Critical Notes on the Biography of John Koukouzeles

Abstract

AbstractIn modern times scholars have become increasingly aware of the fact that Byzantine music should not be studied without trying to fix the chronology of its composers. Of new efforts' pointing in this direction it may be sufficient to refer to the work of Chatzegiakoumes. It seems, however, that in some cases musicologists might receive further help from history or prosopography, as can be shown by some examples. Let us therefore turn to John Koukouzeles, whose influence on late Byzantine music annot be overestimated, and let us start from the new survey of his life and work presented by the standard work on Byzantine literature. Although Hannick knows the two essential dates given by two manuscripts (1302 and 1308), in other points he is very dependent on the study of Palikarova- Verdeil, which he regards as fundamental. The main problem is the fact that she started from the narrative on Koukouzeles transmitted in several manuscripts from the 17th cent. onward. Unfortunately, Palikarova was unaware...