Canada's Sound in Music

8/11/2019 Canada's Sound in Music

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Stefano P. Degano

Prof. Brian Cherney

MUHL 391-001

April 23 2012

Canadas sound in music: a look at Stewart GrantsDance Variations

Canaian !"#i$ in the 20th$ent"ry ha# %een in a $on#tant #tr"ggle to ientify an

e&elop a !"#i$al #tyle that i# "ni'"ely Canaian. (or the greater part of thi# $ent"ry)

a&ant-gare *"ropean an A!eri$an $o!po#er# ha&e greatly infl"en$e the ire$tion of

Canaian $o!po#er#+ !"#i$al lang"age#) oftenti!e# renering their !"#i$ ini#tin-

g"i#ha%le fro! tho#e o"t#ie tren# an $on#e'"ently hinering the e&elop!ent of a

i#tin$t Canaian !"#i$al #tyle, f"rther!ore) the la$ of a pop"lar) internationally

re$ognie $o!po#er to ha&e e!erge fro! Canaa an an a!%i&alent !"#i$al lineage

ha# !ae it e&en !ore iffi$"lt to e#ta%li#h thi# ientity. Ho/e&er) e#pite the a%#en$e of

a $lear Canaian #tyle) there are a great eal of $o!po#er#) o"t#ie the a$ae!i$ $ir$le#)

/ho ha&e atte!pte to $reate thi# national #o"n) one #"$h ini&i"al #trongly %elie&e

ha# $apt"re the e##en$e of the Canaian eperien$e in !"#i$ Ste/art rant. 4hile

$learly i#a##o$iating hi!#elf fro! the a&ant-gare) he eplore# !"#i$al #tyle# in a

$on&entional !anner an eperi!ent# /ith #tr"$t"re) har!ony) an !eloy in a !ore

traitional approa$h) a# i# %e#t repre#ente in one of hi# greate#t /or#)Dance Variations

Op. 16) for #olo piano. Altho"gh thi# approa$h !ay %e per$ei&e a# li!iting on a

progre##i&e #tanpoint) "lti!ately it i# hi# a%ility to rein&igorate the#e traitional

para!eter# that #et apart hi# pie$e# fro! the Canaian !"#i$ $anon an i#ting"i#h it a#

the '"inte##ential Canaian #o"n.


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5et the '"e#tion i# i!!eiately rai#e a# to /hat i# the Canaian #o"n) or for

that !atter) /hat i# nationali#ti$ !"#i$6 7he an#/er) in !y opinion) %egin# /ith a #trong

!"#i$al lineage an a pro!inent pop"lar $o!po#er 8 /ho#e !"#i$ /a# "ni'"e to their

eperien$e a# a !"#i$ian fro! that $o"ntry) /ho#e infl"en$e #tret$he %eyon it# %orer#)

an /a# the %en$h!ar for $o!po#er# of that $o"ntry 8 neither of /hi$h ha&e e&er really

!anife#te the!#el&e# in Canaa. 4hile thi# oe# apply to *"rope) it# hi#tory i# entirely

ifferent fro! Canaa+# an therefore oe# not &aliate a $o!pari#on, the only legiti!ate

$o!pari#on $an %e !ae /ith the Unite State#.

4hile there are o%&io"#ly a n"!%er of fa$tor# /hi$h $ontri%"te to the gro/th of

!"#i$ in the Unite State#) in$l"ing a large !igration of pro!inent *"ropean $o!po#er#

a# /ell a# a larger pop"lation an $"lt"re for !"#i$ thro"gho"t the $o"ntry) one a#pe$t

that ifferentiate# it#elf fro! Canaa i# the n"!%er of highly regare $o!po#er#

thro"gho"t the 20th $ent"ry their !"#i$al lineage %egin# /ith Coplan) Bar%er) an

er#h/in) progre##ing /ith Cage) la##) an 4hita$re, Canaa) on the other han) ne&er

pro"$e a #ing"larly pro!inent $o!po#er that re!otely $apt"re the Canaian #pirit. n

orer for Canaian $la##i$al !"#i$ to #"r&i&e) %elie&e /e !"#t ientify an pro!ote a

$o!po#er that tr"ly ha# a i#tin$ti&e '"ality) "nlie any other in the /orl) /hi$h $an %e

the fo"nation for the Canaian !"#i$al ientity. /ill arg"e that Montreal $o!po#er

Ste/art rant i# the $o!po#er that #ho"l %e the %"iling %lo$ for Canaian !"#i$

!o&ing for/ar.

n orer to gain f"rther in#ight into hi# $o!po#itional te$hni'"e an %e a%le to

"ner#tan /hat !ae# hi# !"#i$ Canaian) it i# e##ential to fir#t $on#ier hi# %a$-

gro"n an eter!ine /hi$h a#pe$t# of hi# eperien$e #et hi! apart fro! hi# $on-


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te!porarie#. A nati&e of (ort 4illia!) ntario) Ste/art rant /a# e"$ate in Montreal

at the (a$"lty of M"#i$ of M$ill Uni&er#ity an at the Con#er&atoire e !"#i'"e "

:"e%e$) in o%oe perfor!an$e "ner Profe##or Mel&in Ber!an. A# a #t"ent) he /a#

a$ti&ely in&ol&e in perfor!ing an $on"$ting) organiing an ire$ting a $ha!%er

en#e!%le at M$ill an e$elling in perfor!an$e #t"ie# at the Con#er&atoire) /here he

/on the Pre!ier Pri in o%oe, he al#o attene $on"$ting /or#hop# in 7angle/oo)

Ma##a$h"#ett#) an A#pen) Colorao) feat"ring i#ting"i#he $on"$tor# Leonar

Bern#tein) Sei;i a/a) an Charle# Ste/art rant.? The Canadian Encyclopedia of Music in Canada.

http@@///.the$anaianen$y$lopeia.$o!@arti$le#@e!$@#te/art-grant


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$o!forta%le #en#e of ten#ion an relea#e to hi# !"#i$) a notion /hi$h #ee!# lo#t in the

a&ant-gare #tyle. =ather than %rea $on&ention# an p"#h the intelle$t"al %o"narie# of

/hat i# !"#i$)+ rant eplore# the !any n"an$e# in for!) !eloy) an har!ony) that

on+t appear in other $o!po#er#+ !"#i$. 4hile #tr"$t"rally he re!ain# /ithin the

$onfine# of #tanar for!#) #"$h a# #onata) #y!phony) &ariation#) et$) he ten# to !ae

"#e of ti!e #ignat"re# an rhyth! in a highly epre##i&e !anner) e!pha#iing their

rhyth!i$ i##onan$e# an epre##i&ity /hile !aintaining a &ery #trong #en#e of p"l#e.

at"rally) he fa&o"r# the "#e of an$e rhyth!# in a lot of hi# !"#i$) a# i# e&ien$e %y

Dance Variations) Dance Rhapsody) Sivas Dance) Syphonic Dances) an Shado!

Dancea!ong#t other#) %"t often p"#he# the %o"narie# of ho/ tho#e rhyth!# $an %e

arti$"late. Di##onan$e an epre##i&ity are al#o e&ient in hi# &ery ela%orate !eloi$

!aterial) oftenti!e# repre#enting t/o $o!pletely ifferent en# of the #pe$tr"! /ithin

the #a!e pie$e at #o!e ti!e# #lo/ an lyri$al) /ith %ig leap# in the high regi#ter at a

'"iet yna!i$) at other ti!e# &ery fa#t an pointe) either a#$ening or e#$ening

rapily in #!all inter&al# or #tep#) re!ini#$ent of o%oe pa##age#. 7he#e t/o !eloi$

$hara$teri#ti$# #ee! to %e trae!ar# of rant+# !"#i$ an appear thro"gho"t hi# pie$e#.

Hi# har!oni$ lang"age i# generally an eten#ion of traitional har!ony) al%eit highly

$hro!ati$) an retain# a #trong #en#e of tonal relation#, he al#o ha# a tenen$y to "#e

open fifth# a# a fo"nation in hi# lo/er in#tr"!ent# to #"pport the highly $hro!ati$

!eloi$ pa##age# in the higher regi#ter#. 7hi# "al $hro!ati$-tonal lang"age %a#e on

fifth# i# not) ho/e&er) e$l"#i&e to rant+# !"#i$, in fa$t) #e&eral $o!po#er#) in$l"ing

Mal$ol! (or#yth) Mi$hael Con/ay Baer) an


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e#ta%li#he. Ulti!ately) the $o!%ination of the#e ele!ent# !ae# for an altogether

ifferent #tyle) "nlie any other $o!po#er) that i# i#tin$ti&e to rant+# !"#i$.

Dance variations Op. 16 i# a pie$e in #e&en #e$tion#) ea$h #e$tion a ifferent

an$e %a#e on a $o!po#er+# #tyle) an i# one of Ste/art rant+# !o#t i!portant /or#.

ne of hi# earlier /or#) $o!po#e in 19FF an hi# fir#t for #olo piano) it i# an eperi-

!ental oe"&re that epan# an refine# a $o!po#itional #tyle that i# progre##ing to thi#

ay, !oreo&er) it #er&e# a# an alternati&e approa$h to po#t-!oern $o!po#ition) ro"te in

epaning $on&entional !"#i$al para!eter#. 7he o&erall intention of the /or i# to

rein&igorate traitional #tyle# of !"#i$ /ith a $onte!porary) Canaian #o"n /itho"t

e$on#tr"$ting the $hara$teri#ti$# that !ae it f"na!entally !"#i$al. 7hro"gh the "#e of

pa#ti$he) an$e rhyth!# an &ariation) an the o&erall !"#i$al $ontent) he !anage# to

reefine o"r per$eption on a fa!iliar for! /hile #till retaining an a$$e##i%le !"#i$al

#tyle. 7hi# pie$e /o"l later %e an in#piration for a n"!%er of hi# later /or# an a##ert#

it#elf a# one of the !o#t i!portant Canaian piano pie$e# to ha&e %een /ritten in the

po#t-!oern era.

7he !o#t i!portant feat"re of Dance Variations i# al#o the !o#t #"%tle the

ele!ent of pa#ti$he. ot on$e /ritten ire$tly in the #$ore) rant ne&erthele## !oelle

e&ery #e$tion) e$ept the ntro"$tion) after a an$e pie$e %y a $o!po#er that he a!ire

an then /rote in their re#pe$ti&e #tyle# the !o&e!ent#) la%elle ntro"$tion) Ha%anera)

B"lgarian Dan$e) 4alt) =agti!e) Sara%ane) an ig"e) re#pe$ti&ely $orre#pon to the

#tyle# of rant Ghi!#elf) =a&el) Barto) 4e%ern) Stra&in#y) De%"##y) an Britten.

7here are a n"!%er of rea#on# /hy he $ho#e tho#e #i $o!po#er# fir#tly) they are


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$o!po#er# he a!ire an en;oye perfor!ing2, #e$only) a#ie fro! 4e%ern) he

a##o$iate# hi!#elf /ith their approa$h to po#t-=o!anti$i#! an Moerni#! a# oppo#e

to the Se$on Jienne#e S$hool, thirly) "e to hi# ineperien$e /ith piano /riting) he

$ho#e to #t"y their approa$he# $o!po#ing for the piano to epan hi# #tyle3,la#tly) they

pro&ie the li#tener /ith a #en#e of fa!iliarity that /o"l other/i#e %e la$ing an !ae

hi# !"#i$ ea#ily a$$e##i%le. 7he "#e of pa#ti$he al#o allo/e rant to #it"ate hi# #tyle

a!ong#t tho#e great $o!po#er# an ill"#trate that he i# an eten#ion of the#e $o!po#er#+

approa$h yet ifferent #tyli#ti$ally, on another le&el) it pla$e# a Canaian $o!po#er net

to the#e *"ropean $o!po#er# a# an e'"al) altho"gh it i# highly o"%tf"l rant per$ei&e

hi# !"#i$ to %e at a #i!ilar le&el to their#) let alone e'"al. 7hi# pie$e) ho/e&er) /o"l not

%e a# #"$$e##f"l if it /a#n+t "#ing a for!al #tr"$t"re that /a# pop"lar an !allea%le.

7he #en#e of the title) an$e &ariation#) $an %e "ner#too on three le&el#) an

inee /a# $o!po#e on #e&eral le&el#) /ith ea$h one $ontri%"ting to the o&erall

integrity of the /or. 7he three interpretation# that are f"#e into the /or are a &ariety

of an$e for!#, a the!e an &ariation# "#ing an$e !"#i$, a &ariation on $o!po#er#+

treat!ent of an$e for!#. Ha&ing alreay i#$"##e the latter) the other t/o

interpretation# offer a lot of in#ight in re#pe$t to the a$$e##i%ility an originality of hi#

!"#i$. Dan$e !"#i$ i# ea#ily ientifia%le an often e&oe# &i&i !e!orie# of fa!iliar

t"ne#) lie the ha%anera) /alt) or ragti!e) an e#pite the le## $o!!on an$e#) lie the

B"lgarian an$e) #ara%ane) or gig"e) an$e !"#i$ nonethele## ha# a &ery po/erf"l agent

/oring for it p"l#e. A #trong #en#e of p"l#e in any pie$e gi&e# li#tener# a point of

referen$e) e##ential in !aintaining a"ien$e#+ intere#t) an rant "#e# it to hi# a&antage.

2ntere#tingly) he oe# not $are for 4e%ern+# !"#i$ %"t at the ti!e /a# !ore intere#te in hi#

$o!po#itional pro$e##, he feel# the !"#i$ i# too $al$"late an la$# real !"#i$ality3Appeni A


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Lie/i#e) the the!e an &ariation# for! ha# $on#i#tently %een pop"lar in $la##i$al !"#i$

a# it $on#tantly in#till# a #en#e of fa!iliarity thro"gho"t ea$h #e$tion of the pie$e) al#o

i!portant in rene/ing a"ien$e#+ attention. 4hile the the!e i# not a# ea#ily ientifia%le

a# perhap# Paganini+# 2th$apri$e) "#ing the the!e an &ariation# for! ea#e# a"ien$e#

into a ne/ !"#i$al ae#theti$ that !ay %e per$ei&e a# initially "n$o!forta%le %"t

gra"ally %e$o!e# ea#ily a$$e##i%le.

7he o&erall !"#i$al $ontent of Dan$e Jariation# $on&ey# rant+# intention to

i#play a ne/ $"lt"re in piano /riting in Canaa an attra$t a"ien$e# to a ifferent

%ran of $onte!porary $o!po#ition. =ather than re;e$t the ol paraig!# of ten#ion an

relea#e) tonality an atonality) for! an #tr"$t"re) he $hoo#e# to highlight the! /itho"t

r"ining their integrity, he oe# not $hallenge their p"rpo#e %"t #i!ply "#e# the! to hi#

a&antage. An e$ellent ea!ple of hi# treat!ent of the#e paraig!# i# fon in the

opening %ar# of the pie$e. t i# i!portant to point o"t that /hile he oe# re#ol&e the

opening $hor) hi# re#ol"tion of i##onan$e# i# efiniti&ely ifferent fro! traitional

har!oni$ /riting yet nonethele## #till /ithin the real!# of traitional !"#i$al para!eter#.

Con$"rrently) hi# treat!ent of tonality at the #tart of the ragti!e ill"#trate# a highly

$hro!ati$ pa##age that e##entially i# an intro"$tion /ith a toni$-o!inant !otion that

prepare# the li#tener for the ret"rn to the toni$ an the %eginning of the A #e$tionE, /hile

$learly not a #tanar o!inant $hor or !otion) the a"ien$e $an #till per$ei&e the

ge#t"re traitionally a##o$iate /ith $la##i$al !"#i$. La#tly) the !anner in /hi$h he treat#

the #tr"$t"re an for! of the /or i# $on#i#tent /ith hi# approa$h that i#) an original

treat!ent of a $la##i$ for!. Looing at the /alt) the rhyth!i$ ele!ent# are not only

Appeni B (ig"re 1EAppeni B (ig"re 2


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Bibliography

Spier) S"#an. >Ste/art rant.? The Canadian Encyclopaedia of Music in Canada.

http@@///.the$anaianen$y$lopeia.$o!@arti$le#@e!$@#te/art-grant


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Appendix A


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Appendix B

(ig"re 1

(ig"re 2

(ig"re 3

Canada's Sound in Music

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