Viljoen, MartinaCromhout, Johan2017-03-242017-03-242012-11http://hdl.handle.net/11660/5988English: Although I did not know Arnold Bosman (1957-2005) personally, I was compelled to undertake a biographical study of him. The story of his life and the fact that he, as a highly talented South African musician, had to establish himself in a foreign country amongst a strange culture, resulted in the writing of this thesis. Bosman's exceptional musical talent was evident since his childhood. During his teens he achieved outstanding results. Eisteddfod-certificates, examination results, as well as performances with various orchestras are proof of his dedication from a very young age. His musicianship manifested from this time on in a somewhat idiosyncratical personality. Bosman showed certain likes and dislikes from a relatively young age and was rather outspoken regarding certain topics of current interest. The political situation in South Africa, in particular the "apartheids" regime was but one topic which Bosman strongly opposed. These viewpoints obviously caused tension between Bosman and his parents as his father was a fervent Nationalist and also served in the diplomatic service of the South African government. This presumed complex relationship with his parents perhaps also influenced other aspects of his life. According to arguments presented in this study, certain life changing decisions could have been influenced by this complex relationship. Certain events during his life as a teenager would have had a significant influence in his life, and most probably contributed to some of the most important decisions that guided his life. Bosman's complexity had a far-reaching influence on his life. His search of a "place" where he could feel at home, as well as his own "identity", were expressed in various poems as early as his high school years. Conspicuously he never really experienced the "home-coming", not even during his adult life - except in his music where he associated himself with "place" and "time" in a significant manner. Initially it was his search for a suitable university where he could further his studies that forced him to make directive decisions. As Bosman expressed the desire to study to become a conductor during a time when there was no university in South Africa that offered studies of this nature, together with the assistance from his parents, he started investigating the possibilty of studying abroad. The decision to undertake his undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town presented him with numerous problems. The possibility of financial assistance from the University of Cape Town to further his studies abroad made it more of a reality. This period in Bosman's life also proved to be problematic. After a short period of study in both England and Holland, he eventually decided to go to Italy where he studied at various music schools. Bosman settled in Italy in the early 1980's and for a long period of time made a living as a freelance musician. During this time many piano recitals and appearances as accompanist for singers and instrumentalists, as well as his work as an assistant conductor, provided Bosman with a reasonable income. During this time Bosman's yearning to become a full-time conductor became increasingly apparent. His longing for a career as full-time conductor also became evident in some of his letters to his parents. According to documents available for this research, it became clear that he started working regularly as an assistant conductor and sometimes appeared as conductor himself. To establish himself as a conductor in Italy, Bosman was forced to live the disruptive life of a commuter for the majority of his life. In the early 1990's Bosman was introduced to the specialist ensemble Musica Rara. His appointment as musical director and conductor of this ensemble, finally offered Bosman the opportunity to fulfil his dream. His involvement with this ensemble to perform the more rare and unknown compositions of the masters in an authentic manner, gave the main themes of his life, namely that of "place" and "time", significant meaning. The position he held with Musica Rara gave Bosman an artistic "place" ("role"/"identity") where he metaphorically could "belong" and where he as musician could flourish. Apart from his complex relationship with his parents, his strained relationship with South Africa lasted until his death. Although Bosman enjoyed significant success in Italy, he regularly investigated the possibility of performing in South Africa - as pianist, but more so as conductor - in a temporary but also in a more permanent capacity. However, he was never offered a permanent position, and there were but a few appearances during the last couple of years of his life. Because of these reasons I found it necessary to document and to put in perspective, the life and contribution of this important and internationally famed South African artist.Afrikaans: My biografiese studie oor Arnold Bosman (1957-2005) het daaruit voortgespruit dat ek hierdie kunstenaar nooit persoonlik geken het nie, maar nietemin aangegryp is deur sy lewensverhaal, en deur die feit dat hy homself, as uiters talentvolle Suid-Afrikaner, in 'n vreemde land en kultuur moes gaan vind. Bosman se besondere musikale begaafdheid was vanaf sy vroeë kinderjare sigbaar. Gedurende sy tienerjare het hy reeds puik prestasies behaal. Kunswedstryddiplomas, eksamenuitslae en optredes met verskeie orkeste is bewyse van besondere toewyding vanaf 'n jong ouderdom. Sy kunstenaarskap het egter vanaf hierdie tyd in 'n sterk dog idiosinkratiese persoonlikheid gemanifesteer. Reeds op 'n relatiewe jong leeftyd toon hy duidelike voor- en afkeure oor aktuele sake en spreek hy homself oor bepaalde aangeleenthede sterk uit. Só het hy homself as jong man reeds eksplisiet teen die politieke situasie van Suid-Afrika uitgespreek, en duidelik laat blyk dat hy die apartheidsregering van daardie tyd nie ondersteun het nie. Opsig self moes hierdie standpunte heelwat spanning tussen Bosman en sy ouers veroorsaak het aangesien sy vader 'n vurige Nasionalis was wat boonop in die diplomatieke diens van die Suid-Afrikaanse regering gestaan het. Die veronderstelde komplekse verhouding met sy ouers het heel waarskynlik ook in ander aspekte van sy lewe gesetel, en volgens argumente wat in hierdie studie aangebied word, reeds op 'n relatief vroeë stadium bygedra tot sekere lewensbesluite wat Bosman geneem het. Sekere gebeure tydens sy tienerjare sou byvoorbeeld later 'n groot rol in sy lewe speel, en het heel waarskynlik aanleiding gegee tot sommige van die belangrikste besluite wat sy lewe sou rig. Bosman se komplekse samestelling het sy lewensbesluite dus ingrypend beïnvloed. Sy soeke na 'n "plek" waar hy homself tuis kon voel asook 'n eie "identiteit", is reeds so vroeg as sy hoërskoolloopbaan in verskeie gedigte verwoord. Dit is opvallend dat hy nooit werklik "tuisgekom" het nie, ook nie gedurende sy volwasse lewe nie - behalwe in sy musiek waar hy op artistiek beduidende wyses met "plek" en "tyd" omgegaan het. Aanvanklik was dit Bosman se soeke na 'n geskikte universiteit waar hy kon gaan studeer wat hom op 'n relatief jong ouderdom tot rigtinggewende keuses gedwing het. Aangesien Bosman in die dirigeerkuns wou spesialiseer, en daar nie op daardie stadium 'n universiteit in Suid-Afrika was wat dirigeerstudies aangebied het nie, het hy met die hulp van sy ouers ondersoek begin instel om sy studies in die buiteland voort te sit. Die keuse om sy voorgraadse studies aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad te voltooi het met vele probleme gepaard gegaan. Die moontlikheid om sy studies met die hulp van beurse van die Universiteit van Kaapstad in die buiteland voort te sit, het hierdie stap egter help realiseer. Nietemin het dié fase in Bosman se lewe nie sonder probleme verloop nie. Na kort periodes van studie in Engeland asook in Nederland, is Bosman uiteindelik na Italië, waar hy aan verskeie musiekskole gestudeer het. In Italië, waar Bosman homself vanaf die vroeë 1980's bevind het, het hy vir 'n lang ruk 'n loopbaan as vryskutmusikus gevolg om maar net te kon oorleef. Talle klavieruitvoerings, optredes as begeleier van verskeie sangers en instrumentiste, asook sy werk as assistentdirigent het in die aanvangsjare in Italië aan hom 'n redelike inkomste gebied. Gedurende hierdie fase van Bosman se lewe het dirigeerkuns en die hunkering om voltyds dirigent te wees al meer sigbaar geword. In sommige briewe aan sy ouers was sy versugting na 'n loopbaan as dirigent duidelik teenwoordig, en volgens alle dokumentasie wat vir die navorsing beskikbaar gestel is, blyk dit dat hy op 'n gereelde basis as assistentdirigent begin werk het, en soms ook self as dirigent opgetree het. Ten einde homself as dirigent in Italië te vestig het Bosman vir die grootste gedeelte van sy lewe daar egter 'n ontwrigtende pendelaarsbestaan gevoer. In die vroeë 1990's het Bosman se paaie met dié van die spesialis-ensemble Musica Rara gekruis. Sy aanstelling as musiekdirekteur en dirigent van hierdie ensemble het nou uiteindelik aan hom die geleentheid gebied om sy passie as dirigent uit te leef. Die aard van sy betrokkenheid by die ensemble, naamlik om onbekende of minder bekende werke in outentieke omstandighede uit te voer, het aan die hooftemas van sy lewensverhaal, naamlik dié van "plek" en "tyd", besondere betekenis gegee. Sy leiersposisie by Musica Rara het naamlik aan Bosman 'n artistieke "plek" ("rol"/"identiteit") gegee sodat hy nou waarlik metafories kon "behoort" en homself as musikus kon uitleef. Buiten Bosman se komplekse verhouding met sy ouers het hy ook tot aan die einde van sy lewe 'n gekompliseerde verhouding met Suid-Afrika gehad. Ten spyte van sy toenemende sukses in Italië, het Bosman deurlopend pogings blyaanwend om in Suid- Afrika te kom optree - as pianis, maar veral as dirigent - hetsy in tydelike of selfs meer permanente hoedanighede. Bosman is egter ook nooit enige vaste aanstelling in Suid- Afrika aangebied nie, en daar was ook nie veeloptredes hier gedurende die laaste jare van sy lewe nie. Om hierdie redes het hierdie studie dit ten doelom die lewe en bydrae van 'n belangrike en internasionaal gevierde Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaar te dokumenteer en in perspektief te stel.afEarly yearsIdentityLa ScalaPianistAccompanistSoloistMusica RaraUnknown compositionsBariConductorFreelance musicianChamber musicMusical integrityBosman, Arnold, 1957-2005Pianists -- South Africa -- BiographyConductors (Music) -- South Africa -- BiographyMusicians -- South Africa -- BiographyThesis (Ph.D. (Music))--University of the Free State, 2012ThesisUniversity of the Free State