Music History and Contrasting Reviews

Below is a link to a well-written book review by ethnomusicologist Travis Stimeling. In this thorough and balanced review, Dr. Stimeling appears to have the admirable agenda of informing readers about the unique insights to be found in a newly published book, which is what academic book reviews are supposed to be all about.

Further below is a link to a highly unusual and contrasting review of the very same book, followed by links to articles intended to help correct the bias of both that surprising review and the provocative chapter its author singled out as especially “inspiring”. Compare carefully to notice the important differences.

For a variety of reasons (some of which are legitimate), editors of scholarly publications do not always manage to wield the power they should hold to ensure that academic writers and reviewers meet basic standards of fairness. However, with the passage of time a clearer picture still tends to emerge, at least among those who read widely and carefully, reserving judgment until sufficient data have been presented.  

NOTE: The links listed below can be a bit slow to load.

-Click HERE to see Travis Stimeling’s review of De-Canonizing Music History in the Journal of Music History Pedagogy, vol. 2, no. 2 (2012).

-Click HERE to see Petter Dyndahl’s book review on pp. 107-108 of the Finnish Journal of Music Education, vol. 13, no. 1 (2010).

-Click HERE to see Thomas Regelski’s “Reply to Petter Dyndahl’s Book Review of De-Canonizing Music History” on p.82 of the Finnish Journal of Music Education, vol. 13, no. 2 (2010). NOTE: This reportedly was Regelski’s final contribution to FJME.

-Click HERE to see Thomas Regelski’s “Correcting MayDay Group History” on the MayDay Group website (2010).

-Click HERE to see an announcement for the book De-Canonizing Music History.