Memory and Identity:
A Review of Music Studies from the Perspective of Cultural Memory
Keywords:
Music, Memory, Identity, Culture, Cultural Memory TheoryAbstract
Music evokes individual experiences and carries collective cultural memory. Based on a systematic literature review and rigorous selection, this paper reviews research on music as a medium for constructing memory and identity from the perspective of Jan Assmann's cultural memory theory. The article is divided into four sections: 1) Theoretical and empirical discussions on music and memory; 2) Memory mechanisms within and through music; 3) How cultural memory participates in the construction of collective identity; 4) Empirical research and case studies on music entering cultural memory and its social functions. Rather than merely 'passively reflecting' identity, music actively 'constructs' belonging and group boundaries through memory techniques, education, and performance practices. When works enter the discourse and communication system through canonization, education and interpretation, they become part of cultural memory. The article also identifies two major shortcomings in the existing research: a tendency to prioritise Western discourse and a lack of an operational, interdisciplinary and replicable research framework. To address these issues, the article proposes a research framework connecting the three dimensions of 'musical material–memory practices–identity politics' to promote cross-cultural comparison and methodological operationalization.
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