Abstract
When ethnomusicologist Suzel Ana Reily observed the folia de reis ensembles of São Bernardo do Campo perform during the Christmas seasons of 1986 and 1987, she became enchanted. Her enchantment, however, did not prevent her from producing in due time a nuanced analysis of her ethnographic experience. In her thoughtful monograph Voices of the Magi, she draws judiciously upon a wide-ranging bibliography for historical grounding and theoretical reflection, and she presents her analysis in an engaging narrative structure that itself echoes the journey of the folias. The book is [End Page 139] an excellent addition to the still relatively small body of published ethnomusicological studies of this Brazilian musical tradition. Earlier writings on the folia tradition exist, but many of these texts (except Brandão 1977 and Tremura 1999) are documented descriptions by folklorists, and they rarely examine in depth the structural role of music making in the ritual. Reily's is also the only book-length study published in English on the folia de reis.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
