ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book deals with a traditional monograph with entries on compositions in chronological order and a series of critical essays on different aspects of Mauricio Kagel's work. It explores a critical and analytical approach to Kagel's compositions, or used as a handbook in which entries on individual pieces can be looked up. The pragmatic notion of musical style implicit in the stylistic diversity of Kagel's music is mirrored by his versatility with regard to different media and art forms; the two most overt features of his work thus form two sides of the same coin. The book addresses to fellow musicologists and practical musicians as well as to scholars in neighbouring fields and readers with a special interest in contemporary music and the arts.