Given the fact that music historiographies still today deals almost entirely with “dead subjects” (i.e. music of the last centuries which in many cases represents discourses not active anymore), is it possible to draft a non-linear concept of a contemporary history of music that focuses on the “effectiveness” of the past in the present (perhaps in the sense of Warburg´s pathos formula-idea)?
Dear Stefan, perhaps a fruitful way to apptroach your problem is something that you yourself suggest with your reference to Warburg. If conetmporary music theory and the history writing of music so much departed, perhaps you should look for analogies in other sister arts. How does it work in the fine arts -certainly _Danto and Belting depicted a similar crisis in art history writing's relationship to contemporary art. Similarly, On the other hand in literature contemporary theory is so strong that it can more or less determine the way literary history is written. Perhaps similarities and differences would emerge if you had a look at the way the history writing of architecture is related to contemporary architectural theory. FInally, a perhps even more daring analogy: the relationship of the history of political thought to contemporary political theory is again quite fascinating: the history of political thought could help to emerge new theoretical tendencies, like republicanism or political realism.
I wonder if that helps,but surely, your question is indeed quite topical,
with kind regards,
Ferenc
Dear Ferenc,
thank you very much for your thoughts, especially the latter idea which I find extremely helpful.
With best regards,
Stefan
Lovely question.
It would be ultracrepidarian for me to try to offer any better comment at this point in my studies but would like to see the topic expanded. "Effectiveness" in particular is important to musical rhetoric.
indeed with kind regards,
Karl
Dear Stefan
I reckon presentation of highly influential musicians belonging to or pigeonholed as different clubs could be a very inspirational method of treating music history . Linearity and chronological sequence has no significance in the current postmodern world of seeing art as relative, antifoundational, eclectic and emerging.
The 27 Club , for instance, can be historically analyzed and presented as the legendary musicians who died at age 27. The number of musicians who have died at this age and the massive influence they have had on people's lifestyle, ideologies, and viewpoints have nothing to do with the sequential linear occurrences of their deaths whatsoever. The "27 club has been the dominant discourse of media for a long time, large number of novels, movies and plays have been allocated to this idea of legendary musicians irrespective of their premature death and their chronological linear considerations.Moreover, a great number of conjectures , speculations and theories have been stipulated as to the causes of their death and the influence of sociopolitical factors.Kurt Cobain and Jimii Hendrix , Amy Whinehouse, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin have exercised colossal effect on history and praxis of music although they have lived at different times and under entirely dissimilar circumstances.
good luck with your research
a.
You could also try to put your question into the context of media archeology, starting with Foucault's Archeology of Knowldege this would mean to consider music as a special discourse or a number of discourses and as a media. This way music, its form and function also has to be seen within the context of other media. In the end history is not about dead things, it's just another (and helpful) way to see the present.
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