Stylistic Influences and Application of Gebrauchsmusik in the Late Choral Cantatas of Daniel Pinkham

Abstract

Daniel Pinkham (1923-2006) composed numerous works for chorus, orchestra, organ, and combinations of these forces. This body of repertoire comprises a broad and eclectic collection of styles and levels of complexity. Pinkham’s compositional career was driven by the commissions he received, and the diversity of his oeuvre is a reflection of the varying size, make-up, and ability of the commissioning ensembles. Pinkham’s compositions show influences of his mentors, and are colored by his tastes and philosophy. The stylistic contrast in Pinkham’s choral cantatas as a whole makes it difficult to place the works into categories or style periods. In his late cantatas, however, an amalgamation of styles is found. Multiple elements from his past can be found in his late works. Additionally, the application of Gebrauchsmusik as understood by Pinkham is evident in these late compositions. This potpourri of Pinkham’s musical interests melds to create a unique sound - distinctly contemporary by twentieth-century standards - that maintains accessibility for a broad range of performers and listeners. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that in Pinkham’s late choral cantatas - specifically Advent Cantata (1991) and The Creation of the World (1994) - his compositional style is defined by serial writing, economy of means, and classic formal structures, and these devices are utilized in a fashion consistent with the composer’s understanding of Gebrauchsmusik.