Focus: Music of South Africa provides an in-depth look at the full spectrum of South African music, a musical culture that epitomizes the enormous ethnic, religious, linguistic, class, and gender diversity of the nation itself. Drawing on extensive field and archival research, as well as her own personal experiences, noted ethnomusicologist and South African native Carol A. Muller looks at how South Africans have used music to express a sense of place in South Africa, on the African continent, and around the world.

Part One, Creating Connections, provides introductory materials for the study of South African Music. Part Two, Musical Migrations, moves to a more focused overview of significant musical styles in twentieth-century South Africa -- particularly those known through world circuits. Part Three, Focusing In, takes the reader into the heart of two musical cultures with case studies on South African jazz and the music of the Zulu-language followers of Isaiah Shembe. The accompanying downloadable resources offer vivid examples of traditional, popular, and classical South African musical styles.

About the Author
Carol Ann Muller is Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Reviews

"Rich in detail and highly focused, this is the most thorough resource on South African music available to date." --CHOICE

Easily accessible and thoroughly researched, this publication gives a fine introduction to South African music.

---Santie de Jongh, Documentation Centre for Music (DOMUS), University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

Book Information
ISBN 9780415960717
Author Carol A. Muller
Format Paperback
Page Count 358
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 640g