Julien O. and Levaux C. (eds., 2018) Over and Over: Exploring Repetition in Popular Music, New York, Bloomsbury Academic.

Abstract

Over and Over, edited by Olivier Julien and Christophe Levaux, is an important musicological collection that addresses repetition head-on. It focuses upon musical repetition not as a parameter to employ in analytical readings, but as a significant topic of study in itself. Rather than a single theme or overarching argument, the book provides a concise review of varied research perspectives on this ubiquitous musical phenomenon. The methodological diversity of these essays is particularly notable. The book’s strongest contributions, such as those by Fink, Danielsen, and Rietveld, substantially draw from the established literature on repetition. Historical accounts are helpfully provided in the chapters by Levaux and Julien, and de Clercq and Margulis’ chapter informs the topic with approaches from music cognition. The editors are to be commended for opening (perhaps reopening) the debate on repetition, directing attention to this matter most intricate and integral to so much music.