Ethnomusicology and Filmmaking

Despite some passionate advocates for film as a medium of musical ethnography and some recent scholarly writing on the history of ethnomusicological film, a gulf remains between ethnomusicological theorizing and filmmaking. Audiovisual representations of musical practices by ethnomusicologists have proliferated in the digital age, yet ethnomusicological filmmaking is rarely subject to critical reflection. Ethnomusicological film is typically thought of as supplementary supporting data, rather than as a medium for argument or as a stimulus for theoretical discourse in words. Moving beyond an understanding of film/video as visual ‘data’ or ‘evidence’ separate from the writing of ethnomusicological theory, this chapter discusses emergent and potential directions for engagement with film in ethnomusicology. Informed by debates in visual anthropology and art practice, it reevaluates some of the central tenets of realism in ethnomusicological filmmaking and consider the ramifications of new approaches to ethnographic film for music research. Some ideas about the potential of filmmaking for musicology are discussed with reference to some ethnographic films, including one I directed called Hanoi Eclipse: The Music of Dai Lam Linh (Documentary Educational Resources, 2010)

Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares : Folk Music Transcriptions for Trombone Choir

Current trombone choir repertoire consists almost entirely of western classical and jazz music. Missing from the trombone ensemble\u27s repertoire are works from outside western choral, symphonic, and jazz idioms and particularly folk music. The addition of Bulgarian folk music contributes to a much needed variety in the current trombone choir repertoire. The use of any ethnic or nationalistic music has both educationaland aesthetic value. Like all well-conceived trombone choir music, these Bulgarian folk transcriptions in this paper aid in the development of chamber music skills. This document will discuss how Bulgarian folk music is a good source for trombone choir transcriptions and at the same time, they expose students to a new nationalistic music style that they had not previously encountered. This musical diversity has great value in our pluralistic global society

Weaving in Polyphony: Destiny, Culture and the Human Condition

Polyphonic singing, its roles and practice and the perception of destiny as represented in ancient Greek mythology, literature and philosophy are explored in this paper. An analogy drawn between them, between the living reality and the constructed reality, depicts connections that help weave polyphonic narration. Contextualization of polyphonic singing as a truly world phenomenon that encompasses aspects inherent in human nature and condition, while forming a manifestation of cultural diversity, is achieved through a broad perspective employing linguistics, social anthropology and philosophy. Thus, cultural phenomena such as polyphonic singing, although often employed in political discourse and the formation of national identity — with the narrative of Self and Other, directly involved, particularly in border areas — can no longer constitute issues of culture ownership

Коегзистенција старијег и новијег двогласног народног певања у селу Преконога (југоисточна Србија) као пример бимузикалности

This paper deals with two different styles of rural folk singing in Southeastern Serbia which coexisted in the repertoire of a particular folk group. It is interesting that folk singing in the area of Svrljig can be followed through the ethnomusicological publications with music transcriptions from 1931 up to 2011 and it is vital even today. The characteristics of the older two-part singing style typical for this region are explored, as well as those of the newer two-part singing widespread after World War Two. These styles are chronologically compared and specifcally presented through the analysis of (personal) feld recordings of the group “Prekonoga” who carried both traditions. This characteristic of the group is considered in relation to the concept of bimusicality.У овом раду говори се о певању старијих певачица Аматерског културно-уметничког друштва „Преконога” из истоименог села код Сврљига, које припада музичком дијалекту Југоисточне Србије. Према уважавању поделе сеоског двогласног певања у Србији на старије и новије, као и поделе старијег на динарско и шопско, рурално народно двогласно певање заступљено у Сврљигу може бити старије – шопско, и новије. Старији тип двогласја у овој области може континуирано да се прати у етномузиколошким публикацијама од 1931. до 2011. године. Са друге стране, после Другог светског рата експанзија двогласног певања новије традиције утицала је у одређеној мери и на наслеђе у овом крају. Након представљања карактеристика двогласја сврљишког краја, у студији су анализирани (лични) теренски снимци на којима је заступљено певање обе врсте – традиционално старије сеоско двогласно певање и „ауторско” новијег стила. Коначно, овакав репертоар фолклорне групе из Преконоге посматран је из аспекта бимузикалности, односно способности неговања два различита музичка наслеђа. Закључено је да је у певању старијих певачица АКУД „Преконога” препознатљива „шира бимузикалност”, будући да је доминантан стил сеоског двогласног певања који има дужу традицију

Revival of Bulgarian Folk Music During Socialism and the Post-Socialist Transition: Music and Cultural Identity

This article juxtaposes two periods of Bulgarian folk music revival, which were separated by a period of rejection of Bulgarian traditions and cultural values, and problematizes the success of chalga, a pan-Balkan musical phenomenon from the post-socialist period. By engaging current research of American and Bulgarian scholars and reflecting on the author’s recent fieldwork and personal experiences as a performer of Bulgarian folk music, this study raises questions regarding the relationships between state-imposed nationalism and folk traditions, village culture and modern life, the role of media in the dissemination of musical traditions, and the importance of folk music in the construction of modern Bulgarian cultural identity