This thesis is the culmination of a four year research project which encompassed analysing lullaby texts, exploring lullaby performance contexts, researching how the lullaby functions, and considering its role in modern family life in Scotland and the UK. The aim of this ethnological study has been to record and analyze current perceptions of the lullaby; ascertain whether the tradition is, as has been suggested, a dying one; discover which lullabies are in the common repertoire; and explore how they are used. This has been achieved by recording autobiographical memory narratives, and direct experiences, from children, parents, grandparents, semi-professional and professional musicians, and songwriters, in a bid to understand lullabies in their social and cultural contexts. Fieldwork carried out with mother and baby groups introduced a workshop programme to teach lullabies and record what impact the introduction of regular lullaby singing made to the infant sleep-time routine. The research also explores and highlights the many ways that lullabies are used in the fields of medical science and music therapy. This thesis demonstrates that this form of song has many important functions including developmental, psychological, social, and therapeutic, and thus the study reveals the power of the lullaby and opens up many avenues for further research.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:577585 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Watt, Irene |
| Publisher | University of Aberdeen |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=197402 |
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