Overview
Lawrence Kramer has been a pivotal figure in the development of the controversial new musicology, integrating the study of music with social and cultural issues. This accessible and eloquently written book continues and deepens the trajectory of Kramer's thinking as it boldly argues that humanistic, not just technical, meaning is a basic force in music history and an indispensable factor in how, where and when music is heard. Kramer draws on a broad range of music and theory to show that the problem of musical meaning is not just an intellectual puzzle, but a musical phenomenon in its own right. How have romantic narratives involving Beethoven's ""Moonlight"" Sonata affected how we hear this famous piece, and what do they reveal about its music? How does John Coltrane's African American identity affect the way we hear him perform a relatively ""white"" pop standard like ""My Favorite Things""? Why does music requiring great virtuosity have different cultural meanings than music that is not particularly virtuosic? Focusing on the classical repertoire from Beethoven to Shostakovich and also discussing jazz, popular music and film and television music, ""Musical Meaning"" uncovers the historical importance of asking about meaning in the lived experience of musical works, styles and performances. Kramer's writing, clear and full of memorable formulations, demonstrates that thinking about music can become a vital means of thinking about general questions of meaning, subjectivity and value. In addition to providing theoretical advances and insights on particular pieces and repertoires, ""Musical Meaning"" will be provocative reading for those interested in issues of identity, gender and cultural theory. This book includes a CD of Kramer's own composition, ""Revenants: 32 Variations in C Minor"", which he discusses in his final chapter.
Full Product Details
Author: Lawrence Kramer
Publisher: University of California Press
Imprint: University of California Press
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 2.20cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.458kg
ISBN: 9780520232723
ISBN 10: 0520232720
Pages: 344
Publication Date: 03 December 2001
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Out of Print
Availability: In Print
Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock.
Author Information
Lawrence Kramer is Professor of English and Music at Fordham University and the coeditor of 19th Century Music. He is author of six books, including After the Lovedeath: Sexual Violence and the Making of Culture (California 1997), Classical Music and Postmodern Knowledge (California 1995), and Music as Cultural Practice, 1800 1900 (California 1990).
