Critical Review - Wald

Drawing from other research I've done (and mentioned previously), I find a lot of similarities between Wald's analysis of the "corridos" in Mexican/SW American culture, and the culture of British 19th century music halls. While the latter emphasized variety performance--dance, song, comedy, cabaret, theatre, etc.--both seemingly serve(d) a dual function as both a recognized popular style, as well as a conduit of subcultural lore. As Wald characterized: "Since their inception, corridos have been a sort of musical literature and newspaper for the working class community... they have always gone in for a good deal of tabloid sensationalism, and frequently mixed truth and fiction, but they also continue to transmit the news and cultural information that is of interest to their audience." [p216] Similarly, the London music halls served as popular nighttime entertainment for all, yet were of particular popularity for those "in the know," who read through the often comical or satirical fare to grasp working-class social, cultural or political subtexts. In my mind, that certain aspects of music go unknown to entire populations of listeners is significant because it multiplies the role that music can have; the dual function of music to entertain and inform implicates both the performer and the audience in the music itself.

Discussion question(s): so, how can it do this? How does music take on a role of something more than just "the music itself"? What is it in the music that fosters some to take it at face-value and others to decode? Furthermore, what can one discern of a subculture centered around such musics? Is immersion necessary for understanding?