Music and the Horse in Asia, Europe, and North America

Abstract

This thesis investigates the intersection between music and horses within three geographical regions: Asia, Europe, and North America. The horse and human relationship throughout regions and eras has been significantly intertwined and the horse has long been a symbol of moral standards, aesthetic values, and cultural meaning. The ways in which horses are depicted in music from these regions reinforces ethnic/national identities and strengthens the musical construction of place. Horse-related musical imagery and equestrian music can be considered from an ecomusicological perspective that foregrounds the ecological relationship between horses and human culture. This thesis also engages with concepts from anthropology, sociology, and acoustics, such as totemism, interactionism, and kinesthetic imagery. Within the equestrian music of each region unique thematic associations arise. In Asia, these themes include associations with wind and sky, balance, and embodied spirituality. In Europe, these themes include associations with celestial bodies, wealth, prosperity, and nobility. In North America, these themes include associations with the common man, westward expansion, and heroism. Within each of these regions and eras, however, horse-related musical imagery is firmly associated with themes of power.