摘要：This essay examines the Italian ethnographical studies of the African colonial
domains¡¯ musical traditions circulated from the liberal era to fascism. Published essays
including ethnographical transcriptions prepared by ethnographers, officials, musicians
and musicologists are my privileged sources of analysis. While rare and poor in
scientific value, as well as immature in the methodology applied, these accounts are
invaluable under at least three points of view: they are the only sources referring to the
musical culture of those societies during the late 19th century and the first half of the
20th century; they reflect an early interest by the Italian musical ethnography towards
extra-national traditions; they are useful means to understanding the relationships
between culture and politics during the Italian colonial era. The analysis of these
sources will show how traditional African music was approached and represented by
ethnographers. The main causes for the lacking of a wider ethnographical production
during the Italian colonial period will also be investigated.
