Thirteenth International Conference on The Arts in Society

Abstract

While seeking to further a lineage from the avant-garde, contemporary composers might be susceptible to committing what Richard Taruskin views as the “poetic fallacy,” fueling primarily inward interests. A greater integration between performers, composers and teachers is increasingly necessary to keep contemporary composition the cornerstone for music education. The fluidity of these fields contributes to a public, as opposed to professional, discourse in music. This paper argues that neoclassicism is a key driving force in enacting this shift to public discourse. Drawing attention to Martha Hyde’s eclectic and dialectical imitation and Harold Bloom’s Anxiety of Influence, it argues that today’s compositions must generate a degree of anachronism for music of the past. This emancipates contemporary composers from the shackles of a pre-existing heritage. The anachronism is generated through a warehouse approach to older styles which can be used at the composer’s disposal. This seeks fresh discourse by avoiding the subordination of one’s music to an older composer or style. By distilling the common threads of Hyde, Bloom and Taruskin, this paper advocates an erosion of an ingrained “museum culture” through a uniquely musical solution, without compromising on the sophistication of musical elements that have withstood the test of time. Notably, the composer’s purpose of highlighting the anachronism, musical or otherwise, invites a public response above and beyond the actual anachronism. Therefore, the neoclassical idiom not only challenges conventional musical associations, it also generalizes musical composition beyond common practice.