John Blacking is widely recognized for his theoretical works "How Musical Is Man?" and "The Anthropology of the Body." This series of essays and articles on the music of the Venda people of the northern Transvaal in South Africa constitutes his major scholarly legacy.
"Venda Children's Songs" presents a detailed analysis of both the music and the cultural significance of children's songs among the Venda. Among its many original contributions is the identifying of the role of melody in generating rhythm, something that distinguishes this form of music from that of Venda adults as well as...

One of the most important ethnomusicologists of the century, John Blacking achieved international recognition for his book, "How Musical Is Man?" Known for his interest in the relationship of music to biology, psychology, dance, and politics, Blacking was deeply committed to the idea that music-making is a fundamental and universal attribute of the human species. He attempted to document the ways in which music-making expresses the human condition, how it transcends social divisions, and how it can be used to improve the quality of human life.
This volume brings together in one convenient...

One of the most important ethnomusicologists of the century, John Blacking achieved international recognition for his book, "How Musical Is Man?" Known for his interest in the relationship of music to biology, psychology, dance, and politics, Blacking was deeply committed to the idea that music-making is a fundamental and universal attribute of the human species. He attempted to document the ways in which music-making expresses the human condition, how it transcends social divisions, and how it can be used to improve the quality of human life.
This volume brings together in one...

This study of Polish folk music examines the history and practice of the musical tradition while offering an illuminating view of a culture and its social activities. Anna Czekanowska analyzes the vocal and instrumental traditions of Polish folk music, tracing the background history, the influences of geography, politics, and social events such as the harvest, the solstice, and weddings. Czekanowska also discusses the birth of Polish ethnomusicology as a discipline and details some methodological aspects for research. The book contains numerous illustrations of instruments and cultural...

The tradition of Persian art music embodies twelve modal systems, known as dastgahs. Each dastgah represents a complex of skeletal melodic models on the basis of which a performer produces extemporised pieces. The dastgahs revolve around unspecified central nuclear melodies which the individual musician comes to know through experience and absorption. It is a personal and elusive tradition of great subtlety and depth. Through extensive research, including interviews with leading musicians and recording over one hundred hours of music, Hormoz Farhat has unravelled the art of the dastgah. In...

John Blacking restates and reflects upon observations and attitudes relevant to contemporary problems of ethnomusicology and music education.