I apologize to those who took my quiz and found it wanting. I was just
trying to delineate the emotional components, as I see them, of historical
musical styles. The composers mentioned are just examples, not sure-fire
loved-ones-to-be. Late-Romantic-favoring individuals may hate Mahler,
but like Brahms, Bruch or Dohnanyi.
David Whitbeck asked what the Postmodernist style is. There are so many
definitions, perhaps the term should no longer be used. Jann Pasler,
in the New Grove distinguishes three types of musical Postmodernism, all
of which fall under the general rubric of "a critique of Modernism."
(1) A neo-conservative style, a rejection of "the need for constant
change and originality and the increasingly difficult and often intellectual
approach to music espoused by Modernists." a return "to more traditionally
accessible notions of music." Lowell Libermann, George Rochberg, Jake
Heggie and Einojohanni Rautavaara might be considered members of this
school.
(2) "Radical postmodernism." A exploration of "cultural codes and
associated social or political affiliations," as well as "the 'master
narratives' of tonality, narrative structure, Western hegemony and male
dominance." Minimalists and postminimalists like Adams are considered
by Pasler to be in this category.
(3) "Connection or interpenetration," when "a work's juxtapositions
involve an eclectic inclusion of material from disparate discourses,
[including] elements that are not musical per se." This type includes
"collage" or "knowing" quotation of previous composers. Modernist
quotation attempts to show superiority or advance beyond the music quoted
(e.g., though satirization); postmodernist quotation is done with reverance
or as part of cultural commentary. Alfred Schnittke comes to mind
particularly in this area, but many postmodernists practice it from time
to time.
Jeff Dunn
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