Orientalism - different levels of portraying foreign cultures

Orientalism, things from the East from the European point of view. this word is an umbrella term that is too big to conclude. Like the continent 'Asia' from Turkey to Indonesia, meaning half of the globe. To be specific, I am from the far east cultural circle, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand region that are historically closely connected. There has been a long history of European artists portraying the east, as an easterner, I would like to judge the approaches in music. Ultimately, composers have the creative right to compose what they want, but observing their approach is also a way of learning.

Level 1: Just the title

In Tchaikovsky's Chinese Dance in Nutcracker Suite, the music hardly find any Chinese music influence, I played this music to my friends who do not have any musical knowledge. If I did not mention the title, they just think this is nice western classical music. The costume design in the ballet may use Chinese design, but musically, completely in Western indium.


7:09 in the recording


Level 2: Quotation of folk tunes

In Puccini's opera Turandot, in the scene "the mountains from the east", he quotes a Chinese folk song, Molihua (jasmine flower). The choir sings the tune and he composed the orchestra part for accompaniment. The woodwind lightly decorates the melody and the harmony is back and forth between the tonic and subtonic chords. The tone color is light and delicate, matching the Chinese music of pursuing timbre in music. But the originality is not enough in terms of composing.

(p65 in the score of imslp)

Level 2.5 Know the music theory

J. A. van Aalst (1858-1914) is known to everyone working on Chinese music. His book Chinese Music was published in 1884. He is the first person to write influential research on Chinese music theory, instrumentation, and music practice. His book is on IMSLP. Sadly he was not a composer. Puccini also referenced it when composing Turandot.

Level 3 Know the theory and the culture

When Debussy visit the Paris Exposition, he heard the music of Javanese Gamelan, learned the music theory, and use it in his piano composition (Parker,2012). Parker (2012) also documented how Debussy watch different performers from Java apart from music, learned their culture, myth, and legends.

Debussy, Estampes (1903) - 1. Pagodes, the gamelan influence

Back to Chinese music, imperial China back in the 19th century did not have the passion of participating in international events. The music in China did not have any chance to impress the Westerners in a big event, like an international exposition. There is a vacuum of portraying Chinese music, or only poor portraying before the 20th century.

Parker, S. (2012). Claude Debussy's Gamelan. College Music Symposium, Volume, 52. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.18177/sym.2012.52.sr.22

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