seeger課程課件第三周研討

1、Charles Seeger Toward a Unified Field Theory of MusicologyTheory SeminarShanghai Conservatory of Music October 10, 2013Toward a Unitary Field Theory of Musicology2Lets begin with the student questionsin Chinese (I have the English version)AliceyaWoshizhangluanMingyue LiZhongjuandi (Tina)BinWangxiaol

2、uanYiwen YiLi MoAnyone else?3My three questionsHas any Chinese musicologist or philosopher attempted to deal with musicology on a broad scale like Charles Seeger?If you were to try to make a broad map of musicology as it could be in China, would you use Charles Seegers categories? What might you use

3、 instead?What are the “Conspectus of the Resources of the Musicological Process” and the associated chapter “Toward a Unitary Field Theory for Musicology” good for? Anything? Can you think of a way to use the Conspectus?4Why are this chapter and diagram important?It is an attempt to summarize ideas

4、C. Seeger developed during a lifetime.There is no other document like it in musicology or ethnomusicology. It is more written about by other musicologists than any other Charles Seeger publication.The article is presented in an innovative format, as a discussion between Charles, a colleague (K), and

5、 a graduate student (Y). Thus the prose style is less dense.The summary diagram “Conspectus of the Resources of the Musicological Process” is quite different from Adlers, and proposes a different kind of use.5SQ: Could you tell us about the authors of the articles about the Unitary Field Theory? It

6、might be helpful. Here is some informationLawrence ZbikowskiTaylor GreerAnn Pescatello6Lawrence Zbikowski, cognitive musicologistDeputy Provost for the Arts, University of Chicago7Lawrence ZbikowskiSome Relevant Publications“Seegers Unified Field Theory Reconstructed” in Helen Rees and Bell Yung Und

7、erstanding Charles Seeger, Pioneer in American Musicology. University of Illinois Press 1999 pp. 130-149.Two other recent publications: “Music, Language, and What Falls in Between,” Ethnomusicology 56/1 (Winter 2012): 125131.“Musical Gesture and Musical Grammar: A Cognitive Approach,” in New Perspec

8、tives on Music and Gesture, ed. Anthony Gritten and Elaine King (Ashgate Publishing Ltd., 2011): 83-98.8“Seegers Field Theory Reconsidered”Zbikowski wants to “revitalize Seegers essential vision” in his chapter. This is the only detailed discussion of a single scholarly article in the book edited by

9、 Rees and Young.He tries to explain what he thinks is essential about this paper. You may find it helpful. Or not helpful.9Taylor Aitken GreerAssociate Professor of Music, Penn State University10Another publication: “Critical Remarks” in C. Seeger Studies in Musicology II pp 27-38.Taylor Greer is th

10、e only person to write an entire book on Charles Seegers musical philosophyMost of his book is devoted to Charles Seegers very early writings on music composition. A key point of book is that C. Seeger almost always opted for balancea position between extremes.The last chapter in his book is devoted

11、 to “Seegers Vision of Musicology.”Much of the chapter describes the articles that led up to the “Unified Field Theory.” He calls this article the “most important work in the 1977 collection” and discusses it on pages 216-220, after putting the article into its historical context.He quotes the Music

12、ologist Joseph Kermans comment on this chapter: “A sort of self-review by Charles Seeger which is as illuminating as it is entertaining.”11Ann M. Pescatello: Charles SeegerA Life in American Music. U. California Press 199212Ann Pescatellos Biography of Charles Seeger:Pescatello is an historian of La

13、tin AmericaAnn Pescatello is Ethnomusicologist Bonnie Wades half sister, I understand. Bonnie was Charles student.She focuses more on his life than on his writings.This is a useful book for revealing some of the many aspects of his long life.It is less useful for understanding his musicology.She doe

14、s summarize some of his work in the chapter on Charles Seegers years at the University of California (pages 224-252).But she is not a specialist in musicology or in the philosophy of music.13Is this “Illuminating and Entertaining”?To be illuminated and entertained, you need first to understand the a

15、rticle, and that is not easy. SQ: I have tried, but I do not understand the Charles Seeger chapter. If you have time could you explain it?SQ: Greer talks about the importance of “balance” in Charles Seegers philosophy. But what does he mean by balance?14The Question of Balance 1Especially in his lat

16、er writings, Charles Seeger became more interested in balance than in pursuing extreme positions.Example: Language and Music.IF language and music are totally patible, than we would have to abandon musicology. We cannot talk about music, therefore musicology is impossible.IF language and music overl

17、ap completely, then we have no need for musicwe can just talk.The balance: Charles suggests that language and music have some common traits, but others are different. Musicologists need to be aware of the problems of language when they write and talk about music.15The Question of Balance 2His positi

18、on on language became clear in his article “Speech, Music, and Speech about Music” that we discussed last week.Recall at Figure 1 where “D” is the balance point that Charles Seeger thinks cannot be attained, but is worth striving for.Recall also at Figure 4, where he shows how auditory, visual, and

19、tactile factors may all be part of a single event or theoretical position in the middle, where they all overlap. The balance point is the “round-edged triangle” in the center.16SQs: What about song and the difference of music and speech?Charles differentiates music and speech, and at times song (see

20、 diagrams from last weeks chapter), because song uses features of both music and speech.Does language derive from song? CS does not argue that language derives from music, though some scholars have speculated that it does.CS suggests that since music and speech have some elements in common, it may b

21、e possible to use those common elements to improve speechs comments on music. Musician musicologists have an advantage here.What does music teach us of man that speech may not? Good question, several answers. Zbikowski suggests it is value.17Zbikowski 2012:128“In summary, then, I wish to argue that

22、language and music have different functions in human cultures, and that these functions are supported by different forms of reference. “The symbolic tokens of language make it possible to direct the attention of another person to objects or events within a shared referential frame.“The analogical to

23、kens of music make it possible to represent, through sequences of patterned sound, dynamic phenomena which range from inner psychological processes to the trajectory of bodies through space to the steps of a dance”(Zbikowski 2012:128).18Zbikowski article 2Music, through providing sonic analogs for e

24、motional and psychological processes, provides an ideal means of sharing attitudes and feelings among the members of a group (2012:128).Music, one might say, is thus about value and sharing values.19The Question of Balance 3About the “Conspectus” (diagram): Charles Seeger says that musicologists sho

25、uld move along one pole or the other, but then should go back and look at the other pole.He does not argue that one pole or the other is correct.Different questions appear at different ends of the pole, as do different kinds of analyses.He argues that a balanced and complete musicology would acknowl

26、edge the resources of both poles at each level. This acknowledgement is a kind of balance or interconnectedness. (See also figures 1,2, 3, and 6 in the chapter itself.)20Music as Fact and ValueCharles thought that music was both a physical phenomenon and a valuational one: feelings an individual has

27、 that may be culturally shared.The 1977 book has two articles, one “Music as Fact” and the other “Music as Value”But the Conspectus includes materials from an earlier article”Preface to a Critique of Music” published in Studies in Musicology II, pp. 289-318. An important point in the chapter is that

28、 he believed both fact and value were balanced in musicology. Musicology is a science, but it is also evaluating, feeling value. 21Music as Fact and ValueFact. Physics, objective things like sequence of lines and parallel lines.Value is the relating of other things to oneself. “I love that music or

29、person or food”The relation between fact and value could be various (see Figure 5 on page 123) but he argues that they are more like Yin and Yang (figure 6 p. 123).In a similar way he cautions against venturing too far along any pole in his Conspectus before returning and looking at the other pole.

30、A question of balance. 22SQ: Arent “judgment” and “value” difficult and hazardous in the post-modern period of cultural pluralism and relativism?Charles doesnt argue for a single absolute valuehe is not like some musicologists who argued there was absolute value in music.He is saying that value is a

31、 central part of music, and musicologists need to deal with it.Different individuals will value different things and may share those feelings with different groups.Different musicologists will assign values differently, too.But all those divisions are possible (but not stated) within his framework b

32、ased on individual valuing and shared valuing.23What is the relation of fact and value?Value a relationship between an individual and something else.It may not be cultural in the sense that it can be individual or shared with others (thus it includes culture)It may not be speakable (though it includ

33、es language)It may not value music alone (though it includes music)Different philosophers speculate on different relations between fact and value. Charles opts for equal but different in musicology, in his figure 6.24More Student Questions that I may have no answer forWhat are value, fact, and what

34、is factualize value?How do the seven factors (occurrence, provenience, identity, continuity, degree of control, measurability, and variability) shape the spacetime?Greer criticizes Charles use of space-time and I dont think it works well. These are aspects of music that may not need wordsthey may be

35、 among his “facts”What is the difference between musicological music and contemporary music.Early in Charles career he was an avant-garde composer and felt that musicologists were so stuck in the past that they did not pay any attention to the new and emerging musical forms.He later felt that musico

36、logy was gravely imbalanced in favor of historical studies that ignored music today25Another student questionWhat about that diagram on page 109, figure 2?Taylor Greer suggests an alternative figure that he thinks makes this one clearer (Greer p. 209). It means that the universe of each thing includ

37、es aspects of the others. They are not separate but partially inclusive.What about figure 3, of value?The universe of value, as he describes it, includes aspects of speech, music, individual, and culture (shared).These diagrams are important because it indicates that features that are separate and s

38、tatic on the “Conspectus” are actually interrelated and dynamic.26Lets look at the Conspectus of the Resources of the Musicological ProcessConspectus: A tabulation of particulars or details presenting a general view of them; a synopsis, digest.Resource: A means of supplying a deficiency or need; som

39、ething that is a source of help, information, strength, etc.Process: A continuous and regular action or succession of actions occurring or performed in a definite manner, and having a particular result or e; a sustained operation or series of operations. (Now the most common use.)All from Oxford Eng

40、lish Dictionary Online.27“Starting in the Middle of Musicology” 1The musicological Juncture (p. 103) is where you put yourself when you start to use language to talk about music.According to C. S. Language introduces an inevitable bias.Musicologists have an advantagethey know music as well as langua

41、ge (104)SQ: What is “ mon sense?” :For definitions we need “ mon sense” or modified common sense which he describes in this article.Fields like anthropology provide many of the words we use to talk about musicbut they dont know music.Musicologists must try to understand these other ways of talking a

42、bout music (lots of different fields).28“Starting in the Middle of Musicology” 2Definition (p. 108): Musicology is (1) a speech study, systematic as well as historical, critical as well as scientific or scientistic; whose field is (2) the total music of man, both in itself and in its relationships t

43、o what is not itself; whose cultivation is (3) by individual students who can view its field as musicians as well as in the terms devised by nonmusical specialists to of whose fields some aspects of music are data; whose aim is to contribute to the understanding of man, in terms of both (4) of human

44、 culture and (5) of his relationships with the physical universe.29How to read the Conspectus 2:“By its nature such a schema is static and makes the field it representsa dynamic, functional thingappear static. Furthermore it tends to make us view the study as structure. ( ) the best I can do is ask

45、you to begin at the top and as you read down to remember that you are tracing your own progress over the terrain. When you come to a fork you music decide which path to follow first but not to stay on it so long that you forget to go back and try the other fork; for it is the drawing of the two toge

46、ther that is essential to the reading of the table” (Seeger 1977:125). 30Arbitrage in Oxford English Dictionary (online)Exercise of the functions of an arbitrator; decision by arbitration; the process of arbitration. arch.1480 Caxton tr. Ovid Metamorphoses xi. ii, Parys sayd, I shall thynke and trew

47、ly determyne this arbytrage.1682 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) I. 172 He will referr the differences between him and the King of Spain to the arbitrage of the King of England.1839 G. P. R. James Louis XIV III. 364 Commissioners acting under the arbitrage of the Queen

48、 of Spain. 2. Exercise of individual judgement, authoritative decision or determination. arch.1601 W. Fulbecke Parallele or Conf. Law i. 39 Respite must bee giuen by the arbitrage of the Iudge.1691 T. Hale Acct. New Inventions 92 Not by the arbitrage of private Patentees.but by the Public Conservato

49、rs.1818 J. Bentham Church-of-Englandism 212 According to the arbitrage of the same ever excellent Judge.31If it is a map, what can you use it for?To place certain authors approaches (A Seeger 1992)To place certain national schools or societies of musicology in terms of resources they use/dont use.To

50、 map the different approaches of a single author to music (Why Suy Sing) chapter 1-4 in one place, chapter 5 in another, Afterword in another)To look at your own work in terms of what you are doing or not doing.To consider what authors you read are not doingwhich “resources” they are not using.32If

51、this is a map, is there anything missing?Charles Seeger suggests this should be read as a map.Where you want to drive on it (or what your musicological process will be) is up to the reader. He is not insisting on a single process. Early maps left out entire continents. Are there any large things mis

52、sing from the Conspectus? Did Charles Seeger leave anything very important out?What do you think might be missing?33If this is a map, is there anything missing?Early maps left out entire continents. Are there any continents missingdid Charles Seeger leave anything very important out?No one has said

53、anything was missing except me in the 2005 article I sent to you “Lost Lineages and Neglected Peers: Ethnomusicologists Outside Academia.” I suggested that there was a very important approach to musical events that was missingpower, markets, different actors.Look at my diagram from page 232 People,

54、processes, technology, laws & regulations, and patronageFor each I provide 3 categories: artists, agents, and audiences. There could be other categories, of course, like gender, ethnicity, etc. that could be added. This is not detailed.34In that article I argued that “applied ethnomusicology” had be

55、en left out of the history of Ethnomusicology.This is a little like saying it is a missing continent in the map of ethnomusicology in 2005.I proposed to improve on that by illustrating some of the factors involved in musical performancesboth things and concepts and kinds of people.I suggested that i

56、f this this diagram be attached to C. Seegers at the municatory event.Imagine it happening in outer space with no gravity, no directions, and no superstructure or base, just relationship.35Adding a “continent” to Charles Seegers ConspectusThe combination of my schema with Charles Seegers would yield

57、 a new conceptual map that would include some of the important factors I think are missing in Charles Seegers diagram.It would be multi-dimensional.It would include aspects of the municatory event that were practiced by Charles in his lifetime (as reviewer, promoter, administrator, applied musicolog

58、ist) but are not explicitly present in his diagram. 36A reminder of some of Charles Seegers plishments (from last seminar PPT)Composition and teaching composition (1913-1935)Political use of music (1930S)Founder and contributor to the founding of many professional musical organizations. (1930s-1950s

59、)Served as a government bureaucrat to promote music and study itapplied musicology (1935-1952)Inventor of the Seeger Melograph for automated transcription of sound (1955-1965)Inspired a generation of students at UCLA (1961-71)Systematized his thinking about musicology 1961-79.37Seminar 4With the vir

60、tual disappearance of Comparative Musicology in Europe before World War II, the development of European/American ethnomusicology moved to the USA.The founding and activities of the Society for Ethnomusicology have had a profound impact on Ethnomusicology. Next week we look at a few of the founding d