[FA Worldmusic] categorically labelled

[Anne Kogan]

I also dislike the term world music, as others have pointed out, because it
does not really tell us anything about the music, especially with the genre
continually expanding. In my head, I use terms that class music essentially
according to its influences and background (which becomes clearer as I
explain the terms, I realize that's a little broad).

I use the term cosmopolitan to refer to most musics that come as a result of
international exchange, usually these hybridized western/non-western forms
that blend, for example, a rock band with traditional instruments to create
something new that is both local and not. To me, most of what we consider
"world music" falls under this category.

I tend to say traditional when referring to truly local musics, that have
very little outside influences and are, in essence, traditions maintained
through generations. Many use the term folk for this type of music, but to
me the word just makes me think of the Kingston Trio and other versions of
"cleaned up" local musics, so I use the term folk for the kind of stylized
versions of traditional music that crop up and lie somewhere between
cosmopolitan and traditional.

I like this kind of mental categorization because it can apply to any
community, location, society, etc. It's more reflective of the social
context of the music than anything else, though admittedly, it wouldn't
really work in a record store or in the recording industry, which is where
we got the term world music anyways. Stupid recording industry. :)

(I also dislike the term culture but that's a whole different can of worms
that comes from studying with a professor who was a real nut about defining
our terms. Most of my mental categorization is based on what I learned with
him, which is why it is, admittedly, rather academic.)

Anne


On 8/15/07, Kutay Kugay <music at seveneighths.com> wrote:
>
> I agree that the meaning of the term "world music" is nebulous. Yet
> it has come to mean something to some people, especially in certain
> geographic/demographic areas.
>
> I prefer the term "music of the world" essentially meaning (music
> originating from the peoples of the entire world) not necessarily a
> genre but a description.
>
> Kutay
>
> On Aug 15, 2007, at 2:06 PM, Steve Hochman wrote:
>
> > and some of the technical terms that are floated here for discussing
> > music really only have meaning in context. and what is that context?
> > it's reference points, be they comparisons to other music ("the band
> > had a Stones-like sound") or a category.
> >
> > The problem is that the term "world music" really means nothing.
> > "Blues"? sure, we can identify some essential characteristics that
> > apply. "Reggae"? ditto. "Jazz" has become more complicated, but still
> > by and large gives some sense of what's being talked about, at least
> > as a starting point. But what are the essential characteristics of
> > "world music"?
> >
> >
> >
> > -----------------------------------
> > Check out my column:
> > http://www.spinner.com/category/around-the-world/
> > -----------------------------------
> >
> > On Aug 15, 2007, at 2:00 PM, Paul Harding wrote:
> >
> >>>> So in the end, if we eliminate labels and categories,
> >>>> how do we talk about music?
> >>>
> >>> Easy: talk about _music_. Rhythm, harmony, melody,
> >>> instrumentation,
> >>> arrangement, composition, structure, timbre,
> >>> functionality, etc.  etc.
> >>
> >> Most people don't have the background/knowledge to talk
> >> about music in these terms.  Many music writers don't even
> >> use this sort of academic language well, if at all. (maybe
> >> they don't trust their audience to understand it?)
> >>
> >> I look forward to a year where this topic doesn't come up.
> >>
> >> Labels/categories suck, but it's a huge part of how people
> >> communicate.  Whether it be the dualistic "music is either
> >> good or bad", the geographic category of nation, stylistic
> >> category of genre, or something that doesn't have a
> >> literal meaning but a reasonably understood meaning like
> >> "world music", we categorize to communicate.
> >>
> >> -Paul
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