WEST MEETS EAST – PREPARATION 5

(F-10)

 

 

For Mon Oct. 11

 

Today’s topic is composers who sought out “Eastern” music as an alternative to or escape from European music.

 

Listen to:

Colin McPhee:  Tabuh-tabuhan

Maurice Delage:  Quatre poèmes hindous

Scores and recordings are on reserve.  You can also find recordings on Naxos.

 

Read:

Colin McPhee:  A House in Bali , pages 9-14, 40-49;

Philip Brett: "Eros and orientalism in Britten's operas," in Queering the Pitch: The New Gay and Lesbian Musicology (1994), 235-256;

          Jann Pasler, “Race, Orientalism and Distinction in the wake of the ‘Yellow Peril’” in Western Music and its Others (ed. Born and Hesmondhalgh, 2000), real only 99-110.

The readings are on reserve and also posted.  I haven't assigned any works by Britten, but I'll bring in some examples to play in class.

 

 

Pick one of the assigned pieces and write a brief answer to the following question: 

Is there a significant difference between this piece and the “orientalist” pieces of the 19th century?  Consider one or more of the following issues: composer’s motivation, composer’s sources, musical form, treatment of harmony, treatment of instruments.

                     

 

PS – Remember your term paper topic is also due on Monday.