The Music and Dance of the World's Religions: A Comprehensive, Annotated Bibliography of Materials in the English Language

(Hardback)

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Description

Despite the world-wide association of music and dance with religion, this is the first full-length study of the subject from a global perspective. The work consists of 3,816 references divided among 37 chapters. It covers tribal, regional, and global religions and such subjects as shamanism, liturgical dance, healing, and the relationship of music, mathematics, and mysticism. The referenced materials display such diverse approaches as analysis of music and dance, description of context, direct experience, observation, and speculation. The references address topics from such disciplines as sociology, anthropology, history, linguistics, musicology, ethnomusicology, theology, medicine, semiotics, and computer technology. Chapter 1 consists of general references to religious music and dance. The remaining 36 chapters are organized according to major geographical areas. Most chapters begin with general reference works and bibliographies, then continue with topics specific to the region or religion. This book will be of use to anyone with an interest in music, dance, religion, or culture.

Reviews

"[T]his ... is a monumental reference work for ethnomusicologists and anyone interested in music, culture, and religion. It is, as I read through this book, one of the most important of works."-Laxmi G. Tewari Sonoma State University
"A very welcome addition to the resources available for teaching and research on its subject. It is impressively wide-ranging and comprehensive, and points the reader to a rich selection of valuable works for traditions and cultures throughout the world, including some little-known ones. It should be a part of any library's collection on world religion, music, and dance, and will be very useful both to general readers and to specialists seeking materials beyond their own areas of expertise."-Ter Ellingson University of Washington, Seattle
"Gardner Rust's impressive bibliography of The Music and Dance of the World's Religions gives a good and useful representation of research available in English on Western Latin medieval liturgy and chant. The bibliography is updated to guide the reader through the confusing mass of recent scholarly publications. It should be extremely helpful in an as yet uncharted territory."-Richard L. Crocker University of California at Berkeley
As a resource for a narrow but important subject area, this volume seems a natural starting place for research.-DCA News
Rust has compiled a valuable annotated bibliography of almost 3,900 citations to the burgeoning literature on music and dance in a religious context....Readers will find references to both printed materials and oral traditions. An expanded table of contents and author and subject indexes make the volume reader-friendly....Highly recommended for all academic libraries serving students of music or religion.-Choice
"As a resource for a narrow but important subject area, this volume seems a natural starting place for research."-DCA News
"Rust has compiled a valuable annotated bibliography of almost 3,900 citations to the burgeoning literature on music and dance in a religious context....Readers will find references to both printed materials and oral traditions. An expanded table of contents and author and subject indexes make the volume reader-friendly....Highly recommended for all academic libraries serving students of music or religion."-Choice

Author Bio

E. GARDNER RUST is Professor of Music at Sonoma State University, California, where he has taught courses in world music for over 25 years. For the last decade, he has been developing a course on the music and dance of the world's religions. This book is an outgrowth of his interest in the subject.