Japanese Contemporary Piano Music: Cultural Influence and Identity
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
JAPANESE CONTEMPORARY PIANO MUSIC: CULTURAL INFLUENCE AND IDENTITY Stephanie Titus A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS December 2020 Committee: Nora Engebretsen-Broman, Advisor Jeremy Wayne Wallach Graduate Faculty Representative Mikel Kuehn Marilyn Shrude © 2020 Stephanie Titus All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Nora Engebretsen, Advisor In an increasingly globalized community, a composer’s cultural heritage may or may not manifest itself in their compositions. Conversely, manifest influences from different cultures may not coincide with the composer's identity. This document examines the piano works of three active Japanese composers, Dai Fujikura (b. 1977), Jo Kondo (b. 1947), and Joji Yuasa (b. 1929), through the lens of cultural influence. Analyses of representative pieces are contextualized in relation to the composers’ opinions on the importance or relevance of writing music that embodies their own identity and cultural heritage. Examples of Japanese elements incorporated into Western-based composition include a circular rather than linear conception of time, ma as manifest through relationships and dualities, pulse-driven organization of rhythm, nature references, noise as an inseparable component of performance, and other extra-musical considerations. A brief overview of identity and globalization, along with an examination of numerous historical texts of both Western and Japanese origin, provide context for identifying these Japanese elements. Orientalism and musical exoticism provide additional grounding in scholarly work from Western sources about Eastern cultures, focusing specifically on music. These analyses offer insight into the differing ways cultural influences manifest in Japanese composers as a starting place. It is my hope that performers recognize the importance of seeking out the composer’s intentions to align the performer's interpretation with the composer's artistic vision. iv This document is dedicated to my great-uncle, Dick TR Titus, in loving memory. May your basket always be full of beautiful tunes. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the numerous individuals who helped make this document a reality. First, to the wonderful members of my committee, Nora Engebretsen, Mikel Kuehn, Marilyn Shrude, and Jeremy Wallach, for their unwavering faith and patience, especially in these final months. I thank them with all my heart for finding the time and energy to simultaneously guide me through the process while navigating life and teaching during a global pandemic. To Nora Engebretsen, for always seeming to know what words I meant to write and for fearlessly leading the charge. Her positivity and insightful feedback kept me going when I doubted myself the most. To Marilyn Shrude, for her fierce leadership of the Contemporary Music doctoral program. Her genuine support and enthusiasm mean the world to those of us still trying to find our voices. To Mikel Kuehn, for lending a critical eye through his various areas of expertise. To Jeremy Wallach, whose class on Asian popular music gave me the foundation and courage to tackle the topics of the first chapters of this document. I would like to also thank Dai Fujikura for his willingness to speak with me on a topic that, for some, is contentious. His frankness and openness were invaluable. I would not be where I am today without the endless love and support of my parents. Thank you for nurturing my passion for music and always cheering me on in all my endeavors. Finally, a special thanks to Andrew Liebermann not only for his assistance in engraving the musical examples and figures, but also for being a constant source of encouragement and love. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1. THE STUDY OF CULTURE ........................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 2. JAPANESE CULTURE .................................................................................... 8 Japanese Anthropology and Japan’s Complicated History .......................................... 11 Focus on Difference ..................................................................................................... 13 Nihonjinron ................................................................................................................... 18 Uniqueness ................................................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER 3. IDENTITY AND GLOBALIZATION ............................................................. 22 Globalization and its Effects on Identity ...................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 4. ORIENTALISM ................................................................................................ 32 CHAPTER 5. MUSICAL EXOTICISM .................................................................................. 39 Influence versus Borrowing ......................................................................................... 45 Analytical and Compositional Use of Exoticism ......................................................... 49 Current Discourse ......................................................................................................... 50 CHAPTER 6. MUSIC IN JAPAN ............................................................................................ 53 Timeline of Music Development and Western Music Influences in Japan .................. 53 Genres, Styles, and Structure ........................................................................................ 57 Contemporary Composers and Performers .................................................................. 62 CHAPTER 7. JO KONDO ....................................................................................................... 66 Biography ..................................................................................................................... 66 Piano Music .................................................................................................................. 70 vii Japanese Elements ........................................................................................................ 70 Transparency/Instant-Based Processes ......................................................................... 71 Dense Harmonies .......................................................................................................... 79 Noise ............................................................................................................................. 81 Extra-Musical Elements ............................................................................................... 82 Ma ................................................................................................................................. 84 Dynamic Stasis as Circular Time and Space ................................................................ 87 Conclusions .................................................................................................................. 94 CHAPTER 8. DAI FUJIKURA ............................................................................................... 96 Biography ..................................................................................................................... 96 Piano Music .................................................................................................................. 101 Japanese Elements ........................................................................................................ 102 Nature ........................................................................................................................... 102 Duality/Relationships ................................................................................................... 104 Time .............................................................................................................................. 108 Extra-Musical Elements ............................................................................................... 110 Conclusions .................................................................................................................. 114 CHAPTER 9. JOJI YUASA ..................................................................................................... 116 Biography ..................................................................................................................... 116 Piano Music .................................................................................................................. 121 Japanese Elements ........................................................................................................ 121 Ma ................................................................................................................................. 122 Time .............................................................................................................................. 131 viii Pulse versus Meter ........................................................................................................ 135 Nature ........................................................................................................................... 137 Noise ............................................................................................................................