Medievalism and Music

Abstract

Medievalism, broadly construed, concerns the cultural and intellectual afterlife of the Middle Ages. It has a long tradition as a topic for critical scholarly engagement. Initially growing up in the disciplines of history and literature, it quickly spread to encompass the disciplines of art, architecture, music, and cultural studies, and began to incorporate theoretical positions taken from critical theory and psychoanalysis. With the founding of Studies in Medievalism by Leslie J. Workman, medievalism began to strike out as an interdisciplinary subject in its own right, crossing boundaries of genre, discipline, and period. The study of music and medievalism is a key part of the broader discipline, as an integral part of understanding popular culture broadly, and the genres of film, television, video games, and opera (among others) specifically. Medievalism is an important part of understanding the context of scholarly and performance traditions such as the historically informed performance practice movement and in understanding many types of music from Wagnerian opera to heavy metal. Indeed, medievalism has a long history in the arts. It has, throughout its history, come to mean many things, from the deliberate creative use of the medieval by later generations in art, literature, music, and other cultural products, to its explicit representation, and even more-general influence, conscious or otherwise. The earliest forays of 18th-century Romanticism tended to hold the medieval in high regard as a way of rejecting the political and ideological formulations of the Age of Enlightenment. It therefore formed an important part of 18th-century movements in art, architecture, literature, poetry, and music. More recently, medievalism has become an important part of popular culture, impacting upon film, television, video game, and popular music to an increasing degree, as well as entering political and journalistic discourse as a way of understanding contemporary phenomena.

Music in medicine: An overview

“…Sacred music therapy in north India (Table 2) was in place for a long (BCE) and can be traced from ancient Hindu mythology (goddess Saraswathi, God Krishna, Narad, etc), Vedic scripts, and local folk traditions. 26 This book provides information on North Indian traditional music therapy as well as other indigenous music healing traditions. 26 Ancient Hindu scripts describe the healing of illness by using hymns.…”

“…26 This book provides information on North Indian traditional music therapy as well as other indigenous music healing traditions. 26 Ancient Hindu scripts describe the healing of illness by using hymns. Singing or listening to sacred hymns are believed to provide healing and improve mental health.…”

“…It is intended to understand how and why music is good for health besides mood. 26 The Music Therapy Trust (of India) was founded by Dr. Margaret Lobo in 2005 to provide music therapy to those facing difficult psychosocial and physical challenges. The Indian Association of Music Therapy (IAMT) represents researchers, bio-musicologist, scientists, music therapists, etc to promote the use of music for the cure of various diseases and healthy life.…”

From Theory to Grand Strategy: Assessing Us Goals in Arabia 2001-2018

“…This, incidentally, represents neatly a stark continuation of the American past pattern and approach to the Middle East in the periods of 1980s and 1990s than some American scholars have come to expect. 42 Noticeably, Trump statements and Obama strategic thinking have similarities and their messages are similar: "America must learn to step back from its previous global responsibilities". 43 Obviously, what underlies the strategic thinking of both Barack Obama and Donald Trump is the realist approach that gives primacy of domestic affairs over foreign affairs.…”