Richard King, born in Bistroff, France, in 1954. Ph.D. from Stanford University. Associate Professor of Musicology at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Fellow (1 September 2008 – 30 June 2009)
AT PLAY WITH HISTORY: ALEXANDER THE GREAT IN EARLY MODERNITY
During my year at NIAS I worked primarily on my proposed project: a study of Alexander the Great’s role in Early Modern thought and culture; and a consideration of what his role tells us about how history was understood and used at the time. I came to NIAS with what I thought was a largely finished plan for the book, together with drafts of several chapters. It will surprise no one that, given the time, resources, and collegial expertise furnished by NIAS, I quickly realised that my plan was inadequate to the task, and so I began to read again. Stimulated by what I had learned from others there, I reconceived and reorganised the book. I drafted four new chapters as a result, and developed a new plan to finish the rest. Also, thanks to NIAS, I was able, during the first half of the year, to edit a Festschrift that was published in spring 2009 (Handel Studies: A Gedenkschrift for Howard Serwer. Hillsdale, NY: Pendragon Press); and to complete and publish an article on the authorship of G.F. Handel’s Alceste (The Musical Times, 150 (2009): 93-6).