Ethnomusicology: Always Examines Music in a Cross-Cultural Framework
In spite of its myriad methodologies and definitions of terms, ethnomusicology always examines music in a cross-cultural framework, identifying the social functions of music in addition to its formal structures. Three relatively old ethnomusicology studies published in the Ethnomusicology journal illustrate differences in methodology and area of interest as well as similarities regarding the basic purpose of studying ethnomusicology in the first place. Victor Graver's "Some Song-Style Clusters-A Preliminary Study" is the most technical of the three essays and leans more toward musicology than ethnography; Graver's work is pan-cultural. On the other hand, both Alan P. Merriam's "The Importance of Song in the Flathead Indian Vision Quest" and Mervyn McLean's "Song Loss and Social Context Among the New Zealand Maori" examine music as one facet of a more comprehensive ethnography of a specific cultural group. These three scholastic sources illuminate the various paths an ethnomusicologist can take to contribute to a growing body of literature.Moreover, the differences between the three sources parallel their methodologies. All three authors are scholars sponsored through grant monies or collegiate funding, and therefore each of them
The objectives, methodologies, and implications of Merriam's, McLean's, and Graver's research differ. Merriam responds to many larger questions beyond the scope of the text, such as the connection between musical composition and the supernatural or spiritual facets of human life. As a result, the approach of Merriam's study is ethnographic. Similarly, McLean approaches music from an anthropological perspective and the author's approach is correspondingly ethnographic. Unlike Merriam, however, McLean focuses on social structure and hierarchy as an important component in a society's collective musical style and canon. Graver, unlike either Merriam or McLean does not conduct ethnographic research and approaches ethnomusicology from an absolutely cross-cultural framework; the researcher's primary concern is creating a practical classification system for ethnomusicologists to use when analyzing the evolution of musical styles and the relationship between music and its culture of origin. Graver's work does share in common with McLean's an appreciation for the impact of social structure on musical composition and performance. Finally, all three authors draw attention to the ways that historical and political forces impact the development of music, either through the elimination of certain styles of music or the introduction of others. is a credentialed investigator. Graver's study relies little on fieldwork and much on computer-assisted analyses of song structures. As Graver's instrument became more sophisticated, so too did his database of songs, which are culled from disparate cultures around the globe. Unfortunately, the reader of "Some Song-Style Clusters" remains unaware of the sources for the songs: be they recordings or first-hand listening
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Approximate Word count = 1183
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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