Choice Of Repertoire Research Articles

Saxa Loquuntur: Prague’s Speaking Stones

This essay examines two rival cultural institutions built in 1880s Prague: the New German Theater (Neues Deutsches Theater) and the Czech National Theater (Národní divadlo). Although their translational fates were different, the two buildings must be studied together, their cultural meanings emerging from the dialog between them. Opera, more than any other cultural form, was a contested space of national struggle. The stones of both theaters were designed to deliver messages as eloquent, as meaningful, and as ideologically tinted as the musical languages played within them. But as the understanding of the choice of repertoire, the design of the productions, and the tongues in which opera was sung have changed over time, so too have the messages that these buildings deliver. This essay takes as its backdrop not only the stories of these iconic buildings, but more broadly the double cultural history of Prague and the historical and cultural transformations of Central Europe from 1880 to 1960 with the many linguistic conversions, transformations, and remakes which took place there.

Joseph Conrad on the French Stage: One Day More as Demain

Joseph Conrad on the French Stage: One Day More as Demain Susan McCready (bio) In the summer of 1913, The English Review published the play One Day More, Joseph Conrad’s adaptation of his 1902 short story “To-morrow,” noting that the play had been “performed in 1904 by the Stage Society and also at the Théâtre de l’Œuvre, Paris” (Conrad, “One Day More” 16).1 Founded in 1893, Aurélien Lugné-Poe’s Œuvre (the name means “work of art”) referred not to the hall (the Salle Berlioz in the 9th arrondissement) but to the troupe, one of a growing number of “art theater” enterprises around the turn of the twentieth century whose goal was to rescue French theater from the twin threats of commercialization and stagnation. Lugné-Poe produced Alfred Jarry’s infamous Ubu Roi in 1896 and would go on to be a leading light in the art theater movement. The Œuvre’s repertoire was an eclectic array of plays, French and foreign, contemporary and classic. Lugné-Poe argued passionately for international cooperation among theater artists (Dusigne 16) and staged the French premieres of plays by Strindberg, Ibsen, d’Annunzio, and Gorki. However, he never produced a play by Conrad.2 In the spring of 1909, One Day More had played Paris in an adaptation by P. H. Raymond-Duval entitled Demain, but it was at the Théâtre des Arts, not at the Œuvre. It is not clear how The English Review came to make this error or whether it would have been meaningful to its readers, but it was widely repeated in publications that reported on the latest issue of the literary magazine. Would it have mattered to readers of The Cleveland Plain Dealer or The Aberdeen Daily Journal that Conrad’s play had premiered at one Paris theater rather than another?3 To most, probably not, but to those who knew the Paris theater scene well, the substitution of the Œuvre for the Théâtre des Arts would have given a false impression of Conrad’s French theatrical debut. At the turn of the twentieth century in France, the theater was culturally the most important literary genre and commercially the most attractive. Authors [End Page 175] could reach a larger audience and make more money with one hit play than with a string of successful novels, and they could not hope to rival the prestige of Racine and Molière with serializations in newspapers. Still, contemporary commentators warned that the theater in France was in crisis. With an audience subdivided among theaters specializing in various types of entertainment (grand spectacle, café-concert, vaudeville, among others), the “literary theater” had a smaller share of the box office than ever before. More worrisome to the literati was the suspicion that French playwrights were not up to the moment, and perhaps they were not. No French playwright of the period reached the status of Chekhov, Ibsen, Strindberg, Hauptmann, Maeterlinck, or Shaw. Untrammeled by the cultural baggage of the théâtre classique and its nineteenth-century avatar, la pièce bien faite, foreign authors were experimenting more broadly with dramatic form, and were frankly more successful in adapting it to their subject matter. The art theater movement began to emerge in France in the 1880s partly in response to this crisis. André Antoine led the way, founding the Théâtre Libre in 1887; Paul Fort, whose Théâtre d’Art (not to be confused with the Théâtre des Arts, where Conrad’s play premiered) opened in 1890, was not far behind. Lugné-Poe had collaborated with both, and his Théâtre de l’Œuvre was the continuation of Fort’s project, which folded in 1893. Art theaters were generally subscription theaters, that is, private clubs, which allowed them to avoid the rigors of official censorship to which the public theaters had to submit. This meant that they were generally freer in their choice of repertoire, and they used their freedom to push the French theater in new directions. Often this meant in the direction of foreign authors, further stoking anxiety in the theater world that French cultural dominance was on the wane. Art theaters positioned...

Mariano Castro de Gistau (d 1856) and the Vogue for the Spanish Guitar in Nineteenth-Century Britain

This article reconstructs the biography of a musician of Spanish-French background whose name and existence have hitherto been unknown, the guitarist and singer Mariano Castro de Gistau (c. 1800–1856). He arrived in Britain around 1829, during the relatively brief period when the guitar was widely fashionable there. The article discusses the factors that created this fashion as well as some of the principal forces that would soon challenge the instrument’s position and complicate the life of musicians like Castro (such as the rise of a canonical repertoire performed in concert halls built ever larger). Castro remained in the British Isles until his death in 1856, with a career unfolding mainly in provincial centres like Edinburgh, Dublin, Aberdeen and Cheltenham. Contemporary reviews show that he was a highly respected musician who appeared in concerts both as a guitarist and singer, often accentuating his Spanish background in the choice of repertoire. In addition to giving singing and guitar lessons, he was teaching the French language (increasingly so in later years when the guitar had lost much of its status) and after 1845 he was also engaged as a teacher in various private schools and academies.

(Re)Considering the Priestess: Clara Schumann, Historiography, and the Visual

(Re)Considering the PriestessClara Schumann, Historiography, and the Visual April L. Prince (bio) In memoriam K. M. Knittel Revered and celebrated, Clara Schumann has long held a place of prestige within musicology. She stands out as an anomaly among female pianists of the nineteenth century, having achieved extraordinary accolades from the very outset of her career and maintaining a phenomenally long and prolific public presence. Shaped foremost by Berthold Litzmann’s and Nancy Reich’s biographies, the scholarship on Schumann most often turns to her own words regarding her place within the musical tale of the nineteenth century.1 Her explanations very [End Page 107] often correspond to one of the most dominant historical narratives within musicology: a story that extols the instrumental, autonomous musical work and its composer and, in so doing, celebrates the serious listening experience.2 This understanding has, since the nineteenth century, been a way to measure musical worth and value by privileging mindful (masculine) over bodily (feminine) interactions with music.3 In a historical era fixated on establishing gender differences, wherein music played a crucial role, it is curious that a female pianist developed into one of the preeminent symbols for this masculine aesthetic. Schumann’s attachment to this ideal is perhaps most evident in her revered title of “the priestess,” which emphasized her saintly “devotion” to the musical work and the “quiet dignity” of her performances.4 This label, itself originating during Schumann’s lifetime, attempted to regulate her sexuality and femininity in seemingly benign terms: she became the appropriately domesticated other or the desexualized and disembodied conduit to the composer or his musical work. Given the circumstances, with social forces desperately working to transform the public taste into one of a “cultivated” bourgeoisie, interpretations that attempt to disavow or regulate her gender are hardly surprising.5 What is surprising, however, is that modern scholars continue to regulate Schumann’s gender similarly to that of the nineteenth century. As Reich argues at the outset of her biography, “[Schumann] is viewed even today as her nineteenth-century contemporaries saw her—as a saint or ‘priestess,’ as a dedicated wife, mother and musician.”6 Ludim Pedroza also notes this constancy: [End Page 108] The “priestess,” as Clara Schumann was labeled by Liszt and other contemporaries, has been recognized as the harbinger of the self-denying pianist-interpreter. Accounts of public reactions to Schumann’s performances seldom allude to ecstasy, rapture, or fainting episodes. . . . Up to this day [emphasis added], her public persona remains an emblem of sobriety, nonsentimentality, rationality, and objectivity; not surprisingly, on account of her unwavering commitment to preserving the integrity of the musical work and to upholding the composer’s intentions, Schumann’s name continues to be associated with the Werktreu ideology.7 As both Reich and Pedroza outline, we still attach Schumann to a nineteenth-century ideal that demanded the performer defer to the musical work; this belief, at its core, empowered (and continues to empower) the musical structure that the bourgeois male sought so desperately to secure. Categorizing Schumann as an “emblem of sobriety, nonsentimentality, rationality, and objectivity” allowed (and continues to allow) her musical legacy to exist purely within the mindful, “masculine” realm, privileging her repertoire choices and engagement with the musical structure over all other aspects of her performative persona. So while it is clear that both critics and Schumann herself cultivated this kind of performing ideal, it cannot be ignored that this characterization became a way to obfuscate almost entirely the presence of the feminine in music and of Schumann herself. This perception, to use Pedroza’s words, “self-denies.” In this kind of historiographical mindset, the bodily (the feminine) becomes off-limits, and we seemingly ignore the contradictory evidence it might reveal. Schumann’s performing career, in effect, is narrowed to celebrate her as primarily an emptied agent or “executant.” By reducing the power of her visual, bodily, feminine presence, however, we ignore important aspects of her performance identity (or identities) that could perhaps engage differently with this historical narrative. In an effort to consider Schumann’s story from a perspective that asks us to think in more dialectical terms, this article reconsiders her historiography by...

Техническая база советской кинематографии в период «застоя»

The article is devoted to such technical aspects of Soviet cinema as cinema spreading, film, movie taking and film equipment. We consider the activities of NIKFI [National Research film and photo institute] in the 1970s. One of the major problems in cinema spreading is a deep-rooted lag of the cinema network from the audience needs. There was not only few cinemas, but also there was less technical equipment which often left much to be desired. In addition, large one-hall cinemas, which always prevailed in the USSR, significantly narrowed the choice of repertoire. In the late 1970’s – early 1980’s in the Soviet Union there was dramatically reduced cinema building, while the number of urban residents continued to grow. Status of rural cinema network also left much to be desired: it was often increased at the expense of the reorganization of rooms poorly adapted for this purpose into cinemas. The technical base of the Soviet film industry has always been its Achilles heel. In our country, there was always a certain gap between the level of scientific research and their practical realization. The reason is that all the forces were at the defense industry. A huge number of people (even in “peaceful” factories there were often secret workshops) employs on the “defense industry”. So in many fields we had advanced science (because the “defense industry” science always moves forward) and backward production. The perversity of this approach negatively affected the efficiency of NIKFI. Laboratories operating according to the plans approved by Institute of State cinema were busy with works which were not directly related to the cinematography; as the result, every year the Soviet Cinema equipment remained more and more behind the world standards, equipment dilapidated and were gradually replaced by foreign novelties. Especially serious lag observed in a number of areas cinema techniques: in the projection, the developing and copying equipment, new types of imaging optics, carrier transport. The most difficult situation was in the production and development of new varieties of film. In the late 1970s and early 1980s the problem of the quality laid on the problem of the quantity. Soviet film industry began to have trouble with positive film, which resulted in a forced reduction in circulation of new films.

Комментарии к статье Л.С. Выготского «Театр и революция»

The authors provide comments on the paper by L.S. Vygotsky "Theatre and Revolution" (1919) which ana¬lyzes the reaction of the theatre to the social and political processes that took place in Russia in the course of the revolution. The paper focuses in particular on the following aspects: the historical context; the influence of sociocultural situation on the development of the theatre and its choice of repertoire; the social changes in the¬atre audiences; the emergence of new theatrical forms induced by political changes. The comments to the paper refer to the biographical events as well as to the history of the theatre, culture and psychology. This enables the authors to reconstruct the sociocultural context necessary for understanding not only this very paper by L.S. Vygotsky, but also the process of formation of his views as the founder of cultural-historical psychology.

A Survey Study of U.S. Collegiate and K–12 Steel Band Directors’ Attitudes Relating to Steel Band Curriculum and Pedagogy

Steel bands were introduced into U.S. schools and universities during the 1950s and 1960s. There are now more than 600 U.S. school and university steel bands. The range of teaching methods and repertoire choices must be examined to more fully understand the variety of steel band traditions present in K–12 schools and universities. U.S. steel band directors responded to Likert-type, yes/no, and open-ended items about their curriculum and pedagogy as part of a March 2012 survey ( N = 216). Some of the main issues examined include methodology, the balance of genres programmed, the inclusion of contextual information, and directors’ steelpan performance backgrounds. Recommendations for the field, including suggestions for professional development opportunities for steel band directors, are included.

Transcultural Latino: Negotiating Music Industry Expectations of Latin American Migrant Musicians in Australasia

This article presents two examples of how Latin American migrant musicians have engaged with the commercial music industry in Australasia and the effects that this engagement has had on their musical choices. It approaches the issue from two contrasting perspectives: the first part of the article investigates the record productions of Auckland-based band Kantuta and examines the repertoire choices inherent to their success; the second part of the article provides an insider critique of the place of ‘Latin’ music in the Australasian music industry, with case-study examples of how the author has managed to negotiate his place within this industry. These discussions indicate that Australasian ‘Latin’ music is subject to a range of transcultural influences that are negotiated and selectively deployed by those who self-identify as Latin American musicians.

Programming in the Zone

One of the great challenges ensemble directors face is selecting high-quality repertoire that matches the musical and technical levels of their ensembles. Thoughtful repertoire selection can lead to increased student motivation as well as greater enthusiasm for the music program from parents, administrators, teachers, and community members. Common problems that can lead to overprogramming are presented, along with a discussion of Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory as frameworks for considering how directors’ repertoire choices can affect students’ motivation and continued participation.

Religious Music and Free Speech: Philosophical Issues in Nurre v. Whitehead

On September 9, 2009, the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that officials from Everett School District #2 in Mill Creek, Washington did not violate student Kathryn Nurre’s constitutional rights to free speech by denying the Jackson High School Wind Ensemble the opportunity to perform an instrumental version of Franz Biebl’s Ave Maria at the district’s graduation ceremony. This philosophical study addresses implications of this legal case regarding religious music and free speech in public school music programs within the United States. Two questions are investigated: the issue of defining religious music and its relationship to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and the issue of whether students have a right to musical expression protected by the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause. Conclusions suggest that some music in the Western classical tradition cannot be easily categorized as exclusively sacred or secular, and that performances of such music can be supported on both philosophical grounds and through the precedent of traditional performance practice and usage. Further, when students are allowed a choice of repertoire, schools should foster good citizenship by respecting the free expression of students as long as choices are not unduly influenced by the teacher and such performances occur within the context of a respectful and neutral environment that does not overtly demand a religious response from audience members.

Repertoire Choices in the Classroom: A Music Theory Teacher’s Perspective

Repertoire Choices in the Classroom: A Music Theory Teacher’s Perspective

The Orchestration of Civil Society: Community and Conscience in Symphony Orchestras

This article explores the symphony orchestra's potential to contribute to the making of civil society. It highlights orchestral attempts to reach new communities through repertoire choices, outreach projects, interactive digital technologies, and initiatives addressing poverty and environmentalism. Metaphors of the ‘orchestra as society’, which have been shaped by notions of social relations, are outlined to provide a platform for considering the institution as a social agent in the contemporary world. The social conscience of symphony orchestras is illustrated with ethnographic case studies mainly from the British context: the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra's tribute concerts for the qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the ‘Rafi Resurrected’ recordings, the London Symphony Orchestra Gamelan community project and the Philharmonia Orchestra's digital project, ‘Re-Rite’. Orchestral advocacy and the quest for contemporary social relevance stand in contrast to pessimistic views in the late twentieth century on the future of the orchestra as a musical institution. Key concerns are the symphony orchestra as a socio-political actor, orchestral interaction as a mode of civic collaboration and orchestral participatory projects.

Melba's Paris Debut: Another White Voice?

Melba's debut at the Paris Palais Garnier was in May 1889 in Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet. Later that year she also performed Lucie in the French translation and adaptation of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. Melba had some keen supporters in the Parisian press, notably Pierre Veron writing for Le Charivari, whose comment “A star of the first order is rising on our horizon” has been much quoted. However close analysis of her reception shows that despite a uniform respect for the purity and clarity of her voice, in particular its famous “crystalline upper register”, critics also had severe misgivings about her performance, which related to her bad French pronunciation and enunciation. Although Melba is called Australian in most reviews, there is a general confusion about what an Australian actually was and it is not uncommon for critics, for instance, to call her an American from Melbourne. This paper discusses how Melba's reception was entwined with general negative polemics about anglo-Saxon voices current at the time, and a general antagonism towards the direction of the Opéra for its choice of repertoire and lack of support for French artists. Contrary to what is stated in the current Melba literature, her Paris debut was not a complete success but some of her problems related to polemics outside her control.

Kaarel Irdi repertuaaripoliitilised vaated Vanemuise teatri juhina. Kaarel Ird’s Repertoire Policy as Manager of the Vanemuine Theatre

This article focuses on the meaning of ’repertoire policy’, which in a broader sense usually means the conformity of someone’s creative activities with their main target groups and the interests and expectations of these target groups. Usually, factors inside the theatre also influence repertoire policy (such as contemporary and classical texts, the relationship between local and foreign material, as well as the consideration of the artistic interests and abilities of the directors and actors involved). When analysing the Vanemuine Theatre and its long-standing manager Kaarel Ird (at Vanemuine during the years 1940–1986), a certain aspect stemming from the ideological doctrine of the totalitarian state should be taken into account: the mandatory quota of Soviet drama works (of the Russian and other Soviet nations written after the revolution of 1917), which had to be no less than two-thirds of the plays staged. One of Ird’s more distinguishable accomplishments in the formation of repertoire policy is the rehabilitation of classical Estonian drama and its legacy, which had been ostracised from the stage during the years following the war (1944–1955). Ird justified this with numerous performances and articles as well as in the choice of repertoire at the Vanemuine Theatre, which was very well received by the growing audience. Ird’s own best directed works were based on the legacy of classic Estonian drama (Lydia Koidula, Oskar Luts and others). The other tendency in Ird’s repertoire policy is the attention paid to the Estonian contemporary drama. His role in enthusing writers to create contributions for the drama genre was remarkable, as well as the care taken in order to make their plays reach the stage at Vanemuine Theatre. Something that should be pointed out in Ird’s favour is his explanation – which at the time was not at all self-evident – of the repertoire to the supervisory organs: that contemporary Estonian dramas ought to be treated as Soviet plays, and that these works should count towards the quota of Soviet plays. The disproportion between the large amount of attention given to original works and the varying literary level and quality of the contemporary Estonian plays gave rise to sharp public polemics in the first half of the 1960s, which also affected the actors at the theatre. Ird took these viewpoints into consideration, and directed more attention to the quality of the plays. The same kind of a turning point also took place in relation to the contemporary Russian and Soviet drama. When it came to the latter, Ird had to consider the overcoming of differences of opinion within the theatre. A memorandum addressed to Ird by a representative of the younger generation – the young author Mati Unt, who worked at the theatre as a dramatist– in 1970 points to the shortfalls in the theatre’s repertoire policy, which did not ensure sufficient contact with the younger audience and did not find favour with the young Estonian directors who were seeking for theatre renewal. In the 1970s, Ird made corrections in this area by giving the young staff at the theatre free hands in the choice of texts to be staged, and protected their access to the stage before the control organs supervising stage productions (the ESSR Ministry of Culture and the censorship officials). Attempts at bringing the world classics of theatre to the stage were not as successful, and their proportion at the theatre was not large. However, the 1970s saw the attention of a significant number of young directors gravitate towards introducing the authors of drama classics (Ibsen, Strindberg, Brecht) to the audience. The theatre focused less on the inclusion of contemporary Western dramas in the repertoire, the reason for this being the limited and strictly enforced quotas. When it came to the musical genres performed at the theatre (operas, operettas/musicals, ballets) there was a noticeable preference for contemporary Estonian composers. In the case of classic opera, the staging of less played works was considered important. The theatre won the approval of its audience with a choice of repertoire that took the audience’s expectations into account, and increased its number of visitors almost threefold in 20 years (1957–1977). The repertoire policy received much recognition in the second half of the 1970s from theatre critics and many experts from other parts of the Soviet Union. This was helped along by the multi-genre theatre’s regular guest performances in Moscow and Leningrad featuring different areas of activity, which were also taken into consideration for repertoire choices. An important result of the repertoire policy of Vanemuine theatre was – also in comparison with other Estonian theatres – a successful participation in union-wide contests dedicated to Soviet public holidays or the dramaturgies of different peoples.

The Australian National University Music Education Programme: developing a new approach to ongoing engagement in music making for all ages

The Music Education Programme at the Australian National University has developed a new, system-wide model in music education, focusing on peer and inter-generational social engagement through music making during and beyond the school years. One aim of the programme is to find alternative ways of fostering lifelong engagement in music making. A central feature of the approach is the consultation processes with students from ages five to seventeen. This process has included the development of a range of repertoires for different year levels that can be taught by both classroom teachers and music specialists. It has also revealed ways in which students of all ages can interact with a wide range of repertoire choices, regardless of social and cultural pressures or lack of exposure to choices outside of the school environment. Evidence presented in this paper documents the philosophy of the programme, aspects of the research profile, current findings and future directions.

Why a Specific Cultural Identity Does Not Exclude Universality in Teaching Yiddish Folksong

After a time of silence, Jewish identity often appeared to be reclaimed, or redefined, through connecting to Yiddish (folk-) song. Since Yiddish songs have become a kind of musical historic archive, Jews find in this repertoire different expressions of Jewish identity. They are able to embark on a joyful learning process as opposed to the sadness or silence they have been confronted with before. Meanwhile, the interest of non-Jews for this subject teaches them about a multi-faceted Jewish life, as opposed to only learning about the Shoah or the dramatic political struggles of Israel. This kind of cultural exploration becomes a strong tool for intercultural dialogue and peace. Both Jews and non-Jews participate in an inclusive learning-experience about a European Jewish heritage, which appears to be a discovery for both, on different levels. Depending on the choice of repertoire and a specific pedagogical approach, this particular way of learning appears to contribute to consciousness and universal thinking. The usual chauvinism that might result from reclaiming one's ethnic, cultural or religious identity does not seem to occur in this case. This article details Europe's quest for Yiddish culture after the Second World War and its consequences for Jewish and non-Jewish life today, seen through the eyes of a singer and pedagogue of Yiddish songs.

"Do You Nomi?": Klaus Nomi and the Politics of (Non)identification

Klaus was a face--elfin and painted as a Kabuki robot. He was a style--a medieval interpretation of the 21st century via Berlin 1929. He was a voice, almost inhuman in range, from operatic soprano to Prussian general. He was a master performer--a master of theatrical gesture. Above all he was a visionary. He said the future is based on the needs of the artist, deciding how to live and living that way every minute. Klaus, the man from the future, lived that way ill the present, and held out his hand saying, "Come with me. You call do it too." Kristian Hoffman FOR MANY OF HIS CONTEMPORARIES IN the 1970s and early 1980s, the New York-based New Wave performer Klaus Nomi offered the exhilarating prospect of total freedom--freedom to build one's own identity independently of any models or of any preexisting normative identities. As the obituary cited in my headnote suggests, an important source of this fascination was Nomi's appearance, which, both onstage and offstage, combined seemingly incommensurable elements. Equally significant were Nomi's baritone-countertenor voice and choice of repertoire, ranging from contemporary synth-pop to seventeenth-century English opera--the latter probably unfamiliar to most in his audiences. I would suggest that a third source was (and continues to be) his audience's own desire to identify freely, that is, to create their own identities, in the way that Nomi seemingly did. It is this desire that the obituary writer, pop and "no wave" musician Kristian Hoffman, grafts onto Nomi, interpreting his act and career as a success story in totally free identification. But the story is more complex than that. Contemporary accounts implying disgust rather than fascination with Nomi's singularity are at least as numerous. One contemporary wrote: "In his brief career, Nomi carried the flag for freaks of many stripes, with retro-futurist performances." (l) Another wondered whether Nomi might be "a tragic slip in Mother Nature's busy assembly line." (2) The tongue-in-cheek humor of the latter author notwithstanding, the notion of Nomi as a "tragic slip" points to a recurring theme in Nomi's reception: many viewed him as a freak, a monster, or an alien, receiving Nomi's singularity with fascination and anxiety. That mixture of fascination and anxiety is the focus topic of this essay. The discussion of Nomi's reception that follows is an attempt to reconsider the problematic of identification and identity politics. What does it mean to identify? What may be the roles of identification in an emancipatory politics predicated on it? What are identification's perils? What, if any, are its viable alternatives? Asking these questions in relation to Nomi allows me to interpret some of the twists and turns in Nomi's reception and to show that, despite all the well-documented and theorized perils of identity politics, a politics predicated on total nonidentification--on a refusal to identify with any recognizable models--is not a viable alternative. I begin with a brief theoretical discussion of identity politics, its advantages and perils. I then discuss the mechanics--visual and vocal-of Klaus Nomi as an act in nonidentification, along with the celebratory line in Nomi's reception, illustrated above by the excerpt from Hoffman's obituary. Finally, I turn to the dark side of Nomi's reception, also illustrated above, and offer another brief theoretical discussion, this time of nonidentification and its fatal flaws as a survival strategy against the exigencies of normative identification. Identity, identification, and related terms figure in a wide variety of discourses--political theory and practice, the humanities, and the sciences as well as everyday speech. Given its wide usage, it is not surprising that identity assumes many different meanings that foreclose any universal or general definition. For present purposes, identity may be understood as an individual's culturally recognized sense of belonging to an already existing social group. …

Repertoire Recommendations by Music Therapists for Geriatric Clients During Singing Activities

Little is known about the actual repertoire music therapists use with geriatric clients during singing activities, particularly whether the repertoire choices represent the young adult years of persons categorized as seniors, as previous researchers have suggested. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to: 1) determine specific repertoire music therapists are using with geriatric clients during singing activities in the music styles of popular, patriotic, hymn, folk, and musicals and 2) determine what decades their repertoire choices represented. Surveys were sent to 455 music therapists who worked with geriatric persons. Of these, 151 music therapists returned a survey, creating a 33% return rate. A combined total of songs (N = 1688) were recommended within the five music styles. Results found popular music was the style category with the greatest number of song recommendations followed by folk songs, songs from musicals, hymns, and patriotic songs respectively. A complete list of the repertoire is included.

A Study of British Influence on Musical Taste and Programming: New Choral Works Introduced to Audiences by the Melbourne Philharmonic Society, 1876–1901

When the Annual Report of Melbourne Philharmonic for 1899 complained about the lack of public support for new musical enterprises of the Society, it stated that more encouragement of the local press was needed so that ‘public curiosity might be excited, an artistic taste educated, and a desire created to hear what the Old World had approved’ (my italics). The domination of British opinion in the assembly of a music library for the Melbourne Philharmonic Society during the years of its existence in the nineteenth century, focusing upon the years 1876 to 1901, is investigated in Part I of this article. Factors influencing the choice of repertoire during this era – particularly the influence of the British publication The Musical Times and Singing-Class Circular (founded in 1844) – are noted. Examination of reports and reviews in the Musical Times supports the hypothesis that much of the new repertoire acquired by the Melbourne Philharmonic Society during these years was the direct result of opinions expressed in that publication, and the availability of performance materials publicized by Novello, Ewer, and Co. through the Musical Times, which was also published by Novello. ‘What J. Alfred Novello had on offer was unashamedly a house magazine … firmly dedicated to the advertisement of Novello's publications’. In the cultivation of musical taste, and in the development of libraries of choral societies, the activities of the publisher extended an authority far beyond the UK, placing the Musical Times in a formidable position of power throughout the English-speaking world. Part II explores three works to receive their Australian or Melbourne premieres at concerts given by the Philharmonic Society in the final quarter of the nineteenth century: each item was promulgated by the Musical Times.

'Australian Idol' and the Attention Economy

'Australian Idol' and the Attention Economy