Throughout the twentieth century; Japanese noh drama was a major creative catalyst for American and European writers; dancers; and composers. The noh theaterrsquo;s stylized choreography; poetic chant; spectacular costumes and masks; and engagement with history inspired Western artists as they reimagined new approaches to tradition and form. In Learning to Kneel; Carrie J. Preston locates nohrsquo;s influence on Poundrsquo;s imagism; Yeatsrsquo;s Irish National Theater; Brechtrsquo;s learning plays; Brittenrsquo;s church parables; and Beckettrsquo;s spare dramaturgy. These artists learned about noh from an international cast of collaborators; including the Tokyo-born dancer and theater artist Ito Michio; who performed with Pound in dance-poem recitals and in Yeatsrsquo;s famous noh adaptation; At the Hawkrsquo;s Well.Prestonrsquo;s work has been profoundly shaped by her training in noh performance technique under a professional actor in Tokyo; who taught her to kneel; bow; chant; and submit to the teachings of a conservative tradition. After initially assuming noh lessons would feel humiliating; Preston found herself experiencing the value of and pleasure in submission to an expert teacher and training regimen. This cross-cultural exchange challenged her assumptions about effective teaching; particularly her tendencies to emphasize innovation and subversion and overlook the complex ranges of agency experienced by teachers and students. It also inspired new perspectives regarding the generative relationship between Western writers and Japanese performers. Pound; Yeats; Brecht; and others are often criticized for their Orientalist tendencies and misappropriation of noh; but Prestonrsquo;s analysis and her own journey reflect a more nuanced understanding of cultural exchange.
#2365469 in eBooks 2015-12-25 2015-12-25File Name: B01EYG40G0
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Lewis Rowell. my finest mentor.By Tim BackerA replacement copy. Now that I have some proficiency as an improviser and as a music philosopher. I want to delve deep into Lewis Rowells thought. He was the single most important professor for my creative development. humane and wise. a cultivator of insights. Ive often thought of what I didnt hear. but could have. and yet couldnt then. Now that I can hear. I view Lewis Rowell as a teacher of the stature of Northrop Frye. and I hope that he is recognised as such in the field of music philosophy and musicology.
