Edwin Seroussi Sonic Ruins of Modernity

Annotation

Sonic Ruins of Modernity shows how social, cultural and cognitive phenomena interact in the making and distribution of folksongs beyond their time. Through Judeo-Spanish (or Ladino) folksongs, the author illustrates a methodology for the interplay of individual memories, artistic initiatives, political and media policies, which ultimately shape "tradition" for the past century. He fleshes out in a series of case studies how folksongs can be conceived, performed and circulated in the post-tradition era - constituting each song as a "sonic ruin," as an imagined place. At the same time, the book overall provides a unique perspective on the history of the Judeo-Spanish folksong.