New chief of British musicology
NewsThe Royal Musical Association at its annual conference this weekend, elected Professor Simon Keefe of Sheffield University as its next chair.
He succeeds Barbara Kelly of the Royal Northern College of Music, taking office next year.
The fact that you could eradicate musicology overnight with no discernible effect has always made me suspicious of its merits.
However the advent of ‘New Musicology’ with its move away from any claim to scientific method and leanings towards critical race theory and a diffuse brief that seems to welcome wild speculation just convinces me that it’s a totally pointless discipline.
But congrats on being Chief.
Suggest you read his books before you comment — or are you afraid of long sentences arranged in paragraphs?
Since most of the historically informed performances (among other things) rely on musicological research, to call it pointless seems perverse. No one is asking you personally to like or approve of such a practice, but don’t diss it for everyone else!
I miss Hans Keller.