In 1683 English court musicians and the Musical Society of London joined forces to celebrate St Cecilia's Day (22 November) with a feast and the performance of specially composed music. The most prominent composers and poets of the age wrote for these occasions, including Henry Purcell, John Blow, John Dryden and William Congreve. In 1683 English court musicians and the Musical Society of London joined forces to initiate annual observations of St Cecilia's Day (22 November), celebrating the occasion with a feast and the performance of specially composed musical odes. The most prominent composers and poets of the age wrote for these occasions, including Henry Purcell, John Blow, John Dryden and William Congreve, and the best musicians of the city, primarily drawn from the court music, undertook the performances. After a decade of celebrations, a church service was added before the feast, and elaborate vocal and instrumental music was performed. At the same time, celebrations of St Cecilia's Day began to spread widely throughout the British Isles, where they were held by local music clubs, often with the support of cathedral musicians. Though the annual London celebrations came to an end after 1700 in the face of increasing competition from the city's busy musical and theatrical offerings, Cecilian poetry continued to inspire new musical settings in the eighteenth century, including works by Pepusch, Greene, Boyce and, most notably, Handel. This book examines the social, cultural and religious significance of celebrations of St Cecilia's Day in the British Isles and explores the music and poetry that originated from them. The annual feasts of the Musical Society are analysed in detail, as is the role they played in the development of the ode. The book also considers how advances in musical culture in London were imitated in the provinces and provides a detailed discussion of the variety of Cecilian celebrations held at provincial centres throughout the British Isles.

Extremely diverse and complicated bacterial and protozoan populations inhabit the rumen and intestinal tract of animals, and there is a delicate balance among the individual populations within this complex microbial community. This authoritative edited volume, the first in a two-volume set, reviews the gut environment and the fermentations taking place in animal digestive tracts. It is an essential source of reference for microbial ecologists and physiologists, medical microbiologists and gastroenterologists, biochemists, nutritionists, veterinarians and animal scientists, and wildlife ecologists.

This book explores the exchange of music, musicians and musical practice between Britain and the Continent in the period c.1500-1800. This book explores the exchange of music, musicians and musical practice between Britain and the Continent in the period c.1500-1800. Inspired by Peter Holman's research and performing activities, the essays in the volume developthe theme of exchange and dialogue through the lenses of people, practices and repertory and consider the myriad ways in which musical culture participated in the dynamic relationship between Europe and Britain. Key areas addressed are music and travel; music publishing; emigre musicians; performing practice; dissemination of music and musical practice; and instruments. Holman's work has revealed the mechanisms by which continental practices were adapted to local circumstances and has helped to show that Britain enjoyed a vigorous musical culture in the long eighteenth century, in which native proponents produced original works of quality and interest and did not simply copy continental models. Following avenues opened up by Holman' scholarship, contributors to this volume explore a variety of ways in which the cross-fertilization of music and musicians has enriched European, and especially British, cultureof the early modern period.

Extremely diverse and complicated bacterial and protozoan populations inhabit the rumen and intestinal tract of animals, and there is a delicate balance among the individual populations within this complex microbial community. This authoritative edited volume, the first in a two-volume set, reviews the gut environment and the fermentations taking place in animal digestive tracts. It is an essential source of reference for microbial ecologists and physiologists, medical microbiologists and gastroenterologists, biochemists, nutritionists, veterinarians and animal scientists, and wildlife ecologists.

The gastrointestinal tract is a complex anaerobic microbial ecosystem containing a vast assemblage of resident microorganisms performing a multitude of metabolic activities that play a key role in health and disease of humans and animals. Furthermore, the gastrointestinal microbes have a dominant impact on the growth and productivity of both ruminant and non-ruminant animals. This two-volume series on Gastrointestinal Microbiology reviews the literature and provides a comprehensive account of the biological significance of the microbiota present in the alimentary tract of a wide range of animals, in terms of their nutritional ecology, biochemical activities, development and composition, interactions and role in host health and disease. Recent developments in the areas of molecular ecology, bacterial genetics, immunological aspects of host microbe interactions at the level of the intestinal mucosa, bacterial translocation and intestinal disease are included. Although emphasis is placed on domestic ruminants and man, systems which have been extensively researched, this series also provides a full and integrated account of the nutritional ecology and microbial ecology in the gut of many diverse mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles and insects. This broad perspective allows more realistic interpretation, and better evaluation of, as well as greater insight into, the evolution, ecology, and function of the gastrointestinal ecosystem. These volumes contain contributions from a multidisciplinary group of internationally recognized authors, all active researchers in their particular fields.

R. Bryan-White came across his first peculiar creature one evening in November 1995. Dozing in an armchair, he was roused by something settling on the top of his head. Before he could react whatever it was had gone! However, he shortly realized ti mush have been a Kumph. Since then the Gravesend in Kent born writer has discovered many more peculiar creatures. At this point in time he is continuing with his research, and hopes to produce another peculiar volume in the near future.