Page 64 - October.indd

Book Reviews
Book Reviews

how strikingly the red monument and sets a “gold standard” for au- individuals and their commu-
appears against the San Franciscan thors of future choral repertoire nities … There is considerable
landscape. books both in approach, organiza- irony in this newfound interest
The book’s title implies that Town tion, and content. in community music where
discusses all of Vaughan Williams’s universities and conservatoires,
choral-orchestral works; he does not, Ryan Kelly once bastions of privilege, seek
nor does he identify why he chose West Chester, PA common philosophical, moral
and excluded the works he did. Un- and pedagogical ground with
fortunately absent are discussions of community music, initially a
Vaughan Williams’s Toward the Un- Engaging in Community Music: grassroots movement in resis-
known Region (an inspired setting of An Introduction tance to those institutions that
Walt Whitman poetry), Fantasia on Lee Higgins and Lee Willingham insisted on a particular version
Christmas Carols (popular with aca- Routledge 2017, 191 pages of formalised music educa-
demic and civic ensembles), and Folk Kindle: $35.49 tion.” (p. xiii)
Songs of the Four Seasons (an accessible Hardcover: $171.00
work for SSAA voices and orchestra). Paperback: $46.75 The above excerpt from the Pref-
Despite these omissions, Town notes ace provides a solid rationale for this

the book offers “the most extensive “We firmly believe that there remarkable volume, especially to

and rigorous study of the [composi- is an appetite for the study music education specialists. Higgins
tions] under consideration” as well of music that is intentionally and Willingham—both academics
as “contextual information, a musi- participant-centred, inclusive, themselves—are quick to point out
cal explication, a description of the and diverse, and in this book the limitations of their own social,
autograph manuscripts, and a criti- we explore these practices and political, and economic spheres but,
cal evaluation of the opus” (p.1). He values that ultimately add cul- through real-world cases studies,
thoroughly delivers on this promise tural and social capital to both provide a “space for professional
community musicians to off er their
voices and thus their wisdom, expe-
rience, and expertise” (p.2).
SING July 9-15, 2023 Engaging in Community Music is in-
San Francisco Bay Area
THE Taking applications now! fused through and through with
this collaborative spirit, inviting the
WORLD reader to “extract applicable ideas
www.goldengatefestival.org
to move forward in developing
their own music engagement and

FESTIVAL PACKAGE leadership” (p.xiv). This book takes
INCLUDES: Christopher Small’s notion of “mu-
SIX NIGHTS’
ACCOMMODATION IN sicking” as a foundational premise;
HOMESTAYS* namely, music is better understood
ALL MEALS
JOINT REHEARSALS as a process (verb) rather than an ob-
FESTIVAL AND ject (noun). Within this framework,
COMMUNITY CONCERTS
WORKSHOPS musicking includes community mu-
ENTRY FEES FOR ALL sic as distinct from music education,
COMPETITIONS
MASSED CHOIRS GRAND music therapy, and ethnomusicology,
FINALE PERFORMANCE thought it intersects with these (and
SAN FRANCISCO BAY
CRUISE these all intersect with each other).
The fi rst chapter lays the ground-

62 CHORAL JOURNAL October 2022 Volume 63 Number 3