Music, culture, & experience : selected papers of John Blacking / edited and with an introduction by Reginald Byron ; with a foreword by Bruno Nettl.

Author/creator Blacking, John
Other author Byron, Reginald editor.
Other author Nettl, Bruno, 1930-2020 writer of foreword.
Format Book
Publication InfoChicago : University of Chicago Press, ©1995.
Descriptionxii, 269 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
Subjects
Ethnomusicology.
Music--Social aspects.
Folk music--History and criticism.

Variant title Music, culture, and experience
SeriesChicago studies in ethnomusicology
Chicago studies in ethnomusicology. ^A261178
Contents Foreword / Bruno Nettl -- The ethnomusicology of John Blacking -- Expressing human experience through music -- The problem of musical description -- The music of Venda girls' initiation -- Music and the historical process in Vendaland -- The study of musical change -- Reflections on the effectiveness of symbols -- The music of politics -- Music, culture, and experience -- A note on pronunciation -- Works by John Blacking.
Abstract One of the most important ethnomusicologists of the century, John Blacking achieved international recognition for his book, How Musical Is Man? Known for his interest in the relationship of music to biology, psychology, dance, and politics, Blacking was deeply committed to the idea that music-making is a fundamental and universal attribute of the human species. He attempted to document the ways in which music-making expresses the human condition, how it transcends social divisions, and how it can be used to improve the quality of human life. This volume brings together in one convenient source eight of Blacking's most important theoretical papers along with an extensive introduction by the editor. Drawing heavily on his fieldwork among the Venda people of South Africa, these essays reveal his most important theoretical themes such as the innateness of musical ability, the properties of music as a symbolic or quasi-linguistic system, the complex relation between music and social institutions, and the relation between scientific musical analysis and cultural understanding.
Bibliography noteWorks by John Blacking: pages 247-252.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages 253-259) and index.
LCCN 94025598
ISBN0226088294 (cloth)
ISBN0226088308 (paper)

Availability

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Music Music Stacks ML60 .B63 1995 ✔ Available Place Hold