Nothing is by Chance: Discussing the Ethical and Political Implications of Music Research
Keywords:
Music research, Música and Science, Science and politicsAbstract
In this text, I discuss the ethical and political implications of musical research, which are often overshadowed by the idea that theories, techniques, and technologies are devoid of cultural, racial, and political implications. Drawing on exemplary cases, I intend to discuss the extent to which the theories and technologies used to create and research music are influenced by the perspectives of the producers and users of these theories and tools. In particular, I examine two emblematic cases that demonstrate the overlap of a modern perspective in shaping the practices of Western concert music: the activities of the Camerata Fiorentina in the late 16th century and the emergence of IRCAM in the 1970s. Despite the temporal distance between these two events, they share many similarities. Through these examples, I seek to discuss how modern music and science—and, by extension, musical and scientific research—intersect in the construction of the modern worldview.
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