# Historical Performance > [!quote] *The notation gives us the raw but lifeless material from which we have to reinvent the actual music, applying the reading and performing conventions of different times and places.* > — Barthold Kuijken: *The Notation is Not the Music* (2013) **What is historical performance?** And why should we spend time studying and making sense of the historical source materials? **Historical performance** takes seriously the huge amount of historical information available to us. It acknowledges that there is no unique historical truth that is valid for all times, places, styles, genres and composers. The historical sources provide many ideas to help performers today enrich and enliven their performances, to improve and refresh what they do. I think of this approach as **artistic research** intended to lead to practical outcomes: that is, performances. > [!box] By bringing together musicological research and practical music making, performance practice studies have revealed a more complex and subtle picture about the relationships of performer and composer. > [[The Performer as Orator#Performance practice]] --- ## The Task of Historical Performance Our task as musicians is to **craft moving and convincing performances**. An understanding of historical performance practices can help with this, but the research involved takes time and effort. [[The Task of Historical Performance]] --- ## What is Historically Enlightened Performance? **Historically Enlightened Performance** (**HEP**) is a term I coined in early 2022 to describe what I’ve been working towards for the last 40 years or so. The Australian Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 gave me a lot of time for reflection. 😀 [[What is Historically Enlightened Performance?]] --- ## Historical Performance - An Introduction An introduction to some of the many topics relating to Historical Performance Practice. Extracts from the liner notes of recent [Elysium Ensemble recordings](http://elysiumensemble.com/recordings/). [[Historical Performance - An Introduction]] --- > [!link] Related Links > - [[The Performer as Orator]] --- <small>© Greg Dikmans</small>