Mark Morris and the American Avant-Garde: From Ultra-Modernism to Postmodernism

Abstract

Importing tuning systems and temporal structures from both ancient and non-Western music into their compositions, West-Coast American composers Henry Cowell, Harry Partch, and Lou Harrison became known as “ultra-modernists.” Mark Morris's choreography to their music reflects not only these audible components but also their external references, displaying a deep understanding of the composers’ work. Like these composers, Morris thrived on self-education that went beyond Western subjects in his childhood and youth. At the same time, Morris makes many references in these works to iconic gestures from the works of the pioneers of American modern dance, suggesting a self-reflexive process that makes his work less ultra-modern and more postmodern.