Critical Review #7

Shelemay, Kay Kaufman. “Toward an Ethnomusicology of the Early Music Movement: Thoughts on Bridging Disciplines and Musical Worlds.” Ethnomusicology 45.1 (2001) 1-29.

In her ethnography of early music, Kay Shelemay describes the early music movement in the United States, using as a basis the BEMF conference in the 1996-1997 academic year. She writes in this article, “Ethnographic inquiry constantly brings pragmatic, grounded issues into focus” (23). After a long description of early music groups in Boston and a data-based analysis and comparison, she writes a short ethnography of these groups; it is in this third section of her paper that she address “pragmatic, grounded issues.” These issues include the need to make money and the desire to fill halls.

Shelemay suggests that an ethnomusicologist’s analysis should incorporate many pragmatic, extra-musical issues. At what point should an ethnomusicologist draw the line? At what point does this become purely anthropology?

PS. There is no “Intergalatic Double Reed Society.” There is an “International Double Reed Society.” She must be poking fun at someone.