Discussion Questions for Burkholder's "Museum Pieces"

Discussion Questions for Burkholder, “Museum Pieces: The Historicist Mainstream in Music of the Last Hundred Years”

Please be prepared to respond in either seminar meeting or in "Comments" on the course blog. In all venues, you must be prepared to cite specific passages (by page, paragraph, line, and quotation) in support of your responses.

1. What does Burkholder believe to be the “problem” facing scholars who are seeking to understand what happened to music in the 20th century? What aspects of 20th-century music does he believe to be uniquely difficult, or resistant to historical analysis?

2. Be prepared to provide a precise definition of the word “historicist” as it is used in this article, and to relate that specific definition to the thesis which Burkholder argues to be the most appropriate and effective way of thinking about 20th-century music.

3. How does Burkholder employ William Weber’s insights to explain changes in musical behavior in the 20th-century? What types of evidence does he cite to describe these changes? Be prepared to offer, in your own words, a label which describes the nature of Burkholder’s analytical approach Hint: the types of evidence cited provide a clue to the type of analytical approach he suggests. Does Burkholder’s analytical approach reflect the attitudes or perspectives of composers in the period? How? Hint: look at p117, para 2.

4. What is the role of “historical self-consciousness” in 20th-century musical philosophies, style, and aesthetics? Provide 2 examples, a first cited by Burkholder and a second cited from your own outside listening and/or knowledge. Be prepared to relate these two examples for seminar colleagues.

5. What are the implications of Burkholder’s term “museum pieces”? Obviously, he believes this to be an important phrase, as he both employs it in his title and subsequently provides a detailed discussion (see p120 ff). Be prepared to describe in your own words, to cite other composers “writing for the museum,” and to explain the cultural factors which Burkholder argues drove this tendency.

6. Describe and unpack the dynamic relationship between 20th-century composers working within the Austro-German tradition and those working outside it. What were the motives of each group? How did each group deal with (a) “tradition”, (b) “innovation”, and (c) “nationality”?

7. Burkholder suggests that he will “turn the traditional method of writing histories of 20th-century music on its head.” Why does he say this is necessary: what is his rationale? (You must cite and interpret specific passages to support your response)

8. What criteria dictated whether new works would or would not “enter the museum”? What elements of 20th-century musical thinking do these criteria reveal? Do these criteria still obtain in the 21st century? Cite examples.

9. Summarize Burkholder’s conclusions in the form of a bullet-point list of no more than 4 items. Rank these items from most important to least important insights. Bring to class and be prepared to discuss your reasoning.