The great ethnomusicologist Bruno Nettl (1930–2020) died last week. So far we have this tribute from Philip Bohmann, and I’ll add others as I find them. Here’s a brief appreciation from me.

A great inspiration, Nettl’s writings were accessible and engaging as well as wise, his perspectives always valuable. Alongside his rare overview of the global picture, he had a gift for explaining the nuts and bolts of musicking in particular societies—seting forth from his fieldwork among Native Americans, and in Iran and south India. His 1995 book Heartland excursions: ethnomusicological reflections on schools of music makes a fine complement to the ethnomusicological literature on WAM (see e.g. here, here, and here).

Posts on this blog inspired by his insights include:

• Ethnography: Geertz, Nettl
• Is music a universal language?
• Unpacking “improvisation”
• Das Land ohne Musik
• What is serious music?!
• World music abolished!!!
• Society and soundscape
• Native American musical cultures 1
• Iran: chamber music
• Mozart for winds, and “genius”
• Heartland excursions.

DO read Nettl’s wonderful The study of ethnomusicology: thirty-three discussions—for anyone still not attuned to the importance of soundscape in society, in search of a mind-opening book, this is what we need!!!