Postmodernism in Music

What is postmodernism? How does it relate to music? This introduction clarifies the concept, providing ways of interpreting postmodern music.

Kenneth Gloag (Author)

9780521151573, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 21 June 2012

217 pages, 27 music examples
24.6 x 17.3 x 1 cm, 0.45 kg

"The book is carefully documented, with an extensive bibliography for those seeking more in-depth study. It would be very suitable for courses surveying epochs of 20th-century music, and it would be a good addition to music library collections." --Journal

Postmodernism is a term that has been used extensively to describe general trends and specific works in many different cultural contexts, including literature, cinema, architecture and the visual arts. This introduction clarifies the term and explores its relevance for music through discussion of specific musical examples from the 1950s to the present day, providing an engagement between theory and practice. Overall, this book equips students with a thorough understanding of this complex but important topic in music studies. It: • outlines and addresses the problems of defining what we mean by postmodernism • explores when postmodernism begins • engages with a broad range of literature and reference sources, inviting wider reading and thinking • uses specific musical examples to present ways of interpreting music that can be defined as postmodernist

Preface
1. Introducing postmodernism
2. Postmodern musicology – postmodern music
3. From anti-modernism to postmodern nostalgia
4. The challenge of the past
5. The music of George Rochberg: from modern serialism to postmodern pastiche
6. The music of John Zorn: 'a postmodernism of resistance'
7. Blurring the boundaries
8. The music of Sofia Gubaidulina (and others): 'as if the history of music were at an end'
9. Repetitions and revisions: from bebop to hip-hop
Postscript
Bibliography
Recordings.

Subject Areas: 20th century & contemporary classical music [AVGC6], Theory of music & musicology [AVA], Music [AV]