Keep going: narrative continuity in Luciano Berio's Sinfonia and Dillinger: an American oratorio

摘要

The analysis component of this dissertation provides a discussion of a continuous narrative that develops during the course of Luciano Berio’s 1969 masterwork, Sinfonia. Previous analysts have tended to either limit their work to one movement of the piece or to undertake analyses thatuddo a movement-by-movement technical study that does not really touch on overall meaning. Herein, I propose two narrative readings of Sinfonia. The first involves the conflict between music or text that is a signifier of one of three important elements: blood, fire, and water. The piece is defined structurally by the interplay of these elements, especially between referents to water and fire. As the work ends, it becomes clear that the elements of blood and death (which are present implicitly throughout) are closely linked.ududSecondly, I propose a programmatic narrative along the lines of the Heldenleben program, in which our hero-composer tries to start a piece, fails, and so looks for inspiration andudenlightenment, first from a recent work, then from the masterpieces of the past. Finally, he continues his piece from where he ended in the first movement, and finishes it in a satisfying way, synthesizing materials from the previous movements. The two narratives come together in this last movement, and, as a result, the movement, and the piece, could be seen as an answer to the question of “What is the point of art?”ududI provide evidence for these narratives through a combination of analytical techniques. I also examine the context of many of the textual fragments that Berio uses to show patterns and relationships between disparate sources.ududThe composition component of this dissertation, with a libretto by Darren Canady, is entitled Dillinger: An American Oratorio. It is set as an opera-oratorio, and deals with the last days of the American gangster John Dillinger as he struggles to settle down and leave his life ofudcrime. The piece explores the complex American fascination for the outlaw and lone wolf.