This work investigates the historical mystery of lost musical scores in early English drama by proposing that playwrights frequently reused well-known melodies. Ross W. Duffin, a distinguished musicologist, utilizes his expertise in the English song repertory to systematically reconstruct hundreds of tunes that were previously considered lost. By cross-referencing existing song collections with stage plays from the fifteenth to the early seventeenth century, he provides a methodology for restoring period-accurate music to these theatrical works.

Scholars and performers frequently cite this text as a foundational resource for authentic period staging and musicological research. Experts highlight the rigor of Duffin's methodology while noting that the prose remains accessible to both academic researchers and theater practitioners.