Literary Sources of Nineteenth-Century Musical Orientalism: The Hypnotic Spell of the Exotic on Music of the Romantic Period

This is the first work of its type to survey so comprehensively the major sources of literary inspiration for Western composers who sought to depict in their musical works an 'Eastern' flavour.  This study shows how in attempting to conjure up the spirit of the idealised, exotic 'Orient', many composers were led to push the boundaries of orchestral timbre.In the process, they necessarily discovered new symphonic sounds, which significantly advanced the use of the orchestra.  The book also discusses the aesthetic/philosophical, political/geographic and historical forces at work during the period - and demonstrates how these factors influenced musicians and other creative artists in their choice of 'Oriental' subject matter.

Companion volume from the same publisher:
The Influence of European Literary and Artistic Representations of the 'Orient' on Western Orchestral Compositions, ca. 1840-1920: From Oriental Inspiration to 'Exotic' Orchestration