Considering yodeling as a musical device in American music, this book investigates in parallel two ways of understanding various meanings associated with yodeling: as the connotative functions of yodeling within specific musical texts and as the ideological implications of its use. It aims to provoke a reflection on the concept of singing and received cultural ideas associated with it. Starting with the premise that music is a discursive practice that is itself inseparable from a critical verbal discourse about music, the book interrogates the relationship between yodeling and predominating mu ... More

Considering yodeling as a musical device in American music, this book investigates in parallel two ways of understanding various meanings associated with yodeling: as the connotative functions of yodeling within specific musical texts and as the ideological implications of its use. It aims to provoke a reflection on the concept of singing and received cultural ideas associated with it. Starting with the premise that music is a discursive practice that is itself inseparable from a critical verbal discourse about music, the book interrogates the relationship between yodeling and predominating musical orthodoxy. Through a critical examination of that relationship, the book explores numerous examples of yodeling in American music, questioning why it achieved prominence and status in some genres and not in others and attempting to account for the relatively low prestige accorded to music featuring yodeling. After defining yodeling and classifying the yodel types found in American vocal styles, the book traces yodeling’s history from early references to the practice in European art music, through its appearance in nineteenth-century Alpine-themed songs of the romantic era, its introduction into American music and the blending of European-style yodeling with African American singing styles, to its prominent role in early country music and in western-themed music. The approach is informed by critical musicology and semiotics, focusing on sound patterns, the development of their semantic associations in various contexts, and the relationship of that music to predominating tastes. A final chapter seeks to explain why yodeling continues to remain at the margins of mainstream tastes.