The term may be dated, but the book still remains a foundational work in the study of music.

Nettl maps the discipline’s core concerns. The methods, contexts, and theoretical problems involved when music is studied as a social and cultural practice. Nettl treats music as behaviour embedded in human life rather than a formal system isolated in sound. Case studies, comparison across cultures, and discussions of transcription, fieldwork, and observer impact make the book both practical and reflective.

This first edition is significant historically: it captures ethnomusicology at a moment when the field was defining itself, negotiating questions of insider/outsider perspective, and articulating methods still in use. Its influence extends into anthropology, performance studies, and cultural theory as well.

This is signed by Nettl, adding provenance and appeal for collectors interested in music scholarship, ethnographic methods, or the history of academic disciplines.