 to 1619.

The Organising Committee welcomes proposals on topics within the timeframe of the Renaissance and the early seventeenth century, such as: -Music at the Habsburg courts (musical patronage, court ceremonial and liturgy) -Musical practice (re-enactment, choir books, performance venues, improvisational practices, organology) -Cultural transfer

Venetian polychorality

Iconography

Music education

Music sociology

Virtual acoustics/new approaches to science communication Scholars are invited to submit proposals for individual papers, each of which should not exceed 20 minutes. Abstracts should not exceed 300 words and should be accompanied by a brief curriculum vitae of no more than 150 words. This should include the author's name, email address and institutional affiliation.

Proposals should be sent to

Official languages: German and English

Deadline for submissions: 15 January 2026. Results will be communicated by 15 February 2026.

The conference'Performance Practice at the Graz Court around 1600' is taking place as part of the FWF-sponsored research project of the same name. In the first instance, this project uses established methods from the field to address gaps in our knowledge on the topic. On the other hand, an empirical part involves re-enacting performances of works by Graz court composers at historical locations (e.g. Graz Cathedral). These re-enactments concentrate not only on the performances themselves, but also on the process of rehearsing, which in the case of multi-choir compositions in historical production methods (ensemble setting, ensemble direction, sheet music) differs considerably from modern conventions. The reenactments are monitored using music sociological methods. In addition, the acoustics of Graz Cathedral are being reconstructed in a virtual reality application, as they are believed to have changed significantly as a result of alterations.

Musicologie.org, 56 rue de la Fédération, 93100 Montreuil. ☎ 06 06 61 73 41.

ISSN 2269-9910.

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Vendredi 9 Janvier, 2026