COMPOSITIONS FOR CLARINET INFLUENCED BY NON-WESTERN EUROPEAN MUSICAL TRADITIONS

Abstract

The interest in the music of foreign lands is not a new occurrence, as can be seen in the Romantic idea of Exoticism. Since the mid-1800s, composers have been fascinated with the idea of incorporating new, exotic sounds into their works. In order to explore the influence of Non-Western European musical traditions within the clarinet repertoire, I have chosen twelve works that are inspired by the sounds of Japan, China, Bali, India, Nairobi, Israel, Egypt, Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela. The musical traditions that are represented include the performance practice of the shakuhachi, Chinese folk songs, Balinese gamelan, Indian ragas, Klezmer, Arabic modes, the Brazilian chôro, the Argentinean tango and the Venezuelan merengue.