Dear Critical Geographers,
After many months of thinking about this topic, I am glad that
geographers have finally began to listen to music through critical
ears. Geographers have written marvellous books on how to interpret
paintings/ texts/ architecture/ people, but very little so far about
music. I think this neglect tells us something relevant both about
geographers and about the cultural strategies of the production of
certain musical forms. First, geographers are perhaps intimidated by
non-material,non-visual forms of cultural production, and secondly
there seems to be something about music which has made it particularly
resistant to critical analysis so far. The second is particularly the
case for 'Classical' music; geographers have began to pay attention to
'popular' music, but have been a little shy of older, more established
forms, despite the increasing blurrings of such boundaries (eg:
Classic FM, etc).
I wonder why this is? Perhaps it is because there are already experts
in university music departments studying the history and form of
classical music. Perhaps music theory is just far too complicated for
geographers to learn? Perhaps it is because music is too abstract and
too personal to warrant geographical enquiry? 20 years ago you could
have substituted the word 'art' for 'music' here. I suspect that
'classical' music, like art, has its own self-perpetuating myths which
act quite effectively to keep out much critical enquiry (and
especially critical geographers). 'Classical' music is usually
perceived as uncomplicatedly produced by heroic geniuses (composers,
conductors and soloists), apparently working outside any
social-economic context, and heard by an equally position-less
audience, for whom it is nothing other than (in Classic FM speak)
'beautiful music'. Look at most undergraduate music courses or listen
to Radio 3 or Classic FM and this is what you will find. W orst of
all, read Roger Scruton's accomplished, but dreadful book 'The
Aesthetics of Music' (1997), where he attempts to prove that 'popular'
music is simply inferior to the 'classical' tradition, and uses
academic musical analysis to legitimise his argument.
The critical study of 'classical' music has extended to the study of
musical nationalisms, but that is about it. Where is the historical
geography of the classical concert? The spaces of performance and
listening have huge potential for critical investigation by
geographers: the pomposity of the conductor, the silence and behaviour
of the audience, the insecure flexible employment of the musicians,
the strange century old clothes they wear; where, when and how did
these traditions develop and what do they mean in geographical terms?
Where are the 'marginalised' and 'different' positioned in 'classical'
music concerts? What is the significance of the music that is being
played? What is the significance of how it is being played? What does
the music mean for those who play and hear it? The spaces of
composition, reproduction and recording are similarly of interest to
geographers. Geographers have begun to ask such questions of
'popular' and 'subversive' music, and now it is time for them to ask
them of 'classical' music.
In case anyone thinks this is a waste of time and would rather not
think about geography when they put the CD player on when they get
home in the evening:- Remember the Tory Party broadcasts which were
underscored by Elgar, sound of Englishness (he was actually anti-war,
catholic, and liberal)? Why is (almost) everyone in the National Youth
Orchestra of Great Britain white? What happened to all the women
composers and conductors, ever heard of any, past or present? (I
haven't) In the appropriation of music called 'Classical'some of the
most pervasive and destructive power relations continue to be
perpetuated. Are geographers going to shut off their ears and ignore
them? Its about time we started listening.
Kezia.
---Shaun Fielding <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Colleagues
. I thought that I might dabble in the favourite
> CD/geography interface thing.
>
> The best album (cos some of us still be vinyl and cassettes) of the
> year in this person's humble opinion is Mercury Revs 'Desseters
> Songs' (and not just because the NME says it is and that's what not
> so young academics read to keep up with 'the kids'). There's an
> interesting slant on place and identity in this relating to up
> state New York (the band are from Buffalo, I think).
>
> There is a lot of scope for music/geography/place/identity especially
> now as music is becoming so hybrid, dis-placed and cross cut by a
> whole range of influences (there were a couple of interesting papers
> on this and Celtic identity at RGS-IBG). One example (as I bought it
> this week) is the new album from Black Star Liner made by an
> Asian/Trinidadian from Leeds that borrows everything from Bhangra to
> blues.
>
> Hope I do not sound like a sad muso.
> best wishes
> Shaun
>
> Shaun Fielding email: [log in to unmask]
> School of Education phone: (+44) 121 414 4378
> The University of Birmingham
> Birmingham B15 2TT
> UK
>
==
Kezia Lavan - MA student in Cultural Geography
X66, Runnymede Hall,
Royal Holloway College,University of London,
Egham, Surrey. TW20OEX.
Tel: 01784 434 775.
Email: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
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