The Adventure of the Refrain: Composing with Improvised Music
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THE ADVENTURE OF THE REFRAIN: COMPOSING WITH IMPROVISED MUSIC Timothy Joseph O’Dwyer Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Creative Industries Faculty Queensland University of Technology November 2012 2 Keywords Improvisation Composition Assemblage Refrain Deterritorialization 3 Abstract This practice-based inquiry investigates the process of composing notated scores using improvised solos by saxophonists John Butcher and Anthony Braxton. To compose with these improvised sources, I developed a new method of analysis and through this method I developed new compositional techniques in applying these materials into a score. This method of analysis and composition utilizes the conceptual language of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari found in A Thousand Plateaus. The conceptual language of Deleuze and Guattari, in particular the terms assemblage, refrain and deterritorialization are discussed in depth to give a context for the philosophical origins and also to explain how the language is used in reference to improvised music and the compositional process. The project seeks to elucidate the conceptual language through the creative practice and in turn for the creative practice to clarify the use of the conceptual terminology. The outcomes of the research resulted in four notated works being composed. Firstly, Gravity, for soloist and ensemble based on the improvisational language of John Butcher and secondly a series of 3 studies titled Transbraxton Studies for solo instruments based on the improvisational-compositional language of Anthony Braxton. The implications of this research include the application of the analysis method to a number of musical contexts including: to be used in the process of composing with improvised music; in the study of style and authorship in solo improvisation; as a way of analyzing group improvisation; in the analysis of textural music including electronic music; and in the analysis of music from different cultures—particularly cultures where improvisation and per formative aspects to the music are significant to the overall meaning of the work. The compositional technique that was developed has further applications in terms of an expressive method of composing with non-metered improvised materials and one that merges well with the transcription method developed of notating pitch and sounds to a timeline. It is hoped that this research can open further lines of enquiry into the application of the conceptual ideas of Deleuze and Guattari to the analysis of more forms of music. 4 Table of Contents Keywords ............................................................................................................................................... 2 Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................... 4 List of Figures ....................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. List of Tables .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Statement of Original Authorship ........................................................................................................... 7 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................ 8 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 9 My Background .................................................................................................................................... 13 Philosophical Context ........................................................................................................................... 20 Summary of Chapters ........................................................................................................................... 35 The Method .......................................................................................................................................... 37 The Outcomes ....................................................................................................................................... 37 Chapter 1 Literature Review ............................................................................................................. 38 Chapter 2 Methodology .................................................................................................................... 52 Ethical and Collaborative Arrangements .............................................................................................. 56 Research Design and Methodology ...................................................................................................... 57 Research Design ................................................................................................................................... 57 Selection of Instruments ....................................................................................................................... 66 Chapter 3 Background to the Creative Practice .............................................................................. 68 Chapter 4 Analysing Improvised Music: A Deleuzian Approach .................................................. 78 Conception............................................................................................................................................ 80 Analysis ................................................................................................................................................ 91 Chapter 5 Reterritorializing the Refrain .......................................................................................... 98 Compositional Process (Gravity) ........................................................................................................ 102 Chapter 6 Deterritorializing the Refrain ........................................................................................ 125 Transbraxton Study I .......................................................................................................................... 132 Transbraxton Study II ......................................................................................................................... 141 Transbraxton Study III ....................................................................................................................... 149 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 157 Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................... 161 Discography ...................................................................................................................................... 167 Appendices ....................................................................................................................................... 168 Appendix I .......................................................................................................................................... 169 Appendix II......................................................................................................................................... 190 Appendix III ....................................................................................................................................... 232 Appendix IV (DVD - Muscial Examples) .................................................................. (Inside back cover) 5 List of Figures Figure 1: Extract from the Oboe part (Movement II bar 1, Gravity) .................................................. 103 Figure 2: Extract from Oboe part (Movement II bar 73 Gravity) ....................................................... 104 Figure 3: Extract from Viola part (Movement II bar 19-22 Gravity) ................................................. 104 Figure 4: Extract from Viola part (Movement II bar 85-89 Gravity) ................................................. 104 Figure 5: Extract from Viola part (Movement IV bar 14-21 Gravity) ................................................ 104 Figure 6: Extract from Viola part (Movement V bar 17-21 Gravity) ................................................. 105 Figure 7: Extract from Percussion part (Movement I bar 1-20 Gravity) ............................................ 105 Figure 8: Extract from Percussion part (Movement II bar 82-96 Gravity) ......................................... 106 Figure 9: Extract from Movement V Orbit, final 5 measures (Gravity) ............................................. 107 Figure 10: Extract from Movement II (bars 19-24 – full score Gravity) ............................................ 109 Figure 11: Extract from Viola part (Movement IV bar 14-15 – full score Gravity) ........................... 109 Figure 12: Extract from Viola part (Movement V bar 18-19 – full score Gravity) ............................ 109 Figure 13: Extract of Oboe part (Movement V bar 12 Gravity) ......................................................... 111 Figure 14: John Butcher