Monday, August 15, 2005
Masculine and Feminine Endings
Remember those terms from the not-so-distant past? Ascriptions of masculine and feminine show up in theoretical and musicological analyses of Brahms, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky, and undoubtedly a host of other mainstream composers. So can one actually hear “gay” music? How about “straight”? Is there a difference between feminine straight and masculine gay or vice versa? David Salvage’s list of composers and their musical genders is an interesting stepping off point, but it may be stepping into a quagmire.
Personally, I suspect these ascriptions have more to do with cultural context, and occasionally, they might even be driven by personal agenda by either the artist or the analyst. There are worlds to say on the subject with such works as Britten’s “Death in Venice,” but it’s difficult to say what is and what is not driven by Britten’s own personality, or perhaps more by his choice of subject matter.
Sexuality may define who we are as people, but Kinsey states that people cover a wide spectrum of preferences and desires. The degree to which this aspect of behavior drives a work of art will change with the artist, the topic, the degree of abstraction, and many other variables.
I'd be interested to hear if any of the S21 composers take on issues of gender, sex, or their ramifications in the works themselves, and if so, what the response has been.
By the way, if any musicologists write my biography at some point, please tell them I only write “manly” music. Or if I write feminine music, it’s undoubtedly lesbian.
posted by Cary Boyce
5:40 PM
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