Masters Degrees (Music)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Music) by Subject "Afrikaans literature"

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    Anton Goosen se bydrae tot die Afrikaanse luisterliedjie
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03) Stofberg, Rolene; Ludemann, Winfried; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Music.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The popular Afrikaans music industry of the late seventies was characterised by a number of musical developments. This study focuses on these developments, with specific reference to the songs on Anton Goosen's LP, Boy van die Suburbs (1979), as representative of the music that emerged around the initiative ‘Musiek en Liriek’ (music and lyrics). The approach that was followed in this study attempts to link style-critical and historic-contextual perspectives, whilst at the same time acknowledging the existence of a broader level of meaning in popular music that surpasses the established form-stylistic terminology2, but can still be described by using a musical vocabulary. The investigation of popular Afrikaans music from such a multitude of perspectives is still an unexplored field of study. The revival of the popular Afrikaans song was driven by a group of musicians, including Goosen, who performed under the auspices of Musiek en Liriek and the so-called luisterlied (listening song). By looking at the history and state of popular Afrikaans music before Musiek en Liriek, a historiccontextual framework was created that contextualises the developments during the late seventies. This includes a description of both traditional Afrikaans folk music and early popular Afrikaans music. Compared to the older popular Afrikaans songs and lekkerliedjies (nice or fun songs), the luisterlied offered a more sophisticated alternative, with a focus on original and poetic lyrics. One of the characteristics of the luisterlied is that it systematically turned towards a more critical perspective on the challenges of the time, although an outlet for true protest in popular Afrikaans music would only be found later on. Central to this study is the search for the exact site of meaning of the songs on Boy van die Suburbs. The opinion is that a broader level of meaning exists in Goosen’s songs, standing alongside the narrow form-stylistic and contextual characteristics, and that the true level of meaning in his music is to be found at this level. Goosen’s popularity can be attributed mainly to these factors. He creates this broader level of meaning by using specific positive and negative (‘ontkennende’) semantic indicators based on culture-specific references in his lyrics, musical embodiment and instrumentation. In this respect, he relies on the associative characteristics of these references. On the one hand, references to traditional foodstuffs such as koeksisters and melkkos are used in conjunction with instruments such as the concertina to emphasise the traditional aspects of the Afrikaners’ cultural practices. On the other hand, Goosen implements contemporary stylistic elements in his music – which speak to a modern listener – of which Afrikaans rock music is the most significant example. By using rock music, Goosen rebels against the Afrikaans cultural institutions of his day and against older popular Afrikaans music, unlocking the potential of popular Afrikaans music by making it receptive to renewal. The study should not be understood only as appreciation of an influential artist, but as a contribution to the critical evaluation of a genre that, with all its inherent contradictions, forms an essential phase in the history of popular Afrikaans music.