Ecomusicology

Ecomusicology is an area of study that explores the relationships between music or sound, and the natural environment.[1] It is a study which encompasses a variety of academic disciplines including musicology, biology, ecology and anthropology. Ecomusicology combines these disciplines to explore how sound is produced by natural environments and, more broadly how cultural values and concerns about nature are expressed through sonic mediums.[2] Ecomusicology explores the ways that music is composed to replicate natural imagery, as well as how sounds produced within the natural environment are used within musical composition.[1] Ecological studies of sounds produced by animals within their habitat are also considered to be part of the field of ecomusicology.[3] In the 21st century, studies within the field the ecomusicology have also become increasingly interested in the sustainability of music production and performance.[4]

Ecomusicology is concerned with the study of music, culture, and nature, and considers musical and sonic issues, both textual and performative, related to ecology and the natural environment. It is in essence a mixture of ecocriticism and musicology (rather than "ecology" and "musicology"), in Charles Seeger's holistic definition.[5][6] Ecomusicology is regarded as a field of research rather than a specific academic discipline.[7] Because ecomusicology focuses on a vast variety of disciplines as well as areas of research, it can be imagined as a space in which studies of sound in relation with the environment are conducted.[8]

Ecomusicology's relevance to such a wide range of other research areas is exactly what makes it somewhat ambiguous to define.[1] On one hand, ecomusicology is a unique field of research which helps to make connections between a variety of music-related and environmental studies. Yet, by functioning as a collective term, it is often difficult to frame ecomusicology within a static set of descriptive definitions. Musicologist Aaron S. Allen, the author of multiple published works on ecomusicology, defines ecomusicology as "the study of music, culture, and nature in all the complexities of those terms. Ecomusicology considers musical and sonic issues, both textual and performative, related to ecology and the natural environment."[1]

  1. ^ a b c d Allen, A. S. and Dawe, K. "Ecomusicologies", p. 2 in Allen and Dawe.
  2. ^ Guyette, M. Q. and Post, J. C. "Ecomusicology, Ethnomusicology, and Soundscape Ecology", pp. 40–45 in Allen and Dawe
  3. ^ Boyle, W.A. and Waterman, E. "The Ecology of Musical Performance: Towards a Robust Performance," pp. 26–33 in Allen and Dawe
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :13 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Allen, Aaron S. (2013), "Ecomusicology", Grove Dictionary of American Music, New York: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ "Ecomusicology.info – Main Page". Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  7. ^ Allen, A. S. and Dawe, K. "Ecomusicologies", p. 10 in Allen and Dawe
  8. ^ Allen, A. S. and Dawe, K. "Ecomusicologies", p. 3 in Allen and Dawe