Conflicts of Principles and Ideologies in Musicological Terminology: Issues and Requisites

Abstract

The reservation of „ethnomusicology‟ for the so-called non literate societies, which include Africa, while the nomenclature, „musicology‟ is exclusive to Euro-American has left African music an underdog. Of a truth, many a seasoned musicologist across tribal boarders acknowledges with reckless abandon this cultural disparity in musicological idioms. It chagrins should we maintain tranquillity and decidedly fail to frown on the aforesaid prejudicially derogatory remark as though it were inconsequential to reckon with. This posing challenge creates much ado to contemporary generation of music scholars. Thus, this paper typifies a review of the complexities emanating from discrepant concepts on the conventional discipline styled musicology. Opinions on authentic definition of musicology cannot be fully justified without references to the dictionaries, encyclopaedia and musicological scholars‟ research publications on the subject matter. The method of this study therefore primarily leans on the secondary source; the library print media documents are paradigms. Typical of an integral facet of empirical data employed here is limited to experience deduced from didactics/learning based on the thrust of the paper. The scope of study is strictly restricted to opinion poll theories devoted to a crop of musicologists, who hold sway on musicology of evaluation and creativity and lately, transformation – focused musicology, which gears to transform the cosmic music from mendacity. It becomes incumbent upon the dominance of the Orient music to nullify as biased, the European and North American laid down determinant factors for the apt musical terminologies. This call needs urgent attention, especially in the face of the scramble for musico-cultural identity under globalization syndrome. With this developmental posture considered an invaluable matter of interest, we can forge ahead with lasting solution to discountenance any trace of musicological terminology found wanting.