NOTATIO

The book is full of such facts, where it is made implicitly clear how much more elevated a position serious music had in the past than it has now, alas.

Actual timelines would be useful too

John,

I agree: the three most prominent books tend to concentrate on the early development and tail off at the Baroque. There obviously really is a golden opportunity for someone here.

John, That's exactly what I've been looking for. Such encyclopedic details doesn't yet seem to have been aggregated into one volume, or (online) source. Of those books of which I am now aware - thanks to the kindness of posters here - the Abdy Williams seems to come closest. Its Appendix C, for inst...

Have now received both books. Our worry was that the Kelly ( Capturing Music ) was something of a 'show' book… all presentation and less/insufficient substance. Far from it! Yes, it is indeed beautifully produced: the paper is very glossy. There are multiple colored illustrations; in fact few pages ...

OCTO, Your faith in me is kind and much appreciated :-). I believe I could do so… I do perhaps have the qualifications (albeit in other fields… first degree in history etc). But at this stage, I'm committed to composing; I fondly imagined there'd be such books on the history of engraving etc aplenty...

John,

It's certainly described as being at best but a little decaffeinated, isn't it.

But I allowed myself to be swayed by the several ('Early') music aficionados, whom one respects… Benjamin Bagby in particular.

Thanks, OCTO; Yes, for sure.

I'm curious about the actual historical phases themselves through which music notation and its conventions have passed.

John,

Thanks to you for your advice!

Additionally, although Amazon's 'Look Inside' isn't available for the Thomas Kelly, and so it's not clear where its end date may lie, I have ordered that also .

Thanks, John - oddly: thanks!

Your comment is, of course, instructive… I conclude too that there isn't one :-(

I suspect that the Williams must, then, be the only/best available. Shall order it.