Music without audience? : contemporary art music in a postmodern society

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dc.contributor.advisorLudemann, W.en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSperling, Maria Gabrielaen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Culture. Dept. of Music.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2012-08-27T11:34:16Z
dc.date.available2012-08-27T11:34:16Z
dc.date.issued1998
dc.descriptionThesis (M.Mus) -- University of Stellenbosch, 1998.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis study attempts to investigate the situation of twentieth century art music in a postmodern society, with specific reference to the disinterest amongst audiences for new music presented in the concert-hall. The starting point of the discussion is to find a definition for the concept" art music" and to determine its origins and characteristics. Following the course art music has taken over the past few centuries (from functional music to an autonomous art form) it is observed that art music has found itself in a problematic situation since the beginning of the twentieth century. During the modernist age a gap was created between the composer and the audience. The modern composer, driven by his inner compulsion to be progressive and innovative, pushed the audiences' needs to the periphery and in the process alienated himself from society. Modern art music became incomprehensible to many a listener, and together with technological advances and changing social needs, the audience for new music in the concert hall decreased markedly. Since the sixties and seventies, with the looser more open-minded music aesthetic of the postmodern age, a new generation of composers came into being addressing their works to a wider public, returning to the concert-hall with accessible contemporary art music. New styles and genres which arose within the postmodern aesthetic include minimalism, poly-stylism, neo-conservative and multi-media works. Unfortunately, despite these new developments in art music destined for the concert-hall, there has been no noticeable increase in attendance figures of new music concerts. The findings of this study have indicated that this is a multi-faceted problem of great complexity. At the same time technology has played an important role in transforming the conditions of the production, distribution and consumption of music. Not only have our listening habits changed through the invention of the radio, long-playing record, etc. but music also became independent from being heard at a specific time or place. The investigation found that the recording industry is a key factor in the current musical scene and that it has been able to give new impetus to certain contemporary art music. Finally, the conclusion is made that no single factor is responsible for disturbing the balance between the music, genre, medium, listener, leisure time, market and society at large during the 20th century. Modifying any one of these factors will not automatically re-instate a balance between contemporary art music and its society either. Furthermore, our main concern should not be with apportioning blame or seeking solutions for the future but to cherish and support the music of today.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk probeer om 20ste eeuse kunsmusiek in 'n postmoderne samelewing te ondersoek met spesifieke verwysing na die gebrek aan belangstelling van konsertgehore in hierdie musiek. Die uitgangspunt van die bespreking is om die konsep "kunsmusiek" te probeer defineer asook om die oorsprong en karaktereienskappe daarvan te bepaal. Kunsmusiek het 'n klemverskuiwing ondergaan oor die afgelope paar eeue, vanaf funksionele musiek na 'n outonome kunsvorm. Sedert die begin van die 20ste eeu het kunsmusiek egter in 'n meer problematiese posisie verkeer ten opsigte van die samelewing. Gedurende die moderne tydperk het daar 'n kloof ontstaan tussen die komponis en die gehoor. In sy innerlike strewe na vooruitgang en vernuwing, het die komponis nie die behoeftes van die gehoor in ag geneem nie. Dit het daartoe gelei dat hy vervreemd geraak het van die samelewing. Moderne kunsmusiek het toenemend onverstaanbaar geword vir die luisteraar. Terselfdertyd het tegnologiese ontwikkelinge en verandering van sosiale behoeftes bygedra tot die stelselmatig kwynende gehore en leë konsertsale. Met die vryer postmoderne musiekestetika wat gedurende die sestiger en sewentiger jare werklik begin posvat bet, was daar 'n opkoms van 'n nuwe geslag komponiste wat probeer het om meer luisteraarsvriendelik te komponeer. Style en genres wat uit hierdie nuwe estetika ontstaan het sluit in: minimalisme, polistilisme, neokonserwatiewe en multi-media werke. Ten spyte van hierdie nuwe ontwikkelinge is daar nog steeds geen merkbare toename in die bywoning van nuwe musiekuitvoerings nie. Die bevindinge van hierdie ondersoek toon aan dat dit 'n komplekse probleem is met baie fasette wat in aanmerking geneem moet word. Terselfdertyd het tegnologie 'n belangrike rol gespeel in die transformasie van die bepalende faktore van die produksie, verspreiding en verbruik van musiek. Die uitvinding van die radio, platespeler ens. het nie net luistergewoontes verander nie, maar ook musiekbeluistering onafhanklik van 'n spesifieke plek of tyd moontlik gemaak. Verder het die ondersoek bevind dat die plateindustrie 'n sleutelrol speel in die buidige musieklewe en selfs nuwe stukrag verleen aan sekere eietydse kunsmusiek. In die slot hoofstuk word die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat 'n balans ontbreek tussen die musiek, genre, medium, vryetyd besteding, mark en eietydse samelewing in sy geheel. Die oorsaak hiervan kan nie teruggevoer word na een enkele faktor nie en dus is dit 'n problematiese taak om 'n ewewig weer te probeer bewerkstellig. Tog is die besinning van moontlike oplossings vir die toekoms uiteindelik minder van belang as die volle ondersteuning en aandag wat ons verskuldig is aan die musiek van vandag.af_ZA
dc.format.extent109 pages : music
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50992
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subjectMusic -- 20th century -- History and criticismen_ZA
dc.subjectDissertations -- Musicen_ZA
dc.titleMusic without audience? : contemporary art music in a postmodern societyen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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