Ambiguity in Leonard Bernstein's song cycle La Bonne Cuisine

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore how the experience of ambiguity in Leonard Bernstein’s song cycle La Bonne Cuisine challenges the interpretation and performance thereof. I argue that the ambiguity in La Bonne Cuisine can be traced to the following elements that challenge interpretation and performance: Firstly, Bernstein’s eccentric decision to compose this song cycle based on a set of recipes leaves the performer without those traditional poetic markers that she would typically use to interpret and perform Art songs. Secondly, the high level of technicality of the music juxtaposed with the whimsical nature of the words (recipes) results in an incongruity between the music and words. Thirdly, the musico-historical context in which Bernstein is situated lends itself to possible ambiguity due to the atypical and radical manner of composition in the early 20th century, and this challenges conventional interpretation and performance. Bernstein, the man and his music, is discussed while contrasting his idiosyncratic approach to Art songs with that of traditional Art song composition and interpretation. This led to the identification of two concepts that are at the heart of Bernstein’s compositional language, namely, accessibility and eclecticism. A combined practice-led and hermeneutic approach, within an interpretivist paradigm, enabled me to conduct a close reading of the text (words and music) of La Bonne Cuisine. By means of observations gained from my performance practice and insights gleaned from hermeneutical investigation, the close reading highlighted patterns within the music that are incongruous with the words. It is these technical aspects and incongruous elements that give rise to the experience of ambiguity in La Bonne Cuisine. Finally, these elements are contextualised in terms of Bernstein’s eclecticism and accessibility, with reference to his musico-historical context, in order to ameliorate the sense of ambiguity that arises in interpreting and performing this work.