The Politics of Musical Time: Expanding Songs and Shrinking Markets in Bengali Devotional Performance

The temporal features of sacred music in South Asia have been adapted by devotional musicians to promote their careers, while expressions of religious affect and political belonging become strained in contemporary performance time frames. Eben Graves' book explores the political economy of performance in South Asia, revealing how ideas about the sacred and the modern have been expressed and contested through features of musical time.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 430 pages
Publication date: 27 September 2022
Publisher: Indiana University Press

The temporal features of sacred music have a profound impact on social life in South Asia. In the context of the region's rapidly changing commercial environments, devotional musicians in Bengal have adapted longstanding features of musical time linked with religious practice to promote their own musical careers. This adaptation reflects the complex interplay between tradition and modernity, as musicians navigate the demands of the music industry while preserving the essence of their religious heritage.

The Politics of Musical Time, a groundbreaking book by Eben Graves, delves into the shifting meanings and practices of devotional performance in the Bengal region of India over the past century. Through a detailed examination of the genre of padābalī kīrtan, a type of devotional sung poetry that combines song and storytelling, Graves explores how expressions of religious affect and political belonging linked with the genre become strained in contemporary, shortened performance time frames.

Graves' research combines ethnography, history, and performance analysis, including videos from the author's fieldwork, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the political economy of performance in South Asia. The book reveals how ideas about the sacred and the modern have been expressed and contested through features of musical time found in devotional performance.

One of the key themes of The Politics of Musical Time is the relationship between religious performances and issues of nationalism, gender, and economic exchange. Graves demonstrates how religious performances can become sites of contestation and negotiation as they intersect with broader social and political contexts. For example, he explores how religious texts and performances can be used to promote national identity and unity, as well as to challenge dominant narratives and power structures.

Graves also examines how the temporal features of sacred music can shape social relationships and communities. He argues that the long-duration forms and repetitive rhythms of devotional music create a sense of collective identity and belonging that can transcend social and economic boundaries. However, he also notes that the shortened performance time frames of contemporary devotional music can fragment social connections and undermine the sense of community.

The Politics of Musical Time is a valuable contribution to the field of musicology and cultural studies, offering a nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between music, religion, and society in South Asia. Through its rich ethnographic and analytical approach, the book provides insights into the ways in which musical time can be used as a tool for expressing and contesting ideas about the sacred and the modern, as well as for shaping social relationships and communities.

In conclusion, the temporal features of sacred music have a profound impact on social life in South Asia, as devotional musicians adapt longstanding features of musical time to promote their own musical careers while preserving the essence of their religious heritage. The Politics of Musical Time by Eben Graves provides a valuable insight into the shifting meanings and practices of devotional performance in the region, highlighting the complex interplay between tradition and modernity and the ways in which musical time can shape social relationships and communities.

Weight: 626g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780253064387