Musical style Alexander Goehr

1 musical style

1.1 eclecticism , synthesis
1.2 engagement past

1.2.1 walter goehr
1.2.2 twentieth-century modernist composers
1.2.3 music of baroque , classical tradition

musical style
eclecticism , synthesis

all of goehr s works are, in 1 way or another, studies in synthesis of several, different elements. apparent in breakthrough piece, deluge (1957–58), inspired eisenstein s notes film based on writing leonardo da vinci; in other words goehr writes music director s notes film based on writings of painter! similarly, inspiration new compositions have ranged formal proportions of late beethoven piano sonata (metamorphosis/dance, 1973-4) painting goya (colossus or panic, 1990), sinister humour of bertolt brecht (arden must die, 1966) or japanese noh theatre (kantan , damask drum, 1999).

another red-thread element of deluge takes cue unfinished project—eisenstein never carried out particular project. goehr return time , again idea of carrying out synthesis of fragments or unfinished projects left other artists, albeit in metaphorical way: cantata death of moses resonates schoenberg s unfinished moses und aron; opera arianna (1995) setting of libretto of lost opera monteverdi; , posthumously published prose fragments franz kafka lurk behind das gesetz der quadrille (1979), sur terre en l air (1997) , schlussgesang (1990).

from strictly technical musical level, goehr s endeavour has long been of unifying contrapuntal rigour , motivic workings of first viennese school , second viennese school strong sense of harmonic pacing , sonority. indicative goehr should go paris not attend classes of messiaen @ paris conservatoire, study counterpoint , serialism schoenberg scholar , composer max deutsch; more indicative anecdote deutsch threw goehr out of house upon hearing young man intended study messiaen him. goehr s indebtedness messiaen strong, apparent in goehr s lifelong commitment modality integration both serialism , tonality, bird-song inspired melodic writing, particularly in cantata sing, ariel.

engagement past

goehr s interest in musical past far empty mannerism or sign of musical conservatism, rather earnest, , renewed exploration of own musical roots. music of past not hinder, in goehr s view, search innovative musical language:

in composer s mind, vague memories fuse , grow new, conscious, creative idea. artist realated tradition comes, , bond has little time or progress.

this attitude concisely expressed goehr s striking assertion art new , art conservative . understood in way, musical imagination of past can traced 3 fundamental sources:

walter goehr

although goehr s personal relationship father not unproblematic, walter goehr had determining influence on son via work conductor: composers work walter championed—arnold schoenberg, claudio monteverdi, modest mussorgsky, olivier messiaen—feature red-thread throughout alexander s output. instance, goehr s arianna uses libretto of lost opera monteverdi, arianna abbandonata, , conjures sonorities reminiscent of italian renaissance. quintet 5 objects darkly (whose title borrowed work painter giorgio morandi set of variations based on musical fragment mussorgsky, , earlier little symphony uses chordal structure of mussorgsky s catacombs pictures @ exhibition harmonic backbone.

early twentieth-century modernist composers

walter goehr had studied schoenberg , surrounded high calibre composers such seiber, tippett, , others. goehr s strong sense of indebtment generation, particularly schoenberg, had lot ambivalent reaction darmstadt school avant-garde of fifties (in friend , mentor pierre boulez heavily involved).

music of baroque , classical tradition

goehr s interest in these musics surely part of schoenbergian heritage. schoenberg, goehr refuses view current composition practice independent of musical tradition, rather, seeks in tradition elements innovation of musical language. alexander s search means of controlling structure , harmony in music led him in late seventies innovating interpretation of late baroque practice of figured bass in conjunction personal blend of modality , serialism. exemplified in setting of psalm iv , ensuing correlated works: fugue , romanza on notes of fourth psalm (1976 , 1977, respectively). goehr committed reinvention of classical forms such symphony, classical concerto, , baroque suite (from suite op. 11 of 1961 right symmeteries disorder reach of 2007). further sources of inspiration treatises on musical ornamentation carl philip emanuel bach, , monteverdi, synthesis of renaissance polyphony baroque move towards homophony , control of harmony mirrors goehr s own commitment harmonically expressive serialist practice.