Challenge Questions

Titon often takes an idealistic view of ethnomusicology, equating music and field relationships directly with friendship. He also writes of the naiveté that an ideal field relationship will always result in friendship. If such a relationship, one that is more contractual or involves student/teacher roles, ends with little mutual gain, is the study flawed? Does the ethnographer still have authority?


In creating a culture specifically for the literate in Western notation, does the Western art music culture take on an elitist persona, amplified by the fact that certain composers are deemed more talented and revered than others? How does this elitism affect outsiders who are new to the music?

Interview with Jordan Cannady

"Whatever the character is I always try and tailor, if I know songs that would go for that particular event then I try and do those.
So I did, I came in thinking I was gonna do a lot of old, old, old, you know, 30s and 20s music, and so there I came in with all these very, very old songs and people kept coming up to me and asking me “Did I do the beach boys, did I do the beatles?”, and suddenly, to my horror, I suddenly realized that all of these grandparents were my age, which meant I was a grandparent too or I could easily be. And that grandparent music, the age of the grandparent was my generation, and it really kind of shook me up."

“Oh no!”

"Yeah, so every event I always try and come up with a different persona if possible. Spooky zoo Sunday I've done this now this is my third year that I've come back and done it and I love doing it, and I have a few Halloween songs that I do, and that’s what I do.
But I love this it's pretty much my favorite venue to play in."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah I love it."

"Yeah, I love all of the people walking around."

"Well the kids are great and the people that run it, Joe Os who's in charge of this is just a pleasure to work with, very friendly. So what else, what would you like to know?"

"Do you cater songs to various audiences, like now?"

"I do select the songs based on, I do keep in mind the age groups of the kids that come through. So I’ll thrown in a lot of songs that maybe I wouldn’t normally do like
Old MacDonald had a farm, songs like that, gear the age level down somewhat
Although I still do a lot of songs, rock and roll songs that I think have a universal appeal.
And I have found that the kids all seem to like it, it doesn’t seem to matter whether it's rock and roll, or Old MacDonald, or hillbilly music or country western they all seem to like all of it as long as its done well, and as I mentioned before I do try and look for songs that go with a particular event. That’s probably the biggest challenge, when Joe says I think one day, I'm trying to remember specifically, there was a day that was Flowers and Trees Day, so the idea was to try and come in if I knew any songs that had to do with trees and flowers to try and gear it that way, and I didn’t have a whole bunch that went with that, but I wanted to be sure that if I did any, that I’d do that."

Nettl Review

In looking at Nettl’s own musical culture, he focuses on the history and the canonization of specific Western music composers. In looking at Western art music from a ethnomusicological point of view, Nettl observes that the stories and myths behind the music and composers are very important in determining the importance and relevance of the music to present day audiences. Nettl also makes an interesting point, noting the denationalizing of composers. Musicians and audiences are not critical of the fact that the most acclaimed composers are all German, and can identify with the music without this cultural bias.
The focus on a select few composers creates a mythological hierarchy which musicians follow for the most part over time. How is this like Blackfoot Indian’s music? Both come from “mythological” or “supernatural” beings, but can one really compare these musical cultures? Also, in creating a culture specifically for the literate in Western notation, does the culture also take on an elitist persona, amplified by the fact that certain composers are deemed more talented and revered than others?

Back Review

Les Back credits the success of the White Power music scene to the internet and the information age. He provides a background of the skinhead movement in Britain, that of a society promoting the white proletariat working class as a backlash to the cultural upheaval. He brings up an interesting point that skinheads often danced to the music of black reggae artists. When he tells a skinhead that his music will go with the black people if they are thrown out of the country, the skinhead replies that he’ll still have the tapes. In continuing with present music, Back addresses the influences of modern white supremacist music, noting that it is dominated by rock and metal. In quoting Burdi, a founder of a white power record company, Burdi says, “You can go into dance clubs and you can hear these bastardised versions of these beautiful compositions which have been ruined by including rap lyrics.” Then Burdi goes on to say that a white power band is heavily influenced by Wagner, and often lifts chord progession straight out of Wagner’s compositions. How is this different then rapping over classical music? Is it because they trace their lineage back to these artists, and that blacks have no right to exploit their ancestors music?

Agawu ch.3 review

Agawu attacks views of Africa as a whole. He points out that ethnomusicologists then (before 1950) and now have lifted up rhythm as an all-important African characteristic. The rhythmic complexity spoken of only comes from a few places that were first studied, for example, Ghana and the West African coast. There are many different types of African music, the countries are not like the states of the US, they are separate entities. Agawu also makes the argument that notation should not change to accompany these rhythms, because standard notation enables the pieces to be more widely performed. He suggests the only way to counter our invention of what African music is, is to work towards direct empowerment. This would take away the outsider perspective, hopefully, and create a truer picture of the depth and diversity of African music.

Waterman Review

In Waterman’s review of African influence, he views “American negro” music to be composed of half European and half African styles. He stresses the differences between the two, focusing on African music and its lack of complex harmony, its dominance in percussion, and its call and response patterns. He connects the idea of jazz and freeform to West African music. He quotes, “We know, in general, the African sie of the equation,” which is to say that Waterman generalizes much in his ideas. His focus on West African tribal music is relevant, it points to the fact that the influences he speaks of come from a specific place, and that Africa cannot be generalized in the way he is doing.

First zoo fieldwork 10/5

Entrance to zoo:
Fun, danceable music as I came into the zoo and paid for my ticket

Little German Band
In coming up past African dogs and next to elephants, a noise of trumpets, euphoniums, and drums. The Little German Band was playing in the pavilion, outside of the eatery. Kids applauded every time the band finished a song, when there were kids there. There were only two picnic benches outside protected from the rain, so there were limited listeners. The singer/trumpeter of the band asks the audience if they know the Polish Prince. In the store adjacent to the pavilion and the eatery, the cashier bounces her head to the music played. The music is sometimes sung in German, depending on which songs. They wore traditional German outfits, with hats, green and white costumes, knee socks. The band was composed of a tuba, 2 trumpets, clarinet (doubling on sax, didn’t hear the sax though), drums, and singer. He gives history behind each piece (one time mentioning Elvis) and how popular songs came from German/ East European folk music.

I continued my walk up the zoo. I passed the giraffes, turned right, and made my way by the Farmyard porch. There sat a man with a stand in front of him holding a guitar, and playing for people walking by. Unfortunately, nobody really stopped, it seemed to be in a bad location for stopping because of its isolation. It was rainy weather too, and he looked less than happy to be there in the rain.

Music played at the “Fun Tent” from speakers on the ground:
“Monster Mash”, then instrumental soundtrack for a scary movie. Is it meant to be intimidating? Inviting? Or just in the Halloween spirit? Inside the tent there were smoke-filled bubbles, mini-golf, beanbag toss, etc. “I put a spell on you” comes on. The music helps create a much more popular event, with popular songs in the fashion of how people usually know them.

Music at food concession stand:
Boom box- instrumental music, spooky involving synth strings and bells, tympanis, and a drumbeat. Where do these CDs come from?

Pop music plays in the gift shop. It is tuned to a radio station. The radio plays “I am barely breathing” song and I sing along to it while I search for a birthday present.

Speakers are set up along the wildlife trail. They are set in stop places but hidden in the brush or underneath benches. “Bing Bang walla walla bing bang” song is on. Then ghostly moaning; it would be creepy to walk this alone in the dusk. Addam’s family theme song comes on. A 6-year old boy dances to the song in front of his family.

Before I leave I come face to face with a peacock like bird. It spikes its feathers as I come close, and then issues rhythmic honks towards me against the glass between us. Is this music? It has a pitch, a purpose, rhythm, and I am fascinated by the interaction. Should animal-made music be included in an ethnographic project of zoo music? They are the focus of the zoo, and are clearly what people come to be entertained by.

I exit the zoo at a run, trying to catch the bus back home. The music at the entrance accompanies my exit with a Michael Jackson like quality of the 80s, again quite danceable and inviting.