Cacophony or harmony? Multivocal logics and technology licensing by the Stanford University Department of Music

This paper explores the rise and role of technical and commercial logics within the Stanford University music department. I examine the initial framing of these novel activities in terms of musical composition, and the subsequent interaction between technical, commercial and musical logics over a thirty-year period. Ultimately, positive feedbacks between the various logics have led to a mutual dependence, solidifying the centrality of musical composition within the department while underscoring the complementary role of technical and commercial endeavors. Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.