Ethnomusicology

History of Ethnomusicology

Music is a highly organized, distinctly human art form that has the power to link together communities, which is why its intricacies are studied within the field of ethnomusicology. Ethnomusicology is defined as the study of music in its social and cultural contexts ("About Ethnomusicology"). The field can be traced back to the late nineteenth century, with several books explaining the field to musical scholars (although some parts of it can be traced all the way back to Greek philosophers). However, the field reached greater heights in the 1950's with Jaap Kunst's book Musicologica, the first work to use the word "Ethnomusicology" in its title (Nettl). Kunst is considered one of the founders of modern ethnomusicology. He studied and collected music of the natives of modern day Indonesia and his book Musicologica established an approach to Ethnomusicology (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica 2021) . With researchers having training in folklore, sociology, etc., as well as music theory and art history, ethnomusicology is an extremely interdisciplinary field. However, the field has a coherent foundation to set up a basic guideline for what must be done.

Ethnomusicology in Practice

Firstly, ethnomusicologists must employ a global perspective on their work. Without looking at the entire world's music, it simply would not be possible to gather information correctly. Additionally, researchers must understand that music is a social practice, as music tends to weave its way into various social and cultural contexts. Finally, the research must be done ethnographically so that the music can be heard (and sometimes performed) firsthand and must also account for the history of a certain area ("About Ethnomusicology"). Beyond research, ethnomusicologists seek to educate. Based on the information found in the field, some choose to teach courses in the various types of music in the world, and others choose to teach how music can affect the culture of a certain group of people. Additionally, some ethnomusicologists take a more active role, partnering with the communities they are studying to promote and document the musical traditions of a group or advocate for their well-being through various projects.