Cambridge History of Seventeenth-Century Music. Edited by Tim Carter and John Butt. (Cambridge History of Music.) New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006 [xxvii, 591 p. ISBN 0-521-79273-8. $175.] References, index. Cambridge History of SeventeenthCentury (CHSCM) is part of a new series, Cambridge History of Music, and covers, succinctly enough, music between 1600 and 1700. Edited jointly by Tim Carter and John Butt, two of most imaginative scholars of period, CHSCM consists of fourteen chapters written by twelve scholars (Carter contributes three chapters). It follows Cambridge University Press's rule that no music examples or illustrations occur within volume. This practice is openly addressed in Preface (pp. xviii-xix); its merits and detractions weighed and given their due, but house style remains house style. preface is, along with first chapter (Renaissance, Mannerism, Baroque, by Carter), a penetrating look at why we have viewed this period way we have (reception history) and how defines what a period is. Beginning with thoughtful comments that challenge reader to consider what a history should contain and questions of objective versus subjective approaches (especially in context of previous writings on period), editors describe how seventeenth century has been discussed in past and also include comments on influence of historical performance and early-music movement. preface ends with statement that one could look to its plurality, unexpectedness, and dynamic combination of conservative and radical elements in search for modes of artistic expression fit for its times. Just how this music stems from a culture that shares some of our proclivities while representing a historically alien world is something that present book must put at centre stage (p. xxvi). Some of exciting contributions to CHSCM are those that do precisely what editors foretell: they offer diversity of approach, they remove historical burden of seventeenth century as a warm-up act to German giants of early eighteenth (p. xvi), and they reflect broader appreciations for aspects of music or musicrelated activities previously seen in writings on nineteenth-century music. first seven chapter titles clearly demonstrate a departure from earlier histories of century: Renaissance, Mannerism, Baroque (as mentioned above); The Seventeenth-Century Musical (by John Butt); Music in Market-Place (by Stephen Rose); Music in New Worlds (by Victor Anand Coelho); Music and Arts (by Barbara Russano Manning); Music and Sciences (by Penelope Gouk); and The Search for Musical Meaning (by Tim Carter). Each of these chapters considers seventeenth century with fresh observation, offering reader not only new information but also new questions. For example, John Butt's The Seventeenth-Century Musical 'Work' asks questions of period that are not traditionally considered and yet illuminate so many of its idiosyncrasies. This approach could serve as a model for other style periods. He warns against dangers of using concepts developed in nineteenth century to judge/define/categorize seventeenth-century music and suggests situating pieces in culture as a whole. Such proposals resonate with anyone who has attempted to discuss this contradictory century, and adjusting basis of our own conception might be most successful way to understand this repertory. (Just how far to take some of ideas presented in book as a whole arise here, for although Butt states that the fact remains, though, that most music-making was still connected to traditional institutions such as church and court (p. 51), Margaret Murata's chapter on secular song (see below) contests even this long-held premise. Therein lies beauty of having such a diverse collection of authors in a single volume. …