WorldMusic. Musikalische Vielfalt jenseits der westlichen Tradition
The content on this page was translated automatically.
- Subject according curriculum
- Elective Course, General Education
- Teachers
- Prof. Frank Böhme
- Scope
- Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Room
- BP U01
- Duration
- 2 Semesterwochenstunden
- Description
Western art music is ubiquitous—especially at a conservatory. Over the centuries, it has spread around the globe; it is performed on every continent and interpreted by musicians from a wide variety of backgrounds. Its instruments are largely standardized, and its notation is codified—a universal musical language understood worldwide.
Yet alongside this musical world, there are numerous other musical cultures rooted in traditions dating back millennia. Their instruments have often remained virtually unchanged over long periods of time, their notation systems follow their own rules, and their sonic aesthetics are based on different concepts of harmony, structure, and function. This music is deeply embedded in social, mythical, and spiritual contexts and can only be understood within them. Here, instruments are far more than mere tools for producing sound: they carry symbolic, ritual, and identity-forming meanings.
Despite this rich diversity, non-Western music often goes unheard. While Western art music dominates the strongholds of musical culture, many traditional musical forms find little room there. Their distinctiveness can sometimes make them difficult to access, yet it is precisely these differences that open up fascinating new perspectives.
This seminar approaches this sonic diversity from various perspectives. The music of a single continent is not examined in isolation; rather, different musical cultures are placed in relation to one another. The focus is on commonalities in instrument making, the emergence of different soundscapes, and the influence of social and spiritual contexts on musical creation.
Often, only a few hundred kilometers separate fundamentally different musical practices, while at the same time surprising parallels emerge between cultures that are geographically distant from one another. These aspects are illustrated using audio examples, film clips, and visual material.
The seminar provides insights into musical motifs, myths, meanings, musical structures, melodies, polyphony, and the social contexts of traditional musical practices. In this way, a multifaceted network of musicological perspectives emerges.
Those who embark on this journey will not only discover a fascinating musical world but will also develop a deeper sensitivity to cultural diversity. The seminar invites participants to experience music within the context of traditional cultures—with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to understand the unfamiliar through its own logic.
- Literature
Will be provided
- Credits
- 2 Creditpoints
- Comments
Please register by email: Frank.Boehme@HfMT-Hamburg.de
Thank you- Modules
- Wahlmodul freie Wahl (alle Studiengänge), Wahlmodul Lehramt, Studium generale Wahlmodul Master