Often defined as the comparative and anthropological study of the musics of the world, the field of ethnomusicology originated in the late nineteenth century. Early on, landmark publications that objectively examined non-European musics, political events (such as the colonization of Africa), and the Romantic movement's interest in folklore fused with new technological advances (such as the invention of recording), creating a field that would have a profound effect on the study, pedagogy, and practice of music. The essays collected here investigate the history of this relatively young but highly influential discipline.rnNineteen scholars fronr five countries explore significant issues in the history of ethnomusicology and its methodological and theoretical foundations, and provide a critique of the discipline. The essays are grouped to show four aspects of its history: the importance of ethnomusrcology in recognizing the world's musical cirversrty; major issues of analysis and tnterpretation that have been with the field throughout its history; sketches of the contributions by a few major scholars who have shaped the course of ethnomusicology; and the interdisoplinary nature of this field. The edrtors' lntroduction and Epilogue furnish a context in which to examine the history of ethnomusicology as it relates to intellectual history as a whole.