Shaping Sound and Society: The Cultural Study of Musical Instruments

Shaping Sound and Society: The Cultural Study of Musical Instruments explores how musical instruments connect with their social function, approaches that have been separated in musical scholarship. The volume is divided into three sections, with contributions from ten scholars discussing the relationships between makers, performers, and local communities, the meanings that instruments accrue as they travel, and the process of musical instrument innovation. It is an essential read for students and academics in music and ethnomusicology.

Format: Hardback
Length: 254 pages
Publication date: 13 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Shaping Sound and Society: The Cultural Study of Musical Instruments is a groundbreaking collection of essays that explores the intricate relationship between musical instruments and their social functions. This volume brings together leading voices from the emerging field of research on musical instruments, highlighting the need to bridge the often-separated domains of material aspects and social functions in musical scholarship.

The book situates musical instruments at the heart of cultural interactions, emphasizing their role in shaping and transmitting cultural values. It is divided into three sections, each exploring different aspects of the instrument-society relationship.

In the first section, contributors examine the relationships between makers, performers, and their local communities. They explore how instruments are created, used, and valued within specific cultural contexts, and how these relationships contribute to the development and preservation of musical traditions.

The second section delves into the diverse meanings that instruments accrue as they travel across time and space. Contributors discuss how instruments are adapted and reinterpreted by different cultures, and how these adaptations shape the musical practices and aesthetics of different communities.

The third section focuses on the ways in which instruments shed new light on historic music cultures. By examining the use of instruments in past societies, scholars can gain insights into the social, political, and economic structures of past societies and how they interacted with music.

In addition to the scholarly chapters, the volume includes shorter interludes based on interviews with makers of comparatively new instruments. These interludes provide valuable insights into the process of musical instrument innovation, highlighting the creative and collaborative aspects of this field.

Shaping Sound and Society: The Cultural Study of Musical Instruments is an essential read for students and academics in the fields of music and ethnomusicology. It offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the study of musical instruments, providing valuable insights into the cultural, social, and technological dimensions of this fascinating subject.

Moreover, the book will interest anyone who is curious about how musical instruments are deeply intertwined with social, technological, and cultural change throughout history. By exploring the relationships between instruments and society, this volume contributes to our understanding of the complex and multifaceted nature of human culture.

Weight: 660g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367417550