Series | Ca’ Foscari Japanese Studies
Edited book | Rethinking Nature in Post-Fukushima Japan
Chapter | Steps to an Ecology of Gagaku
Steps to an Ecology of Gagaku
Nature, Place and Sound in Japanese ‘Court Music’
Abstract
This paper is an attempt to develop a theoretically-concerned basis for what could become an ‘ecology of Japanese court music’. It starts by reviewing recent developments in kindred disciplines such as music studies and ethnomusicology, stressing their tendency to employ an ‘ecological paradigm’, linking music and the environment, without reflecting on what exactly it means to perceive the world. To overcome similar weaknesses, the work of anthropologist Tim Ingold and philosopher Augustin Berque is examined, showing that there is much to gain in widening the field of music research to include more critical reflections on the notion of ‘the environment’. Finally, this paper suggests a few ways in which the theoretical debate could be transported in the realm of Japanese court music and argues that taking these tentative steps may lead to a new path in its exploration, enjoyment and understanding.
Submitted: Nov. 4, 2016 | Accepted: Dec. 9, 2016 | Published Nov. 7, 2018 | Language: en
Keywords Gagaku • Ecomusicology • Environment • Emplacement • Perception
Copyright © 2018 Andrea Giolai. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/978-88-6969-264-2/003
