Southeast Asia
The recommended books below include reference works and books on several topics related to the music of southeast Asia. Books on multiple Asian countries are classified in ML 330 while works on the individual countries of southeast Asia can be found in ML 345. For additional results, run subject searches such as Music -- Indonesia, Music -- Thailand, Music -- Vietnam, and Music -- Southeast Asia. To exclude results related to the Vietnam War, try adding NOT war to keyword searches, although this might eliminate some relevant results. Recommended books are sorted by their call numbers for ease of browsing. Hover over the info icon to see a description.
Music in Bali: A Study in Form and Instrumental Organization in Balinese Orchestral Music
by
Colin McPhee
This account of music in Bali as it was practiced in the decade preceding World War II is based on musical material collected by the author during the six years he lived on the island. Although written primarily from the viewpoint of the composer, with a composer's professional interest in musical form, rhythm, technical devices, and orchestration, the book is not intended solely for the musicologist. The author is also concerned with the place of music in Balinese culture and the relation of music to dance and drama. There is an analysis of the instrumental music of Bali, both ancient and modern. Musical examples and scale charts are given, and there is a 64-page section of photographs, taken by the author, of instruments and their players as well as of dancers in ceremonial dress.
Music in Central Java: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture
by
Benjamin Brinner
Music in Central Java is one of several case-study volumes that can be used along with Thinking Musically, the core book in the Global Music Series. Thinking Musically incorporates music from many diverse cultures and establishes the framework for exploring the practice of music around theworld. It sets the stage for an array of case-study volumes, each of which focuses on a single area of the world. Each case study uses the contemporary musical situation as a point of departure, covering historical information and traditions as they relate to the present. Visitwww.oup.com/us/globalmusic for a list of case studies in the Global Music Series. The website also includes instructional materials to accompany each study.Music in Central Java offers a vivid introduction to the region's musical and cultural landscape, showing how three themes--flexibility, appropriateness, and interconnectedness--characterize Javanese musical practices and traditions. Drawing on his extensive fieldwork, author Benjamin Brinnertakes an in-depth look at gamelan music--a traditional musical ensemble tradition that typically features metallophones, xylophones, drums, and gongs--providing readers with a sense of what it means to be a musician performing gamelan. Building from fundamental Javanese concepts of time and melody,the book covers gamelan's instruments, musical idioms, and central interactions and also surveys contrasting performance contexts. It examines both the theatrical and musical aspects of the vibrant tradition of shadow-puppet plays (Wayang kulit) and offers a broad survey of other music found inCentral Java. In addition, Music in Central Java provides an engaging portrait of a leading Javenese musician, traces musical responses to radical social, political, and cultural changes over the past century, and considers Javanese music in relation to Indonesia and the rest of the world.Enhanced by eyewitness accounts of performances, interviews with key performers, vivid illustrations, and hands-on listening activities, this book is a captivating introduction to the music of Central Java. It is packaged with a 78-minute audio CD containing examples of the music discussed inthe book.
Users are encouraged to search for items beyond University Libraries' catalog via RILM Abstracts of Music Literature and WorldCat. Materials not available in print or online may be requested through Interlibrary Loan. Please allow up to seven days for electronic delivery and up to fourteen days for delivery of physical items.