COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY THESIS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN SOCIOLOGY J. S. BACH IN EVERYDAY LIFE: THE ‘CHORAL IDENTITY’ OF AN AMATEUR ‘ART MUSIC’ BACH CHOIR AND THE CONCEPT OF ‘CHORAL CAPITAL’ SIGRÚN LILJA EINARSDÓTTIR SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR TIA DENORA SECOND SUPERVISOR: DR DANA WILSON-KOVACS J. S. Bach in Everyday Life 2012 UNIVERSITY OF EXETER COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY J. S. BACH IN EVERYDAY LIFE: THE ‘CHORAL IDENTITY’ OF AN AMATEUR ‘ART MUSIC’ BACH CHOIR AND THE CONCEPT OF ‘CHORAL CAPITAL’ BY SIGRÚN LILJA EINARSDÓTTYR SUPERVISOR: TIA DENORA SECOND SUPERVISOR: DANA WILSON-KOVACS Submitted by Sigrún Lilja Einarsdóttir to the University of Exeter as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology in July 2012 This thesis is available for Library use on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. I certify that all material in this thesis which is not my own work has been identified and that no material has previously been submitted and approved for the award of a degree by this or any other University. Signature: ………………………………………………………….. 2 Sigrún Lilja Einarsdóttir J. S. Bach in Everyday Life 2012 ABSTRACT This thesis presents research on an amateur composer-oriented Bach choir. Its main purpose is to study the development of musical identities and musical preferences of choir members as they take shape through the collective learning process of rehearsing and performing large-scale choral music. The study analyses how the choral participation and performance creates a certain type of ‘choral capital’ (a combination of social and cultural capital within the choral setting) and how the choristers reconstruct and relate to the composer (J.S. Bach) by creating ‘choral identities’ linked to the composer-orientation of their choir. This study is based on an interdisciplinary approach, seeking concepts and ideas from different fields of study – primarily sociology and music sociology (music in everyday life and the concepts of social and cultural capital in the amateur choral setting) but also music psychology regarding concepts of musical and vocal identities, history of music (especially Bach scholars, previous biographical writings about J.S. Bach), music and education (choral singing as informal music education) and interdisciplinary studies on music, health and well-being. The methodological approach of this research consists of a grounded theory based, single case study where the case was the Croydon Bach Choir in London performing J.S. Bach’s Mass in B Minor, using participant observation (where I sang with the choir for one semester) and qualitative interviews as main research methods and gathering demographic background data on choir members via paper-based survey. Whereas significant research on music performances has been conducted, so far choral research, where the direct participation of the researcher as a member of the choir is used as one of the main research methods, is still quite rare. Results indicate that participants develop socio-musical identity both through their choral participation in general, performance experiences and early music consumption in the family household and the emphasis of the importance of choral singing as a fulfilment instead of pursuing a professional career. Through choral singing, participants developed ‘choral capital’ through a) the effects of collective learning on their musical taste and preferences (thus broadening their musical taste and preferences and reconstructing the composer) and b) the well-being factor of collective singing and communal learning through the process of rehearsing and performing the 3 Sigrún Lilja Einarsdóttir J. S. Bach in Everyday Life 2012 Mass in B Minor. Furthermore, findings indicated that participants construct Bach as a genius and a devout Lutheran, an image that relates to the romantic image of Bach presented in the late 19th – early 20th century biographical writings on the composer. Thus in general, their choral activities form a valuable addition to their social and cultural capital (´choral capital´), which they use as a source of well-being in everyday life. In addition, participants create a certain ‘choral identity’ by relating to the composer-orientation of their choir; the promotional label of Bach as a synonym for quality choral singing and the emphasis of challenging repertoire. Key words: Music sociology, music in everyday life, musical identities, choral studies, choral music, Johann Sebastian Bach, baroque music, identity and performance, amateur musicians, social capital, cultural capital, choral capital, choral identity 4 Sigrún Lilja Einarsdóttir J. S. Bach in Everyday Life 2012 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS During the process of this thesis, there are many individuals I am indebted to. First of all – many, so many thanks to my supervisor, Dr Tia DeNora, Professor of Sociology at University of Exeter – words cannot describe my gratitude for all her support, guidance, kindness, patience and for being such a great role model in so many ways. I also want to thank my second supervisor, Dr Dana Wilson-Kovacs for reading the final draft and giving me good advice, my mentor, Dr Gisa Weszkalnys for reviewing and good advice and Kimberly Cannady for excellent work on proof-reading my thesis. I would also like to thank the conductor and members of the Croydon Bach choir for allowing me to join the group and conduct my research and for all their help and support. Secondly I would like to thank my ‘mysterious’ pilot choir for generous support and thus helping me to define the scope of my thesis. My very special thanks to the Sociology of the Arts group at University of Exeter – the past and present students of Tia DeNora and visiting researchers – Mariko Hara, Pinar Guran, Marie Skånland, Elisabeth Dennis, Arild Bergh, Simon Procter, Sophia Acord, Sue Trytall, Kari-Bjerke Batt-Rawden, Pedro Santos-Boia, Trever Hagen, Ian Sutherland and Rita Grazio – being a part of such dynamic group is a privilege (especially when it comes to chocolate and Hockey Pulver variations). My deepest gratitude to the whole staff of Bifröst University, Iceland for moral support and encouragement, I would especially like to thank Jón Ólafsson, provost, Bryndís Hlöðversdóttir rector of Bifröst for affiliating me and supporting me during my time of study. Special thanks to my former teacher and present colleague, Dr Njörður Sigurjónsson, assistant professor at Bifröst University and former MA thesis supervisor Dr Helga Rut Guðmundsdóttir assistant professor at University of Iceland for cooperation and guidance. Many thanks to Dr Cynthia M. Grund, associate professor at University of Southern Denmark and my colleagues in the NNIMIPA network for interesting talks, discussions and seminars. Special thanks to Grace Davie, professor of Sociology at University of Exeter and her husband, Mark Davie, professor at University of Exeter for their friendship, support and 5 Sigrún Lilja Einarsdóttir J. S. Bach in Everyday Life 2012 interest in my research. I would also like to thank Dr Jennie Henley at Birmingham City University for theoretical and methodological support and advice, Exeter’s Graduate Research Fund for their support as well as the staff of Department of Sociology and Philosophy, especially Sarmi Ghosh for all her help regarding technical and administrational issues. I dedicate this thesis to my family: For my loving husband, Einar - without his love, support and believing in me, this would not have been possible and for my children and stepchildren (Einar Björgvin, Svanhildur, Þorgerður Sól, Ragnheiður and Sigurður) who patiently supported me with all their love, patience and encouragement. Elsku mamma og pabbi, þessi ritgerð er tileinkuð ykkur – kórauppeldið sem ég hlaut hjá ykkur á kóræfingum í gamla daga (frá því ég man eftir mér) lagði grunninn, ásamt því að hvetja mig áfram í tónlistarnámi og í því að nýta þau tækifæri sem mér buðust til að feta menntabrautina, tækifæri sem þið fenguð ekki. Það var fyrir ykkar erfiði og strit sem gerði okkur systkinunum kleift að sækja okkur menntun – það eitt og sér er ómetanlegt og verður seint fullþakkað. Án ykkar hefði þessi ritgerð ekki orðið að veruleika. Takk fyrir endalausan stuðning og hjálp í gegnum tíðina og ekki síst fyrir börnin mín sem eru svo heppin að eiga svona góða ömmu og góðan afa. For my parents, Einar Kjartansson and Sigurbjörg Pálsdóttir, who gave me the opportunity to learn music and sing in our local church choir and for their endless love, support and help throughout the years, taking care of my children when needed; my brothers and sisters (and their families), particularly my older sister, Þorgerður Einarsdóttir who has been a great help in so, so many ways. In the loving memory of my grandmothers, Þorgerður Einarsdóttir and Margrét Tómasdóttir – two strong, intelligent women who inspired me with their interest in music and encouraged me to seek further education. 6 Sigrún Lilja Einarsdóttir J. S. Bach in Everyday Life 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................. 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... 5 1. INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................