Chapter 2 Notes: Music, A Phenomenon of People, Society, and Culture

Music, A Phenomenon of People, Society, and Culture

  • Scholars have examined musical behavior from various perspectives, including anthropological perspectives, ethnomusicology, sociomusicology, and sociology of music.
  • Recent renewed interest in exploring music's roots as a social and cultural phenomenon has stimulated the development of biomusicology.

Biomusicology

  • Examines music's origins and sociocultural applications.
  • Three subfields:
    • Evolutionary musicology: exploration of music's evolutionary origins.
    • Neuromusicology: study of neural and cognitive processes underlying musical production and perception.
    • Comparative musicology: examination of music's functions and uses in all human cultures.
  • Clayton (2009) and Cross and Tolbert (2009) emphasize music as a medium for individuals to interact with social groups.
  • Meaning in music is a result of social and cultural contexts.
  • Hargreaves and North (1999) argue that the social context of musical behavior should be integral to music psychologists' approaches.
  • They believe cognitive dimensions have led to neglect of social dimensions.
  • Musical behavior study must consider the social and interpersonal context in which musical meaning is constructed.
  • Social functions influencing musical behavior involve individual, small and large social groups, and society and culture.
  • Society and culture influence musical behaviors of individuals within social and cultural groups and subgroups.
  • Scholars' interest in music's role in society and culture makes its examination an important focus for the psychological foundations of musical behavior.
  • Nettl (2000) notes that all societies have vocal music, and virtually all have instruments.
  • Merriam (1964) indicates that music's presence and role in human activities make it significant in shaping and controlling human behavior.
  • Music's prominence in contemporary society supports this view.
  • Music today is as important as it has been throughout humankind's history, evidenced by its presence in various settings.
  • Musical behavior is interhuman, interpersonal, or social (Mueller, 1963).
  • According to Dasilva, Blasi, and Dees (1984), music may be social in several senses:
    • Performing, creating, hearing, and interpreting music involves using shared social constructs-grammars and symbols.
    • Music involves composers, interpreters, and listeners.
    • Music is communal because it occurs in