Stylistic Fusion in a Postmodern Context Rachel Justine Swindells Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of PhD The University of Leeds Department of Music April 1999 The candidate confirms that the work submitted is her own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisors, Dr. David Cooper, Dr,. Graham Hearn and Dr. Steve Sweeney-Turner for their assistance in my research and the preparation of this thesis. The contribution to the research made by Graham Fitkin, who kindly agreed to be interviewed, must also be acknowledged. Rachel Justine Swindells Stylistic Fusion in a Postmodern Context PhD, April 1999 The purpose of this study is to examine the links between postmodernism and music ‘fusing’ what are commonly described as popular and classical styles. Much postmodern theory has discussed the relationship between ‘high’ and ‘low1 and recognised eclecticism within art, but how does fusion connect with this? An investigation of terminology and definitions together with a discussion of historical precedents for contemporary cross-influences provides a base from which to explore fusion and the postmodern. A framework oulining postmodernism’s background and its relevance to music is used in conjunction with an analysis of works by Talk Talk, Mike Oldfield and Graham Fitkin. Developing the concept of what might constitute the postmodern in music, the argument moves beyond the consideration of inherent traits which may or may not suggest postmodernism. A broader concept based on a sense of postmodern spirit is developed, recognising the importance of the roles of context and aesthetic as well as characteristics within the text. A detailed analysis of various works by the chosen artists allows exploration of both the concept of fused music and the application of postmodern theory. It will be suggested that, although these musicians produce music which displays a number of traits which are considered by many to reflect postmodernism, the music in question does not necessarily represent a postmodern aesthetic: the most postmodern of the works considered is also the least fused. It will be argued that the characteristics of music itself cause considerable problems in the application of postmodern theory, and that fusion, by its very definition and because of the connotative qualities that specific musical references often carry, does not correlate to concepts of the postmodern. Contents page OUTLINE 1 DEFINITIONS 3 1.1 Choice of terms 4 1.1.1 PRD 6 1.1.2 Classical 9 1.1.3 Fusion 13 1.2 Defining terms 21 1.2.1 PRD 22 1.2.2 Classical 26 1.2.3 Fusion 30 1.3. Summary 36 CROSS-INFLUENCES: A Historical and Musical Background 39 2.1 Use of cross-influences 39 2.1.1 Simple transplantation: themes 40 2.1.2 Simple transplantation: instrumentation 50 2.1.3 Complex interaction: philosophical stance 55 2.1.4 Complex interaction: electronics 65 2.2 Reacting and subverting 70 2.3 Acceptability of cross-influences: comparison with jazz 73 2.4 Summary 78 POSTMODERNISM 80 3.1 Background 80 3.1.1 The use of the term ‘postmodernism’ 83 3.2 Indetermanence and deconstruction 84 3.2.1 Hassan and indetermanence 84 3.2.2 Deconstruction 92 3.3 The metanarrative 98 3.3.1 Philosophy and background 98 3.4 Postmodernism and modernism 108 3.5 Eclecticism 137 3.6 Summary 156 v TALK TALK 159 Analysis methods 159 The Party's Over 168 It's My Life 170 The Colour of Spring 173 Spirit of Eden 180 Laughing Stock 187 Summary 193 MIKE OLDFIELD 197 Early Works 197 Mid-period works: Incantations 201 Mid-period works: after Incantations 217 Late period works 219 Oldfield the musician 230 Summary 241 GRAHAM FITKIN 243 Sciosophy. small scale structures 246 CUD: large scale structures 257 ARACT. cross-influences and musical identity 273 Summary 285 CONCLUSION 287 Contribution of study 287 7.1.1 Contribution to postmodern theory 287 7.1.2 Contribution to study of music 290 7.1.3 Music and postmodernism 292 Summary 295 APPENDIX: Stefani's Theory of Musical Competence 296 BIBLIOGRAPHY vi List of Illustrations page 1.1 Summary of types of cross-influence 17 2.1 Comparison of Chopin Prelude and Manilow/Andesa adaptation 47 3.1 Olson’s ‘On All Sides’ (1960) 82 3.2 Hassan’s table 86 3.3 Deconstruction of cross-influence argument 94 3.4 Tone row used in Schoenberg Wind Quintet op. 26 112 3.5 Schoenberg Wind Quintet op. 26 bars 1-4 113 3.6 Schoenberg Wind Quintet op. 26 bars 127-131 113 4.1 Imaginary piece to demonstrate use of tables 164 4.2 Tabulation of'It's So Serious' 165 4.3 Tabulation of'Myrrhman' 166 4.4 Use of pivot chord in'Dum Dum Girl' 172 4.5 Motif developed in 'It's You' 172 4.6 'Cello line,'Happiness is Easy' 174 4.7 Bass figure, 'Life's What You Make It' 175 4.8 Opening rhythms,'April 5th' 176 4.9 Development of opening rhythms, 'April 5th' 176 4.10 Opening section of'Chameleon Day' 178 4.11 Tabulation of'The Rainbow' 181 4.12 Tabulation of'New Grass' 191-2 5.1 Tabulation o f‘Incantations (Part I)' 205-6 5.2 Theme A, ‘Incantations (Part I)' 207 5.3 Theme E, ‘Incantations (Part I)' 207 5.4 Use of 5th-2nd motif in introduction of ‘Incantations (Part I)' 208 5.5 Theme B, ‘Incantations (Part I)’ 208 5.6 Theme D, ‘Incantations (Part I)’ 209 5.7 Theme C, ‘Incantations (Part I)’ 210 5.8 Bridge, section 3, ‘Incantations (Part I)’ 211 5.9 ‘Hiawatha’ theme,‘Incantations (Part II)’ 212 5.10 Bass pattern derived from ‘Hiawatha’ theme, ‘Incantations (Part IV)’ 212 5.11 Opening theme,‘Incantations (Part III)’ 213 5.12 Opening theme, ‘Incantations (Part III)’ 214 5.13 Rising thirds and falling seconds, opening theme, ‘Incantations (Part III)’ 214 5.14 Combination of 5th-2nd theme and ‘Diana-Luna’ theme, ‘Incantations (Part I)’ 215 5.15 Motif and theme, The Shining Ones’, Songs of Distant Earth 224 5.16 Summary of tracks on Songs of Distant Earth 224 5.17 ‘Light’ theme, Songs of Distant Earth 224 5.18 ‘Oceania’ development of ‘Light’ theme, Songs of Distant Earth 225 5.19 Hibernaculum’, second theme, Songs of Distant Earth 225 5.20 Original ‘Magellan’ theme (tutti), Songs of Distant Earth 226 5.21 Conversion of Magellan’ theme to piano, Songs of Distant Earth 226 5.22 ‘Magellan’ theme, Songs of Distant Earth, transposed into C major 226 5.23 ‘Lament for Atlantis’ theme, Songs of Distant Earth, transposed into C major 226 5.24 Influences on structural elements of Oldfield’s work 228 5.25 Ommadawn opening theme 235 6.1 Sciosophy, section 1 248 6.2 Sciosophy, section 3 248 6.3 Sciosophy, section 2 249 6.4 Sciosophy, section 4 249 6.5 Sciosophy, section 8 250 6.6 Table of structure of Sciosophy 251 6.7 Sciosophy, section 14 252 vii 6.8 Sciosophy, section 23 254 6.9 Sciosophy, section change from 7 to 8 255 6.10 CUD, theme 1 (bar 8) 258 6.11 CUD, theme 2 (6 bars before cue C) 259 6.12 CUD, variant on theme 2 (cue E) 259 6.13 CUD, theme 3 (11 bars after cue D) 259 6.14 CUD, theme 4 (5 bars after cue F) 259 6.15 CUD, variant of theme 4 (cue G) 259 6.16 CUD, variant of theme 4 (syncopation into bar 7 after cue H) 260 6.17 CUD, variant of theme 4 (3 bars before cue I) 260 6.18 CUD, variant of theme 4 (cue L) 260 6.19 CUD, variant of theme 4 (2nd bar of cue O) 260 6.20 CUD, piano and synthesiser play keyboard motif (bar 6 of opening) 260 6.21 Structure of first section of CUD 262 6.22 Structure of second section of CUD 263 6.23 Structure of third section of CUD 264 6.24 Structure of fourth section of CUD 265 6.25 Structure of fifth section of CUD 266 6.26 CUD, cue P 268 6.27 Chromatic ornamentation, CUD, 6-11 bars after cue P 270 6.28 Structure of ARACT 279 6.29 Opening of ARACT 280 6.30 Bars 33-36 of ARACT 281 6.31 Bars 49-51 of ARACT 281 6.32 Closing section of ARACT 283 7.1 Possible use of table to outline instrumentation 291 1 OUTLINE As the 20th century draws to a close, comment on art and society is littered with references to postmodernism. In music, postmodernism has been linked to the widespread practice of mixing different styles in one work. The purpose of this thesis is to explore whether stylistic fusion can be considered postmodern. The term ‘fusion’ is used to refer to a fusing of any two styles, particularly popular and classical due to the focus of this thesis. The usage sometimes found, where ‘fusion’ is applied specifically to jazz-rock blendings, is not applied in this study. Chapter 1 explores style through terminology and definitions. Throughout this thesis, the term ‘classical’ (without capitalisation) will be used to refer to music also often described as ‘art’, ‘serious’, and ‘Western classical tradition’, while pop, rock and dance will be used to refer to particular areas of popular music which are applicable. For convenience, ‘pop, rock and dance’ will be abbreviated to PRD. The broader term, popular, refers to PRD as well as styles such as music hall, show songs and what is described as ‘Easy Listening’.