Interpreting Music, Engaging Culture

Contents

Introduction

A Critical Engagement with Music

Critical Discourse

From Critical to Criticism

What's Not Criticism?

Why do Criticism?

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

PART ONE: AESTHETIC FOUNDATIONS

Chapter One

What is Art? The Musical Work Problem

The Musical Work Concept

Getting to Know the Musical Work

Historically Informed Performance (HIP) Movement

Getting to Know Technical Aspects of the Performance

Getting to Know Interpretive Aspects of the Performance

The Musical Work and Value

The Case of Popular Music

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

Chapter Two

Authenticity

Defining Authenticity

Folk Authenticity

Authenticity in Hip Hop

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

Chapter Three

Beyond Authenticity

Postmodernism

Postmodern Music and Its Criticism

Postmodernism in a Post-Truth Era

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

PART TWO: CRITICIZING MUSIC

Chapter Four

Describing Music

Elements of Music

Genre

Style Period

Contexts for Consumption

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

Chapter Five

Interpreting Music

Musical Interpretation

Interpretive Strategies

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

Chapter Six

Evaluating Music

Some Negative Criticism of Negative Criticism

Evaluation and the Work's Purpose

The Value of the Purpose

The Critic as Educator

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

PART THREE: CRITICAL LENSES

Chapter Seven

Feminist Music Criticism

Feminism and Feminisms

Why do we Need Feminism?

History of Feminisms

Feminism and Music

Feminist Criticism

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

Chapter Eight

Queer Music Criticism

Gender Queer

Queering the Patriarchy

Music and Queer Expression

Camp isn't Always Queer

Queer isn't Always Camp

Queer Criticism as History and Allyship

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

Chapter Nine

Postcolonialism and Critical Race Theory

Orientalism

Postcolonialism

Postcolonialism and Critical Race Theory

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

Chapter Ten

Music and Consumer Culture

The Case of Popular Music\

Hybrid Advertising in Popular Music

Music and Marketing in the Age of Social Media

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

PART FOUR: CRITICAL CONTEXTS

Chapter Eleven

Album and Track-by-Track Reviews

Album Review in the Age of Streaming

Track By Track Review

Writing for a Specific Publication

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions

Chapter Twelve

Program Notes and the Live Concert Review

Program Notes as Guide

Live Review

Chapter Summary

Guide Questions