Drama and structure in Barry Conyngham's Shadows of N6h Patricia Shaw

The aim of this article is to provide a brief language with its tonal vocabulary of scales, introduction to one of the lesser-known works of arpeggios and melodies. Secondly and perhaps Australia's most prolific contemporary composer less obviously, Conyngham has a commitment of concertos for string instruments, Barry to avoiding the vapid exhibitionism which Conyngham. Shadows of No'h (1978), his characterises many nineteenth-century concerto for double bass and orchestra, was concertos: 'I don't want to write pieces that written for the American Bert Turetzky, whom sound uncomfortable for no reason ...You want Conyngham has described as 'a player of to see some fireworks, some "pyro-techniques", unbelievable virtuosity'.l It is in fact the second but I always want them to be musical'.4 piece he wrote for Turetzky, whom he first met One of the most striking features of Shadows, whilst studying at the University of California, and one of the reasons why it can be considered Berkeley, in 1973-4. The first was Playback a successful and worthwhile work for the (1973), for solo double bass and four-track tape. instrument, is the idiomatic and flattering writing In this piece Conyngham familiarised himself for the solo double bass. Turetzky has with many of the non-traditional and unusual campaigned to convince contemporary sounds and techniques of which Turetzky is composers for his instrument of the 'futility of capable. As well, Conyngham formulated his thinking cellistically', which was the major own ideas of the sounds which can be extracted problem of music for the bass before the 1950~.~ from the bass. Thus, in both pieces, the composer In Shadows, Conyngham has certainly avoided was working with a palette which included both doing this. He has eschewed almost entirely the 'the Turetzky sounds' and the 'Conyngham bass kind of legato melodic material which characterises much of the soloist's work in his Conyngham is attracted to the concerto genre Cello Concerto (1984). There are only a few for several reasons. On a purely pragmatic level, bars of melodic material for the soloist in he finds it more rewarding than working with an Shadows, and these occur towards the end (bars orchestra alone, for large groups of players can 131.3 & 140-4; seeExample 1 overleaf). For the often be uncaring and even quite hostile towards most part, Conyngham utilises what may be new music. However, 'if you have one person called extended string techniques: harmonics, whose reputation, whose performing spirit is double stopping, sul ponticello, glissandos, jazz there with you, you really get an advantage'. On pizzicato, arc0 and pizzicato tremolo, broken an aesthetic level, Conyngham is attracted to the chords, knocking on the body of the instrument musico-dramatic possibilities of the soloist/ itself along with other percussive sounds, freely ensemble relationship, as well as to the notated cadenza passages, indefinite pitch exploration and extension of string sounds and notation, rapid string crossing and extremes of techniques which is 'part of the ethos of the tessitura. concerto: the standing on your head and juggling Such devices ensure that the soloist, even four hoops while drinking a glass of water ...Who when playing in the lower registers, is never wants to see a concerto where someone's just overwhelmed by the orchestral texture; even in ~laying?'~ the melodic section the bass is supported rather In this sense, Conyngham's concertos are than overpowered by an uncluttered orchestral closely akin to the nineteenth-century virtuoso texture (see Example 1 overleaf). The result is concertos. There are, however, two significant that the solo bass does not sound like a lumbering differences between the nineteenth-century out-of-tune 'cello, as it tends to in the standard model and the twentieth-century compositions. classicalconcertos, but instead sounds attractive, Firstly and most obviously, Conyngham's arightful soloist. The material is sympathetic to language is fumly rooted in the contemporary the technical problems of the instrument - the idioms he uses, as opposed to Romantic musical chief one being simply making the strings speak clearly enough to be heard over a body of other the one hand he feels that the audience is aided instruments with more piercing tone qualities - in accepting and appreciating a work by a rather than a futile attempt to overcome them. It knowledge of the images that inspired his should be noted, however, that this type of composition of the music, especially when the soloistic material is characteristic of most of sounds appear strange to the average audience. Conyngham's string writing until at least On the other hand, however, he is wary of and Southern Cross (1982). even frustrated by the fact that these images tend The theatricaVvisualaspect of the concerto as to constrict interpretation of the music, and avehicle for soloistic display was a major concern would prefer that the audience consider those in Conyngham'sestablishment of the programme images to be more a loose metaphor for the - or, as the composer prefers, the metaphor - for music's trajectory than a prescriptive or even Shadows. Since the start of his career, he has proscriptive programme. The programme1 been very interested in music-theatre, beginning metaphor for Ice Carving (1970), for example, his first major theatre work, Edward John Eyre has almost taken on a life of its own, and one in 1969. This interest extends to viewing all of which tends todominate discussion of the work." his music in terms of its dramatic structure. One Yet Conyngham's music is certainly not intended attraction of Turetzky, therefore, was his to contain the precise extra-musical references theatricality both personally and as a performer, of Richard Strauss'! Indeed, Conyngham as well as his history of involvement in theatre considers that 'the imagery is very much anti- piece^.^ When contemplating the bass concerto, programmatic', in that it should be vague, Conyngham was struck by 'a very simple image: unspecific and possibly even confusing, in order Bert Turetzky looks like he ought to be a n6h to encourage audiences to listen in their own ~haracter'.~Therefore Conyngham decided to ways, with a mere suggestion of the way the take the n6h play, which is the major form of composer himself sees the work.12 traditional Japanese serious drama, as a starting It is nevertheless useful toconsider the general point in building up the work's structure.8 dramatic principles of Japanese n6h, given their Conyngham had at one time been very familiar role in the pre-compositional process, in that with n6h drama. During his 1970 visit to Japan they may inform one's interpretation of he not only saw many performances of ndh, but Conyngham's concerto. This should be done also attended some rehearsals at the house of the with the proviso that Conyngham considers he Kanze school, one of the two most dominant and has in fact been influenced very little by largest schoolsof n6h perf~rmance.~By the time traditional Japanese music. Although he sees he came to writing the concerto, however, this Asia as a source of materials with which to knowledge and familiarity had become 'just rejuvenate the inherited traditions of Western shadows of memories'. In the initial planning European art music,13 he has been influenced stages the composer did in fact sketch out for not so much by the complex of aesthetic, social himself the typical structure of a n6h play, but and performance constructsintrinsic to traditional during the compositional process he 'took the Asian musical culture, but by his own perception, usual sort of licence' when structuring the as a foreigner, of the sounds alone.14 concerto itself, and wouldnow 'be most surprised Conyngham's usage of Japanese music also if there was anything other than the most stems in large part - although not initially15- from generalised reference to that'. Therefore, the his admiration for the music of Tom Takemitsu most important aspect of the work's metaphor is (1930-), a Japanese composer who himself filters the "shadows" of memories, and the programme the traditional music through Western idioms.16 note for this work was not very specific and Conyngham is echoing rather than imitating the certainly not narrative, unlike those for many of parameters of Asian music most obvious to the his other works.10 Western auditor - timbres and textures - which This can in fact operate to the composer's are actually quite superficial traits in Japanese advantage, especially in critical interpretation of musical aesthetics.17 This echoing has become the work. Conyngham certainly acknowledges an integrated part of Conyngham's mature style, the problematic nature of programme notes. On rather than simply an "exotic" colouring for his Japan pieces,lg and can be found in most of his material amongst the instruments. There is, in works, especially those of the seventies and particular, great flexibility in the relationship early eighties. Conyngham is quite open about between the two main protagonist groups, with his fairly limited understanding of Asian music, the piano operating frequently in conjunction saying that for him the influence of Japan has not with the percussion, or both main groups been part of any conscious search for Australian operating in opposition to the rest of the orchestra, identity, as it has been for . He or the soloist and percussion playing says that, instead, 'all I was trying to do [were] simultaneously. Such situations would not occur things that pleased me, things which were in the stricter context of Japanese ndh music. In interesting [and] happened to coincide with what addition, the chorus in Japanese ndh has a larger I wanted to do... The only thing that I've done is proportion of the music than does the piano in accidentally picked up on some sounds, on some Shadows, although the supportive function of ways of doing things'.l9 both groups is similar. In Shadows, Conyngham's knowledge of ndh Central to the structure of ndh drama is the coincided with his search for adramatic structure concept of jo-ha-kvu, which operates on many which woulddetermine therelationship between levels ranging from the smallest to the largest. the performing forces. In ndh drama, these are These words may be roughly translated as divided into three groups: introduction, development or intensification, and 1. Shitc (main actor), supported by the 8-man climax or rapid close. In practice, this concept chorus governs (amongst other things) therelative length 2. Waki (secondary actor) of sections - whether these be phrases, songs, 3. Instrumental ensemble (transverse flute and actsortheentire work - with thebbeing themost three drums).20 substantial in length, and the being the most In the interaction between the musical forces dramatic and theatrical.21 This kind of tripartite in Shadows one can see an analogous although structure is, of course, not dissimilar to many much more flexible situation. The forces can Western musical forms, although its extension generally be divided thus: into the smaller scale of phrase structure is 1. Solo bass, supported by piano generally not found in traditional Western 2. Percussion section (1 player) musical forms, which tend towards binary. The 3. Remainder of orchestra (strings, double similarity makes it difficult to quantify the extent woodwind, brass) to which the structures of Shadows were The interaction between the performing forces determined or influenced by Conyngham's here is much more fluid than in the Japanese ndh, familiarisation with the dramatic structure of however, and really only applies to the drama of ndh, if indeed one wishes to attempt such an the work, and not to the division of musical exercise, given both Conyngham's comments

Introduction (jo) b.1 =98" b.24 =I52 b.46 =49" bb. 1-49 =299 Tutti (jo) Tutti & Solo (ha) Solo cadenza (kyu)

Development (ha) b.50 =I03" b.69 =276 b.131 =71" bb.50-139 -450" Solo & Tutti, Tutti, & Solo re- Tutti, & Solo then tutti alone (jo) enters & is sub- with melodic merged in tutti (ha) material (kyu)

Climax (kyu) b.140 =56 b.150 =121" b.174 =54" bb.140-185 =231" Tutti; Solo detunes Tutti; Solo with Tutti; Solo to D & continues improvised retunes to E (kyu) melodic material cadenza (io) (ha)

r

Example 2: Major structural divisions in Shadows of N6h.

24 pizz. Uf LU

El poco accel. --- _ rall. ---- ___, irk f ,s.p. f-normf

Example 3: Shadows, bars 46-9, solo bass only. on the looseness of the relationship and also the to this cadenza begins in bar 46, with the bass fact that he is fundamentally a composer in the recapitulating briefly the two main ideas it has Western tradition. It is, however, both possible presented so far (bar 46 to the beginning of bar and even useful to draw some direct parallels 49). This is followed by a lengthy development between the two structures on several levels, as of the second idea: rising arpeggiated chords some aspects of the musical structure can seem followed by arepeated single pitch which falls at more comprehensible by so doing. The diagram the end (bar 49, figures 1-2). The climax of this in Example 2 shows some large-scale details of cadenza comes with the short frenetic passage of the structure. "pyro-techniques" (bar 49, figure 2-end). From this diagram one can see, for example, One caneven see aio-ha-kvu structure within the first cadenza (bb.46-9) as being these smaller sections of the cadenza, for instance simultaneously the close of the first introductory in the climax (fig.2-end). The initial poco section and the preparation for the second, more accel ...rall introduces the new permutation of significant cadenza (bb.150- 173). The detuning the material, which is then developed, while the and laterretuning of the solo bass's lowest string final section is climactic in that it signals the end (bb.140 & 174 respectively) also emerge as of the cadenza, contains a large and rapid important structural landmarks which define the crescendo and diminuendo, and anticipates the climactic section's dependence on the pitch focus re-entry, in bar 50, of both the orchestra and the of D. That pitch focus is especially strong in the solo bass's principal motive (Example 4 second cadenza,where the bass improvises overleaf). around two octaves of D. This motive, with which the solo bass initially To see the jo-ha-kyu principle at work on the enters at bar 24, is only ever played by the bass, smaller scale of phrase structure one may look, and occurs again at structurally significantpoints. for example, at the first cadenza for the bass It is especially significant to this discussion, for (Example 3). The preparation of or introduction T~kita~~has seen it as fulfilling a similar function 1,II (pulled) a musical ideais announced by the principal motive at bar 101 (Example 5), while the work's final section, which is a condensed version in mirror image of the first 26 bars of the piece, is also announced by the principal motive in bar 174. Example 4: Shadows, principal motive of soloist. This drawing of parallels between Shadows and Japanese n6h drama shows some of the ways to that of the cadential patterns of n6h music, in which Conyngham absorbs the extra-musical which divide the music into sections and define influences he chooses, and uses them both to the dramatic structure. expand traditional Western concepts like that of The recurrence of this motive was a significant the concerto, and also to develop his own style. factor in determining the divisions made for the While an examination of the Japanese aspects of .table in Example 2. For instance, it places the the work's structure is an interesting and fruitful start of the first cadenza in bar 46, rather than in way of looking at the work in its extra-musical bar 49 where the orchestra actually ceases context, is it also important to remember that playing: across the tripartite structure outlined Conyngham is first and foremost a composer above there runs a binary structure, in which the within the Western tradition, and also that 'the first phrase (bb.46-8) is answered by a sequential musical logical structure [is] farmore prescrip tive repeat (bb.48-start of 49) which then proceeds to than some set of metaphor^'.^^ Hence Shadows the developmental section. The beginning of owes just as much to Conyngham's knowledge this binary process is signalled by the principal of Western musical conventions as to the motive. Later in the work a significant new Japanese n6h drama and its conventions.

74" ----1 -c.5" I spicc. (fast)

Example 5: bar 101 of Shadows of N6h, solo bass only. Scores, Recordings and Performances Shadows of N6h (1978). London: Universal Edition, 1979. Shadows of N8h. Bert Turetzky and the Los Angeles Glossary of specialised Symphony Orchestra. Los Angeles, n.d. (Recording terms and symbols held by the author) Cello Concerto (1984). London: Universal Edition, o harmonic 1990. + left hand pizzicato Cello Concerto. David Perreira and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Anthology of Australian Music s.p. sul ponticello on Disc 9, Canberra School of Music, CSM:9,1989. norm. normal bowing Playback (1973). London: Universal Edition, 1973. (Recording included on tape of Interview 1977) dim. al niente Ice Carving (1970). London: Universal Edition, 1973. sul D on the D string Ice Carving, Wilfred Lehmam and strings of the Symphony Orchestra cond. John Hopkins. spicc. spiccato EMI, OASD 27 0403,1983. &b bow behind the bridge Southern Cross (1981). London: Universal Edition, 1982. 60c->90 tempo fluctuates between Southern Cross . Wanda Wilkomirska, violin, and 60 and 90 m.m. Roger Woodward, piano, with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra cond. Nikolaus Wyss, EMI, OASD 27 0403,1983. 1 Interview on 2-MBSRadio, 3lstJanuary 1977. Recording , forthcoming). held at the Australian Music Centre. Transcript held by the l5 For details of Conyngham's early introduction to non- author. Western music through the classes of Peter Sculthorpe at Interview with Patricia Shaw, 19th February 1991. Sydney University, see Graeme Skinner, 'Barry Recording and transcript held by the author. Conyngham',APRA Journal, vo1.3 no 1 (July 1983), 1l- Interview 1991. 14. Interview 1991. l6 See Francisco F. Feliciano, Four Asian Contemporary Turetzky, The Contemporary Contrabass, rev. ed. Composers: the influence of tradition in their works (Berkeley & Los Angeles: University of California Press, (Quezon City: New Day Publishers, 1983),pp.1-2.67-80, 1989) pp.10-11. 130-1. Interview 1991 and Interview 1977. l7 Tokita. Interview 1991. l8these beinglcecarving (1970),Water ....Footsteps ... Time One can compare the cover photograph of Turetzky's (1970-1). Shadows of N6h (1978), Bash6 (1984) and The Contemporary Contrabass with photographs of n6h Streams (1988). actors contained in Donald Keene,N6: the clussical theatre l9 Interview 1989; see also David Hush, 'Interview with of Japan (New York: Harper & Row, 1973). Peter Sculthorpe', Quadrant, vo1.23 no 12 (December Interview with Alison Tokita, 9th June 1989 (transcript 1979), 32-33. held by the author), and see Keene, p.59. 20 ~hi~eo~ishibe,'~a~an:~dh', he NW ~rove~ictionary lo Interview 1991. of Music and Musicians, IX, 516. see for example Graeme Skinner, 'Barry Conyngham 21 Roy E. Teele, 'The Structureof the JapaneseNdh play', and Ice Carving', Cadenza: the music magazine, vo1.2 no in Chinese and Japanese Music-dramas, ed. J.I.Crump & 1 (March 1984), 16-7, as well as the sleeve notes on W.P.Malm, Michigan Papers in Chinese Studies 19 (Ann recordings of this work (see list at end of article). Arbor: University of Michigan, 1975). pp. 189-191. l2 Interview 1991. 22 p.10. l3 Interview 1989. 23 Interview 1991. l4 Alison Tokita, 'The influence of Japanese music on the music of Barry Conyngham', in Japan in Australia, Many thanks to Alison Tokita of Monash University for Proceedings of the fifth annual conference of the Japan her explanations of aspects of Japanese music, and for Studies Association of Australia (Sydney: University of allowing me acces to her materials on Bany Conyngham.

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