Module MUSI42130: World Music Analysis

Department: Music

MUSI42130: World Music Analysis

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To foster an awareness of the breadth of music analytical methods, approaches and findings that have been, and are being, forwarded within the field of ethnomusicology.
• To encourage the development of strong music analytical skills – specifically, skills at apprehending the patterns, structures and processes of change and variation found within diverse musical forms around the world.
• To promote skills at representing musical structures with accuracy and elegance, both through visual means (various forms of notation) and the medium of words.
• More broadly, to foster higher-level research and presentation skills commensurate with post-graduate level study – including abilities to pool knowledge and skills and test theories with other researchers, working effectively within the academic community.

Content

• This module comprises three areas of exploration. Firstly, it involves a broad survey of the various approaches to musical analysis that have been forwarded within the field of ethnomusicology, from the late 19th century up to the present-day. A series of influential publications are examined to identify:
• The broad range of methods that have been applied in musical transcription, analysis and representation
• The ways in which researchers have tailored their approaches to suit musical characteristics, address research questions, and accommodate contemporary understandings regarding cultural insiders’ aesthetic values and musical theories
• The various conclusions that have been generated (or corroborated) by analysis.
• Researchers’ analytical work is critically evaluated to identify effective and ineffective aspects, the persuasiveness of findings, and the potential for cross-cultural applicability. Examples may include, but are not limited to: Frances Densmore’s graphic transcriptions; Charles Seeger’s automatic transcription; Alan Lomax’s cantometrics; Philip Harland’s Time Unit Box System (TUBS); Charles Keil’s micro-rhythmic analysis; Michael Tenzer’s motivic analysis; Hugo Zemp’s sonograms; and Jonathan Stock’s applications of Schenkerian analysis. Secondly, this module provides ample opportunities to experiment with the practical application of analytical methods to musical examples, enabling students to hone their own analytical skills and generate fresh insights into musical structures. Over the course of the module, a series of as-yet-unanalysed recordings are researched, listened to, transcribed, and analysed; the recordings hail from different parts of the world, exhibit markedly contrasting aesthetic values and structuring principles, and pose distinctly different challenges to the ethnomusicologist.
• Thirdly, this module encourages students to pursue their own paths of analytical discovery. Following a list of themes proposed by the module leader, each student conducts his or her own critical survey of analytical work – consulting the wide range of ethnomusicological publications available through the Durham library and singling out for discussion those studies that they feel raise particularly significant issues, problems or solutions.

Learning Outcomes

• Familiarity with the work of a broad range of influential music analysts (both past and present) working within the field of ethnomusicology, their analytical methods, systems of representation, and findings.
• Terminology appropriate for describing musical patterns, forms, structuring principles and transformative processes – including culture-specific terminology (used by the “insiders” of selected case-study musical cultures) and cross-culturally applicable terminology (as typically employed by academics).
• advanced knowledge of relevant musical repertories from a range of historical periods and geographical locations
• advanced knowledge of relevant creative and performative praxes

• This module fosters diverse skills relating to transcription and analysis:
• Ability to formulate appropriate transcription methods, systems of representation, and analytical methods, which suit both the focal music’s characteristics and one’s own research questions – drawing from existing studies but also creatively adapting established methods whenever beneficial. For example, skills are fostered in the following areas: tailoring staff-notation to one’s needs; devising non-standard systems of graphic and phonic representation; and using computer-based notation and analysis software (such as Sibelius, Transcribe! and Sonic Visualiser).
• Ability to yield accurate results from the careful application of the chosen analytical techniques and systems of representation to musical examples – drawing on enhanced aural skills of pattern recognition.
• Ability to draw convincing interpretations from the evidence and present the findings in succinct, elegant and culture-sensitive ways.
• an advanced ability to engage critically with theories and methodologies pertinent to the academic study of world music analysis
• an advanced ability to describe and analyse works from a range of musical repertories, informed by an understanding of the socio-cultural matrices from which they emerged and of their specific formal and stylistic features
• an advanced ability to draw upon appropriate theoretical perspectives and methodologies to study world music analysis while simultaneously deriving independent intellectual and creative insights from this activity
• advanced competence in musical literacy
• advanced competence in engaging with musical materials of different kinds, whether as physical objects (e.g. scores) and or in electronic formats (e.g. recordings, audio-visual materials)

• Critical thinking
• The identification and interpretation of musical patterns and processes
• Presentation skills (both written and oral)
• engage in close readings of a wide range of challenging texts (musical, verbal, audio-visual, as appropriate)
• deploy independent research skills using appropriate specialist tools and resources;
• synthesise complex materials from a wide range of sources and to present them cogently in the form of written documents, oral reports, presentations, and musical performances, as appropriate
• demonstrate competence in information technology skills to support MA learning and research (e.g. by means of: word-processing and music-processing software; databases; presentation software; audiovisual editing and analysis software; graph- and image-processing; web-based resources; relevant technologies)
• deploy advanced knowledge of professional conduct in meeting academic standards, including appropriate use of relevant ethical codes of practice and correct referencing of sources
• deploy problem-solving skills
• deploy organisational skills, including time management

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• This module features the following modes of teaching, learning and assessment:
• Continuous independent study by the student, comprising two components: firstly, the critical close-reading and evaluation of a series of set texts; secondly, the undertaking of transcription and analysis exercises.
• Fortnightly seminars, comprising two parts: firstly, critical discussion of the prepared set text, with consideration of relevant musical examples and associated studies; and, secondly, group work on the set analysis exercise – listening together and discussing analytical challenges and methods.
• Directed learning: following a list of themes provided by the module leader, each student conducts his or her own survey of analytical publications – singling out for discussion those studies that they feel raise particularly significant issues, problems or solutions. Typically, directed learning may include assigning student(s) an issue, theme or topic that can be independently or collectively explored within a framework and/or with additional materials provided by the tutor. This may function as preparatory work for presenting their ideas or findings (sometimes electronically) to their peers and tutor in the context of a seminar.
• In this way, the module’s intended outcomes – subject-specific knowledge and skills and a substantial body of analytical work – are gradually and continuously built-up over the course of the year, with regular opportunities for sharing ideas and findings throughout.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Regular written and oral presentation tasks relating to the topics covered on the module.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University