A manuscript is any written document that is put down by hand, in contrast to being printed or reproduced some other way. Information may be hand-recorded in other ways than in manuscripts, as inscriptions that are chiselled upon a hard material or scratched (the original meaning of graffiti) as with a knife point in plaster or with a stylus on a waxed tablet, (the way Romans made notes), or are in cuneiform writing, impressed with a pointed stylus in a flat tablet of unbaked clay. The word manuscript is derived from the Latin manu scriptus, literally "written by hand."

In Southeast Asia, in the first millennium, documents of sufficiently great importance were inscribed on soft metallic sheets such as copperplate, softened by refiner's fire and inscribed with a metal stylus. In the Philippines, for example, as early as 900 CE, specimen documents were not inscribed by stylus, but were punched much like the style of today's dot-matrix printers. This type of document was rare compared to the usual leaves and bamboo staves that were inscribed. However, neither the leaves nor paper were as durable as the metal document in the hot, humid climate. In Myanmar, the kammavaca, buddhist manuscripts, were inscribed on brass, copper or ivory sheets, and even on discarded monk robes folded and lacquered. In Italy some important Etruscan texts were similarly inscribed on thin gold plates: similar sheets have been discovered in Bulgaria. Technically, these are all inscriptions rather than manuscripts.

Thus it will be seen that manuscripts are not defined by their contents, which may combine writing with mathematical calculations, maps, explanatory figures or illustrations. Manuscripts may be in the form of scrolls or in book form, or codex format. Illuminated manuscripts are enriched with vignettes, border decoration, elaborately engrossed initial letters and full-page illustrations.

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NYT > Music

Music Review | New York Philharmonic: Restless Composer, Desperate Concerto
Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:06:02 -0000
The New York Philharmonic, led by Lorin Maazel, performed works from Bach, Beethoven and the Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki on Thursday at Avery Fisher Hall.
Music Review | Gil Shaham: Evening of Showpieces, and One Unscripted Twist
Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:04:51 -0000
The concert by the violinist Gil Shaham at the Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center on Thursday included tributes to a 19th century master and a surprise for Mr. Shaham.
Arts, Briefly: Madonna’s Divorce Is Nearly Final
Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:52:47 -0000
On Friday, Madonna, the singer, and Guy Ritchie, the film director, were granted a preliminary decree of divorce by a London court.

NPR Topics: Music

Michna: 'Swiss Glide'
Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:06:00 -0500
The music of New York City-based producer and DJ Michna (also known as DJ Egg Foo Young) could be called trombone electronic dance pop. His debut album, Magic Monday, features smooth, down-tempo electronic beats, blended with plenty of urban flair, needle-drops, and Michna's own trombone work. Michna is a skilled trombonist and makes use of the instrument throughout Magic Monday.
Domingo And Bocelli: Keeping Opera Relevant
Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:23:00 -0500
Placido Domingo is the most durable, thoughtful opera singer in recent history. Andrea Bocelli has sold more than 60 million albums. The two icons discuss their first performance together and describe what makes opera relevant today.
Tracking Jewish History Through Vinyl Albums
Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:37:00 -0500
In a new book, authors Roger Bennett and Josh Kun detail American Jewish history through vinyl albums. They are trying to answer questions such as, "Who are we?" and "What are we inheriting?" in what Bennett calls the "beginning of a journey."

www.tennessean.com - Rss-News-Music Industry news

Christian artists to appear at youth convention
Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:41:00 -0500
Pursuing a career as a musician or a youth worker necessarily requires patience, skill and perseverance. Both paths obviously also take a certain unwillingness to completely grow up.
Christian artists to appear at youth convention
Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:41:00 -0500
Jars of Clay, David Crowder Band, MercyMe and others are among the artists scheduled to perform at the Youth Specialties gathering this weekend.
Marketers get crash course in country music
Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:13:00 -0500
"Prilosec" isn't a word you hear much in country music, but that heartburn med, along with Dr Pepper and French's Mustard, were among the products name-checked in a new song recorded by country star Jamie O'Neal at Ocean Way Studios on Wednesday.

Rolling Stone: Features

The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time
Sat, 08 Nov 2008 12:43:32 -0800
Our blue-ribbon panel of 179 experts ranks music's finest vocalists 1 | Aretha Franklin by Mary J. Blige Photo: Goodwin/Redferns/Retna BornMarch 25th, 1942 Key Tracks"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "Respect," "I...
What Makes a Great Singer?
Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:36:51 -0800
By Jonathan Lethem There's something about a voice that's personal, not unlike the particular odor or shape of a given human body. Summoned through belly, hammered into form by the throat, given propulsion by bellows of lungs, teased into final form by tongue and lips, a vocal is a kind of audible kiss, a blurted confession, a soul-burp you really can't keep from issuing as you make your way through the material world. How helplessly candid! How appalling! Contrary to anything you've heard, the ability to...
Janis Joplin by Stevie Nicks
Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:51:02 -0800
Janis Joplin by Stevie Nicks You could say that being yelled at by Janis Joplin was one of the great honors of my life. Early in my career, Lindsay Buckingham and I were in a band called Fritz. There were two gigs we played in San Francisco that changed everything for me: One was opening up for Jimi Hendrix, who was completely magical. The other was the time that we opened up for Janis at the San Jose Fairgrounds, around 1970. It was a hot summer day, and things didn't start off well...

Ultimate-Guitar.Com [News]

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters To Join Bon Jovi At Live Earth India
Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:51:03 -0000
The line-up for the forthcoming Live Earth concert, set to take place in Mumbai, India on December 7, has been expanded to include Pink Floyd's Roger Waters.
AC/DC Debuts On Dance Chart
Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:44:43 -0000
AC/DC made their first appearance on the Hot Dance Club Play chart this week with "Rock N Roll Train", which rolled onto the survey at No. 48.
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Sophomore Album
Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:40:51 -0000
Platinum rockers The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus have completed recording their sophomore album, Lonely Road.

Yahoo! Music Top Songs

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(C)2008 Capitol.
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Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:59:06 -0800
(C)2008 Universal Republic.
#6: Take A Bow - Rihanna
Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:59:06 -0800
(C)2008 Def Jam.

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