Talk:West gallery music

Citations needed

I have tagged two statements in the article as needing citations. Both seem dubious at best: 1. The claim that improvised harmonies are widespread in WG music requires a thorough explanation, since much of the repertoire survives only in notated form (either published or MS), with harmonies written out. 2. There is little evidence for 'viols' being used in accompanying WG music. This could very easily be a misunderstanding of the late-18th and early-19th century use of the term 'bass viol', in the context of churchwardens' accounts etc. to mean a cello - in that case it would be better to just say 'cellos (often termed "bass viol")' in the article. If no-one can provide citations for the 'improvised' and 'viol' statements, I will make these changes. Thanks, Carminowe of Hendra (talk) 21:50, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

I tried editing this out as suggested, but it just got reverted to the 'viols' and 'improvised'. I would also take issue with 'complex harmonies'. The part most likely to have included improvisation would have been the instrumental bass part, most often played by a cello (commonly known as a bass viol, but in fact NOT related to the 7-stringed fretted instrument). It is also something of a misrepresentation to give such prominence to the serpent, which in fact was not a common church band instrument. The bassoon, clarinet and oboe (or clarionet and hautboy) were more common.

The article is just misrepresentative as it stands. Please edit it accordingly. --Fynnjamin (talk) 09:58, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

What's a west gallery?

Given that (post Oxford Movement) most English Anglican churches have lost them, and that west gallery music is not, now, usually performed from those that survive, some explanation of what a west gallery physically was is required in this article. Ghughesarch (talk) 00:05, 29 May 2010 (UTC)

Added. Rob (talk) 15:45, 5 October 2010 (UTC)