Thesis (MMUS (Music))--Stellenbosch University, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African-born British composer Priaulx Rainier (1903-1986) wrote her
Requiem (1955-1956) for solo tenor and choir to a text by surrealist poet David
Gascoyne. The poem (completed in 1940) contradicts the commemorative genre of the
requiem and instead anticipates the prospective victims of the war that was to come. Due
to the disturbances caused by the war, Rainier only started working on the music fifteen
years later in 1955.
Existing discourse on Rainier has been shaped by the thoughtless regurgitation of
opinions, reviews and clichéd biographical models. Since very few detailed analyses of
Rainier’s works exist, this thesis attempts to address this gap in research on this
composer. It therefore aims to contribute to a more balanced, evidence-based discourse.
The significance of the Requiem is that it was said by commentators to indicate a period
of increasing abstraction in Rainier’s oeuvre. The findings regarding tonality in this work
may therefore serve as a point of reference in future analyses of works preceding and
following the Requiem.
In the literature review, recurring issues in the discourse on Rainier (such as the
numerous references to her childhood in Natal as an influence on her works and the
descriptions of her works as possessing a masculine gender identity) is highlighted. The
contextualisation that follows includes a reception-based periodisation of Rainier’s works
and a “biography” of the Requiem, with a special focus on the intersection between the
symbolic world of David Gascoyne and the Requiem and the sculptor Barbara
Hepworth’s influence on Rainier’s work. Underpinning these contextual considerations
is a set theory analysis of the work that attempts to illustrate the composer’s aspiration
towards musical abstraction as a creative force. The findings of the analysis are also
contextualised with regard to existing notions of Rainier’s style and tonality in her music. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaans gebore Britse komponis Priaulx Rainier (1903-1986) se Requiem
(1955-1956) vir solo-tenoor en koor is ’n toonsetting van ’n gedig deur die surrealistiese
digter David Gascoyne. Die gedig weerspreek die gedenkende karakter van die requiem
genre deurdat dit vooruitwys na die slagoffers van die oorlog wat op hande was. As
gevolg van die onderbrekings wat deur die oorlog veroorsaak was, het Rainier eers
vyftien jaar later, in 1955, aan die musiek begin werk.
Die ondeurdagte herhaling van opinies, resensies en biografiese clichés kenmerk huidige
diskoers oor Rainier. Aangesien daar min gedetailleerde analises van Rainier se werke in
die literatuur bestaan, poog hierdie tesis om bestaande leemtes in die navorsing oor
Rainier te vul. Dit streef ook na die ontwikkeling van ’n meer gebalanseerde, bewysgebaseerde
diskoers. Die belang van hierdie werk setel hoofsaaklik daarin dat dit volgens
sommige bronne dui op ’n kenteringsmoment in Rainier se oeuvre, waarna haar werke
meer abstrak geword het. Die bevindinge rakende tonaliteit in hierdie werk kan dus dien
as ’n verwysingspunt vir toekomstige analises van Rainier se werke wat die Requiem
voorafgaan en volg.
Herhalende elemente in die diskoers oor Rainier (soos die invloed van haar kinderjare in
Natal op haar werke en die beskrywings van ’n manlike gender-identeit in haar werke)
word in die literatuurstudie uitgelig. Die konstekstualisering wat volg bestaan uit ’n
literatuur-gebaseerde periodisering van haar werke en ’n “biografie” van die Requiem wat
fokus op die verhouding tussen simboliek in die werke van David Gascoyne en die
Requiem en die invloed van die beeldhouer Barbara Hepworth op Rainier se werke. Die
kontekstualisering word gevolg deur ’n ‘set’-teorie-analise van die werk waarin gepoog
word om die komponis se strewe na musikale abstraksie as kreatiewe inspirasie aan te
toon. Die bevindinge van die analise word dan vergelyk met die bestaande opvattinge oor
styl en tonaliteit in Rainier se werke. / COMPOSITIONS: In Paradisum for SATB choir 2
Droom for mezzo-soprano and piano: 11
• Kuspad 14
• Sy 17
• Glasblaser 20
• Glasprater 23
String trio arrangements from Droom:
• Glasblaser 26
• Glasprater 30
Het Hom! for tenor saxophone 34
The beauty in sorrow for string quartet: 37
• First Movement 40
• Second Movement 49
• Third Movement 54
Symphonata for orchestra: 61
• First Movement 62
• Second Movement 66
• Third Movement 71
• Fourth Movement 77
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4174 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Van Rhyn, Chris |
| Contributors | Muller, Stephanus, Roosenschoon, Hans, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Music. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 107 leaves |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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