Carnival Music in Trinidad

Designed for undergraduates with little or no background in world music, Music in Trinidad is one of several volumes that can be used along with Thinking Musically, the main book in the Global Music Series, in any introductory world music or ethnomusicology course. Music in Trinidad explores how the history and culture of Trinidad is related to the expression and interpretation of Carnival music, the musical tradition most representative of Trinidadian culture. It looks at the genres of calypso, steelband, and soca and describes both their musical structure and their political and symbolic meanings in Trinidad's society. The book also examines how the instruments, sounds, and lyrics of Carnival music provide a sense of national and ethnic identity. Music in Trinidad includes many vivid accounts and illustrations of Carnival performances and is packaged with a 70-minute CD that includes examples of the various genres of Carnival music.