Quotation and Cultural Meaning in Tentieth-Century Music [Paperback]

Examines the way the use of quotation in music both creates and transforms cultural associations.Throughout the twentieth century, musicians frequently incorporated bits of works by other musicians into their own compositions and performances. When a musician borrows from a piece, he or she draws upon not only a melody but also the cultural associations of the original piece. By working with and altering a melody, a musician also transforms those associations. This book explores that vibrant practice, examining how musicians used quotation to participate in the cultural dialogues sustained around such areas as race, childhood, madness, and the mass media.Throughout the twentieth century, musicians frequently incorporated bits of works by other musicians into their own compositions and performances. When a musician borrows from a piece, he or she draws upon not only a melody but also the cultural associations of the original piece. By working with and altering a melody, a musician also transforms those associations. This book explores that vibrant practice, examining how musicians used quotation to participate in the cultural dialogues sustained around such areas as race, childhood, madness, and the mass media.Musicians frequently incorporated portions of works by other musicians into their own compositions and performances throughout the twentieth century. This book examines how this practice of quotation affected cultural dialogues regarding race, childhood, madness and the mass media. When a musician borrows from a piece, he or she draws upon not only a melody but also the cultural associations of the original piece. By working with and altering a melody, a musician also transforms those associations.List of plates; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Childhood and nostalgia in the works of Charles Ives; 2. Black and white: quotations in Duke Ellington's 'Black and Tan Fantasy'; Interlude: chronological scenes; 3. Madness; 4. The promise of the past: Rochberg, Bel,