Sergiu Celibidache: Analytical Approaches to his Teachings on Phenomenology and Music

184 Pages·1996·6.3 MB·English

by  Tom Zelle

SERGIU CELIBIDACHE -
ANALYTICAL APPROACHES TO HIS TEACHINGS ON
PHENOMENOLOGY AND MUSIC
by
Tom Zelle
A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Musical Arts
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
May 1996
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SERGIU CELIBIDACHE -
ANALYTICAL APPROACHES TO HIS TEACHINGS ON
PHENOMENOLOGY AND MUSIC
by
Tom Zelle
has been approved
April 1996
APPROVED:
, Chair
Supervisory Committee
ACCEPTED:
Director of the School
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Dean, Graduate College
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ABSTRACT
Published materials on Sergiu Celibidache’s teachings on phenomenology and
music were reviewed to present an analytical overview of his central ideas. The
research project concentrates on the following primary sources: Celibidache’s
interviews, documentation of his seminars, rehearsals and performances, and his own
texts. The results of this research project are based on the utilization of Celibidache’s
main topics and central themes as categories for applying the constant comparative
analytical method. Each publication was analyzed in reference to each of the
previously determined categories. The first part of the research project presents an
introduction to phenomenology for the reader, with special reference to the topic of
Celibidache and music. The second part presents Celibidache’s essential points of
view and arguments which include the question of phenomenology, Far Eastern
philosophies, time, tempo, reduction, and aesthetic points on recordings. The research
project concludes with a description of the most significant and apparent principles of
Celibidache’s rehearsal techniques and a bibliography of primary sources on the
subject of Celibidache's teachings for future research.
iii
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To my father, mother, and brother.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This dissertation owes its existence to Sergiu Celibidache, whose impact on my
understanding of life, music, and my role within them has been immeasurable. I want
to thank the students of the Phoenix Symphony Guild Youth Orchestra, whose
example and work have served as a constant source of inspiration.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER Page
I. INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................01
Context of the Study..............................................................................04
The Historical Context...............................................................04
The Philosophical Context ....................................................06
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY...........................................................................09
DEFINITIONS.......................................................................................................10
DELIMITATIONS...............................................................................................12
METHODS .........................................................................................................13
II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................15
SERGIU CELIBIDACHE..................................................................................16
PHENOMENOLOGY...........................................................................................19
General......................................................................................................19
Phenomenology of Time........................................................................24
Phenomenology of M usic....................................................................27
III. SERGIU CELIBIDACHE - A BIOGRAPHICAL OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................34
CHRONOLOGY..................................................................................................35
IV. INTRODUCTION TO PHENOMENOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO E. HUSSERL AND PHENOMENOLOGY . . 44
THE MOST IMPORTANT METHODOLOGICAL STEPS
OF PHENOMENOLOGY....................................................................54
Intentionality ........................................................................................55
Epoche.....................................................................................................60
Noema and noesis..................................................................................62
Transcendental reduction ....................................................................67
Eidetic reduction.....................................................................................72
PHENOMENOLOGY AND INTERNAL TIME CONSCIOUSNESS . 74
INTERSUBJECTIVITY.....................................................................................76
CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY..............................................................79
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CHAPTER Page
V. SERGIU CELIBIDACHE’S PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH
TO MUSIC...............................................................................................83
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................83
COSMOS, WORLD, AND SOUND..............................................................86
Introduction ...........................................................................................86
Death - the natural tendency of everything.......................................88
Tension and direction...........................................................................90
The fifth ..................................................................................................93
Extroversion and introversion..............................................................95
Phrasing ..................................................................................................96
Epiphenomena........................................................................................98
THE MIND .....................................................................................................99
Pure consciousness.................................................................................99
Noema and noesis................................................................................102
Thinking.................................................................................................103
Language.................................................................................................105
Emotion, beauty, and interpretation ...............................................106
Truth and reality...................................................................................108
Intersubjective objectivity...................................................................110
Conditions that something may become music...............................Ill
REDUCTION........................................................................................................113
TIME AND TEMPO...........................................................................................118
CONDUCTING BY MEMORY.......................................................................124
PHENOMENOLOGY.......................................................................................125
MUSIC .......................................................................................................128
WILHELM FURTWAENGLER......................................................................131
FAR EASTERN INFLUENCES......................................................................135
RECORDINGS AND REPETITION............................................................140
VI. SERGIU CELIBIDACHE’S REHEARSAL TECHNIQUES..................144
BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................148
Sergiu Celibidache ..........................................................................................148
Books 154
Dissertations and Theses ................................................................................162
Articles and Interviews.......................................................................................165
Papers 173
Unpublished Sources..........................................................................................174
Laser Discs, Video Tapes, Audio Tapes......................................................175
Archives ....................................................................................................177
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Ever since Sergiu Celibidache began his career as the conductor of the Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra in 1945 much attention has been drawn to his work and
achievements because of his unique artistic ability and personality, as well as his
philosophical impact on musicians and music making.
Celibidache was born in 1912 in Rumania. He studied in Berlin, including
composition with Heinz Tiessen, counterpoint with Hugo Diestler, conducting with
Walter Gmeindl, musicology with Arnold Schering, and philosophy with Eduard
Spranger and Nicolai Hartmann. He conducted his first concert with the Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra in 1945, later taking the orchestra on tour to Europe and
South America. When Herbert von Karajan was appointed as the new music director
of the Berlin Philharmonic in 1954, Celibidache left Berlin to conduct in Italy,
Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. In 1972, Celibidache started teaching conducting
classes, and he was appointed music director1 of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra
in 1979. His working relationship with this orchestra marks the last major phase in
'Due to various difficulties with the administration and the orchestra, it took six
years to sign the contract with the city of Munich as permanent music director
(Weiler 1993: 361-371).
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his artistic career.
Celibidache’s theoretical influence on the musical world originates from his
utilization of Far Eastern thinking and his specific approach to music, an approach
which is based on phenomenology. During the twentieth century, phenomenology has
affected almost all aspects of the natural sciences, the humanities, and the arts.
Phenomenologically influenced ideas have especially entered discussions concerning
the meanings and ideals of human artistic expression. Various attempts have been
made in recent years to create a well-defined theoretical system for a phenomenology
of music. However, most conductors seem to struggle in an attempt to integrate
philosophy in general or specifically phenomenology into their actual practice
(Reverter n.d.: 1-5). Celibidache can be seen as unique in twentieth-century
approaches to conducting, especially from the standpoint of how conductors integrate,
utilize, and put into practice a personal position of philosophy and spirituality (Weiler
1993: 352 and Umbach 1995a: 7-16).
In 1984, Celibidache conducted a concert with the orchestra of the Curtis
Institute of Music in New York’s Carnegie Hall. This concert is an event which
musicians still speak of today (Umbach 1995a: 318). John Rockwell of the New York
Times called Celibidache a "musical spiritualist" whose performances he would
remember for the rest of his life (Rockwell 1989: 17 and Muenchner Philharmoniker
1989: 85). In addition, the 1989 United States/Canada tour of the Munich
Philharmonic under Celibidache’s baton left a profound impression on the music
world (Zelle 1994). Still, in the United States almost nothing substantial has been
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published about Celibidache. This research project has sought to shed some light on
his background, his teachings, and his philosophical positions.
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