Thinking about music is a universal human behavior, although people from diverse musical cultures think about music in very different ways. This course investigates the fundamentals of musical thought around the world and explores alternative approaches to the analysis of world musics. Students learn about the history and methods of music notation and pitch naming systems from global perspectives and compare practices of musical transmission, musicianship, and creativity around the world. Students apply ear-training and music dictation skills to the transcription of archival recordings from Spanish New Mexico, and demonstrate competence in transcription, analysis, and research methods through an individually-designed project. Students develop critical thought by reading and discussing analytical case studies from Bali, Bulgaria, Central African Republic, China, Cuba, India, Iran, Java, Native America, and other musical cultures. This course meets the ethnomusicology requirement for the music minor. As a cross-listing with Anthropology, it centers on humans as producers of music, situates musical activity comparatively, and makes meaningful connections with the body of knowledge and theory of cultural anthropology. Meets the Critical Perspectives: Global Cultures requirement. (Not offered 2024-25).

Prerequisite: Music 392.

Degree requirement — Critical Perspectives: G

1 unit

No offerings are currently scheduled.