Book Review
Apr. 30th, 2023 10:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariMusicking: The Meanings of Performing and Listening
by Christopher Small
This may be one of my favorite musicology books ever. Small's thesis is almost deceptively simple - that music is not a thing but an activity. And that activity has at its heart the modeling and exploration of human relationships - to each other, to our environment, etc. Small also takes a very expansive view of the activity of music as well - it encompasses performing, listening, and even sweeping up after a concert. I very much like this view of music - it speaks to some of my frustrations with the contemporary music scene and also inspires me to take a new look at how I've experienced my own musicking.
Musicking was also very enjoyable to read. Small's prose is clear and dynamic, and his argument flows really well. One other thing I liked a lot about the book is the way Small really doesn't get too much into exactly what he thinks the relationships and values a symphony concert expresses are. He touches on it, but it's not that important to his thesis. I really appreciated this because I think he and I may disagree on this to some degree, but also because I think it better serves the point of the book to leave the reader to come to their own conclusions about it.
by Christopher Small
This may be one of my favorite musicology books ever. Small's thesis is almost deceptively simple - that music is not a thing but an activity. And that activity has at its heart the modeling and exploration of human relationships - to each other, to our environment, etc. Small also takes a very expansive view of the activity of music as well - it encompasses performing, listening, and even sweeping up after a concert. I very much like this view of music - it speaks to some of my frustrations with the contemporary music scene and also inspires me to take a new look at how I've experienced my own musicking.
Musicking was also very enjoyable to read. Small's prose is clear and dynamic, and his argument flows really well. One other thing I liked a lot about the book is the way Small really doesn't get too much into exactly what he thinks the relationships and values a symphony concert expresses are. He touches on it, but it's not that important to his thesis. I really appreciated this because I think he and I may disagree on this to some degree, but also because I think it better serves the point of the book to leave the reader to come to their own conclusions about it.
