Bertolt Brecht en die funksionele gebruik van musiek

[摘要] This study focuses on Bertolt Brecht`s use of music in his epic theatre. After looking athis objectives against the background of his times, certain key aspects of his dramatictheory and practice in general are discussed e.g. its epic nature, Verfremdung, Gestus andhis social engagement. This is important for an understanding of his functional use ofmusic as an important element in his productions.Music as a sign system in drama is discussed with special reference to the genres inwhich music plays an essential role, viz. opera, in particular Wagner`s Gesamtkunstwerkand, most importantly, cabaret. The focus is on Brecht`s reaction against and point ofconnection with, each of these genres.The second part of the study focuses on the role of music in the practice of Brecht`stheatre. Naturally the specific composers with whom Brecht worked and specific productions are discussed. The relevant productions discussed are Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (1930), Die Dreigroshenoper (1931) and Mutter Courage und IhreKinder (1939).Brecht worked against a background of social, political and economic upheaval. His artaimed at making people aware of unjustified social circumstances and inspiring them toengage in the task of changing these circumstances. For him this entailed communicatingin a fresh way with words which had lost their meaning because of ideological abuse.For this purpose he made use of music in a very specific way. He tried – not always successfully – to avoid using music as an ornamental narcotic. This implied that music was always meant to serve the intention of the text, the Gestus.Music in Brecht`s theatre was dramatic not incidental, functional not ornamental, andmusic not as a means of escapism, but as an inspiration. The music, like all the otherelements in his theatre, had to stimulate critical thinking and had to be of social use inorder for it to be considered functional. The 'great struggle for supremacy betweenmusic, text and production, to which Brecht so often referred, complicated his goal offunctionality and it was no easy task to marry his dialectical ideas. This caused forcertain discrepancies between his theory and practice and I will take that into consideration in this study.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University