Music hall & modernity
the late-Victorian discovery of popular culture
Barry J. Faulk
244 pages | ~7 hrs
Music hall & modernity
the late-Victorian discovery of popular culture
By Barry J. Faulk
This scholarly exploration reveals a fascinating cultural transformation in late-Victorian England, where intellectual elites discovered an unexpected source of authenticity in the vibrant world of music halls. Barry J. Faulk examines how prominent cultural critics of the era found themselves drawn to these popular entertainment venues, seeing in them a genuine expression of "the people's" spontaneous culture.
The book illuminates a compelling paradox: the same intellectuals who positioned themselves as arbiters of refined taste and national cultural standards became devoted followers of working-class entertainment. Through careful analysis of figures like Arthur Symons and Elizabeth Robins Pennell, Faulk demonstrates how these cultural gatekeepers used their engagement with music halls to establish their professional credibility while simultaneously celebrating the raw, unfiltered creativity they encountered there.
This work offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics between high and popular culture, revealing how cultural boundaries were negotiated and redefined during a pivotal moment in modern history. Readers interested in understanding how authentic expression emerges from grassroots communities, and how intellectual frameworks can both embrace and constrain popular creativity, will find rich material for reflection.
The study contributes to broader conversations about urbanism, cultural identity, and the ongoing tension between preserving tradition and embracing innovation in rapidly changing societies.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Popular culture
- ✓ Explore Performing arts
- ✓ Explore Music-halls (Variety-theaters, cabarets, etc.)
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore English literature
- ✓ Explore Popular culture, great britain
- ✓ Explore Music-halls (variety-theaters, cabarets, etc.), great britain
- ✓ Explore In literature
Topics
Details
- Published
- 2004
- Publisher
- Ohio University Press
- ISBN-10
- 0821415859
- Pages
- 244
- Language
- EN
