Musikwissenschaftler

Musikwissenschaftler are musicologists who study the various aspects of music. They come from a variety of academic backgrounds, including musicology, music theory, ethnomusicology, history, anthropology, and sociology. Their work involves the examination of music's cultural, social, and historical contexts. Musikwissenschaftler use analytical techniques to study the structure, style, and function of music in different societies and time periods.

These scholars investigate how music has been used in past and present cultures to convey meaning, express identity, and create community. They explore the historical development of various musical styles and genres and examine the social and cultural factors that influence the creation and performance of music. Additionally, theirs is a global field of study, encompassing music from cultures around the world.

In Germany, Musikwissenschaftler are often associated with the discipline of Musikwissenschaft. At the University of Vienna, musicology has its roots in the Officina Musicologica. The Institute for Musicology at the University of Graz dates back to 1977. In the UK, the Open University was the first institution to award a certificate in musicology. In the US, departments of musicology are present at universities such as Harvard and Yale. The field is not limited to theory and history, however, as mid-20th-century works emphasized a more socio-cultural approach, exemplified by publications by Simha Arom and Victor Lowenfeld.

In Germany, especially, contemporary Musikwissenschaftler can be networked via the Austrian Alex Roslowski's privately maintained and electronic listserv or by fore the Bavarian, Idstein, Nordrhein-Westfalian, or Saxony-Anhalt networks / databases.