Teknologien og tradisjonen - Noter og opptak, nok en gang

Abstract

The paper discusses the use and effects on traditional music by the introduction of the technologies of music notation and music recording. Both of these technologies imply fixation and, therefore, also the possibility of recreation of a (musical) event split from its origin. Reference is made to Lord’s discussion of orality vs. literacy, and also to Schafer’s concept of schizophonia. Both these authors see the technologies in a perspective of cultural pessimism that is not shared by this author. The aim of the article is, therefore, not to argue for caution on the use of technologies nor to argue that traditional music becomes less ‘authentic’ through the use of technology, but to describe in more detail possible views of the co-development of use of technology and change in aesthetic focus. Specifically it is argued that there might be a shift from a predominantly art-of-work orientation in the mid 19th century to a more performance-focused contemporary orientation