Interviews with ethnomusicologists

Alexander Knapp interviewed by Carolyn Landau. (4 of 4).

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  • Type

    sound

  • Duration

    00:25:56

  • Cultures

    English

  • Shelf mark

    C1397/1

  • Recording date

    2010-06-25

  • Recording locations

    Rayners Lane, West London, Greater London

  • Interviewees

    Knapp, Alexander (speaker, male, interviewee)

  • Interviewers

    Landau, Carolyn (speaker, female, interviewer)

  • Recordist

    Landau, Carolyn (speaker, female

  • Abstract

    Track 4 [25:50] [Session one, continued: 25 June 2010] AK's memories of first IFMC UK meeting and peoples' sense of pride in being an ethnomusicologist (in context of difficulties people faced within music departments, trying to get colleagues to take the discipline seriously). Reflects on how the main focus at this stage was on folk/traditional music from around the UK. Memories of John Blacking. Reflections on how ethnomusicology has developed in the UK since the 1970s and how a certain ethnomusicological terminology has developed in the US (and not the UK), which AK doesn't appreciate. Discussion of power dynamics and language used in the teaching of ethnomusicology. Acknowledges he doesn't feel experienced enough to comment upon whether a distinctively British form of ethnomusicology has emerged. States he feels most comfortable straddling musicology and ethnomusicology. [16:00] Discussion of AK's contribution to Jewish music studies over the years. Reflects on the setting up of the Joe Loss Fellowship/Lectureship and on his being the first incumbent of this job and how this was an historic move in the UK (although not in the US); setting up of the Jewish Music Institute and the development of scholarship in this area (by Jewish people as well as non-Jewish people), such that it is a flourishing discipline. AK feels that the discipline is now well-established and respected, whereas it wasn't when he first began; that he has played his part in putting Jewish music on the map - through writing about it, talking about it, playing it and arranging it. Reflects how many other organisations now exist that are dedicated to the discipline, with large numbers of PhD students, and how this is very encouraging. Reflects on how much he loves Jewish music and finds sharing this music around the world very stimulating - and how the music itself is now broadly well-respected and loved worldwide. (Brief aside about philosophy and identity.) End of track.

  • Description

    Interview with Alexander Knapp (4 of 4). The ethnomusicologist talks about his research. Interviewer: Carolyn Landau.

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