ME 518: Exegeting a
Musical Culture (4 units)
Roberta
R. King, Associate Professor of Communication and Ethnomusicology
Spring 2004 Pasadena
DESCRIPTION:
Develops the introductory essential steps to researching and understanding a musical culture. Includes a survey of world music, the basics of organology, the role of song, the study of song texts, and researching the function and use of music within a particular culture. This course empowers the student to do music ethnography with specific application to Christian witness and worship within varying ministry contexts.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
This course will enable students to:
•
Research
and exegete a people’s music-culture in order to understand varying social
contexts.
• Gain a working
knowledge of one music-culture unfamiliar to the student by developing
methodological skills that contribute to doing music ethnography.
• Learn to analyze and
critically reflect upon the intersection between music, mission, and culture.
• Consider the
implications for theologizing through a people’s music.
COURSE FORMAT:
This course will meet once a week in the evening. Class sessions will include presentations with accompanying discussions, video and audio examples, small group participation, and guest lecturers.
REQUIRED READING (VIEWING/LISTENING):
Begbie, Jeremy S. Theology, Music and Time. Cambridge
University Press, 2000.
Clayton, Martin, Herbert and Middleton, Eds. The Cultural Study of Music: A Critical Introduction. Routledge,
2003.
Foley, Edward. Foundations of Christian
Music: The Music of Pre-Constantinian Christianity. Liturgical Press, 1996.
Titon, J. (Ed)Worlds of Music: An
Introduction to the Music of the World’s Peoples. Schirmer, 2002. (Book and
CDs).
SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING
REGIONAL MUSIC STUDIES (Required):
Olsen, D., ed. & E. Sheehy, Ed. The Garland Handbook of Latin American Music (Book and CD). Garland
Publishing, Inc., 2000.
Starr, L.& C.Waterman. American
Popular Music from Minstrelsy to MTV (Book and CD). Oxford Univ Press,
2003.
Stone, Ruth M. Ed., The Garland Handbook
of African Music (Book and CD). Garland Publishing, Inc. 2000.
Farrell, Gerry. Indian Music and the
West. Oxford University Press, 2000.
(Students
may select one of the Garland handbooks that represents the region of the world
that they will study.)
RECOMMENDED
BOOKS:
Agawu, Kofi. Representing African Music: Postcolonial
Notes, Queries, Positions. Routledge, 2003.
Hart, Mickey with K. M. Kostyal. Songcatchers: In Search of the World’s Music.
National Geographic, 2003.
Howard, Jay R. & John M. Streck. Apostles
of Rock: The Splintered World of Contemporary Christian Music. University
Press of Kentucky, 1999.
Nettl, Bruno et al, Excursions in World
Music, 3rd Edition. Prentice Hall, 2001.
Schechter, John M., General Editor. Music
in Latin American Culture: RegionalTraditions. Schirmer Books, 1999.
Taylor, Timothy D. Global Pop: World Music, World Markets. Routledge, 1997.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. A 1,000-word critical assessment of one chapter from
Begbie’s Music, Theology, and Time OR
Foley’s Foundations of Christian Music including
implications for studying the musics of non-western peoples
(non-anglo/non-classical musics).
2. In teams of 4-6, students will carry out extensive ethnographical/exegetical
research of one musical culture located in the Southern California area. In addition to the group’s written report
(5,000 words), a group oral report will be presented in class (total 90
minutes).
3. A 2,000-word paper on a non-western music, including a brief
ethno-historical analysis of church music in the selected region discussed.
Th.M. Students will complete an
additional assignment: 1,250 word paper discussing a substantive addition to or
criticism of the lecture material on a theology of music and mission. Topic to
be agreed to by the professor.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.