Exoticism: infatuation with foreign cultures; associated with Romantic age; importation
vs.
Folklorism: study and use of ones indigenous musical heritage
Early examples:
1. Janizary music (bodyguard of Turkish sultans) known to European courts from mid-1700s
bass drum, cymbals, triangle
Gluck, Mozart, Haydn (Military
Symphony), Beethoven, Weber, Rossini
2. France-mid 19th C as a melting pot for exotic imporatations
exploration, Napoleons campaigns, Napoleon IIIs marriage to Eugenie de Montijo
Saint-Saens (Algeria, eastern modes); Bizets Carment (Iberian Peninsula)
Glinka emphasized potential
use of native Russian materials, as well as vitalizing capacity of
Oriental, Spanish materials
in melody, rhythm, color
influenced Glinka, Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Glazunov, Stravinsky
3. Paris World Exhibition of 1889
javanese gamelan influenced
a generation of French composers, including Debussy, Ravel, Dukas,
Roussel, etc.
Debussy
inspired by painters works with eastern themes
musical influences conceded to have taken place on visit to 1889 Paris World Exhibition
pentatonic scales used as elements of color, contrast, timbre
Russian, Spanish, English folk songs
Postwar
Backgrounds: colorist, formal-constructive alternatives
1. Debussy, other early 20th C European composers
2. Messiaen-color, rhythm [studied Greek and Hindu patterns, forms]
3.
America
interest in Pacific cultures; California-based composers
Cowell, McPhee, Lou Harrison, Harry Partch
Cowell studied non-Eurpean musics with ethnomusicologists in Berlin;
interest with new
sounds shifted to exploratoin of ethnic music from standpoint of sound
and organization;
indeterminacy
John Cage
early works for percussion, prepared piano; timbre, formal organization
antecedents for minimalism in such works as Amores
interest in eastern [Indian]
materials broadened to encompass philosophical approach to
composition [anti-ego]
East vs. West
West:
"Genius"
composers, individual approach: no other piece like this-only way to reproduce
it is to
play
it from written music;
goal orientation (everything gets better and better);
rhythmic system is system of ratios; divided rhythms
abstract forms (sonata form-nothing to do with emotions, physical principles)
written transmission of information (hands-on)
emphasis upon harmony, harmonic progressions
2 scales (major, minor)
East
representative approach; no big stars; anti-ego
cycles of time;
additive rhythms; influx principle
traditional forms; nova rosta=9 emotions
oral tradition
emphasis
upon melody, rhythm; no sense of chord progression: stationary chord, drone,
tonal
pillar
72
scales (Northern India)
Tala-rhythmic pattern; table; assymetric groups [2s & 3s]; sum
Raga-melodic pattern, basic melodic form that implies emotions, certain times of day, note embellishments; sitar
Drone-like a tonic; sustained; tambura
Minimalism
Interpretive ideas:
Music which uses very few elements over a long period of time with very fine degrees of contrast
aspect of dealing with time
trance music, steady-state music
influenced by Cowell, Cage;
sustained or repetitive use of simple materials; Eastern philosophical
basis;
reduction of materials, emphasis on repetitive schemes, stasis
Indian influences:
1) drone (tambura)
2) rhythmic cycles (talas; tabla)
3)
melodic improvisation (raga; gamaka [ornamentation]; relates to 9 Indian
moods, emotive
aspect
heavily repeated materials
using principally Western instruments and tunings; just intonation,
simple
interval ratios
Eastern/popular crossovers in 60s prompted experimental/popular (concert)
avante-garde is dead; return to simplicity: pitch, duration and silence
endorsed neither total control or chance as an exclusive credo; took the best of both
multi-cultural processes, techniques, concepts, instruments
idea of process; "anti-masterpiece" mentality
perceived aimlessness from Eastern/ New Age
represents search for a common style; analogous to pre-20th C
concert music/popular culture; composer as performer
John Cage: shift in the way American is being composed, performed, appreciated
individual perception
"packaging" of ideas
go with the moment, rather than try to recall previous relationships
Relate minimalist compositions to Eastern concepts, ideas, structures, procedures
reaction against manipulative types of music (serialism)
emphasis upon rhythmic processes, structures
static, trancelike
Lamont Young (b. 1935) regarded as "father" of minimalism
Terry Riley (b. 1935)
-slow expansions or reductions occuring over great lengths of time
In C, Rainbow in Curved Air
Steve Reich (b. 1936)
"phase" process from idea of gradual nonsynchronization; tape loop
Come Out, Music for 18 Musicians, Violin Phase, Different Trains
Eastern influences in Come Out
1. rhythmic cycle; drone; motivic fragments evolve from voice/tape processes
2. static harmony or environment; stationary quality, repetition
3. individual perception is as important as composers intentions
Philip Glass (b. 1937)
-bar line sets stage for changing meters for different lengths of repeating material
-additive rhythms
-studied North Indian, Morrocan, Boulanger, Shankir
-pared everything down to basics, built back up again
-make audience aware of the passing of time
-moment concept
Music in Fifths
Einstein on the Beach (w/ Robert Wilson: staging & designs)
-modern mythological basis
-additive process, rhythm
-4-5 hours
-opera with no arias, recitatives, etc.
-Dreamscape: 20th C mythology
-no real plot; rather, a series of different scenes
-dance: minimalist style; motorized
-violinist: Einsein; everyone dressed like Einstein
-Einsteins role: midway between orchestra and performers; witness of stage events
-emphasis on passing of time
-scientists unleashed social powers which couldnt be dealt with
-dream-like atmosphere
-trains: Einstein played with trains as a boy; explained theory of relativity
New-Age
like minimalism; however, less emphasis upon rhythic pulse
associated with nature
Brian Eno