The Sociology of Wind Bands.

Despite the musical and social role they play in many parts of the world, wind bands have not attracted much interest from sociologists. The Sociology of Wind Bands strives to fill this gap in research by providing a sociological view of this musical universe as it stands now. Based on a qualitative and quantitative survey conducted in northeastern France, the authors present a vivid description of the orchestras, of the backgrounds and practices of their musicians, and of the repertoire they play. Their multi-scale analysis, from the cultural field to the wind music subfield and to everyday life relationships within bands and local communities, sheds new light on the social organisation, meanings and functions of a type of music that is all too often taken for granted. Yet, they go further than merely portraying a musical genre. As wind music is routinely neglected and socially defined as poor if not in bad taste, the book addresses the thorny issue of the effects of cultural hierarchy and domination. It proposes an imaginative and balanced framework, which, beyond the specific case of wind music, is an innovative contribution to the sociology of lowbrow culture.