Shadows in the Field: Chapter 6

Throughout this chapter, the ethnomusicologists examine the merits and risks of doing their fieldwork at home using modern technology.  Ultimately, they conclude that "doing fieldwork at home contributes to a more rounded ethnomusicology" (123).  This makes complete sense, as it allows you to avoid committing yourself geographically for an extended period of time, a commitment which is often influenced by factors other than pure scholarly curiosity.  However, this reading also made me think of a previous reading focused on keeping the dialogue between the ethnomusicologist and the culture they studied as transparent as possible.  The argument was that the influence of the ethnomusicologist on the encounter prevents the him/her from being able to legitimately call the experience authoritative and autonomous.  I began to wonder how technology would effect these ideals.  

Question: If, hypothetically, an ethnomusicologist did all of his/her research online, and did not contact the subject at all.  For all intensive purposes, he/she would be invisible.  How would this affect the ability of the ethnomusicologist to call their research autonomous?

SEM Perusing

One of the most remarkable things that I have noticed while perusing the Journal of the Society for Ethnomusicology is the lack of hostility assumed on the part of the reader. Often, in our readings, I get the impression that the Ethnomusicologist is always slightly defensive that the reader might not be taking them completely seriously. I think that this has a few possible benefits, in that the professional who is constantly forced to defend their place in the academic community often has a very intellect and secure understanding of it. I think part of the reason for this is that so far we have been reading, for the most part, about the fundamentals of ethnomusicology, being that we are only just leaving the introductory portion of the course. It seems to me that there is a greater chance of coming across a defensive position when the text is geared towards those who have never encountered ethnomusicology before than in a more advanced text intended for those with experience. However, any qualifications aside, it was very pleasant to read from the perspective of someone who is comfortable with ethnomusicology.

There is a very different type of dialogue created when the intended reader is one who has professional knowledge of the field. For example, “The Challenge of ‘Bi-Musicality’” by Mantle Hood jumps right into why bi-musicality is necessary in order to study other cultures without first arguing that this is a worthy goal. I know that it might seem obvious that in an Ethnomusicology Journal they pre-suppose that the reader will be amiable to the notion of studying the music of other cultures, but I do not think it trivial. I think that the basic rules of dialogue are changed dramatically in this journal, and I think that the impact of this change cannot be underestimated. It allows the writer to take riskier positions knowing that the reader will have the expertise to understand the broad strokes of the argument even if it is in a rudimentary form. It allows the writer to address more controversial topics that they might not be willing to address to the outside community. Also, it increases the chances that the writer would receive helpful feedback in crafting their argument. While all of these things may seem obvious, they provide a forum for discussion that I think is crucial to helping any fledgling field grow.

Specifically, I think that Mantle Hood’s article articulates some of the values that are very important to the field as we know it today. It was interesting to read about some of the direct changes in the field that came about due to the shift towards cultural relativism. So many things feel to us that they are taken for granted, especially given our modern education, that it is rewarding to read something from a different context, where perhaps a western-centric philosophy was still exerting influence held over from its previous years of dominance.

Critical Review: Clifford

In his account of discourses, Clifford refers to Ricoeur's contention that "for discourse to become text it must become 'autonomous'" (39).  While he does not disagree with this proclamation, he does disagree with the possibility of any text fulfilling this requirement.  He argues that the voice of the ethnographer, either stated or implied, can never be fully removed from the discourse, and thus the discourse can never transcend dialogue to become text.  The concept that there can be no true texts in turn means that there can be no authoritative depiction of the other.  By not attempting to transcend the voice of the ethnographer, the ethnographer maintains honesty at the expense of authoritative systemization.  Clifford argues that by keeping the focus on the voice the ethnographer can "resist the pull toward authoritative representation of the other" (44).  This represents a shift in ideals from seeking conclusions to sharing experiences.  While I do not argue that this change creates a more honest portrayal of the subject, I wonder how it will affect ethnomusicologists studying cultures they are a part of.  

Question:  With so much emphasis on maintaining the sense of the "other," and thus the distinction between the ethnomusicologist and the culture they choose to study, how will ethnomusicologists studying their own culture maintain a strict sense of the "other" when it exists not as a distinction within discourse between the ethnomusicologist and their subject, but between the ethnomusicologist and their audience?  Is a sense of dialogue to be artificially created between the ethnomusicologist and their audience?  Should they attempt to create a sense of "otherness" from within the "other" itself, and thus take the position of an ethnomusicologist attempting to falsely assume a fictional relationship with the subject that ironically mirrors the very situation they were trying to circumvent?

Fieldwork Project

I will be doing my study on the church choir that performs during Sunday services in Manning Chapel. After talking with the choirmaster, I have a bit of a feel for the type of performance group they are; this has inspired my preliminary questions:

1) Which is more important in this group: technical facility or the spirit of the performance?

2) Is the group more in touch with their musical roots or their cultural/religious sources?

3) What drew this group together out of the larger population at Brown University?

Critical Review: Shelemay

I enjoyed this reading a great deal. It definitely changed my perspective on the ethics of getting involved directly in a community that one is studying. I respect Kay's rigorous attitude in crafting a set of ethical guidelines (p152), and I agree that the success of this method greatly depends on the degree to which the ethnomusicologist is aware of the impact they have, and employs vigilance so as to ensure that they can adhere to the set of moral guidelines Kay sets out. While reading this I wondered, is this view the result of understanding that participation is unavoidable and thus must be embraced in order to be controlled, or the valuing the benefits of participation to the extent that even if it were avoidable, it is morally sound to become active within the community. If, theoretically, it were possible to observe without entering to any degree into the society, that is, as a hypothetical fly on the wall, would it be more ethical to enter the society or not? This leads me to my question: to whom does the ethnomusicologist have a greater responsibility, the culture they are studying, or the worldwide community of scholarship?  

24 Hour Music Post

From 9:25am on September 8th to 9:25am on September 9th

Title/Artist/Info --- Time --- Place --- Source

Beeping midi scale of cell-phone alarm --- 9:25am --- My room --- My cell phone

Vague pop song behind movie preview --- 9:40am --- My room --- My Computer
Comedy Central intro music --- 9:42am --- My room --- My Computer
Daily Show theme song --- 9:43am --- My room --- My Computer
Vague pop song behind Daily Show --- 9:46am --- My room --- My Computer
Daily Show theme – end credits --- 10:04am --- My room --- My Computer
Aida—Verdi --- 10:13am --- My room --- My Computer
Track playing on Ethno website --- 12:16pm --- My room --- My Computer
Aida—Verdi --- 12:16pm --- My room --- My Computer
Tenacious D—Tenacious D --- 1:00pm --- My room --- My Computer
Vedro ‘l mio sol—Caccini --- 2:28pm --- Orwig --- CD Player
Euridice--Peri --- 2:30pm --- Orwig --- CD Player
Orfeo—Monteverdi --- 2:33pm --- Orwig --- CD Player
Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor—Beethoven --- 4:00pm --- Orwig 315 --- Piano
Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor—Beethoven --- 4:15pm --- Orwig 315 --- Stereo
Fragments of Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor—Beethoven --- 4:22pm --- Orwig 315 --- Piano
Student practicing piano --- 4:40pm --- Orwig 315 --- Piano
String Quartet No. 1—Elliot Carter --- 5:11pm --- Orwig 315 --- Stereo
Fragments of Scherzo—Sam Headrick --- 5:20pm --- Orwig 315 --- Piano
Student pieces --- 6:00pm --- Jim Baker’s Office --- Computers
Colbert Report Theme Music --- 8:00pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Colbert Report Theme Music --- 8:20pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Hole in the Wall background music --- 8:25pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Commercial background music --- 8:35pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Hole in the Wall background music --- 8:36pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Commercial background music --- 8:37pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Hole in the Wall background music --- 8:27pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Prospero’s Books—Michael Nyman --- 8:46pm --- My Room --- My Computer
The Piano Concerto—Michael Nyman --- 8:59pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Serenade No. 10—Mozart --- 9:14pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Pavane Pour une Infant Defunte—Ravel --- 9:26pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Piano Concerto No. 3—Beethoven --- 9:26pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Verklarte nacht—Schoenberg --- 9:42pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Prelude to Parsifal—Wagner --- 10:00pm --- My Room --- My Computer
Aida—Verdi --- 12:00am --- My Room --- My Computer
Tristan und Isolde—Wagner --- 1:00am --- My Room --- My Computer
Midi alarm clock --- 9:15am --- My Room --- My Cell Phone

First post

This is my first post