Balkan As a Metaphor in the Film Composition of Goran Bregovic
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Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 1-1-2004 Balkan as a metaphor in the film composition of Goran Bregovic Nela Trifkovic Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses Part of the Composition Commons, and the Film and Media Studies Commons Recommended Citation Trifkovic, N. (2004). Balkan as a metaphor in the film composition of Goran Bregovic. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/780 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/780 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. 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EDffH u1 .l vtJ{SffY UBRARY BALKAN AS A METAPHOR IN THE FILM COMPOSITION OF GORAN BREGOVIC Ms Nela Trifkovic submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree Master of Arts (Creative Arts) Communications and Creative Industries Edith CowanUniversity Perth, Australia May 2004 ABSTRACT The focus of this paper is the film composition of composer Goran Bregovic (born 1950) and the countryof his birth Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia has undergone many major political changes over the past century and its ethno-political history over the past fifteenyears could be considered as one of the most turbulent of our time. The aim of this thesis is to uncover the conceptual principles behind Bregovic 's unique approach to soundtrack music in order to create appropriate musical analogies in filmcomposition. Bregovic's musical career in the iconic Yugoslav rock band Bijelodugme (WhiteButton), his interest in the traditional Balkan music and collaborations with the Yugoslav film director Emir Kusturica were the stepping stones for him to develop an artistic profile as one of the world's most demanding film composers. This dissertation addresses Bregovic's initial conceptual approaches to the soundtrack writing in both Yugoslav and international film productions. Starting with the first international success, the score for Kusturica 's Dom za vesanje (Time of the Gypsies), Bregovic 's approach to soundtrack writing has mainly been conceptually relevant to the particular ideological nomenclature of the depicted theatrical conflict in the given films. Such ideologically based compositional principle has enabled Bregovic to work with various types of recontextualisation of traditional Balkan music in both Yugoslav and international film productions. The research unfolds the concepts behind the metaphoric use of Balkanmusic in three analysed filmsand connects the compositional frameworksto the socio-cultural historyof Yugoslavia (and particularly the composer's native Bosnia and Herzegovina from the early thirteenth or fourteenth century to the present day), Bregovic 's musical history prior to these film productions and the film directors' approaches to the depicted dramatic conflictin the given productions. The finalpart of the thesis discusses the relevance between the researched topic and the author's own creative work in the field of original composition that is inspired by various typesof traditional Balkanmusic. Candidate's Declaration I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief: incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree of diploma in any institution of higher education; contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference in made in the text; or contain any defamatory material. Nela Trifkovic 02/trh'-I Acknowledgements I wish to thank all the lecturers at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, the School of Contemporary Arts and the department of Communications and Creative Industries. The most special acknowledgements go to my supervisor Lindsay R. Vickery for years of trust, patience, wisdom and support, to the Head of Research Dr. Maggi Phillips for clarity and guidance and Associate Professor Domenico de Clarie for keeping the course existing, possible and flexibile to various research tastes and interests. Even more special acknowledgements go to my own and all other courageous and supportive families of arts' researchers, those who convince us in and remind us of the ability to persevere with enthusiasm, curiosity and generosity of spirit. Finally, to friends, because it sometimes seems like there won't be any left by the end of the course, for proving us wrong ad making our creativity come true. A special thank you to the students of the West Australian Conservatorium of music and my amazing classmates and fellow students fromthe Masters of Creative Arts course. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 7 INTRODUCTION Balkanmusic in soundtrack composition -a metaphor of theatricalconflict Ethnic Music andits creative application in soundtracks -models forthe developed research framework 16 CHAPTER 1 Nationalism in music: pluralist and dialectic styles Creative expression in pluralistic societies: relevanthistory of the Balkansand the futureYugoslav states Yugoslav music or music in Yugoslavia? The landof SouthernSlavs Creative sources andinfluences in the Yugoslavia-to-be Sarajevo - Bosnianversion of Borges' Aleph The twentieth century Yugoslav musical "Patriotism" as "Nationalism" during the Socialist regime 30 CHAPTER2 MUSIC AND POLITICS IN COMMUNIST AND WAR-TORN YUGOSLAVIA: PROVOCATIVE AND SUCCESSFUL GENRES through the ethno-rock of "White Button" and the musical endem called the "Newly Composed Folk" "White Button"- the most effortlesslypro-Yugoslav Rock bandof all times "White Button" - related band history andits connections to Bregovic's future musical concepts White Button" -the favouritemusical button on every Yugoslav's coat "White Button" andthe politics of Pop andRock music in the Communist Yugoslavia during the 1970S and 1980S Subculture - the Third Option Popular Folk- anEndemic Musical Virus of Yugoslavia Differentgenres andtheir musical intention: issues of musical purpose and musical essence - "The Psychology of Hybridity" 56 CHAPTER3 Gypsy filmsand related soundtracks: culture specific genres as bases for further conceptual frameworks Gypsy filmsin Yugoslavia Emir Kusturica- Gadjo Dilo of the Yugoslav Film Scene Gatlif andKusturica- a Roma and a Gadjedirector 3 Music forKusturica's and other Yugoslav filmsabout the Gypsies Conceptual Conditioning and Analysis Outline Dom za vesanje (Time of the Gypsies) Conceptual proximity and distance in Time of the Gypsies-Roma and Gadje principles instead of Orient and Occident Roma and Gadje Principles in Bregovic's soundtrack for Time of the Gypsies Other functionsof traditional music in the Time of the Gypsies Music as a tool of establishing setting Ethnic music and traditional elements as a composer's sources of inspiration Alo mange liloro (Ederlezi Avela) the second important theme Source and Background Music Internal-externalcultural perspective 80 CHAPTER4 RECONTEXTUALISATION: Bregovic's Soundtrack Conceptualisation for Kusturica's Balkanised American Debut Arizona Dream - Soundtrack Analysis Visual recontextualisation -Balkan and Gypsies as a metaphor Arizona Dream -the complex ingredients of a doubly ethnic soundtrack Kusturica's dramatic topics - inside the edges of the society Traditional elements and folkmusic Source and Background Music Different functionsof traditional music and folkelements Kusturica's Balkanised American conceptualisation Metaphorical duplicity - Balkanisation of both "Orientalism" and "Occidentalism" "Orientalism" according to the "fantasy principle" The "Oriental fantasy" portrayedthrough the traditional Balkan sound Thematic Connections between Kusturica's Film Topics and Bregovic's Traditional Musical Choices -Jana's House as Grace's House Internal-external conflict perspective 102 CHAPTER 5 METAPHOR: Bregovic's Soundtrack Conceptualisation for a foreign production Queen Margot Source and background music Analysis application and process discussion Musical and dramatic symbolism of Rondinella 4 Rere and Ganga Symbolic Qualities of Rondinella - Two Circles and Mandorla The symbolism and importance of Canto Nero - "Orientalism" as the Cult of Black Madonna Compositional Techniques as Unifying Audio Conceptual Elements Margot's conceptual conversion- the visual and factualverses the audio conceptual Queen Margot-a French production that followsthe "inward Sarajevan principle" Bregovic's musical portrayal of character duplicity- Margot as a representative example Internal-externalcultural