World Musics in Context: A Comprehensive Survey of the World's Major Musical CulturesOxford University Press, 2001 - 734 pages This volume contains a wide-ranging survey of musics of the world in historical and social contexts, from ancient times to the present day. It begins by describing aspects of musical style and function in relation to the early developments of civilizations, as background to a study of later transformations. It then describes, in some detail, musical traditions of Africa and Asia, in relation to history/geography and to other aspects of culture. A compendium of information currently available as well as a dialectical examination of musical causation and function, this book aims to lead students, teachers, and those who practice Western music towards a deeper understanding of the various musical traditions that contribute to the modern, multicultural environment. |
Contents
Introduction | 31 |
Elemental Features of Music | 49 |
Aspects of Civilization | 64 |
Early Oligarchies in Mesopotamia | 77 |
South | 94 |
Europe | 118 |
Part Two Traditional Musics of Africa and Asia | 143 |
New Horizons | 411 |
Cultural Mix in Latin America | 483 |
Europeans North of Mexico | 533 |
Africans North of Mexico | 563 |
Tradition and Change | 599 |
Westernization and National Musical | 616 |
The Postmodern West | 671 |
Bibliography | 696 |
Credits for Ilustrations | 717 |
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Common terms and phrases
aesthetic African music America ancient Arab areas artistic Asian associated bamboo became Buddhism Burma Cambodia Carnatic music Central century BC ceremonies chant China Chinese Christian civilization classical music composers court cultural systems dance developed drums early empire ensemble Ethnomusicology Europe European music example flute folk music gamelan genre gong Greek Grove harmony heterophony Hong Kong human Ibid improvisation India Indian music influence instruments Islamic Japanese Java Khmer Korea language Laos London lute Mahāyāna melismas melody metallophones modern modes music theatre musical culture musical styles musicians Muslim North notation notes octave opera orchestra original Oxford pelog pentatonic performance Persian pitch played popular music rāgas religion rhythm rhythmic ritual scale shawm shruti singers singing slendro social society songs sound South East Asia string structure Suyá Tang temple tetrachords Thailand theatre Theravāda throughout traditional music tunes University Press usually vocal West Asia Western music zither