Japan in British music after Britten’s Curlew River: Goehr, Denyer, Marsh, and LeFanu

Thesis

This thesis examines post-1945 British musical representations of Japan, focusing on four composers: Alexander Goehr, Frank Denyer, Roger Marsh, and Nicola LeFanu. Using Benjamin Britten’s Curlew River as a starting point, it traces the transformation of British composer’s engagement with things Japanese from the latter half of the twentieth century into the twenty-first. Through detailed case studies, it illuminates the processes underlying cross-cultural composition, from initial inspiration to final realisation.

This investigation has two key focuses: 1) why, how, and under what circumstances these composers adopted cross-cultural practices; and 2) how shifting historical conditions and access to things Japanese have shaped their artistic approaches. Insights from interviews corroborate the complexities of cross-cultural composition and underscore the importance of personal experiences and contexts in these creative processes. Over four thematic chapters, the thesis provides contextualised readings of cross-cultural musical creation that go beyond notions of musical exoticism, Orientalism, and the musical Other, proposing alternative interpretations grounded in cross-cultural interconnectedness and interaction. These perspectives align with recent scholarship offering more culturally specific readings of creative representations within a global context.

The composers’ deeply researched, collaborative approaches reflect not only changing artistic priorities but also broader transformations in global cultural exchange. By considering history as a series of events constructing cultural and social meaning, and recognising the significance of cross-cultural contacts between individuals, this study elucidates the evolving, multi-layered, and intricate relations around which such cross-cultural musical practices occur.

Authors: Hayashi, M

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-kobvj9reo
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Subjects: Music