Jaime's response: http://jaimethnoblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/challenge-question.html
I think you make a good point in that a performance ethnography should focus more intently on the experience of the individual in the audience rather than on the history of the music culture. Even if a brief history was presented in a performance ethnography, subjective choices would have to be made regarding what elements of the culture’s history should be included anyway. I appreciate your personal example of attending an opera, in which you are more focused on how the performance is personally affecting you rather than on the history or importance of opera music in American culture, even if you are aware of both of these aspects of the music. However, while I do think the experience of the audience is an extremely important component of fieldwork for a performance ethnography, I would argue that including more contextual elements and a broader scope of experiences is what separates an Ethnomusicologist from any other kind of critic or writer on musical performance and that, while individual experience and reflexivity are important, the emphasis should not necessarily be on the Ethnomusicologist’s “heroic journey” (Titon’s term).
I would also suggest that considerations of what should be included in an ethnography may differ between a performance ethnography of a specific performance and an ethnography based on a broader view of a culture’s music. A performance ethnography by nature focuses on specific and time-sensitive occurrences, while an ethnography of a music culture may ultimately seek to communicate an outline of what general elements define and distinguish that particular music culture. Overall, you seem to have put a lot of thought into your opinions, and I think it is beneficial to acknowledge the inevitability of individual interpretation, as you did.
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Jaime does a great job of articulating the case for phenomenological ethnography. Note however that experience of musical performance need not occur the formal, concert setting you describe. Many musical traditions around the world are non-performative. Phenomenological ethnography can still be a valuable approach for studying these cultures so long as we adjust our notions of the musical event.
Julie’s point about experience-based ethnography drawing towards “heroic journey” sentiments is valid. I also think Julie is wise to differentiate between a performance ethnography, and an ethnography of a music culture. Excessive historical context in a performance ethnography can undesirably shape our experience of the music. And a lack of historical information in an ethnography of a musical culture can hinder us from understanding the meaning of a music to its practitioners.
But, as Jaime implies, a musical ethnography could also benefit from experienced-based description.
It was a pleasure to read your discussion: You both came with thought-out stances, provided quality feedback, and used each other’s ideas in the formulation of new ones.
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