War, Exile and the Music of Afghanistan: The Ethnographer’s Tale

by John Baily

In the 1970s John Baily conducted extensive ethnomusicological research in Afghanistan, principally in the city of Herat but also in Kabul. Then, with Taraki's coup in 1978, came conflict, war, and the dispersal of many musicians to locations far and wide. This new publication is the culmination of Baily's further research on Afghan music over the 35 years that followed. This took him to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, the USA, Australia and parts of Europe - London, Hamburg and Dublin. Arranged chronologically, the narrative traces the sequence of political events - from 1978, through the Soviet invasion, to the coming of the Taliban and, finally, the aftermath of the US-led invasion in 2001. He examines the effects of the ever-changing situation on the lives and works of Afghan musicians, following individual musicians in fascinating detail. At the heart of his analysis are privileged vignettes of ten musical personalities - some of friends, and some newly discovered. The result is a remarkable personal memoir by an eminent ethnomusicologist known for his deep commitment to Afghanistan, Afghan musicians and Afghan musical culture.

John Baily is also an ethnographic filmmaker. Four of his films relating to his research are included on the DVD that accompanies the text.

232 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2015

About the author

Dr John Baily is Emeritus Professor of Ethnomusicology and Head of the Afghanistan Music Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Reviews

[Lachlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a beautiful introduction to the classical music of Afghanistan, and how musicians and institutions have been affected by war and migration.

I recognise that this an ethnographic/musicologists study, but I'm a little disappointed that specific techniques were not explored. Perhaps this is not the appropriate place for them.

For academic writing, the style is neither too dense nor obtuse, but I still find myself wishing for a slightly more modern journalistic flair, and perhaps more detail.

Still, we must recognise this for what it is: a vital collection of academic research on classical music in Afghanistan. For this alone it deserves respect, and to be read with anyone interested in the music of Afghanistan.

I’m yet to watch the accompanying documentaries (due to a lack of a working DVD player in my house - this is 2018, after all) but am very much looking forward to them. Prof. Baily's documentaries are not easy to find online, and when they are they are extremely expensive (as they are part of academic institutional archives). A shame. The music and Prof. Baily's work deserves wider recognition.

[Mills College Library]

780.9581 B161w 2015