Research Catalog

Title

Louis Horst Centennial Panel [sound recording]

Publication

1984.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Jowitt, Deborah
• Maslow, Sophie.
• Erdman, Jean.
• Dalbotten, Ted.
• Soares, Janet Mansfield.

Description

3 sound discs (ca. 108 min.) : digital; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

• Disc 1 (ca. 46 min.). Deborah Jowitt introduces the panel members and their respective relationships to Horst; Jowitt speaks about Horst's life and contribution to the dance community; Sophie Maslow discusses Horst's perception of modern dance; how he was interested in and inspired by other art forms; Jean Erdman discusses Horst's teachings regarding dance and musical structure; sources of new movement; Horst's interest in tonality and modes and how they relate to form and structure in dance composition; Janet Soares discusses the transposition of aspects of contemporary music, such as atonality and dissonance, to dance; additional discussion on form and creative discipline; Horst's feelings about music from the Romantic era; Ted Dalbotten quotes Horst regarding the synthesis of dance and music; the use of flute and percussion in dance accompaniment; the importance of the relation between dance and musical rhythm and structure; how dance can enrich music; Jowitt briefly mentions the primitive qualities that are found in both Martha Graham's choreography and Horst's compositions; the panel discusses Horst's philosophy of form and dynamic rhythm.
• Disc 1 (ca. 46 min.), cont. Soares discusses Pina Bausch's use of movement and music in relation to Horst's teachings; further discussion of form and structure by the panel; comparing the craft of Isadora Duncan to that of subsequent choreographers; importance of visual style and developing an individual dance vocabulary; Horst's view of ballet and modern dance in relation to design; Erdman discusses her work with Horst as composer on Transformations of Medusa.
• Disc 2 (ca. 39 min.). [Begins abruptly.] Discussion of the manipulation of musical rhythm in dance composition; how choreographers and composers can inspire each other; further discussion of music of the Romantic era; Horst as a composer and his view that music should serve dance; Soares quotes Lincoln Kirsten on Horst; Dalbotten demonstrates excerpts from a dance study entitled Pavane to explain Horst's elements and devices for organizing movement [music is played, and it appears that Dalbotten is dancing the Pavane study; applause followed by an abrupt break]; Soares and Dalbotten discuss structure and adaptation; Maslow discusses the theme and reworking of a trio she choreographed in 1942 that was originally performed by Maslow, Jane Dudley and William Bales [dancers are asked to the stage to perform; abrupt break]; Erdman speaks about the story and inspiration for her work Transformations of Medusa [dancers are asked to the stage; abrupt break].
• Disc 3 (ca 23 min.). The panel answers questions from the audience. Dalbotten and Soares briefly discuss additional choreographic devices and options; Soares briefly discuses the concept of musical dissonance and how it relates to dance composition; Dalbotten discusses Horst's four preliminary studies; further discussion on dissonance and how it is manifested in Graham's choreography and technique; the panel discusses artists and philosophers that may have influenced Horst and Graham, in particular Mary Wigman; briefly mentions Horst's distress regarding the lack of appreciation in Europe of Erik Satie; Horst's contribution to the field of music; more on Horst's thoughts on woodwinds and string instruments as dance accompaniment; brief mention of lecture-demonstrations in Europe of the Pre-Classic dance forms by Isadora Duncan's sister [Elizabeth Duncan?]; more on Horst's contribution to the dance field; Jowitt thanks the panelists and dancers [ends abruptly].

Donor/Sponsor

• Oral History Archive.
• Gift of David Sears.
• National Endowment for the Arts, 2001-2002.

Subjects

• Horst, Louis
• Audiotapes > Soares, J
• Wigman, Mary, 1886-1973
• Music and dance
• Transformations of Medusa (Choreographic work : Erdman)
• Bausch, Pina
• Dudley, Jane
• Bales, William, 1910-1990
• Graham, Martha
• Audiotapes > Maslow, S
• Audiotapes > Erdman, J
• Audiotapes > Dalbotten, T
• Audiotapes > Jowitt, D

Note

• Panel discussion on the occasion of the centennial of of the birth of Louis Horst, conducted by Deborah Jowitt as moderator, and Sophie Maslow, Jean Erdman, Ted Dalbotten, and Janet Mansfield Soares as panelists, on June 16, 1984. The sound quality of the recording is poor, especially in the case of the questions from the audience, and is marred by extraneous noise.

Funding (note)

• Preservation was made possible in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, 2001-2002.

Call Number

*MGZTL 4-1557

OCLC

NYPY04-R34

Title

Louis Horst Centennial Panel [sound recording]

Imprint

1984.

Funding

Preservation was made possible in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, 2001-2002.

Local Note

Archival original: *MGZTCO 3-1557 nos. 1-2

Preservation master: *MGZTP 4-1557 nos. 1-3

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-1557 nos. 1-3

Local Subject

Audiotapes -- Jowitt, D.

Audiotapes -- Maslow, S.

Audiotapes -- Erdman, J.

Audiotapes -- Dalbotten, T.

Audiotapes -- Soares, J.

Added Author

Jowitt, Deborah, speaker.

Maslow, Sophie. Speaker

Erdman, Jean. Speaker

Dalbotten, Ted. Speaker

Soares, Janet Mansfield. Speaker

Research Call Number

*MGZTL 4-1557