David R. M. Irving works on the role of music in intercultural contact, colonialism, and global exchange, c1500-c1800, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia. Address: Barcelona
Musical representations of Europe in myth and allegory are well known, but when and under what ci... more Musical representations of Europe in myth and allegory are well known, but when and under what circumstances did the words "European" and "music" become linked together? What did the resulting term mean in music before 1800 and how did it evolve into the label "Western music," which features so prominently in pedagogical and scholarly discourses?
In The Making of European Music in the Long Eighteenth Century, author D. R. M. Irving traces the emergence of such large-scale categories in Western European thought. Beginning in the 1670s, Jesuit missionaries in China began to refer to "European music," and for the next hundred years the term appeared almost exclusively in comparison with musics from other parts of the world. It entered common use from the 1770s, and in the 1830s became synonymous with a new concept of "Western music." Western European writers also associated these terms with notions of "progress" and "perfection." Meanwhile, changing ideas about "modern" Europe's cultural relationship with classical antiquity, together with theories that systematically and condescendingly racialized people from other continents, influenced the ways that these scholars imagined and interpreted musical pasts around the globe.
Irving weaves his analyses throughout the book's historical examinations, suggesting that "European music" originates from self-fashioning in contexts of intercultural comparison outside the continent, rather than from the resolution of national aesthetic differences within it. He shows that "Western music" as understood today arose in line with the growth of Orientalism and increasing awareness of musics of "the East." All such reductive terms often imply homogeneity and essentialism, and Irving asks what a reassessment of their beginnings might mean for music history.
Taken as a whole, the book shows how a renewed critique of primary sources can help dismantle historiographical constructs that arose within narratives of musical pasts involving Europe.
Irving, David R. M., and Estelle Joubert, eds. A Cultural History of Western Music in the Age of ... more Irving, David R. M., and Estelle Joubert, eds. A Cultural History of Western Music in the Age of Enlightenment (1650‒1790). London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2023. ISBN: 9781350075573 (print); 9781350075580 (online)
A Cultural History of Western Music in the Age of Enlightenment covers the period from 1650 to 1790, a time of radical social and cultural transformation. Alongside the splendor of performances in courts and opera houses, novel forms of musical culture—such as public concerts and music journalism—emerged in many urban centers. Advances in science encouraged the development and use of new musical sounds and technologies. Increased exploration and trade enhanced knowledge of other cultures, but the expansion of colonialism and slavery had far-reaching repercussions for Western music. At the same time, the Enlightenment’s philosophical focus on what it means to be human recast the purpose of music: sound became the expression of the self. The 6 volume set of the Cultural History of Western Music presents the first comprehensive history from classical antiquity to today, covering all forms and aspects of music and its ever-changing social context. The themes covered in each volume are society; philosophies; politics; exchange; education; popular culture; performance; and technologies.
Introduction: Musicking in the Age of Enlightenment 1–38 David R. M. Irving and Estelle Joubert 1. Society: Music and Community 39–62 Estelle Joubert 2. Philosophies: Making Sense of Vibration 63–80 Roger Mathew Grant 3. Politics: Music and the Law 81–100 Rebekah Ahrendt 4. Exchange: Musical Transactions Around the World 101–126 David R. M. Irving 5. Education: Forming Musical Identities 127–148 Stephen Rose 6. Popular Culture: Let’s Use Scare Quotes 149–172 Elisabeth Le Guin 7. Performance: On and Off the Page 173–198 Geoffrey Burgess 8. Technologies: Musical Media of Enlightenment 199–223 Rebecca Cypess
In this groundbreaking study, D. R. M. Irving reconnects the Philippines to current musicological... more In this groundbreaking study, D. R. M. Irving reconnects the Philippines to current musicological discourse on the early modern Hispanic world. For some two and a half centuries, the Philippine Islands were firmly interlinked to Latin America and Spain through transoceanic relationships of politics, religion, trade, and culture. The city of Manila, founded in 1571, represented a vital intercultural nexus and a significant conduit for the regional diffusion of Western music. Within its ethnically diverse society, imported and local musics played a crucial role in the establishment of ecclesiastical hierarchies in the Philippines and in propelling the work of Roman Catholic missionaries in neighboring territories. Manila's religious institutions resounded with sumptuous vocal and instrumental performances, while an annual calendar of festivities brought together many musical traditions of the indigenous and immigrant populations in complex forms of artistic interaction and opposition.
Multiple styles and genres coexisted according to strict regulations enforced by state and ecclesiastical authorities, and Irving uses the metaphors of European counterpoint and enharmony to critique musical practices within the colonial milieu. He argues that the introduction and institutionalization of counterpoint acted as a powerful agent of colonialism throughout the Philippine Archipelago, and that contrapuntal structures were reflected in the social and cultural reorganization of Filipino communities under Spanish rule. He also contends that the active appropriation of music and dance by the indigenous population constituted a significant contribution to the process of hispanization. Sustained "enharmonic engagement" between Filipinos and Spaniards led to the synthesis of hybrid, syncretic genres and the emergence of performance styles that could contest and subvert hegemony. Throwing new light on a virtually unknown area of music history, this book contributes to current understanding of the globalization of music, and repositions the Philippines at the frontiers of research into early modern intercultural exchange.
Irving, David R. M. "Arnold Dolmetsch and His 'Beethoven' Pianos, 1898-1908". The Consort 80 (202... more Irving, David R. M. "Arnold Dolmetsch and His 'Beethoven' Pianos, 1898-1908". The Consort 80 (2024): 85-100.
ISSN: 0268-9111
This article examines the building of four pianos in late eighteenth-century style in 1898-1908 by Arnold Dolmetsch (1858–1940). The first (dated 1899) was for Stewart Headlam (1847–1924), completed in 1899; the second (1900) for Cecil Rhodes (1853–1902); and the third (1900) for Violet Gordon Woodhouse (1872–1948). A fourth was noted in Boston in 1907–1908. The locations of two are known (the Horniman Museum in London and Groote Schuur in Cape Town), but the whereabouts of the other two remains a mystery. The third piano was last seen at Sotheby's in 1979.
Arnold Dolmetsch (1858-1940) and Mabel Dolmetsch (1874-1963) are well known for their work in rev... more Arnold Dolmetsch (1858-1940) and Mabel Dolmetsch (1874-1963) are well known for their work in reviving early instruments and performance practices of western Europe. Marco Pallis (1895-1989), a musician and mountaineer who undertook multiple expeditions to the Himalayas and adopted Tibetan Buddhism in 1936, counted among their students and patrons. One of Pallis’s teachers, the lama Geshe Wangyal (1901-1983), visited him in England and also met the Dolmetsches. Pallis became a significant contributor to Traditionalism, a school of religious thought founded by René Guénon (1886-1951). Based on the perennial philosophy, Traditionalism searches for sources of primordial tradition to redress the West’s perceived losses of spirituality, and expresses critiques of modernity. Pallis became aware of the work of another key Traditionalist writer, Ananda Coomaraswamy (1877-1947), through Arnold Dolmetsch. Arnold’s well-known resistance to modernity and technological “progress” is attributed mainly to the ethos of the Arts and Crafts movement, but the possibility of a Traditionalist influence invites consideration. Examining letters from Pallis to the Dolmetsches, other archival sources, and Pallis’s published writings, this article proposes that esotericism and particularly Traditionalism played a more significant role in the early twentieth-century early music revival than has previously been acknowledged.
The Spanish Pacific, 1521–1815, Volume 2: A Reader of Primary Sources, 2024
Irving, David R. M. ‘Filipino Cultural Practices in Colonial Contexts, as Described by Franciscan... more Irving, David R. M. ‘Filipino Cultural Practices in Colonial Contexts, as Described by Franciscan Juan de Jesús (1703)’. In The Spanish Pacific, 1521–1815, Volume 2: A Reader of Primary Sources, edited by Christina H. Lee and Ricardo Padrón, 213–224. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2024. ISBN: 9789048560196. https://www.aup.nl/en/book/9789048560196/the-spanish-pacific-1521-1815-volume-2
Irving, David R. M., and Alexander Rehding. ‘Series Preface’. In A Cultural History of Western Mu... more Irving, David R. M., and Alexander Rehding. ‘Series Preface’. In A Cultural History of Western Music, 6 volumes, general editors Alexander Rehding and David R. M. Irving, vol. 1, x-xiii. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2023. ISBN: 9781350075634
Sounding the Indian Ocean: Musical Circulations in the Afro-Asiatic Seascape, 2023
This study was supported by Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP150103204, “Malay Mus... more This study was supported by Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP150103204, “Malay Music and Dance from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands,” based at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, the University of Melbourne, 2015–2019.
This article provides a retrospective overview of the discussion of Arnold Dolmetsch, his family,... more This article provides a retrospective overview of the discussion of Arnold Dolmetsch, his family, students and friends in Early Music since its first issue in 1973. It connects these cases with a broad range of other literature, suggests the need to rethink and recontextualize the lifetime of Arnold Dolmetsch and considers the significance of archival materials in the Jeanne-Marie Dolmetsch Collection newly available at Cambridge University Library (Ms. Add. 10371). In particular, it demonstrates the largely overlooked intercultural dimension of the Dolmetsch family’s contribution to the early music revival, highlighting their interactions with people and music cultures from beyond western Europe. Finally, it suggests a programme for possible future research on the Dolmetsch phenomenon.
The Museum of Renaissance Music: A History in 100 Exhibits, 2023
Irving, David R. M. ‘Lady Playing the Vihuela da Mano’. In The Museum of Renaissance Music: A His... more Irving, David R. M. ‘Lady Playing the Vihuela da Mano’. In The Museum of Renaissance Music: A History in 100 Exhibits, edited by Vincenzo Borghetti and Tim Shephard, 218-21. Turnhout: Brepols, 2023. ISBN: 9782503588568.
A contextual-historical study and annotated translation of 大野正夫 Masao Ohno,「Arnold Dolmetsch を語る」... more A contextual-historical study and annotated translation of 大野正夫 Masao Ohno,「Arnold Dolmetsch を語る」‘Arnold Dolmetsch wo kataru’ [Talking About Arnold Dolmetsch], 音樂新潮 Ongaku shinchō [New Trends in Music], vol. 9 no. 12 (1932), pp. 78–81. Translation by Masumi Yamamoto.
At the dawn of European colonialism, the Southeast Asian region encompassed some of the most dive... more At the dawn of European colonialism, the Southeast Asian region encompassed some of the most diverse and influential cultures in early modern history. The circulation of people, commodities, ideas and beliefs along the key trading routes, from the eastern edge of the Mughal empire to the southern Chinese border, stimulated some of the great cultural and political achievements of the age. This volume highlights the multifarious dimensions of exchange in eight fascinating case studies written by leading experts from the fields of History, Anthropology, Musicology and Art History. Intercultural Exchange in Southeast Asia explores religious change at both ends of the social spectrum, examining the factors which led to or impeded the conversion of kings to new faiths, as well as those which affected the conversion of the marginal communities of mercenaries and renegades. The artistic and cultural refashioning of new religions such as Christianity to suit local needs and sensibilities is highlighted in the Philippines, Siam, Vietnam and the Malay world while detailed analyses of scientific exchanges in maritime southeast Asia highlight the role of local agents, especially women, in the transmission of knowledge and beliefs. The articulation and cultural expression of power relations is addressed in chapters on colonial urban design and the use of music in diplomatic exchanges. This book utilises rare and unpublished sources to shed new light on the processes, strategies, and consequences of exchanges between cultures, societies and individuals and will be essential reading for those interested in the cultural and political origins of modern Asia.
Saysay Himig: A Sourcebook on Philippine Music History 1880-1941, 2018
Irving, David R. M. "Foreword." In Saysay Himig: A Sourcebook on Philippine Music History 1880-19... more Irving, David R. M. "Foreword." In Saysay Himig: A Sourcebook on Philippine Music History 1880-1941, edited by Arwin Q. Tan, xiii-xiv. Diliman, Quezon City: The University of the Philippines Press, 2018.
When contemplating the musical activity of past cultures across vast geographical spaces and from... more When contemplating the musical activity of past cultures across vast geographical spaces and from before the era of sound recording, music researchers are confronted with multiple challenges. They must take into account the memories stored in oral histories and textual sources, recognise the plurality of cultural influences and performance practices in complex networks of personal interaction, and grapple with the representational limitations of staff notation and struggle to interpret iconography before and after the age of photography. They must understand how sounds and emotions are linked to places and spaces, and explain how they move and migrate. This article offers a critical survey of existing approaches to research on musics in Australian societies from the beginning of colonisation (26 January 1788) to Federation (1 January 1901), and proposes that the increased use of a reflexive paradigm has the potential to open the historical study of Australian colonial societies to new directions. * We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples mentioned in this article and the traditional custodians of the land on which the research for the article was primarily undertaken, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. Thanks go to the University of Sydney for supporting this research through an International Research Collaboration Award (no. 63714). We are also grateful to the anonymous readers of the manuscript for their input and feedback, and especially to Graeme Skinner for generously sharing his advice and expertise.
Link to Documentary Film: https://youtu.be/OIjAF7Bh6as
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, located half... more Link to Documentary Film: https://youtu.be/OIjAF7Bh6as The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, located halfway between Perth and Sri Lanka and part of Australia’s Indian Ocean Territories, are home to around 400 Cocos Malays and 150 others. Uninhabited until 1826, the islands became a coconut plantation controlled by the Scottish Clunies-Ross family and worked by Malay labourers from 1827 until 1978. In this isolated community there arose a unique and distinctive set of cultural practices, which drew from Malay, Javanese, and (some) Scottish influences. The rhythms of Cocos Malay life involve regular musicking and Islamic religious ritual: on specific occasions, including the week-long celebrations following Hari Raya (Eid al- Fitr), the birthday of the Prophet (Maulud Nabi), and weddings, the community comes together for festive public performances. This film and article present an ethnomusicological survey of Cocos Malay music and dance, based on fieldwork conducted in 2015 and 2016 during the festivities for Hari Raya. Among the genres presented and discussed are: zikir (remembrance of the Prophet), joget (popular Malaysian dance), nasyid (devotional songs), Scottish reels with Scottish dance music, traditional Cocos Malay dance with biola (violin), silat (a martial art), rudat (seated dance) with percussion, and bangsawan (popular theatre). Interviews explore the Cocos Malay biola tradition and projects for its revitalisation, and memories of music and dance for the Nuyar (New Year’s Eve) party that was held in the house of the Clunies-Ross family until the 1990s. The history and modern-day practice of Scottish dancing within this Malay Muslim community form a major focus of the narrative.
eprint: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/VPJGJX5W5QWTBUXZGIKK/full?target=10.1080/17411912.2020... more eprint: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/VPJGJX5W5QWTBUXZGIKK/full?target=10.1080/17411912.2020.1754874 The biola (violin) is an emblematic musical instrument of the Cocos Malay community, who have been based on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands -- part of Australia's Indian Ocean Territories -- since 1826. In Cocos Malay culture, the biola accompanies local dance genres and occasional performances of bangsawan theatre. Malay melodies constitute the bulk of the repertoire; there are also melodies exhibiting Scottish characteristics. The latter are often attributed to the influence of the Clunies-Ross family, who maintained a commanding presence on the islands from 1827 to 1978. Since the mid-twentieth century, biola playing has been the preserve of two families on the islands and in Western Australia. The practice has declined over the past two decades, owing to a decrease in players; however, a revitalisation programme was initiated in 2014. This article explores aspects of the practice and cultural functions of the biola on Cocos and documents the history of the instrument on the islands, drawing on data from ethnographic and archival research.
Musical representations of Europe in myth and allegory are well known, but when and under what ci... more Musical representations of Europe in myth and allegory are well known, but when and under what circumstances did the words "European" and "music" become linked together? What did the resulting term mean in music before 1800 and how did it evolve into the label "Western music," which features so prominently in pedagogical and scholarly discourses?
In The Making of European Music in the Long Eighteenth Century, author D. R. M. Irving traces the emergence of such large-scale categories in Western European thought. Beginning in the 1670s, Jesuit missionaries in China began to refer to "European music," and for the next hundred years the term appeared almost exclusively in comparison with musics from other parts of the world. It entered common use from the 1770s, and in the 1830s became synonymous with a new concept of "Western music." Western European writers also associated these terms with notions of "progress" and "perfection." Meanwhile, changing ideas about "modern" Europe's cultural relationship with classical antiquity, together with theories that systematically and condescendingly racialized people from other continents, influenced the ways that these scholars imagined and interpreted musical pasts around the globe.
Irving weaves his analyses throughout the book's historical examinations, suggesting that "European music" originates from self-fashioning in contexts of intercultural comparison outside the continent, rather than from the resolution of national aesthetic differences within it. He shows that "Western music" as understood today arose in line with the growth of Orientalism and increasing awareness of musics of "the East." All such reductive terms often imply homogeneity and essentialism, and Irving asks what a reassessment of their beginnings might mean for music history.
Taken as a whole, the book shows how a renewed critique of primary sources can help dismantle historiographical constructs that arose within narratives of musical pasts involving Europe.
Irving, David R. M., and Estelle Joubert, eds. A Cultural History of Western Music in the Age of ... more Irving, David R. M., and Estelle Joubert, eds. A Cultural History of Western Music in the Age of Enlightenment (1650‒1790). London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2023. ISBN: 9781350075573 (print); 9781350075580 (online)
A Cultural History of Western Music in the Age of Enlightenment covers the period from 1650 to 1790, a time of radical social and cultural transformation. Alongside the splendor of performances in courts and opera houses, novel forms of musical culture—such as public concerts and music journalism—emerged in many urban centers. Advances in science encouraged the development and use of new musical sounds and technologies. Increased exploration and trade enhanced knowledge of other cultures, but the expansion of colonialism and slavery had far-reaching repercussions for Western music. At the same time, the Enlightenment’s philosophical focus on what it means to be human recast the purpose of music: sound became the expression of the self. The 6 volume set of the Cultural History of Western Music presents the first comprehensive history from classical antiquity to today, covering all forms and aspects of music and its ever-changing social context. The themes covered in each volume are society; philosophies; politics; exchange; education; popular culture; performance; and technologies.
Introduction: Musicking in the Age of Enlightenment 1–38 David R. M. Irving and Estelle Joubert 1. Society: Music and Community 39–62 Estelle Joubert 2. Philosophies: Making Sense of Vibration 63–80 Roger Mathew Grant 3. Politics: Music and the Law 81–100 Rebekah Ahrendt 4. Exchange: Musical Transactions Around the World 101–126 David R. M. Irving 5. Education: Forming Musical Identities 127–148 Stephen Rose 6. Popular Culture: Let’s Use Scare Quotes 149–172 Elisabeth Le Guin 7. Performance: On and Off the Page 173–198 Geoffrey Burgess 8. Technologies: Musical Media of Enlightenment 199–223 Rebecca Cypess
In this groundbreaking study, D. R. M. Irving reconnects the Philippines to current musicological... more In this groundbreaking study, D. R. M. Irving reconnects the Philippines to current musicological discourse on the early modern Hispanic world. For some two and a half centuries, the Philippine Islands were firmly interlinked to Latin America and Spain through transoceanic relationships of politics, religion, trade, and culture. The city of Manila, founded in 1571, represented a vital intercultural nexus and a significant conduit for the regional diffusion of Western music. Within its ethnically diverse society, imported and local musics played a crucial role in the establishment of ecclesiastical hierarchies in the Philippines and in propelling the work of Roman Catholic missionaries in neighboring territories. Manila's religious institutions resounded with sumptuous vocal and instrumental performances, while an annual calendar of festivities brought together many musical traditions of the indigenous and immigrant populations in complex forms of artistic interaction and opposition.
Multiple styles and genres coexisted according to strict regulations enforced by state and ecclesiastical authorities, and Irving uses the metaphors of European counterpoint and enharmony to critique musical practices within the colonial milieu. He argues that the introduction and institutionalization of counterpoint acted as a powerful agent of colonialism throughout the Philippine Archipelago, and that contrapuntal structures were reflected in the social and cultural reorganization of Filipino communities under Spanish rule. He also contends that the active appropriation of music and dance by the indigenous population constituted a significant contribution to the process of hispanization. Sustained "enharmonic engagement" between Filipinos and Spaniards led to the synthesis of hybrid, syncretic genres and the emergence of performance styles that could contest and subvert hegemony. Throwing new light on a virtually unknown area of music history, this book contributes to current understanding of the globalization of music, and repositions the Philippines at the frontiers of research into early modern intercultural exchange.
Irving, David R. M. "Arnold Dolmetsch and His 'Beethoven' Pianos, 1898-1908". The Consort 80 (202... more Irving, David R. M. "Arnold Dolmetsch and His 'Beethoven' Pianos, 1898-1908". The Consort 80 (2024): 85-100.
ISSN: 0268-9111
This article examines the building of four pianos in late eighteenth-century style in 1898-1908 by Arnold Dolmetsch (1858–1940). The first (dated 1899) was for Stewart Headlam (1847–1924), completed in 1899; the second (1900) for Cecil Rhodes (1853–1902); and the third (1900) for Violet Gordon Woodhouse (1872–1948). A fourth was noted in Boston in 1907–1908. The locations of two are known (the Horniman Museum in London and Groote Schuur in Cape Town), but the whereabouts of the other two remains a mystery. The third piano was last seen at Sotheby's in 1979.
Arnold Dolmetsch (1858-1940) and Mabel Dolmetsch (1874-1963) are well known for their work in rev... more Arnold Dolmetsch (1858-1940) and Mabel Dolmetsch (1874-1963) are well known for their work in reviving early instruments and performance practices of western Europe. Marco Pallis (1895-1989), a musician and mountaineer who undertook multiple expeditions to the Himalayas and adopted Tibetan Buddhism in 1936, counted among their students and patrons. One of Pallis’s teachers, the lama Geshe Wangyal (1901-1983), visited him in England and also met the Dolmetsches. Pallis became a significant contributor to Traditionalism, a school of religious thought founded by René Guénon (1886-1951). Based on the perennial philosophy, Traditionalism searches for sources of primordial tradition to redress the West’s perceived losses of spirituality, and expresses critiques of modernity. Pallis became aware of the work of another key Traditionalist writer, Ananda Coomaraswamy (1877-1947), through Arnold Dolmetsch. Arnold’s well-known resistance to modernity and technological “progress” is attributed mainly to the ethos of the Arts and Crafts movement, but the possibility of a Traditionalist influence invites consideration. Examining letters from Pallis to the Dolmetsches, other archival sources, and Pallis’s published writings, this article proposes that esotericism and particularly Traditionalism played a more significant role in the early twentieth-century early music revival than has previously been acknowledged.
The Spanish Pacific, 1521–1815, Volume 2: A Reader of Primary Sources, 2024
Irving, David R. M. ‘Filipino Cultural Practices in Colonial Contexts, as Described by Franciscan... more Irving, David R. M. ‘Filipino Cultural Practices in Colonial Contexts, as Described by Franciscan Juan de Jesús (1703)’. In The Spanish Pacific, 1521–1815, Volume 2: A Reader of Primary Sources, edited by Christina H. Lee and Ricardo Padrón, 213–224. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2024. ISBN: 9789048560196. https://www.aup.nl/en/book/9789048560196/the-spanish-pacific-1521-1815-volume-2
Irving, David R. M., and Alexander Rehding. ‘Series Preface’. In A Cultural History of Western Mu... more Irving, David R. M., and Alexander Rehding. ‘Series Preface’. In A Cultural History of Western Music, 6 volumes, general editors Alexander Rehding and David R. M. Irving, vol. 1, x-xiii. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2023. ISBN: 9781350075634
Sounding the Indian Ocean: Musical Circulations in the Afro-Asiatic Seascape, 2023
This study was supported by Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP150103204, “Malay Mus... more This study was supported by Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP150103204, “Malay Music and Dance from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands,” based at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, the University of Melbourne, 2015–2019.
This article provides a retrospective overview of the discussion of Arnold Dolmetsch, his family,... more This article provides a retrospective overview of the discussion of Arnold Dolmetsch, his family, students and friends in Early Music since its first issue in 1973. It connects these cases with a broad range of other literature, suggests the need to rethink and recontextualize the lifetime of Arnold Dolmetsch and considers the significance of archival materials in the Jeanne-Marie Dolmetsch Collection newly available at Cambridge University Library (Ms. Add. 10371). In particular, it demonstrates the largely overlooked intercultural dimension of the Dolmetsch family’s contribution to the early music revival, highlighting their interactions with people and music cultures from beyond western Europe. Finally, it suggests a programme for possible future research on the Dolmetsch phenomenon.
The Museum of Renaissance Music: A History in 100 Exhibits, 2023
Irving, David R. M. ‘Lady Playing the Vihuela da Mano’. In The Museum of Renaissance Music: A His... more Irving, David R. M. ‘Lady Playing the Vihuela da Mano’. In The Museum of Renaissance Music: A History in 100 Exhibits, edited by Vincenzo Borghetti and Tim Shephard, 218-21. Turnhout: Brepols, 2023. ISBN: 9782503588568.
A contextual-historical study and annotated translation of 大野正夫 Masao Ohno,「Arnold Dolmetsch を語る」... more A contextual-historical study and annotated translation of 大野正夫 Masao Ohno,「Arnold Dolmetsch を語る」‘Arnold Dolmetsch wo kataru’ [Talking About Arnold Dolmetsch], 音樂新潮 Ongaku shinchō [New Trends in Music], vol. 9 no. 12 (1932), pp. 78–81. Translation by Masumi Yamamoto.
At the dawn of European colonialism, the Southeast Asian region encompassed some of the most dive... more At the dawn of European colonialism, the Southeast Asian region encompassed some of the most diverse and influential cultures in early modern history. The circulation of people, commodities, ideas and beliefs along the key trading routes, from the eastern edge of the Mughal empire to the southern Chinese border, stimulated some of the great cultural and political achievements of the age. This volume highlights the multifarious dimensions of exchange in eight fascinating case studies written by leading experts from the fields of History, Anthropology, Musicology and Art History. Intercultural Exchange in Southeast Asia explores religious change at both ends of the social spectrum, examining the factors which led to or impeded the conversion of kings to new faiths, as well as those which affected the conversion of the marginal communities of mercenaries and renegades. The artistic and cultural refashioning of new religions such as Christianity to suit local needs and sensibilities is highlighted in the Philippines, Siam, Vietnam and the Malay world while detailed analyses of scientific exchanges in maritime southeast Asia highlight the role of local agents, especially women, in the transmission of knowledge and beliefs. The articulation and cultural expression of power relations is addressed in chapters on colonial urban design and the use of music in diplomatic exchanges. This book utilises rare and unpublished sources to shed new light on the processes, strategies, and consequences of exchanges between cultures, societies and individuals and will be essential reading for those interested in the cultural and political origins of modern Asia.
Saysay Himig: A Sourcebook on Philippine Music History 1880-1941, 2018
Irving, David R. M. "Foreword." In Saysay Himig: A Sourcebook on Philippine Music History 1880-19... more Irving, David R. M. "Foreword." In Saysay Himig: A Sourcebook on Philippine Music History 1880-1941, edited by Arwin Q. Tan, xiii-xiv. Diliman, Quezon City: The University of the Philippines Press, 2018.
When contemplating the musical activity of past cultures across vast geographical spaces and from... more When contemplating the musical activity of past cultures across vast geographical spaces and from before the era of sound recording, music researchers are confronted with multiple challenges. They must take into account the memories stored in oral histories and textual sources, recognise the plurality of cultural influences and performance practices in complex networks of personal interaction, and grapple with the representational limitations of staff notation and struggle to interpret iconography before and after the age of photography. They must understand how sounds and emotions are linked to places and spaces, and explain how they move and migrate. This article offers a critical survey of existing approaches to research on musics in Australian societies from the beginning of colonisation (26 January 1788) to Federation (1 January 1901), and proposes that the increased use of a reflexive paradigm has the potential to open the historical study of Australian colonial societies to new directions. * We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples mentioned in this article and the traditional custodians of the land on which the research for the article was primarily undertaken, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. Thanks go to the University of Sydney for supporting this research through an International Research Collaboration Award (no. 63714). We are also grateful to the anonymous readers of the manuscript for their input and feedback, and especially to Graeme Skinner for generously sharing his advice and expertise.
Link to Documentary Film: https://youtu.be/OIjAF7Bh6as
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, located half... more Link to Documentary Film: https://youtu.be/OIjAF7Bh6as The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, located halfway between Perth and Sri Lanka and part of Australia’s Indian Ocean Territories, are home to around 400 Cocos Malays and 150 others. Uninhabited until 1826, the islands became a coconut plantation controlled by the Scottish Clunies-Ross family and worked by Malay labourers from 1827 until 1978. In this isolated community there arose a unique and distinctive set of cultural practices, which drew from Malay, Javanese, and (some) Scottish influences. The rhythms of Cocos Malay life involve regular musicking and Islamic religious ritual: on specific occasions, including the week-long celebrations following Hari Raya (Eid al- Fitr), the birthday of the Prophet (Maulud Nabi), and weddings, the community comes together for festive public performances. This film and article present an ethnomusicological survey of Cocos Malay music and dance, based on fieldwork conducted in 2015 and 2016 during the festivities for Hari Raya. Among the genres presented and discussed are: zikir (remembrance of the Prophet), joget (popular Malaysian dance), nasyid (devotional songs), Scottish reels with Scottish dance music, traditional Cocos Malay dance with biola (violin), silat (a martial art), rudat (seated dance) with percussion, and bangsawan (popular theatre). Interviews explore the Cocos Malay biola tradition and projects for its revitalisation, and memories of music and dance for the Nuyar (New Year’s Eve) party that was held in the house of the Clunies-Ross family until the 1990s. The history and modern-day practice of Scottish dancing within this Malay Muslim community form a major focus of the narrative.
eprint: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/VPJGJX5W5QWTBUXZGIKK/full?target=10.1080/17411912.2020... more eprint: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/VPJGJX5W5QWTBUXZGIKK/full?target=10.1080/17411912.2020.1754874 The biola (violin) is an emblematic musical instrument of the Cocos Malay community, who have been based on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands -- part of Australia's Indian Ocean Territories -- since 1826. In Cocos Malay culture, the biola accompanies local dance genres and occasional performances of bangsawan theatre. Malay melodies constitute the bulk of the repertoire; there are also melodies exhibiting Scottish characteristics. The latter are often attributed to the influence of the Clunies-Ross family, who maintained a commanding presence on the islands from 1827 to 1978. Since the mid-twentieth century, biola playing has been the preserve of two families on the islands and in Western Australia. The practice has declined over the past two decades, owing to a decrease in players; however, a revitalisation programme was initiated in 2014. This article explores aspects of the practice and cultural functions of the biola on Cocos and documents the history of the instrument on the islands, drawing on data from ethnographic and archival research.
The Society of Jesus has long been recognized for its global contribution to the study, practice,... more The Society of Jesus has long been recognized for its global contribution to the study, practice, and dissemination of European music in the early modern period, and especially for its interactions with non-European music cultures. In Europe, Jesuit colleges played a seminal role in music education and the development of music in drama, major sacred works were composed by or for Jesuits, and treatises on music were written by Jesuit theorists. In the Americas and on islands in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, music served as a device for evangelization and conversion of indigenous peoples; in some of the missions, music was cultivated to a level reported as comparable with standards of cities in Europe. Meanwhile, elite Jesuit scholars who gained access to high courts in Asia engaged in dialogue with local scholars, impressing powerful potentates and distinguishing themselves through their talent in music and their skills in astronomy, mathematics, cartography, languages, and diplomacy. This chapter surveys and critiques the diverse role of music within the global missions of the early modern Society of Jesus, with case studies drawn from Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Nice Fieldwork if You Can Get It: An ethnomusicology project on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands is cr... more Nice Fieldwork if You Can Get It: An ethnomusicology project on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands is creating a valuable record of unique performance traditions
Tuntutan “Orang Asli” Kokos
Orang Kokos dapat memperkuat tuntutan mereka sebagai “Orang Asli” Aus... more Tuntutan “Orang Asli” Kokos Orang Kokos dapat memperkuat tuntutan mereka sebagai “Orang Asli” Australia dengan merujuk pada beberapa fakta. Pulau-pulau tersebut tidak dihuni manusia sebelum kedatangan Orang Kokos dan penguasa mereka dari Eropa. Lebih dari itu, Orang Kokos mempertahankan tradisi budaya yang panjang; ada yang merasa dikolonisasi; dan ada yang merasa dilupakan oleh negara Australia. Bahasa Inggris: https://theconversation.com/a-group-of-southeast-asian-descendants-wants-to-be-recognised-as-indigenous-australians-98186
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Books by David Irving
In The Making of European Music in the Long Eighteenth Century, author D. R. M. Irving traces the emergence of such large-scale categories in Western European thought. Beginning in the 1670s, Jesuit missionaries in China began to refer to "European music," and for the next hundred years the term appeared almost exclusively in comparison with musics from other parts of the world. It entered common use from the 1770s, and in the 1830s became synonymous with a new concept of "Western music." Western European writers also associated these terms with notions of "progress" and "perfection." Meanwhile, changing ideas about "modern" Europe's cultural relationship with classical antiquity, together with theories that systematically and condescendingly racialized people from other continents, influenced the ways that these scholars imagined and interpreted musical pasts around the globe.
Irving weaves his analyses throughout the book's historical examinations, suggesting that "European music" originates from self-fashioning in contexts of intercultural comparison outside the continent, rather than from the resolution of national aesthetic differences within it. He shows that "Western music" as understood today arose in line with the growth of Orientalism and increasing awareness of musics of "the East." All such reductive terms often imply homogeneity and essentialism, and Irving asks what a reassessment of their beginnings might mean for music history.
Taken as a whole, the book shows how a renewed critique of primary sources can help dismantle historiographical constructs that arose within narratives of musical pasts involving Europe.
ISBN: 9781350075573 (print); 9781350075580 (online)
A Cultural History of Western Music in the Age of Enlightenment covers the period from 1650 to 1790, a time of radical social and cultural transformation. Alongside the splendor of performances in courts and opera houses, novel forms of musical culture—such as public concerts and music journalism—emerged in many urban centers. Advances in science encouraged the development and use of new musical sounds and technologies. Increased exploration and trade enhanced knowledge of other cultures, but the expansion of colonialism and slavery had far-reaching repercussions for Western music. At the same time, the Enlightenment’s philosophical focus on what it means to be human recast the purpose of music: sound became the expression of the self. The 6 volume set of the Cultural History of Western Music presents the first comprehensive history from classical antiquity to today, covering all forms and aspects of music and its ever-changing social context. The themes covered in each volume are society; philosophies; politics; exchange; education; popular culture; performance; and technologies.
Introduction: Musicking in the Age of Enlightenment 1–38
David R. M. Irving and Estelle Joubert
1. Society: Music and Community 39–62
Estelle Joubert
2. Philosophies: Making Sense of Vibration 63–80
Roger Mathew Grant
3. Politics: Music and the Law 81–100
Rebekah Ahrendt
4. Exchange: Musical Transactions Around the World 101–126
David R. M. Irving
5. Education: Forming Musical Identities 127–148
Stephen Rose
6. Popular Culture: Let’s Use Scare Quotes 149–172
Elisabeth Le Guin
7. Performance: On and Off the Page 173–198
Geoffrey Burgess
8. Technologies: Musical Media of Enlightenment 199–223
Rebecca Cypess
Multiple styles and genres coexisted according to strict regulations enforced by state and ecclesiastical authorities, and Irving uses the metaphors of European counterpoint and enharmony to critique musical practices within the colonial milieu. He argues that the introduction and institutionalization of counterpoint acted as a powerful agent of colonialism throughout the Philippine Archipelago, and that contrapuntal structures were reflected in the social and cultural reorganization of Filipino communities under Spanish rule. He also contends that the active appropriation of music and dance by the indigenous population constituted a significant contribution to the process of hispanization. Sustained "enharmonic engagement" between Filipinos and Spaniards led to the synthesis of hybrid, syncretic genres and the emergence of performance styles that could contest and subvert hegemony. Throwing new light on a virtually unknown area of music history, this book contributes to current understanding of the globalization of music, and repositions the Philippines at the frontiers of research into early modern intercultural exchange.
Papers by David Irving
ISSN: 0268-9111
This article examines the building of four pianos in late eighteenth-century style in 1898-1908 by Arnold Dolmetsch (1858–1940). The first (dated 1899) was for Stewart Headlam (1847–1924), completed in 1899; the second (1900) for Cecil Rhodes (1853–1902); and the third (1900) for Violet Gordon Woodhouse (1872–1948). A fourth was noted in Boston in 1907–1908. The locations of two are known (the Horniman Museum in London and Groote Schuur in Cape Town), but the whereabouts of the other two remains a mystery. The third piano was last seen at Sotheby's in 1979.
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/cultural-history-of-western-music-9781350075634/
https://www.dolmetsch.com/dolmetschconsort.htm
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, located halfway between Perth and Sri Lanka and part of Australia’s Indian Ocean Territories, are home to around 400 Cocos Malays and 150 others. Uninhabited until 1826, the islands became a coconut plantation controlled by the Scottish Clunies-Ross family and worked by Malay labourers from 1827 until 1978. In this isolated community there arose a unique and distinctive set of cultural practices, which drew from Malay, Javanese, and (some) Scottish influences. The rhythms of Cocos Malay life involve regular musicking and Islamic religious ritual: on specific occasions, including the week-long celebrations following Hari Raya (Eid al- Fitr), the birthday of the Prophet (Maulud Nabi), and weddings, the community comes together for festive public performances. This film and article present an ethnomusicological survey of Cocos Malay music and dance, based on fieldwork conducted in 2015 and 2016 during the festivities for Hari Raya. Among the genres presented and discussed are: zikir (remembrance of the Prophet), joget (popular Malaysian dance), nasyid (devotional songs), Scottish reels with Scottish dance music, traditional Cocos Malay dance with biola (violin), silat (a martial art), rudat (seated dance) with percussion, and bangsawan (popular theatre). Interviews explore the Cocos Malay biola tradition and projects for its revitalisation, and memories of music and dance for the Nuyar (New Year’s Eve) party that was held in the house of the Clunies-Ross family until the 1990s. The history and modern-day practice of Scottish dancing within this Malay Muslim community form a major focus of the narrative.
The biola (violin) is an emblematic musical instrument of the Cocos Malay community, who have been based on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands -- part of Australia's Indian Ocean Territories -- since 1826. In Cocos Malay culture, the biola accompanies local dance genres and occasional performances of bangsawan theatre. Malay melodies constitute the bulk of the repertoire; there are also melodies exhibiting Scottish characteristics. The latter are often attributed to the influence of the Clunies-Ross family, who maintained a commanding presence on the islands from 1827 to 1978. Since the mid-twentieth century, biola playing has been the preserve of two families on the islands and in Western Australia. The practice has declined over the past two decades, owing to a decrease in players; however, a revitalisation programme was initiated in 2014. This article explores aspects of the practice and cultural functions of the biola on Cocos and documents the history of the instrument on the islands, drawing on data from ethnographic and archival research.
In The Making of European Music in the Long Eighteenth Century, author D. R. M. Irving traces the emergence of such large-scale categories in Western European thought. Beginning in the 1670s, Jesuit missionaries in China began to refer to "European music," and for the next hundred years the term appeared almost exclusively in comparison with musics from other parts of the world. It entered common use from the 1770s, and in the 1830s became synonymous with a new concept of "Western music." Western European writers also associated these terms with notions of "progress" and "perfection." Meanwhile, changing ideas about "modern" Europe's cultural relationship with classical antiquity, together with theories that systematically and condescendingly racialized people from other continents, influenced the ways that these scholars imagined and interpreted musical pasts around the globe.
Irving weaves his analyses throughout the book's historical examinations, suggesting that "European music" originates from self-fashioning in contexts of intercultural comparison outside the continent, rather than from the resolution of national aesthetic differences within it. He shows that "Western music" as understood today arose in line with the growth of Orientalism and increasing awareness of musics of "the East." All such reductive terms often imply homogeneity and essentialism, and Irving asks what a reassessment of their beginnings might mean for music history.
Taken as a whole, the book shows how a renewed critique of primary sources can help dismantle historiographical constructs that arose within narratives of musical pasts involving Europe.
ISBN: 9781350075573 (print); 9781350075580 (online)
A Cultural History of Western Music in the Age of Enlightenment covers the period from 1650 to 1790, a time of radical social and cultural transformation. Alongside the splendor of performances in courts and opera houses, novel forms of musical culture—such as public concerts and music journalism—emerged in many urban centers. Advances in science encouraged the development and use of new musical sounds and technologies. Increased exploration and trade enhanced knowledge of other cultures, but the expansion of colonialism and slavery had far-reaching repercussions for Western music. At the same time, the Enlightenment’s philosophical focus on what it means to be human recast the purpose of music: sound became the expression of the self. The 6 volume set of the Cultural History of Western Music presents the first comprehensive history from classical antiquity to today, covering all forms and aspects of music and its ever-changing social context. The themes covered in each volume are society; philosophies; politics; exchange; education; popular culture; performance; and technologies.
Introduction: Musicking in the Age of Enlightenment 1–38
David R. M. Irving and Estelle Joubert
1. Society: Music and Community 39–62
Estelle Joubert
2. Philosophies: Making Sense of Vibration 63–80
Roger Mathew Grant
3. Politics: Music and the Law 81–100
Rebekah Ahrendt
4. Exchange: Musical Transactions Around the World 101–126
David R. M. Irving
5. Education: Forming Musical Identities 127–148
Stephen Rose
6. Popular Culture: Let’s Use Scare Quotes 149–172
Elisabeth Le Guin
7. Performance: On and Off the Page 173–198
Geoffrey Burgess
8. Technologies: Musical Media of Enlightenment 199–223
Rebecca Cypess
Multiple styles and genres coexisted according to strict regulations enforced by state and ecclesiastical authorities, and Irving uses the metaphors of European counterpoint and enharmony to critique musical practices within the colonial milieu. He argues that the introduction and institutionalization of counterpoint acted as a powerful agent of colonialism throughout the Philippine Archipelago, and that contrapuntal structures were reflected in the social and cultural reorganization of Filipino communities under Spanish rule. He also contends that the active appropriation of music and dance by the indigenous population constituted a significant contribution to the process of hispanization. Sustained "enharmonic engagement" between Filipinos and Spaniards led to the synthesis of hybrid, syncretic genres and the emergence of performance styles that could contest and subvert hegemony. Throwing new light on a virtually unknown area of music history, this book contributes to current understanding of the globalization of music, and repositions the Philippines at the frontiers of research into early modern intercultural exchange.
ISSN: 0268-9111
This article examines the building of four pianos in late eighteenth-century style in 1898-1908 by Arnold Dolmetsch (1858–1940). The first (dated 1899) was for Stewart Headlam (1847–1924), completed in 1899; the second (1900) for Cecil Rhodes (1853–1902); and the third (1900) for Violet Gordon Woodhouse (1872–1948). A fourth was noted in Boston in 1907–1908. The locations of two are known (the Horniman Museum in London and Groote Schuur in Cape Town), but the whereabouts of the other two remains a mystery. The third piano was last seen at Sotheby's in 1979.
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/cultural-history-of-western-music-9781350075634/
https://www.dolmetsch.com/dolmetschconsort.htm
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, located halfway between Perth and Sri Lanka and part of Australia’s Indian Ocean Territories, are home to around 400 Cocos Malays and 150 others. Uninhabited until 1826, the islands became a coconut plantation controlled by the Scottish Clunies-Ross family and worked by Malay labourers from 1827 until 1978. In this isolated community there arose a unique and distinctive set of cultural practices, which drew from Malay, Javanese, and (some) Scottish influences. The rhythms of Cocos Malay life involve regular musicking and Islamic religious ritual: on specific occasions, including the week-long celebrations following Hari Raya (Eid al- Fitr), the birthday of the Prophet (Maulud Nabi), and weddings, the community comes together for festive public performances. This film and article present an ethnomusicological survey of Cocos Malay music and dance, based on fieldwork conducted in 2015 and 2016 during the festivities for Hari Raya. Among the genres presented and discussed are: zikir (remembrance of the Prophet), joget (popular Malaysian dance), nasyid (devotional songs), Scottish reels with Scottish dance music, traditional Cocos Malay dance with biola (violin), silat (a martial art), rudat (seated dance) with percussion, and bangsawan (popular theatre). Interviews explore the Cocos Malay biola tradition and projects for its revitalisation, and memories of music and dance for the Nuyar (New Year’s Eve) party that was held in the house of the Clunies-Ross family until the 1990s. The history and modern-day practice of Scottish dancing within this Malay Muslim community form a major focus of the narrative.
The biola (violin) is an emblematic musical instrument of the Cocos Malay community, who have been based on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands -- part of Australia's Indian Ocean Territories -- since 1826. In Cocos Malay culture, the biola accompanies local dance genres and occasional performances of bangsawan theatre. Malay melodies constitute the bulk of the repertoire; there are also melodies exhibiting Scottish characteristics. The latter are often attributed to the influence of the Clunies-Ross family, who maintained a commanding presence on the islands from 1827 to 1978. Since the mid-twentieth century, biola playing has been the preserve of two families on the islands and in Western Australia. The practice has declined over the past two decades, owing to a decrease in players; however, a revitalisation programme was initiated in 2014. This article explores aspects of the practice and cultural functions of the biola on Cocos and documents the history of the instrument on the islands, drawing on data from ethnographic and archival research.
https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/WKHYGPZJPFH97EINKZER/full?target=10.1080/08145857.2019.1696161
Orang Kokos dapat memperkuat tuntutan mereka sebagai “Orang Asli” Australia dengan merujuk pada beberapa fakta. Pulau-pulau tersebut tidak dihuni manusia sebelum kedatangan Orang Kokos dan penguasa mereka dari Eropa. Lebih dari itu, Orang Kokos mempertahankan tradisi budaya yang panjang; ada yang merasa dikolonisasi; dan ada yang merasa dilupakan oleh negara Australia.
Bahasa Inggris: https://theconversation.com/a-group-of-southeast-asian-descendants-wants-to-be-recognised-as-indigenous-australians-98186