Prague Soundscapes

Dvorák’s opera Rusalka at the National Theatre. A punk concert in an underground club. The hypnotic chanting of Hare Krishnas joyfully dancing through the streets. These are the sounds of Prague. And in this book, they are the subject of a musical anthropological inquiry.

Prague Soundscapes seeks to understand why in human society—in its behavior, values, and relationships—music is produced and how those who make it listen to it. Based on recent theories of cultural anthropology, this study offers an account of the musical activities of contemporary Prague in different musical genres, cultural spaces, and events. The text is bolstered by color photographs of the musical events, producers, and listeners.