Critical Review 7: Shelemay

In this piece, Shelemay argues that the lines between musical communities are becoming more and more difficult to define. With communication becoming easier and easier, there is not a discernible area or specific people that can be associated with a particular type of music. She sites the music of the Halabi Jews as an example. The art of the pizmonim, or of setting sacred texts to popular melodies is practiced by those from Brooklyn to Buenos Aires. Clearly, this group is represented in more than one specific area in the world. With communities branching out like the aforementioned, Shelemay argues that the idea that "western music" still exists in a class by itself is now untrue. She says, "the categories of 'Western-music' and 'non-Western music' have disintegrated, if indeed these rubrics ever had the integrity with which they were invested by scholars." Ultimately, it seems that a new title is needed to apply to that which was once "western music."

My question is how this definition can be altered. A great deal of musical scholars take pride in their knowledge of "western music" and often times, one's prowess in this world is determined by such knowledge. With a definition that encompasses more music, will the musically elite be motivated to learn this newly included music or will they simply still consider classical music to be in a league all its own?