Studies on the beginning of the sociology of music. Russian and Soviet sources, 1900-1930.

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Natalia Nowack
• Subject Area: Musicology ; Sociological Theory
• Term: from 2012 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 233427227

The birth of its own discipline sociology of music is dated to the beginning of the 20th century and approaches from Germany and France (P. Bekker, M. Weber, J. Combarieu). This time was not completely regenerated so far. Some of the French sources (C. Bellaigue) are not opened as well as the ideological-politically suppressed written material of Russian provenance. A huge variety of theoretical approaches, such as the systematic entrance to the history of music, the reception and communicational theory(-ies), the early concepts of socialization, the understanding of the musical work as a production process or discussion on the judgments, can be proved between 1900 and 1930 in Russian musicology. Furthermore, empirical studies, that included both field research and experimentation, were from the beginning part of Russian music-sociological activities. The point is these are the earliest empirical studies of sociology of music worldwide.The reduction of the general sociology in the context of Stalins cultural policy deprived the so-called dash-sociologists of their working-base. In this time, several research projects were interrupted, some under other over terms were continued. The official reception of early music-sociological thinking was suppressed. The multi-faceted theoretical studies and the unique empirical material were withheld from the European public.The analysis of the cultural landscape of the early 20th century indicates an unusually innovative potential. This potential can also be monitored within the Russian and Soviet musicology. After recent publications, it has become clear, that the Tsarist Russia and the early Soviet Union were culturally and scientifically very closely connected. The reconstruction of the historical music event confirmed the presence of Russian-Soviet tradition. It is about time to analyze and to interpret previously unobserved sources with focus on cultural and scientific history of Russia and the early Soviet Union, and besides contribute to the history of the sociology of music. The current picture of the early history of the sociology of music could be substantially corrected.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants