Overview

During the 1960s and 70s some ethnomusicologists formed relationships with music-makers and ritual specialists in an attempt to interpret how they understood their musical actions. Subsequently ethnomusicologists have studied the respects in which explicit and implicit theory is involved in communication of musical knowledge. They have observed the production of music theory in institutions of modern nation-states and have sought out groups and individuals whose theorizing is not constrained by existing institutions. They are assessing the extent to which musical terminologies of diverse languages can be interpreted in relation to general concepts without imposing the assumptions and biases of one body of existing theory. That exercise is increasingly recognized as a necessary effort of decolonization. A thorough yet concise introduction to this field, Music Theory in Ethnomusicology outlines a conception of music theory suited to cross-cultural research on musical practices.

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9780199303526

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Reviews

This book is a lucidly designed set of metatheoretical essays mapping an understanding of what music theory can be when we pan out far enough to coordinate and distill a gamut of historical and cross-cultural perspectives. This particular author is a sui generis guide. Some precious few single-authored books in ethnomusicology may evoke the comprehensive musical canvas this one does, but within that tiny group none have such diamond-hard wisdom. * Michael Tenzer, Professor of Ethnomusicology, University of British Columbia *

Author Information

Stephen Blum is Professor Emeritus of Music at the CUNY Graduate Center, where he taught from 1987 to 2016.

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