Beate Kutschke
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195336641
- eISBN:
- 9780199868551
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195336641.003.0005
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western, Popular
The West‐German avant‐garde music scene of the early 1970s—the period in which the spirit of the New Left manifested itself most intensively in the musical field—was especially marked by the numerous ...
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The West‐German avant‐garde music scene of the early 1970s—the period in which the spirit of the New Left manifested itself most intensively in the musical field—was especially marked by the numerous discussions and debates about the nature of political music, its perfection and failures, conducted by musicians and music writers with endless energy and engagement. This chapter throws light on one of these debates: the argument between Nikolaus A. Huber and Clytus Gottwald in 1971–72 about Huber's composition Harakiri. It investigates the terms of the debate, firstly with regard to the musical facts—and in particular a comparison made at the time between Huber's Harakiri and Hans Otte's contemporary piece, Zero—and secondly with regard to the ideas of Theodor W. Adorno, who provided the New Leftist avant‐gardists with politico‐aesthetical ideas.Less
The West‐German avant‐garde music scene of the early 1970s—the period in which the spirit of the New Left manifested itself most intensively in the musical field—was especially marked by the numerous discussions and debates about the nature of political music, its perfection and failures, conducted by musicians and music writers with endless energy and engagement. This chapter throws light on one of these debates: the argument between Nikolaus A. Huber and Clytus Gottwald in 1971–72 about Huber's composition Harakiri. It investigates the terms of the debate, firstly with regard to the musical facts—and in particular a comparison made at the time between Huber's Harakiri and Hans Otte's contemporary piece, Zero—and secondly with regard to the ideas of Theodor W. Adorno, who provided the New Leftist avant‐gardists with politico‐aesthetical ideas.
Michael Hicks and Christian Asplund
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252037061
- eISBN:
- 9780252094163
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252037061.003.0005
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
This chapter recounts yet more milestones and developments in Wolff's musical career, as well as the changes within his household which in turn enacted further changes into his opus. As Wolff settled ...
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This chapter recounts yet more milestones and developments in Wolff's musical career, as well as the changes within his household which in turn enacted further changes into his opus. As Wolff settled into life at Dartmouth, he once again found himself diverging politically from the paths set by Cage and Cardew. But beyond the social consciousness of his performance collective, Wolff turned to a new technique: the veiled embedding of old worker's songs and political tunes in the fabric of his counterpoint. In addition, Wolff would also create another landmark piece in his career: Wobbly Music, which was his first choral work. It established his canon of musico-political sources: the worker's music championed by folk revivalists of the 1950s and 1960s, and exploited a technique that had long fascinated him: hocket.Less
This chapter recounts yet more milestones and developments in Wolff's musical career, as well as the changes within his household which in turn enacted further changes into his opus. As Wolff settled into life at Dartmouth, he once again found himself diverging politically from the paths set by Cage and Cardew. But beyond the social consciousness of his performance collective, Wolff turned to a new technique: the veiled embedding of old worker's songs and political tunes in the fabric of his counterpoint. In addition, Wolff would also create another landmark piece in his career: Wobbly Music, which was his first choral work. It established his canon of musico-political sources: the worker's music championed by folk revivalists of the 1950s and 1960s, and exploited a technique that had long fascinated him: hocket.
Michael Hicks and Christian Asplund
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252037061
- eISBN:
- 9780252094163
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252037061.001.0001
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
This book, the first interpretive narrative of the life and work of Christian Wolff, traces the influences and sensibilities of a contemporary composer's atypical career path and restless ...
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This book, the first interpretive narrative of the life and work of Christian Wolff, traces the influences and sensibilities of a contemporary composer's atypical career path and restless imagination. Written in full cooperation with Wolff, including access to his papers, this volume is a much-needed introduction to a leading avant-garde composer still living, writing music, and speaking about his own work. Wolff has pioneered various compositional and notational idioms, including overtly political music, indeterminacy, graphic scores, and extreme virtuosity. The book covers Wolff's family life and formative years, his role as a founder of the New York School of composers, and the context of his life and work as part of the John Cage circle, as well as his departures from it. Critically assessing Wolff's place within the experimental musical field, this volume captures both his eloquence and reticence and provides insights into his broad interests and activities within music and beyond.Less
This book, the first interpretive narrative of the life and work of Christian Wolff, traces the influences and sensibilities of a contemporary composer's atypical career path and restless imagination. Written in full cooperation with Wolff, including access to his papers, this volume is a much-needed introduction to a leading avant-garde composer still living, writing music, and speaking about his own work. Wolff has pioneered various compositional and notational idioms, including overtly political music, indeterminacy, graphic scores, and extreme virtuosity. The book covers Wolff's family life and formative years, his role as a founder of the New York School of composers, and the context of his life and work as part of the John Cage circle, as well as his departures from it. Critically assessing Wolff's place within the experimental musical field, this volume captures both his eloquence and reticence and provides insights into his broad interests and activities within music and beyond.
Michael Hicks and Christian Asplund
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252037061
- eISBN:
- 9780252094163
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252037061.003.0004
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
This chapter marks another threshold in Wolff's musical career: Burdocks. Drawing performative techniques from the improvisatory Scratch Orchestra and heterophonic textures inspired by an African ...
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This chapter marks another threshold in Wolff's musical career: Burdocks. Drawing performative techniques from the improvisatory Scratch Orchestra and heterophonic textures inspired by an African field recording, Burdocks was Wolff's first work intended for a large ensemble. It was his first multimovement work in which each movement had distinctly different instructions on how and what to play. And it was his longest in actual (not just conceptual) performance. In addition, Wolff also had to contend with competing political ideologies between his two mentors, John Cage and Cornelius Cardew, the founder of the Scratch Orchestra. Yet the chapter argues that Wolff's musical “transitional point” came not so much in Burdocks or political intent, but in a new approach to melody that began with a series of piano pieces he wrote in 1969–1970.Less
This chapter marks another threshold in Wolff's musical career: Burdocks. Drawing performative techniques from the improvisatory Scratch Orchestra and heterophonic textures inspired by an African field recording, Burdocks was Wolff's first work intended for a large ensemble. It was his first multimovement work in which each movement had distinctly different instructions on how and what to play. And it was his longest in actual (not just conceptual) performance. In addition, Wolff also had to contend with competing political ideologies between his two mentors, John Cage and Cornelius Cardew, the founder of the Scratch Orchestra. Yet the chapter argues that Wolff's musical “transitional point” came not so much in Burdocks or political intent, but in a new approach to melody that began with a series of piano pieces he wrote in 1969–1970.
