may have equally strong misgivings about such ‘tourist colour’. Some will find the ‘exotic’ attractive, others insulting.

All I can do today is to set a stated aim: To go beyond the attraction of the ‘mere timbre’ to something more substantial; something which engages our attention to the virtuosity and expressiveness of the performance tradition itself.

We may have to acknowledge that that expressiveness cannot necessarily be from ‘within’ the culture we observe – we may have to remain forever outside it.

2.  The intervention of technology: the opportunities

2.1.  the recording as supplement to – even replacement of – the score

I shall argue that while we might see the recording as quite antithetical to the aural tradition, it has become a potential new tool in its development. Young rock guitarists may now learn the classic ‘licks’ from recordings of their heroes. Recordings rather than scores constitute the ‘trace’ of the work, encourage further performances and even the development of performance practice.

Of course the danger is that, just as the traditional score became sacred text, so, the composer’s sanctioned recording becomes ‘the word’ (for example the Stockhausen Gesamtausgabe).

2.2.  the recording as supplement to – even enhancement of – the aural tradition

I recorded many of the consultations I had with members of Shiva Nova and all the sessions I had with Inok Paek. These were usually a combination of playing and verbal commentary, an invaluable archive which I could replay, try to understand, raise questions concerning, memorise or transcribe. Repetition was the key to much learning – although its limitations should not be forgotten, as in many cultures musical units are not repeated identically between performances!

The western tradition encourages us to change media quickly within the tradition. i.e. a string quartet this year, a chamber opera next, a song cycle to follow etc.. Sadly this has too often been extended to include “an experimental work with ethnic instruments” tucked in between two of these items. The ever increasing pressures of work give no time to come to terms with the performance or wider aesthetic traditions of this new adventure.

While the introduction of ethnomusicology into western curricula may assist in giving the composer a head start in engaging in this new venture, longer term investment of time and exposure to the new performance practice is essential.