Tracking Relational Spaces on Record: A Multipart Perspective on the Analysis of Recorded Popular Music

One of the divides between traditional and popular music is the diff erent status of the performance in the two. In the former, it is generally understood as a live event, an extemporary composition realized in the here and now, whereas in popular music the recorded performance is an object based on per-
formative materials (the recording), which in turn can infl uence subsequent live performances. Despite this difference, the concept of multipart music may nevertheless be fruitful in both domains of music studies in approaching both actual and mediatized performances. After a theoretical discussion of issues related to mediation and production processes, including the temporal aspects of collaboration through recording and the spatial dimension constructed by the stereophonic mix, the paper will apply the concept of multipart music to an analysis of the main theme from Shaft by Isaac Hayes. Here the perspective provided by this conceptual tool will provide the key to unpacking its meanings and cultural significance, starting from a consideration of its structural details and subsequently revealing the connections between text and context.