Heartland Excursions: Ethnomusicological Reflections on Schools of Music

Heartland Excursions examines the culture and practices of music schools at major American universities in the late 20th century. Drawing from his decades of experience as a professor and ethnomusicologist, Bruno Nettl applies anthropological methods to study these institutions as unique cultural systems. The book explores multiple aspects of music school life, from the physical spaces and social hierarchies to the rituals of performance and instruction. Nettl documents the relationships between students, faculty, and administrators while analyzing how Western classical music maintains its central position in these environments. Through detailed observations and interviews, Nettl investigates how music schools perpetuate specific values, beliefs and behaviors among their members. He examines the treatment of different musical traditions, the role of composers versus performers, and the complex dynamics between various departments and specialties. The work stands as a significant contribution to understanding how academic institutions shape and transmit musical culture in America. Its ethnographic approach reveals underlying patterns and assumptions that influence how classical music is taught, learned, and valued in higher education.

Most academic readers value the book's observation-based ethnographic approach to studying American music schools. Several reviews mention the unique perspective of viewing Western classical music education through an ethnomusicologist's lens. Readers liked: - The humorous yet insightful analysis of conservatory culture - Clear explanations of hierarchies and rituals in music schools - Personal anecdotes that illustrate academic concepts - Detailed notes on relationships between students, faculty, and repertoire Common criticisms: - Focus is narrow (primarily Midwestern U.S. music schools) - Some concepts feel dated given changes in music education - Academic writing style can be dense Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (21 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (4 reviews) One Goodreads reviewer noted: "As a music student, this book helped me understand and contextualize my own experiences in the conservatory system." An Amazon reviewer called it "Required reading for anyone teaching or studying Western art music."

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How Musical Is Man? by John Blacking. The text examines music-making as a fundamental human behavior through anthropological case studies of diverse musical cultures.

The Study of Ethnomusicology: Thirty-Three Discussions by Bruno Nettl. This work explores the methodological and theoretical foundations of ethnomusicology through practical research examples and institutional histories.

Disciplining Music: Musicology and Its Canons by Katherine Bergeron and Philip V. Bohlman. The book analyzes how musical institutions create and maintain musical canons through educational systems and cultural hierarchies.

The Cultural Study of Music: A Critical Introduction by Martin Clayton, Trevor Herbert, and Richard Middleton. The text presents methodological approaches to studying music as a cultural practice through institutional and social frameworks.

🎵 Bruno Nettl conducted his ethnographic research at four major Midwestern universities' music schools, which he gave fictional names like "Heartland U" to maintain anonymity while studying their cultural practices. 🎼 The book reveals how Western classical music is treated almost like a religion in music schools, with composers like Beethoven and Bach viewed as deity-like figures in what Nettl calls the "Musical Museum." 🎹 Nettl observes that music school buildings often feature portrait galleries of great composers arranged hierarchically, similar to how churches display religious icons. 🎭 The author noticed that music schools tend to divide the world of music into three distinct categories: Western classical music, jazz/popular music, and world music - with classical music consistently given the highest status. 🎵 Despite being published in 1995, the book remains highly relevant today as many of the hierarchies and cultural practices Nettl identified continue to influence how music is taught in higher education.