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Modernizing Composition: Sinhala Song, Poetry, and Politics in Twentieth-Century Sri Lanka (South Asia Across the Disciplines) 1st Edition, Kindle Edition

by Garrett Field (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.8 12 ratings

Part of: South Asia Across the Disciplines (17 books)

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A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press’s Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more.

The study of South Asian music falls under the purview of ethnomusicology, whereas that of South Asian literature falls under South Asian studies. As a consequence of this academic separation, scholars rarely take notice of connections between South Asian song and poetry. Modernizing Composition overcomes this disciplinary fragmentation by examining the history of Sinhala-language song and poetry in twentieth-century Sri Lanka. Garrett Field describes how songwriters and poets modernized song and poetry in response to colonial and postcolonial formations. The story of this modernization is significant in that it shifts focus from India’s relationship to the West to little-studied connections between Sri Lanka and North India.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Modernizing Composition is a product of thorough research, fresh interpretation, and clear writing; it will be of great value to readers in postcolonial studies looking to broaden their regional outlook and readers in Sri Lanka studies seeking to expand their theoretical perspectives." ― Asian Music

From the Inside Flap

“Garrett Field’s book takes an innovative approach toward studying modern Sinhala songs as literary works in their own right. His delightful translations and insightful analysis serve to make these little-studied works into a fascinating lens for viewing significant political and cultural changes in modern South Asia.” —Stephen C. Berkwitz, author of Buddhist Poetry and Colonialism: Alagiyavanna and the Portuguese in Sri Lanka

“Modernizing Composition uses nuanced readings of Sinhala song and poetry to rethink arguments on South Asian nationalism and modernity, which have until now largely focused on India and Pakistan. Garrett Field’s attention to poetics makes this book critical for understanding the larger literary culture of the region. His account of Sri Lankan modern song composers operating in relation to the dominant forces of Indian classical and film musics makes it a must-read for ethnomusicologists.”—Richard K. Wolf, author of The Voice in the Drum: Music, Language and Emotion in Islamicate South Asia

“Field masterfully demonstrates how the intertwined histories of Sinhala musical and poetic efforts developed in relation to the political dynamics of Sri Lanka in the early and mid-twentieth century.”—Amanda Weidman, author of Singing the Classical, Voicing the Modern: The Postcolonial Politics of Music in South India