Focus - (Focus on World Music) by Sydney Hutchinson (Paperback)

Number of Pages: 290
Genre: Music
Sub-Genre: History & Criticism
Series Title: Focus on World Music
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Routledge
Age Range: Adult
Author: Sydney Hutchinson
Featured book lists: Textbooks
Language: English

About the Book

"Focus: Music of the Caribbean presents the most important issues of Caribbean musical history and current practice through a non-geographic approach, and discusses thought-provoking questions regarding that history and practice in a user-friendly fashion. It uses current ethnomusicological research on Caribbean music to tell the stories of Caribbean history - those of colonialism and neocolonialism, race and nationalism, marginalization and globalization - and to explore that history's continuing impact on the lives, cultures, musics and dance of modern-day people in the Caribbean and beyond. PART I: Layers of Caribbean musical culture lays the groundwork by setting forth a basic framework for thinking about Caribbean musical history and the roles of race and migration in that history. Part II. Dancing the Caribbean: Music and embodied culture considers how contrasting forms of dance music embody competing ideas about Caribbean identities, past and present. Part III. Focusing in: Musical instruments and meaning looks at one specific Caribbean music genre - merengue tâipico of the Dominican Cibao region - through a focus on its instruments. There are detailed listening guides to accompanying tracks on a playlist; call-out boxes exploring broader issues affecting contemporary society in classroom discussion and activities; plus additional tools for teachers. Including discussion questions, vocabulary lists, and links to web resources"--

Book Synopsis

Focus: Music of the Caribbean presents the most important issues of Caribbean musical history and current practice, discussing thought-provoking questions in a student-friendly fashion. It uses current ethnomusicological research on Caribbean music to tell the stories of Caribbean history-those of colonialism and neocolonialism, race and nationalism, marginalization and globalization-and to explore that history's continuing impact on the lives, cultures, musics, and dance of modern-day people in the Caribbean and beyond.

In three parts, the text presents an embodied understanding of the sounds, rhythms, and movements that exemplify the history, culture, and politics of Caribbean music:

I. Caribbean Music and Caribbean History establishes a framework for thinking about Caribbean musical history and the roles race and migration play

II. Music and Dance in Caribbean Societies considers how contrasting forms of dance music reconcile competing ideas about Caribbean identities past and present

III. Focusing In: The Social Lives of Musical Instruments in Merengue Típico explores the music of the Dominican Cibao region through a focus of the genre's dominant musical instruments

Accessible to all students regardless of musical background, Focus: Music of the Caribbean is bolstered by web resources, including more than sixty detailed listening guides and accompanying playlists, vocabulary lists, and student quizzes. Discussion questions and activities for each chapter are featured in the text.

About the Author

Sydney Hutchinson is Associate Professor of Music History and Cultures at Syracuse University.