1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910781129403321

Autore

Ashby Arved Mark

Titolo

Absolute music, mechanical reproduction [[electronic resource] /] / Arved Ashby

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Berkeley, : University of California Press, c2010

ISBN

9786612697661

0-520-94569-7

1-282-69766-8

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (333 pages)

Disciplina

781.49

Soggetti

Absolute music

Sound recordings - Social aspects

Music - Philosophy and aesthetics

Performance practice (Music) - History - 20th century

Music and technology

Sound - Recording and reproducing - Digital techniques

MP3 (Audio coding standard) - Social aspects

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p.299-308) and index.

Nota di contenuto

The recorded musical text -- Recording, repetition, and memory in absolute music -- Schnabel's rationalism, Gould's pragmatism -- Digital mythologies --  Beethoven and the iPod Nation -- Photo/phono/porno -- Mahler as imagist.

Sommario/riassunto

Recordings are now the primary way we hear classical music, especially the more abstract styles of "absolute" instrumental music. In this original, provocative book, Arved Ashby argues that recording technology has transformed our understanding of art music. Contesting the laments of nostalgic critics, Ashby sees recordings as socially progressive and instruments of a musical vernacular, but also finds that recording and absolute music actually involve similar notions of removing sound from context. He takes stock of technology's impact on classical music, addressing the questions at the heart of the issue. This erudite yet concise study reveals how mechanical reproduction has



transformed classical musical culture and the very act of listening, breaking down aesthetic and generational barriers and mixing classical music into the soundtrack of everyday life.