‘The Trumpeter Re-Conceived’: An investigation of the creative and performative skills required in New Music Theatre works by Sef Hermans Student number: 650342 Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Music Performance June , 2018 Faculty of Fine Arts and Music University of Melbourne Victoria Australia 0 DECLARATION This is to certify that: I. The work submitted comprises only my original work, completed while I was a postgraduate student enrolled at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music at The University of Melbourne. It contains no material that has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at any other university or institution. II. To the best of my knowledge, the thesis contains no material previously written or published by another person except where due reference is made in the text. III. The thesis is less than 40,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, figures, references appendices and bibliography. Signed: 1 This thesis is part of a portfolio, and comprises one third of the total submission for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Music Performance. The practical components of this submission comprise two thirds of the total and include a co-devised work, Silencio, and the following recordings: i. Karlheinz Stockhausen: Oberlippentanz, solo für Piccolo-Trompete. Video: Recoded on the 7th of April 2017 Melba Hall, Melbourne Conservatory of Music Duration: 14 min. ii. Co-devised work by Dr. Falk Hübner and Sef Hermans: Silencio, Monodrama for trumpet-actor. Video: Recorded on the 26th & 27th of September 2017 De Avenue Theatre, Breda, the Netherlands Duration: 45 min. iii. James Mobberley: Icarus Wept for trumpet and electronic tape Audio: Recorded on the 24th and 25th of August, 2017 Studio Rocket Productions, Breda, the Netherlands Duration 18 min. iv. Mauricio Kagel: Morceau de Concours, Musicales theatre fur zwei trumpete Audio: Recorded on the 28th of June 2014 The HKU University of the Arts Utrecht, the Netherlands Duration: 12 min. v. Mauricio Kagel: 12 Fanfares Video: Recorded on the 19th of August 2017 2 Metaal Kathedraal , Utrecht, the Netherlands Duration: 21 min. vi. Thomas Myrmel: Saviour Sounds Video: Recorded on the 24th of June 2014 Methaal Kathedraal, Utrecht, the Netherlands Duration: 16 min. vii. Daniel D’Adamo … À Reims Audio: Recorded live on the 5th of September 2015 Bendigo International Festival of Exploratory Music, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo Victoria, Australia Duration 9 min. As appendix recording I: viii. Karlheinz Stockhausen: Oberlippentanz (protest) aus Luzifers Tannz vom Samstag aus Licht (staged concert version with ensemble) Video: Recoded on the 21st of July 2014 Melba Hall, Melbourne Conservatory of Music Duration 14. min 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Jane Davidson, without whom I would have never come this far. Her patience and support, especially in tough times, has been greatly appreciated. She provided me with insights, feedback and the academic tools required to complete this project. I also gratefully acknowledge the following people: Dr. Ken Murray, my co-supervisor, for his reflection and listening ear. Professor Gary McPherson and Dr. Joel Brennan for their input in the first year of my work. They provided the opportunity for me to undertake this PhD at the University of Melbourne, and for this, I thank them most sincerely. Dr. Falk Hübner, for joining me across the past 4 years of this journey in Silencio. I thank him for his artistic work and for many hours of academic discussion that helped me shape this project, especially in developing my creative capacities. I also thank him for his friendship, and I add thanks to his family, Marieke and the children, for lending him to me for so many hours. My dearest wife, Beatriz Pomes, for her loving support, ideas, humour and insightfulness, I offer my thanks and love. For supporting me through endless nights of work, she made this PhD possible. My parents, Frans and Marion Hermans, whose love, moral and practical support could always be depended on. They have been there, unconditionally, in every way imaginable. My mentor and friend, Willem van der Vliet, whom I thank for helping me be who I am today. His wisdom, profound musicianship, inspiration, and unconditional support has been invaluable. 4 My theatre coaches, Sapidah Kian, Klemens and Klavertje Patijn, for their insight and energy, support and confidence in me. Martijn Rondel of Rocket Film, for his artistic insight and help in finalise the recordings. My uncle and aunt, Ton and Annemieke Patijn, for their moral and logistic support and for their limitless hospitality. David Chisholm, for taking me under his wing and making me feel part of the BIFEM family. My PhD colleague and friend, Patrick McDevitt, whose English proofreading skills and special friendship have helped more than he can know. All my musician friends and colleagues, who were there unconditionally, to help me record the pieces for this thesis: Fast Opera Production, and the musician who recorded Saviour Sounds with me: • composer Thomas Myrmle • flute/piccolo Janneke Groesz • hobo Dorine Schoon • bassoon Renee Knigge • trombone Joost Geevers • percussion Johannes Terpstra • violin Merel Junge • mezzosoprano Janneke Schaareman • soprano Christina Voltl • technician Brian Esselbrugge Recording of Morceau de Concours by Kagel • trumpet II Arthur Kerklaan • technician Brian Esselbrugge 5 Recording of Fanfares by Kagel • trumpet II Arthur Kerklaan • trumpet III Bianca Egberts • trumpet IV Pascal van der Velde • camera/sound engineer Martijn Rondel Recording of Icarus Wept by Mobberley • sound engineer Martijn Rondel Recording of Silencio • director/composer Falk Hübner • camera/sound engineer Martijn Rondel Oberlippentanz by Stockhausen, solo recording • recording David Collins Oberlippentanz by Stockhausen, ensemble recording • trombone Ming Yeung Li • percussion Peter Neville • percussion Thea Rossen • french horn Roman Ponomariov • french horn Isaac Shieh • french horn Anthony Cardamone • french horn Luca Vanags Smith • recording David Collins Recording of … À Reims by D’Adamo • trumpet Callum G’Foerer • trumpet Louisa Threwartha • trumpet Tristram Williams • orchestra The Argonaut Trumpet Orchestra, Bendigo. 6 Finally, I gratefully acknowledge funding from The University of Melbourne through the: • Melbourne International Research Scholarship, 2013 – 2017; • Melbourne International Fee Remission, 2013 – 2017; • Faculty of VCA&MCM Small Grants Scheme Award for Postgraduate Study, 2015 – 2016 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 13 FOREWORD 15 CHAPTER 1: CONTEXT 16 1.1 Development of New Music Theatre in the 20th and 21st century 17 1.2 Musicians as theatrical performers 19 1.3 From not-acting to acting 20 1.4 Acting methodologies 23 1.5 Acting tasks 26 1.6 Memorisation 27 1.7 Moving forwards 29 CHAPER 2: METHODOLOGY 30 2.1 Research strategy 31 2.2 Methodological framework 31 2.3 Researching Oberlippentanz 32 2.3.1 Exploring existing literature 33 2.3.2 Research through practice 33 2.3.3 Research through performance 34 2.3.4 Results/conclusions 34 2.4 Researching and creating Silencio 35 2.4.1 Research through literature and the Ingredient Model 36 8 2.4.2 Research through narrative reflection and practice 36 2.4.3 Research through reflection of performance 36 2.5 Summary and relevance 36 CHAPTER 3: PLAYING THE THEATRICAL, OBERLIPPENTANZ, KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN 38 3.1 Existing research on the work 39 3.2 Michael’s journey through Licht 43 3.3 Michael’s character 50 3.4 Reflection 51 3.5 Defining the acting in Oberlippentanz 52 3.6 Personal dramaturgical interpretation 53 3.7 Summary 55 CHAPTER 4: REFLECTIVE CASE STUDY OF OBERLIPPENTANZ 57 4.1 Overview 58 4.2 The practice sessions 62 Session 1 62 Session 2 65 Session 3 66 Session 4 72 Session 5 74 Session 6 75 Session 7 77 Session 8 79 9 Session 9 80 4.3 Analysis of practise themes 82 4.4 Dramaturgical preparation of Oberlippentanz for BIFEM 86 4.5 Summary reflection on performance September 2016 92 4.6 Oberlippentanz concluded 94 CHAPTER 5: THE CREATION OF A NEW MUSIC THEATRE PIECE: SILENCIO 98 5.1 Introduction to Silencio 99 5.2 Theorising our collaboration 100 5.3 Theorising our creative process 102 5.4 Developing Silencio 116 5.4.1 Initial stage 117 5.4.2 Creative process: 2015 118 5.4.3 Creative process: 2016 124 5.4.4 Recording the trailer 127 5.4.5 Creative process: 2017 130 5.4.6 Putting Silencio together: July 2017 133 5.4.7 Rehearsals with actress and director Klavertje Patijn 139 5.4.8 Rehearsals dance studio Rotterdam 142 5.4.9 Narrative account of the recording sessions 145 5.4.10 Diary 145 5.5 Reflecting on the creation of Silencio 148 5.6 Critical reflection with Falk Hübner 150 5.7 Reflection on the outcome 151 10 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION 152 REFERENCES 157 SUPPORTING REFERENCES 166 APPENDIX I EXTRA REFLECTIONS ON OBERLIPPENTANZ 167 APPENDIX II TEXT AND ANALYSIS REMAINDERS 176 APPENDIX III FUEGO MUDO, MARIO BENEDETTI 182 11 12 THESIS ABSTRACT This thesis investigates the demands of New Music Theatre on the trumpeter engaging with this art form. It asks what are skills necessary to engage with the challenging works written for trumpet in this genre over the past decades? How are these skills acquired? Also, since one of the ‘new’ aspects of this type of work is the increasing demand of creatively and collaboratively devised works, how can the trumpeter learn to work in this environment? The need for the research is driven by the fact that the New Music Theatre repertoire that has emerged is still not integrated into mainstream expert learning, despite much being some 60 years old and offering an exciting and challenging scope for the instrumentalist. Indeed, the ‘new requirements’ demand multi-tasking and gives the performer a theatrical focus, moving away from the static recital platform to being able to embrace the dynamic of movement and dramatic action.