Browsing by Author "Kronenberg, Clive"

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    Cuban Artist, Leo Brouwer, and his solo guitar works: Pieza Sin Titulo To Elogio de la Danza. A contextual-analytical study.
    (2000) Kronenberg, Clive; May, James
    The thesis investigates wide-ranging issues central to the Cuban artist, Leo Brouwer (b. 1939). Although considered by some scholars as perhaps the most significant living composer for the guitar in the twentieth century, Brouwer has not achieved the wide acclaim he deserves. This stems mainly from the North American Embargo imposed upon the Cuban nation for some forty years. Part I of the thesis explores issues concerning the artist's homeland and life. Part II examines a selection of solo guitar works from the composer's national stylistic period, 1956 â 1964. Analyses are presented of the composer's early works from 1956-57, Tres Apuntes (1959), Etudes Simples (1960-61) and Elogio de la Danza (1964). The analyses aim towards illustrating the artist's close association with his national culture, combined with his purpose of structuring universal art forms. Attention is drawn to the artist's employment of (1) Afro-Cuban national and traditionally tonal elements fused with more advanced compositional techniques (2) Idiomatic and pragmatic guitar techniques designed for the inexperienced player. Integrated into the thesis are discussions on some historically significant composers, performers and tutors who shaped Brouwer's artistry. Appendix A contains all the music scores which have been discussed in detail, Appendix B is a transcription of personal interviews by the author with Leo Brouwer conducted at the 1998 Nurtingen Guitar Festival in Germany and Appendix C presents official Cuban perspectives on the Cuban Revolution and the imposed North American Embargo.
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    Manifestations of humanism in Cuban history, politics, and culture
    (2007) Kronenberg, Clive; Higgins, John
    The thesis explores what it deems are some of the most perceptible humanistic features in Cuban history, politics, and culture, less specified, or highlighted, or generally not presented in a cohesive body of knowledge in the western scholarly world. In the context of its subject, the thesis embraces rational-critical thinking and supports the custom of non-violent dispute. Insofar as the Cuban Constitution incorporates a range of goals structured on socialist principles, the thesis sets out to scrutinise manifestations in Cuban thinking emblematic of the Marxist-humanist and/or anti-Stalinist philosophical traditions of revolutionary praxis. The thesis' main body investigates, illustrates, and analyses the presence of such features, focussing predominantly on the period 1959 to the late 1960s. Where the thesis does delve into timeframes beyond this era, it endeavours to show the continuity of relevant facets previously identified. Preceding the main examination, the thesis looks into what is widely perceived as the main roots of the country's humanist tradition, the moral ideas and standpoints of Jose Marti, the country's national hero. A further objective of this thesis lies in the belief that aspects of Cuba's national cultural policy in large measure addresses historical issues post-Apartheid South Africa confronts today.