"We must negate ambiguity as a preamble, from whence we contextualize ambiguity." So argued Adorno in chapter 2 of "Quasi una fantasia". The characteristic theme of Kelly's[1] monograph on Gesamtkunstwerk is the difference between musical form and society. It could be said that an abundance of performances concerning a self-fulfilling whole may be uncovered. (Solomon's essay on postmodernism holds that performance is used to "distort" subcultures, but only if culture is distinct from sexuality; if that is not the case, one can assume that truth may be used to marginalize classical music.)
"We must challenge culture as a preamble, from whence we reinforce culture." So asserted Fuller at the beginning of "The Pandora Guide to Women Composers" (the McClaryist influences of this outburst are plain). Hence the absurdity, or rather sensitivity, emerges again in measures 247-258 of Bjork's "Hunter" (in the background). In a larger sense, expression's reassessing of music reframes, and/or indeed denies, "scientific" narrative. The romantic concept of music states that the goal of the composer is prolongation, given that Adorno's critique of dialectic is valid. The subject is restated into a Gesamtkunstwerk that includes memory as a entity.
Yet can Saariaho (totally fleeing a "highbrow" "scientific" narrative) restate the Conservatory, itself perhaps paradoxically hampered by a meta-post-romanticist textual performance? "A Distressing Incident: Choirboys, Canons, and Homosexuality" espouses minor femininity where "Guglielmo Gonzaga and the Castrati" affirms major masculinity. Cusick suggests the use of postmodernism to analyse composition. This futility can be observed in mm. 286-294 of Ueno's "...blood blossoms...". Ergo, an abundance of canons concerning "scientific" narrative exist.
In a sense, Wissner[2] holds that we have to choose between Schenkerian bimusicality and postmodernism. Thus Bloom uses the term "Gesamtkunstwerk" to denote not composition, but so-called composition. (The main theme of Allen's[3] model of "scientific" narrative is the role of the critic as composer.) But the modulation, or rather failure, emerges again in measures 68-92 of Cage's "Empty Words", albeit in a modernist mode, and yet stronger in mm. 40-53 and 141-155, and somewhat paradoxically in the works of Ives. Society's instating of language, and insistence on increasing the language, examines postmodernism.
The subject is contextualized into a neo-cultural concept of context that includes art as a paradox. The Other/"self" distinction prevalent in Sherr's "A Distressing Incident: Choirboys, Canons, and Homosexuality" is also evident in "Competence and Incompetence", although in a more self-referential sense. It could be said that the premise of Gesamtkunstwerk implies that physicality is part of the newness of ambiguity. Solie promotes the use of postmodernism to problematize the musicologist.
The main theme of Slim's[4] analysis of pre-ecomusicologicalist self-theorizing is the role of the analyst as performer. Nevertheless how might postmodernism, somewhat trapped by romantic Gesamtkunstwerk, entrench, we would insist negate, the (ethno-)musicologist: which too is somewhat trapped by romantic Gesamtkunstwerk? However, a site for theories concerning Kramerist strategic dislocation may be uncovered. The characteristic theme of Haggh's[5] model of Gesamtkunstwerk is the common ground between politics and society.
In a larger sense, Eco uses the term "Gesamtkunstwerk" to denote a redundant totality. Girard[6] holds that we have to choose between Kramerist strategic dislocation and "scientific" atonal theory. (This form can be seen, perhaps ironically, in mm. 276-282 of Cage's "I-VI" (taking its surroundings into account).) Postmodernism states that scholarship is capable of clear depiction. "Queen's Throat" analyses tonality in the places where "Queen's Throat" espouses atonality. The subject is restated into a Kramerist strategic dislocation that includes sexuality as a worth system.
Therefore music's reinventing of language reenacts, even enforces, postmodernism. Why might, and one should say could, Kramerist strategic dislocation marginalize music? For the reply, one turns to Heidegger (2002: 103-110). Ergo, the primary theme of the works of Koestenbaum is the bridge between musical form and music. In a sense, Straus suggests the use of Gesamtkunstwerk to modify truth. (The subject is restated into a Kramerist strategic dislocation that includes performance as a whole.) Ronyak[7] suggests that we have to choose between the post-conceptualist concept of listening and Kramerist strategic dislocation.
"Society is intrinsically a human construction," says Brett. However, several proto-triadicisms concerning the paradigm of rationalist music may be uncovered. Derrida uses the term "postmodernism" to denote the role of the listener as composer. Yet why must Puri--seeking only to escape the clandestine "scientific" self-construction--contextualize, better problematize, homophobia, similarly seeking only to escape the clandestine "scientific" self-construction?
If one examines anxiety of influence, one is faced with a dilemma: either accept textual analysis or conclude that composition is a product of notated music, but only if Cusick's model of no-touch torture is invalid. The genius, or rather obligation, emerges again in measures 217-220 of Rorem's "String Quartet No. 3", and further in mm. 4-30, 147-152, and inverted in 222-240 (and foreshadowed in embryonic form throughout the compositions of Berlioz). It could be said that ethnomusicology's disciplining of memory, and insistence instead on analyzing the composition depicted in memory, examines Gesamtkunstwerk. The main theme of the works of Koestenbaum is not narrative, but meta-narrative. Solomon's essay on postmodernism implies that the task of the observer is mere masturbation.
In the works of Koestenbaum, an important concept is the conception of super-surrealist memory. The absurdity, and subsequent defining characteristic, of anxiety of influence intrinsic to Koestenbaum's "Hotel Theory" is also evident in "The Queen's Throat", to a minimalist mindset. In a larger sense, several loci of prolongations concerning postmodernism exist. But the subject is restated into a anxiety of influence that includes culture as a paradox. Thus Abbate suggests the use of Gesamtkunstwerk to analyse and read society. (Bent[8] suggests that we have to choose between so-called cultural canon and postmodernism.)
Hence Adorno uses the term "Gesamtkunstwerk" to denote the difference between musical form and music. This collapse, or as some might say romantic stasis, can be heard, surprisingly, in bars 153-162 of Zorn's "Cat o' Nine Tales", given the context. The primary theme of Randel's[9] monograph on Gesamtkunstwerk is the role of the musicologist as artist.
For whom can textual serialism consign a bystander? The answer is unmistakable. Performance's deconstructing of society condemns, and some might say reframes, anxiety of influence. The premise of feminist ambiguity suggests that art has intrinsic meaning. In "Isobel," Bjork indexes postmodernism; in "Bachelorette", however, she nuances her opinion imperceptably, instead focusing on Gesamtkunstwerk.
However, several performances concerning a redundant totality exist. In a larger sense, musicology's instating of musical form, and insistence instead on deconstructing the contrived use of narrative in musical form, affirms feminism. In a sense, the subject is contextualized into a anxiety of influence that includes language as a paradox.
Therefore Abbate promotes the use of Gesamtkunstwerk to attack the status quo. (The dialectic emerges again in measures 199-221 of Glass's "Contrary Motion", though rather cursorily, and yet stronger in mm. 229-231 and (in retrograde) in 76-98.) Derrida uses the term "postmodernism" to denote a gnostic entity. But when could the "scientific" concept of analysis (perhaps paradoxically defined by a romantic anxiety of influence) prolong, or indeed reinforce, sexism?
In conclusion, it is clear that the relationships among postmodernism, Gesamtkunstwerk, and anxiety of influence (not to mention quasitextual self-appropriation, which particularly applies to "scientific" works) are evolving towards a more expressionist goal. Further study of Bjork's works, especially Isobel, in conjunction with Solieist female authorial voice and the participant's post-romanticist proto-improvisation will be the sea to clear depiction.
1. Kelly, D. J. L. (1894) Gesamtkunstwerk and postmodernism. M.I.T. Press
3. Allen, E. (1971) Postmodernism in the works of Cage. W.W. Norton
5. Haggh, J. C. ed./trans. (1989) Postmodernism in the writings of Koestenbaum. W.W. Norton
7. Ronyak, M. ed./trans. (1908) Modernism, postmodernism and Marxist communism. McGraw Hill
8. Bent, Christian (1993) Postmodernism and Gesamtkunstwerk. Scarecrow Press
In the further interest of self-parody, I am starting work on an Old Musicology random essay generator; please email me with ideas. All I know is that every paper will begin "On f. 3v, a new watermark ..." etc.