David Smith

Research interests

David's research is centred around English instrumental music of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. In particular, he has developed research expertise in the editing of music for scholarly editions, and has reflected on methodological questions relating to his own editions of music by Peter Philips (1560/61-1628) and Richard Dering (c.1580-1630) for Musica Britannica.

David considers music in the cultural context of its time, distinguishing traditions of domestic keyboard practice from professional ones, and arguing for a reappraisal the keyboard culture of seventeenth-century England. Moving away from old notions involving the influence of one composer on the next, he sees the production of instrumental music as relying on networks of composers, scribes and players which interconnect with broader religious and social networks. Much of David’s research is caught up in the religious and political turmoil of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries which resulted in English Catholic composers such as Peter Philips (1560/61–1628) and Richard Dering (c.1580–1630) living and working on the Continent.

David has a longstanding interest in historical performance practice, and considers the critical editing of music to be very closely related to issues of performance when it takes into consideration the role of scribe-players on the texts that have come down to us.

David performs the music he has researched, including Exiled, a recording on which he plays keyboard works by Peter Philips alongside consort music performed by internationally acclaimed Rose Consort of Viols, who are joined by the Choir of King's College, Aberdeen, in some motets which David directs.

Postgraduate Supervision

Previous research students of mine have worked on topics ranging from the revival of music in the worship of the Catholic Church in Scotland, 1789-1829, to the organ music of J.S. Bach, to the secular vocal music of Cornelis Verdonck (1563/4-1625).

I welcome PhD projects in the broad areas of

• Early English instrumental music (keyboard, lute, consort)
• Keyboard music
• Scottish music

Research Student Supervision Interests

Previous research students of mine have worked on topics ranging from the revival of music in the worship of the Catholic Church in Scotland, 1789-1829, to the organ music of J.S. Bach, to the secular vocal music of Cornelis Verdonck (1563/4-1625). I welcome PhD projects in the broad areas of Early English instrumental music (keyboard, lute, consort) Keyboard music Scottish music