ALAN HOVHANESS AND THE CREATION OF THE "MODERN FREE NOH PLAY" by TYLERKINNEAR A THESIS Presentedto the School ofMusic and Dance and the Graduate School ofthe University ofOregon in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the degree of Master ofArts June 2009 11 "Alan Hovhaness and the Creation ofthe 'Modern Free Noh Play'," athesis prepared by Tyler Kinnear in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the Master ofArts degree in the School ofMusic and Dance. This thesis has been approved and accepted by: Dr. Marian Smith, Chair ofthe Examining Committee Committee in Charge: Dr. Marian Smith, Chair Dr. Anne DhuMcLucas Dr. Jack Boss Accepted by: Dean ofthe Graduate School 111 © 2009 TylerKinnear IV An Abstractofthe Thesis of Tyler Kinnear for thedegreeof MasterofArts in the School ofMusic and Dance to be taken June 2009 Title: ALAN HOVHANESS AND THE CREATION OF THE "MODERN FREENOH PLAY" Approved: Dr. Marian Smith American composerAlan Hovhaness (1911-2000) published twelve operatic works during his career. Eight ofthese stagedproductions were written between the years 1959 and 1969. During these ten years Hovhaness immersed himselfin the music and theatreofJapan. The composer traveled to Japan twice, oncein 1960 and againin 1962, where he frequently attended Nohplays. As composer-in-residence at the UniversityofHawaii in 1961, Hovhaness tookprivate lessons on and composed freely for the instruments ofGagaku, the ancient courtmusic ofJapan. Mystudy investigates the degree to which Hovhaness was exposed to Gagaku and Noh, and what elements ofthese Japanese alts the composermanifests inhis staged works between 1959 and 1969. I compare Hovhaness' treatment ofJapanese elements to that ofother twentieth-century Western composers interested in EastAsian music. Throughthis studywe gain greaterknowledgeofHovhaness' operatic style. v CURRICULUMVITAE NAME OF AUTHOR: TylerKinnear PLACE OF BIRTH: Sylva, North Carolina DATE OF BIRTH: April 4, 1985 GRADUATE AND U1\JDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED: University ofOregon, Eugene University ofNorth Carolina School ofthe Arts, Winston-Salem DEGREES AWARDED: Master ofArts, Musicology, 2009, University ofOregon BachelorofMusic, Percussion, 2007, University ofNorth Carolina School ofthe Arts AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST: Music and Landscape Twentieth-century American music PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Teaching assistant, Department ofMusicology, University ofOregon, Eugene, 2008-2009 Teaching assistant, Department ofEthnomusicology, University ofOregon, Eugene,2009 Electronic Communications Chair ofthe Ecocriticism Study Group ofthe American Musicological Society, 2008-present AWARDS AND HONORS: Member ofthe Board ofAdvisors for The Alan Hovhaness Research Centre, 2009 University ofOregon Graduate School Excellence in Music Research and Scholarly Activity Fellowship Award, 2008 Award for best graduate studentpaper read at the annual meeting ofthe Pacific Northwest Chapter ofthe American Musicological Society, 2008 VI ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express sincere appreciation to Dr. Marian Smith for her assistance inthe developmentofthis thesis. Ourweekly meetings were invaluable inproviding both direction andencouragement. I am also indebtedto Dr. Anne DhuMcLucas and Dr. Jack Boss for their inputduring this project. I would also liketo thank Dr. MarkLevy for his recommendationofwhatturned outto be several essentialresources. This study would not havebeenpossible without the supportofMartinBerkofsky, who sentme severalrare recordings and letters, and is responsible for gathering Hovhaness-related materialsfor the University ofWashingtonEthnomusicologyArchives. My research in Seattle was supported inpartby a Graduate Awardfrom the UniversityofOregon School ofMusic. I wouldliketothankLaurel Sercombe for her hospitality during my time atthe Alan Hovhaness Collectionatthe University ofWashingtonEthnomusicology Archives. Noh actor Gary Mathews has my gratitudefor providing feedback onchapters inthisthesis . related to Nohtheatre. I would like to share aheart-feltthanks to myparentsfor their support. Vll TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. n\TTRODUCTIO]\L............................................................................................... 1 II. PREVIOUS WORK ON HOVHANESS 7 III. EARY EXPOSURE TO EASTERN MUSIC 11 A. Biographical Background.............................................................................. 11 B. TheImpact ofTravel on Hovhaness's Compositional Style........................... 15 C. Interest in and Exposure to East Asian Music................................................ 17 Hawaii 18 Japan 20 D. TheImportance ofMelody............................................................................ 24 IV. OTHERTWENTIETH-CENTURY COMPOSERS AND ASIAN MUSIC 25 A. Dane Rudhyar 25 B. ColinMcPhee.................................................................................... 27 C. Henry Cowell................................................................................................ 27 D. John Cage 30 E. BenjaminBritten 33 F. LouHarrison................................................................................................. 37 G. Concluding Remarks 41 V. GAGAKU 43 Vlll Chapter Page A. Instruments............................... 44 B. Theory 46 VI. JAPANESE NOH DRAMA 47 A. Characters..................................................................................................... 48 B. Musicians and Chorus 49 C. Singing Style and Rhythm............................................................................. 50 D. Movement and Dance................................................................................... 51 E. Dramatic Effects: Masts and Costumes.......................................................... 51 F. The Role ofNature 52 G. The Concept ofJo-ha-kyu 52 VII. ANALYSIS OF GAGAKU AND NOH ELEMENTS IN HOVHANESS'S STAGE WORKS............................................................................................... 55 A. Clarification ofthe Term "Operatic" 55 B. Hovhaness's Operatic Style.......................................................................... 56 C. Subject Matter and Text.. 57 D. Role ofNature 59 E. Characters..................................................................................................... 60 F. Hovhaness's Adaptation ofNoh Structure 63 Climax Scenes 66 G. Treatment ofInstruments 70 IX Chapter Page H. Gagaku Traits and Instruments...................................................................... 74 Canon......................................................................................................... 74 I. Percussion 76 J. Rhythm.. 78 K. Imitation ofthe ShiJ 79 L. ShiJ Effects 83 M. Choreography and Staging 84 N. Singing Style. 86 O. Role ofChorus................................................................................ 90 P. Masks, Costumes, and Props.......................................................................... 90 Q. Concluding Remarks..................................................................................... 92 VIII. CRITICS, COTEMPORARY AUDIENCE, AND THE CRISIS 96 A. Tanglewood 97 B. Reception ofHovhaness's Music................................................................... 101 C. Concluding Remarks..................................................................................... 104 APPENDICES 108 A. OPERAPLOTS AND RECEPTION HISTORy 108 B. LIBRETTI 114 C. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 129 REFERENCES 133 x LIST OFFIGURES Figure Page 1. Hovhaness's second opera, Lotus Blossom......................................................... 13 2. Alan Hovhaness, withsho, and wife "Naru" Hovhaness, withryuteki 19 3. Hovhaness lecturing on Gagaku at Hawaii'sEast-West Center.................. 21 4. Hovhaness playing the hichirikiwith a Gagaku ensemble 22 5. Cover page to Hovhaness's unpublished book ofGagaku pieces........................ 23 6. Hovhaness with circle offriends, Boston, 1946.................................................. 32 7. Brittenplaying the sho....................................................................................... 34 8. Climax scene inPilate 67 9. Climax scene inPilate continued 68 10. Startofclimax scene in The BurningHouse 69 11. Climax scene in The BurningHouse continued. 70 12. Startofclimax scene in The Leper King............................................................. 71 13. Three-part canon at the unison 75 14. Example ofa three-part canon in The Travellers 75 15. Excerpt ofxylophone part inLady ofLight........................................................ 77 16. Excerpt ofxylophone part in WindDrum........................................................... 78 17. Use ofdiminution inrhythmic patterns 79 18. Example ofrhythmic diminution in Lady ofLight...... 80