The Anthropology of Music - Softcover

Alan P. Merriam

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0810106078 ISBN 13: 9780810106079

Publisher: Northwestern University Press, 1964

Synopsis

 


In this highly praised and seminal work, Alan Merriam demonstrates that music is a social behavior—one worthy and available to study through the methods of anthropology. In it, he convincingly argues that ethnomusicology, by definition, cannot separate the sound-analysis of music from its cultural context of people thinking, acting, and creating.

The study begins with a review of the various approaches in ethnomusicology. He then suggests a useful and simple research model: ideas about music lead to behavior related to music and this behavior results in musical sound. He explains many aspects and outcomes of this model, and the methods and techniques he suggests are useful to anyone doing field work. Further chapters provide a cross-cultural round-up of concepts about music, physical and verbal behavior related to music, the role of the musician, and the learning and composing of music.

The Anthropology of Music illuminates much of interest to musicologists but to social scientists in general as well.

About this title

About the Author

Alan P. Merriam held the position of Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University. He died in 1980.

Edition details

• Publisher: Northwestern University Press
• Publication date: 1964
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0810106078
• ISBN 13: 9780810106079
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 376