Sewing Frankenstein!! Instrumental Theatre in Austria between 1960 and 1980

• Published in: Musicologica austriaca Vol. 2023
• Main Authors: Lucia Agaibi, Martina Kalser-Gruber
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Österreichische Gesellschaft für Musikwissenschaft 01.05.2023
• Subjects: 20th century; 21st century; choreographed instrumental theatre; gruber, hk; imaginary theater; mob art & tone art; movement scores; zykan, otto m
• ISSN: 1016-1066; 2411-6696

This text analyzes the development of the choreographed instrumental theater of the two Austrian composers Otto M. Zykan and HK Gruber, taking into account the predecessor works of Mauricio Kagel. Zykan’s Singers Nähmaschine ist die beste: Oper oder Ode oder Opernode (Singer’s sewing machine is the best: Opera or ode or opera-ode) of 1966, his Inscene 1 and Inscene 2 of 1967, and Gruber’s Frankenstein!!, composed and expanded from 1970 to 1978, serve as subjects for analyzing this Austrian development. The purpose of this article is to study literature and other material on early Austrian choreographed instrumental theater. The method employed to present the different stages of development and variants of choreographed instrumental theater is the study of literature and the comparative analysis of musical material, as well as interviews with Gruber, which are interpreted in terms of qualitative social research (oral history). The results show three different types: first, choreographed instrumental theater, whose development Zykan continued, second, choreographed vocal theater, and third, Gruber’s imaginary theater. The term choreographed instrumental theater describes a musical piece in which the instrumentalists not only make the music but also perform as “actors.” Gestures and other actions are composed too. This technique was later transferred to vocal music when the singers also had to perform specific movements, and in 1977 a final step in the development of imaginary theater was taken with Frankenstein!! Here, there are fewer movements and facial expressions that have to be performed. This work can be useful as a point of reference for academics, musicians, and students working on the issue of music theater from Austria after 1945, as well as for developing it further through familiarization with the first works of the most important representatives.