160076 VO Music and Religion in South Asia (2025S)
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Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
Details
Language: German
Examination dates
- N Monday 30.06.2025 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Monday 29.09.2025 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-09
- Wednesday 12.11.2025 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-09
- Wednesday 07.01.2026 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-09
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
- Monday 10.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Monday 17.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Monday 24.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Friday 04.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-09
- Monday 07.04. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- N Monday 28.04. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Monday 05.05. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Monday 12.05. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Monday 19.05. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Monday 26.05. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Monday 02.06. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Monday 16.06. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
- Monday 23.06. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3G-EG-01
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
Why is music an important aspect of South Asian religions? Why are the nature and purpose of music often described there in religious, spiritual, or cosmological terms? What does music do to ensure the efficacy of ritual or devotion, and what are the roles of individuals and groups – professional or voluntary – who provide it? The course will seek to understand how musical and religious experience inform each other in India and the South Asia region, with reference especially to Hinduism, but also to Islamic, Buddhist, Sikh and other religious traditions. Topics may include: Concepts of sacred sound, the musician as mediator between human and divine realms, auspiciousness and impurity, gender roles, music for and as ritual, transmission and initiation, music as expression of devotion (bhakti) and power (tantra), music and mysticism, music of ascetics and mendicants, sacred narrative, dance and drama, participatory versus presentational forms, musical articulations of sacred time and space, ritual percussion and processions, possession and trance, religious symbolism, and the consecration of musical instruments. These topics will be explored through case studies of different musical traditions, including the ritual songs and dances of Ādivāsi peoples (e.g. Santal, Gond and Kota), the ritual contexts of Vedic chants, the music and dances of the Bauls in Bengal, Buddhist caryā dance, temple singing traditions of India and Nepal, Sufi music, metaphysical sound theory of Indian musicological works, and the mediation of religious concepts in North and South Indian classical music, such as dhrupad in North India and the songs of Tyāgarāja in South India.
Assessment and permitted materials
Schriftliche Prüfung, keine Hilfsmittel.
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
90-minütige Prüfung mit 12 Fragen zu verschiedenen Themen der Vorlesung, wovon 9 Fragen beantwortet werden müssen.
Gesamtpunktzahl: 90 Punkte.
Mindestanforderung: 42 Punkte.
Gesamtpunktzahl: 90 Punkte.
Mindestanforderung: 42 Punkte.
Examination topics
Inhalte der Vorlesung und zusätzliche Materialien auf Moodle.
Reading list
Auswahlliteratur:Arnold, A. (1999) South Asia: The Indian Subcontinent. New York: Garland (The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, 5). Sektion “Music in religion and ritual”, pp. 237–88.
Beck, G.L. (2012) Sonic Liturgy: Ritual and Music in Hindu Tradition. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press (Studies in Comparative Religion).
Beck, G.L. (1999) ‘Religious and devotional music: Northern area’, in South Asia: The Indian Subcontinent. New York: Garland (The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, 5), pp. 246–58.
Capwell, C. (1986) The Music of the Bauls of Bengal. Kent: Kent State University Press.
Dunham, M.F. (1997) Jarigan: Muslim Epic Songs of Bangladesh. Dhaka: University Press.
Flood, G.D. (1996) An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Graves, E. (2022) The Politics of Musical Time: Expanding Songs and Shrinking Markets in Bengali Devotional Performance. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Henry, E.O. (1988) Chant the Names of God: Musical Culture in Bhojpuri-Speaking India. San Diego: San Diego State University Press, see pp. 1–11.
Jackson, W.J. (1991) Tyāgarāja: Life and Lyrics. Madras: Oxford University Press.
Killius, R. (2006) Ritual Music and Hindu Rituals of Kerala. Delhi: B. R. Rhythms.
Neuman, D.M. (1985) ‘Indian Music as a Cultural System’, Asian Music, 17(1), pp. 98–113. doi:10.2307/833743.
Pacholczyk, J.M. (1996) Sụ̄fyāna Mūsīqī: The Classical Music of Kashmir. Berlin: Verlag für Wissenschaft und Bildung (Intercultural music studies).
Qureshi, R. (2006) Sufi Music of India and Pakistan: Sound, Context, and Meaning in Qawwali. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.
Slawek, S.M. (1988) ‘Popular Kīrtan in Benares: Some “Great” Aspects of a Little Tradition’, Ethnomusicology, 32(2), pp. 77–92.
Smith, J. (1991) The Epic of Pābūjī: A Study, Transcription and Translation. Cambridge, New York, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
Tingey, C. (1994) Auspicious Music in a Changing Society: The Damai Musicians of Nepal. London: Routledge (SOAS Musicology Series).
Various (2001) ‘India, sub-continent of’, in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2nd ed. London and New York: Macmillan. Available at: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/.
Widdess, R. (2013) Dāphā: Sacred Singing in a South Asian City: Music, Performance and Meaning in Bhaktapur, Nepal. London: Ashgate.
Wolf, R.K. (2005) The Black Cow’s Footprint: Time, Space, and Music in the Lives of the Kotas of South India. Delhi: Permanent Black (ACLS Fellows’ publications).
Wulff, D.M. (1983) ‘On practicing music religiously: music as sacred in India’, in Sacred Sound: Music in Religious Thought and Practice. Chico: Scholars Press (JAAR thematic studies).
Beck, G.L. (2012) Sonic Liturgy: Ritual and Music in Hindu Tradition. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press (Studies in Comparative Religion).
Beck, G.L. (1999) ‘Religious and devotional music: Northern area’, in South Asia: The Indian Subcontinent. New York: Garland (The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, 5), pp. 246–58.
Capwell, C. (1986) The Music of the Bauls of Bengal. Kent: Kent State University Press.
Dunham, M.F. (1997) Jarigan: Muslim Epic Songs of Bangladesh. Dhaka: University Press.
Flood, G.D. (1996) An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Graves, E. (2022) The Politics of Musical Time: Expanding Songs and Shrinking Markets in Bengali Devotional Performance. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Henry, E.O. (1988) Chant the Names of God: Musical Culture in Bhojpuri-Speaking India. San Diego: San Diego State University Press, see pp. 1–11.
Jackson, W.J. (1991) Tyāgarāja: Life and Lyrics. Madras: Oxford University Press.
Killius, R. (2006) Ritual Music and Hindu Rituals of Kerala. Delhi: B. R. Rhythms.
Neuman, D.M. (1985) ‘Indian Music as a Cultural System’, Asian Music, 17(1), pp. 98–113. doi:10.2307/833743.
Pacholczyk, J.M. (1996) Sụ̄fyāna Mūsīqī: The Classical Music of Kashmir. Berlin: Verlag für Wissenschaft und Bildung (Intercultural music studies).
Qureshi, R. (2006) Sufi Music of India and Pakistan: Sound, Context, and Meaning in Qawwali. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.
Slawek, S.M. (1988) ‘Popular Kīrtan in Benares: Some “Great” Aspects of a Little Tradition’, Ethnomusicology, 32(2), pp. 77–92.
Smith, J. (1991) The Epic of Pābūjī: A Study, Transcription and Translation. Cambridge, New York, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
Tingey, C. (1994) Auspicious Music in a Changing Society: The Damai Musicians of Nepal. London: Routledge (SOAS Musicology Series).
Various (2001) ‘India, sub-continent of’, in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2nd ed. London and New York: Macmillan. Available at: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/.
Widdess, R. (2013) Dāphā: Sacred Singing in a South Asian City: Music, Performance and Meaning in Bhaktapur, Nepal. London: Ashgate.
Wolf, R.K. (2005) The Black Cow’s Footprint: Time, Space, and Music in the Lives of the Kotas of South India. Delhi: Permanent Black (ACLS Fellows’ publications).
Wulff, D.M. (1983) ‘On practicing music religiously: music as sacred in India’, in Sacred Sound: Music in Religious Thought and Practice. Chico: Scholars Press (JAAR thematic studies).
Association in the course directory
BA: ETH-V, FRE
MA: MUS, E.1, E.2, E.ETH, H.ETH, S.ETH
EC: MDW2
MA: MUS, E.1, E.2, E.ETH, H.ETH, S.ETH
EC: MDW2
Last modified: Tu 11.03.2025 18:06