World Flutelore: Folktales, Myths, and Other Stories of Magical Flute Power (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780252037887)

In many places around the world, flutes and the sounds of flutes are powerful magical forces for seduction and love, protection, vegetal and human fertility, birth and death, and other aspects of human and nonhuman behavior. This book explores the cultural significance of flutes, flute playing, and flute players from around the world as interpreted from folktales, myths, and other stories--in a word, ""flutelore."" A scholarly yet readable study, World Flutelore: Folktales, Myths, and Other Stories of Magical Flute Power draws upon a range of sources in folklore, anthropology, ethnomusicology, and literary analysis.

Describing and interpreting many examples of flutes as they are found in mythology, poetry, lyrics, and other narrative and literary sources from around the world, veteran ethnomusicologist Dale Olsen seeks to determine what is singularly distinct or unique about flutes, flute playing, and flute players in a global context. He shows how and why flutes are important for personal, communal, religious, spiritual, and secular expression and even, perhaps, existence. This is a book for students, scholars, and any reader interested in the cultural power of flutes.

Author: Dale A. Olsen
ISBN-10: 025203788X
ISBN-13: 9780252037887
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Language: English
Published: 12/06/2013
Pages: 264
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 9.19h x 6.30w x 0.93d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 08/01/2014