Venda Children's Songs: A Study in Ethnomusicological Analysis [Paperback]

John Blacking (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0226055116 | ISBN-13: 978-0226055114 | Publication Date: June 1, 1995 | Edition: 1

John Blacking is widely recognized for his theoretical works How Musical Is Man? and The Anthropology of the Body. This series of essays and articles on the music of the Venda people of the northern Transvaal in South Africa constitutes his major scholarly legacy.

Venda Children's Songs presents a detailed analysis of both the music and the cultural significance of children's songs among the Venda. Among its many original contributions is the identifying of the role of melody in generating rhythm, something that distinguishes this form of music from that of Venda adults as well as from other genres of African music in general.

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226055116
• ISBN-13: 978-0226055114
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,073,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Information; not an easy read., November 14, 2006

By 

StacyMom (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Venda Children's Songs: A Study in Ethnomusicological Analysis (Paperback)

There is really no other place you can get this detailed and authentic information about the music of the Venda people. This book is extremely detailed in an analytical, scientific way, but it is compiled by an expert in the field who actually lived in Vendaland for 22 or so months and documented many of the childrens' songs and ritual music of these people in the sixties. The best part of the book is the musical transcriptions and translations of the songs themselves. Useful for anyone wanting information and notation for authentic South African music.