Description
Book SynopsisThe traditions of the Mediterranean island of Corsica have been well preserved and revitalized, yet little has been written about it in scholarly circles. This work represents the first treatise on Corsican music in the English language. Transported by Song: Corsican Voices from Oral Tradition to World Stage chronicles the evolution of Corsican music from the early 20th century to the present, charting its progression from the world of oral tradition to a vibrant new performance culture maintained by an expanding cohort of cosmopolitan players. Drawing on extensive fieldwork, comprehensive interviewing, and close observation of Corsican affairs, author Caroline Bithell maps out the social, cultural, economic, and political climate of Corsica in the 20th and early 21st centuries, offering insights into the way French cultural policy, decentralization legislation, and EU funding structures have impacted musical activity on the island. Key issues are explored through case studies of Cors
Trade ReviewBithell (ethno-musicology, world music, and arts administration; U. of Manchester) explores the role of music in the history and culture of the Mediterranean island, unique aspects of traditional Corsican music, the persistence and revival of musical traditions over the course of the 20th century, and the contemporary professional music scene in European and world context. The music is available on the Internet... * Reference and Research Book News, August 2007 *
This is the book I have always wanted. It's more than enough: it's an academic treatise as well as a social and musical history. Bithell's passion and deep immersion in the subject transcends all as she successfully contextualises not just the music, but the separateness of Corsica. The discography, bibliography and glossary are excellent. This book takes our knowledge and understanding to another level, for which I'm profoundly grateful. -- Andrew MacGregor * Songlines, August 2009 *
A sophisticated and sensitive study of Corsican musical life....Bitchell...produced a book of historical depth and ethnographic rigor. * Current Musicology *
Table of ContentsPart 1 Editor's Foreword Part 2 Acknowledgments Part 3 Readers' Notes: Musical Examples and Corsican Names and Terminology Part 4 Map Part 5 Introduction: Engaging with Musical Traditions in Corsica Part 6 Part I - Island Culture, Traditional Song, and the Corsican Sound: Historical and Conceptual Roots Chapter 7 1 Histories and Identities: The Island and Its People Chapter 8 2 Songs of the Oral Tradition: Genres and Contexts Chapter 9 3 The Corsican Sound and the Power of Song Part 10 Part II - Mobilizing Tradition in a Secular Age: Cultural Identity and Musical Reincarnations Chapter 11 4 Traditional Music, Chanson, and Folklore c. 1920-1970: The Challenge of Modernity Chapter 12 5 The Riacquistu: Cultural Associations, Musical Militants, and the Generation of 1970 Chapter 13 6 Cultural Development and Polyphonic Renaissance in the 1980s Part 14 Part III - Bridging Worlds: Contemporary Voices, Local Realities, and Transnational Processes Chapter 15 7 Multiculturalism, World Music, Métissage, and Polyphony: Navigating Transnational Spaces Chapter 16 8 Corsican Identity in the New Europe: Mediterraneanism, Cultural Policy, and Support for Creative Development Chapter 17 9 Professional Groups, Performance Culture, and the Living Tradition in a New Millennium Part 18 Epilogue: Corsican Voices in the Twenty-first Century Part 19 Glossary Part 20 Discography Part 21 Filmography Part 22 Bibliography Part 23 Index Part 24 About the Author
