Musicality is culturally specific and connected to esthetics. While some view musical ability as innate, others see it as learned through enculturation processes from a very early age. Blacking's work with the Venda people showed that musicality was universal among them and not restricted to professional musicians. The social functions of music often reflect and reinforce the social structure of a culture.

1. Musicality, the Musician, Social
Function and Social Behavior
Week 7

2. Musicality and the Musician
n A broad area of study has developed since the
1950s known as `the biology of music making’
that includes such things as brain information
processing, perception of music, cognition,
music and emotion, music therapy, as well as
questions on the nature of musicality.
n Some cognitive psychologists are concerned
with music cognition – e.g. John Sloboda’s work
n This work has been of large import to
ethnomusicologists working on musicality in
other cultures.

3. John Blacking and Venda
Children Songs
n In his work in the 1950s and 60s he questioned the
assumption that professional musicians were necessarily
always good at music.
n He felt that musicality has to be understood in culturally
specific terms.
n Musicality among the Venda was universal and all
humans were deemed capable of music and dance
performance, though some were better than others.
n Common goal of performers and listeners was `to
intensify musical experiences by rhythmic variations,
contrapuntal extensions of the basic melody of a song,
thickening, and in some cases the addition of words’.

4. Tshichona

5. Venda Professionals
n The few semi-professionals were celebrated for
the invention and development of words within
songs. They had gone beyond the communal to
specialise in forms of music making which
`involved little of the musical features of
communal music’.
n Often music specialists or holders of musical
offices were there because of gender and social
status. Also the idea of vocation and spirit
possession was often vital.

6. Musicality and the musician
n Ideas of musicality and musician as an
occupational category is not universal but seen
as social products.
n He attacked idea that society could or should be
divided into musicians/non-musicians.
n Instead his thoughts were that music was far too
basic to human existence – seminal theme of
primacy of human musicality brought home in
his book How Musical is Man

7. Blacking’s summary of ideas on
musical ability
n 1. Acquired independently of human biology –
learnt within a society.
n Genetically inherited – musicians are born with a
gift.
n Genetically inherited but in the same way as the
biological potentialities necessary for speech.
All programmed to be musical but social or
cultural inhibition may stop us developing to
capacity.

8. Hereditary Musicians
n In many societies there are hereditary castes of
musicians who tend to be the professionals.
Often reviled and of low status (barbers, actors,
prostitutes, outcastes).
n Amateurs (often self taught) do sometimes make
it into professional status – but stress love of
vocation and do not wish to be tainted by
association with professional caste.
n Examples particularly in African and Asian
societies.

9. Master/Apprenticed System
n Was the system in the west from the Medieval to
the 18th century when the academy idea took
root. The idea of master/teacher/guru who is
slavishly followed in everything is still around.
n Asian/Indonesian systems still based on this
idea. In Hindustani Klasik music learning under
the traditional ustad/shagerd system was of
great importance. This involved the string-tying
(gorbadi) ceremony and sufi ideas of a master/
apprentice relationship.

10. John Sloboda’s ideas.
n He challenges the ideas that there are basic genetic
differences in musicality between western and non-
western peoples where musicality is a given.
n Research on Cheetham’s schools showed that early life
experiences and parental involvement where crucial.
n He challenged the folk view that only some are born
musical and believes that all are musical but that
experience is the important factor – though biological
differences play a part as with all other skills.
n Believes that expression is not innate but learnt.

11. Musical Enculturation
n Aspects of learning experience by which
initially or in later life, man achieves
competence in his own culture. Goes on
throughout life. Ones culture is learnt and
aquired it is not innate. Music is often the
primary means of learning ones culture.

12. Merriam’s ideas on Enculturation
n Ch 8 of The Anthropology of Music. Identifies
three aspects.
n 1. Socialisation – social learning in early years.
by immiation
n 2. Education – Directed learning both formal
and informal
n 3. Schooling - specific times and places outside
the home by professionals. Bush schools,
apprenticeships, academies
- Idea that music can be learnt even before birth.
- Merriam’s scheme for music education.

13. Social Function
n Idea that society is a like a biological
organism. Activities of individuals can be
seen as playing a part in the greater
organism.
n Leads on to ideas of structuralism. That a
society can be analysed in terms of
structure though observation of rites and
patterns of behavior.

14. Merriam’s ideas on Function
n Distinction between Uses and Functions.
Use refers to customs, rites of passage,
what can be observed. (folk view).
Function is what music does. May not be
expressed or even understood by those
involved (folk view). But can be seen when
whole picture is analysed.

15. Merriam’s 10 Functions
n 1. Aesthetic enjoyment. Both for creator and contemplator
n 2. Entertainment. In all societies
n 3. Communication. Of something but what, how and to whom is
often undecided.
n 4. Symbolic representation. Of other things, ideas, behaviors.
n 5. Physical response. Channels behavior.
n 6. Emotional response.
n 7. Enforcing conformity to social norms. Songs of social control.
n 8. Validating social institutions and religious rituals. To preserve
order and co-ordinate ceremonial symbols.
n 9. Contributing to the continuity and stability of culture.
n 10. Integration of society.
n But can reduced down to functions of release and solidarity in a
society

16. Blacking’s Tshichona – musical structure
reflecting the social structure.
n Music symbolic of size of following. Integrative
function. Sound is representative of numbers.
n Danced on all important occasions.
n Relates to structure of society directly.
n Each person had one pipe in a melodic
hierarchy. Teams part of the following of tribal
leaders who sponsored them.
n A great deal of practice was required and
complexity and size and organisation of each
team is reflected directly in the music.

17. Musicality
n Is culturally specific.
n Is an established part of ‘ethnomusicality’
n Connects with ‘esthetics’.
n Is it learnt or a given?
n Not always to do with technical
excellence. Sometimes at variance.