Rondo as metafoor vir Christa Steyn se lewe

Abstract

Na 'n jaar lange stryd teen terminale bors- en lewerkanker sterf Christa Steyn op 11 Junie 2012. In die media word sy as 'n Afrikaanse ikoon beskryf en medekunstenaars en aanhangers is dit eens dat Suid-Afrika een van die grootste musiekgeeste van die afgelope 30 jaar verloor het. As liedjieskrywer, komponis en kunstenaar het sy 'n onmiskenbare bydrae tot toeganklike musiek in Suid-Afrika gelewer. Steyn bestempel haar komposisie Rondo as een van haar suksesvolste komposisies, maar die verband tussen komponis en komposisie is selfs meer betekenisvol. In hierdie interpretatiewe studie, gegiet in die vorm van 'n gevallestudie, word Rondo ontleed om hierdie betekenisvolle verband te beskryf. In die ontleding word hoofsaaklik van primêre bronne gebruik gemaak: onderhoude met Steyn, haar ouers en eerste klavieronderwyseres, asook die manuskrip van Rondo in haar handskrif. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat Rondo as metafoor vir Steyn se lewe gesien kan word. Die voortdurende herhaling van 'n hooftema in die rondo-musiekvorm is simbolies van die sirkelgang in Steyn se loopbaan, waarin sy telkemale na die basis van haar klassieke opleiding terugbeweeg. Veral die melodiese interval van 'n tweede is opvallend in Rondo en kan as verteenwoordigend van die twee invloede in Steyn se loopbaan geïnterpreteer word: haar liefde vir klassieke musiek en haar toewyding om dit in eietydse styl vir 'n groter gehoor toeganklik te maak. ABSTRACT: Rondo as a metaphor for Christa Steyn's life Christa Steyn is well known for her contribution to the Afrikaans "luisterliedjie" ("listening song") as well as for being a superb performer, arranger and accompanist of popular and crossover music. In 2011 she was diagnosed with terminal breast and liver cancer and the vast amount of attention she received in the media, as well as the flood of messages of sympathy from the general public, proved that she was indeed an icon. From the first time I heard Rondo, a well-known instrumental composition of Steyn's, in 1989, I was fascinated by it. Since then, in my mind, it became a physical manifestation of what she (and her music) represented. Paging through the handwritten manuscript of Rondo which she gave me as a present, I started to wonder whether the notes on those pages might reveal a deeper meaning. This thought was also inspired by Agawu's (1996) stance on the new trends in music analysis. In this interpretive study, Rondo is analysed in order to explore the inherent qualities of Steyn's compositional style. Set in the form of a case study, this analysis explores how Rondo can be seen as a metaphor for Steyn's life and career. Primary sources used in this study include interviews with Steyn, her parents (Ben and Myra Schutte) and her first piano teacher (Martie van Rensburg), and the analysis of the handwritten manuscript of Rondo