In Form of a Dialogue Between Master PAN and Student NOT)
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 395 840 SO 025 481 AUTHOR Skapski, George J. TITLE Tract on Panot. Part 1: Text.(In Form of a Dialogue between Master PAN and Student NOT). Part 2: Examples. (Music Examples in Both Traditional and PANOTation). Part 3: Appendices and Supplements. (Reference Materials in Both Traditional and PANOTation). INSTITUTION California State Univ., Northridge. PUB DATE 92 NOTE 429p. PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) Books (010) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC18 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS ComparaL.ve Analysis; Descriptive Writing; Higher Educaticn; *Musical Composition; Music Education; *Music Reading; *Music Techniques; Reference Materials IDENTIFIERS *Music Notation ABSTRACT This document proposes and presents a new concept in music notation. Consisting of three separately-bound parts, the first part presents the rationale for the new musical notation in the form of a dialogue between two people who discuss what the ideal musical notation would be: the subject of unmetered durations and articulations., the representation of the temporal parameter, the domain of pitch and intervals, symbols for dynamics and timbre, and some observations on analytical insights. The second part provides numerous examples of each of the areas discussed in the dialogue. The final part presents the 50 appendices and supplemental materials concerning PANOTation along with traditional notation. (JAG) **AAAAAA),AA;,AA::***:.:,**AAA;,AAAA*.:-**,:**********.****************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original document. **************************************************k******************** George J. Skapski TRACT ONIPANOT PART I : TEXT BEST COPY AVAILABLE U I DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CMce 04 Educatmnal Resewcn ano imorovernem C.S.U.N PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY CENTER (ERIC) is document has been reproduced as lecetved from III@ person or organization originating it r Minor cnanges nave peen macm to .mprove GEORGE J. SKAPSKI ,er.t)GuCI.On OUlay Pwo301 viewto OP..0,13 tIlled trt 100 menl 00 not nCADILONy meOmeStnI ()MOW TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES OF RI posthon to policy INFORMATION CENTER ERICI" 4E.PMarAWIMIggriTIIMORIIMMLi! kve .t> , TRACT ON PANOT PART I: TEXT ( In Form of a Dialogue between Master PAN and Student NOT ) bY George J.Skapski * This monograph is a follow-up to the experimental researchperformed in part pursuant to an Academic Program ImprovementGrant for 1989-90 funded by the California State University Office of the Chancellor The California State Univ ersity, Northridge,1992 3 I I I I I I I 1 I © 1992 by the Trusteesof the California StateUniversity I with a New This tract is referring to 3monographs: PANOT: An Experiment 111 Music Notation System, SoundTaxonomy, and PANUM. Thosemonographs were developed with the support of anAcademic Program ImprovementGrant for 1989- 90 funded by the CaliforniaState University Office of theChancellor. No part of I this work work may bereproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortranscribed, in any form or by any means,electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording, or otherwise, without the priorwritt-rt permission of The Trusteesof the California i State University. Project Director:Dr. George J. Skapski, CaliforniaState University, Northridge. I I I ii The author wishes to express hisgratitude to William Toutant for his kind assistance in editing ofthe preliminary draft of thismonograph. Dr. Toutant is my friend andcolleague on the music faculty of theCalifornia State University at Northridge. Heis presently serving the University asthe Associate Dean of the School of the Arts. 5 +++++ T othe memory of Guido of Arezzo, the pioneering music pedagogue, on the millenary anniversary of his birth v 1; an mg se% mgOneft an me am am amen Ealanteali mg go an TABLE OF CONTENTS DAY PAGE INTRODUCTION ix FIRST: THE IDEAL NOTATION 1 SECOND: THE UNMETERED DURATIONS AND ARTICULATIONS 12 THIRD: THE REPRESENTATION OF THE TEMPORAL PARAMETER 25 FOURTH: THE DOMAIN OF PITCH AND INTERVALS 67 FIFTH: NEW SYMBOLS FOR DYNAMICS AND TIMBRE 104 SIXTH: ANALYTICAL INSIGHTS 131 INDEX 167 INTRODUCTION In fact, There is no lack of proposalsfor the reform ofthe present music notation. difficulty in accountingfor all proposals conceivedthrough the interested writers have significant and valuable regard, contributions ofGardner Read are the most years. In this proposals usually ranks thembetween two in recent years. Theinevitable criticism of new complex. The "allergicreaction" to anything new opposites:either too simplistic or too do critics raise the does not help in arrivingat an objectivevalue judgment. Seldom advantages of a new system overthe standard notation.It is an question of the relative advantages are which should be favorablydecided whenever the important consideration The ultimate decisionshould depend on perceived as outweighingthe disadvantages. proposed solution. whether or not an individualis persuaded aboutthe superiority of the prevent experimentersfrom trying new The fear of unduecomplexity should not proposals in procedures, provided theyhave carefullyexamined the worth of new comparison with the solutionsoffered by conventionalnotation. leave it as it is. comfortable with the presentnotation, they should If musicians feel comprehensive reform is necessary,they If they are convincedthat either a partial or than a "sine ira about it. The presentproposal asks for nothing more should do something advantages arising fromthe new system.While et studio"examination of all the possible possible loss of favorite mind, let us not worrynostalgically about a trying to make up our often demand partingwith familiar icons; symbols and familiarterminology. Changes been known to healthe traumatic experience.After all, time has this should not be a human ideas and actions. deepest wounds inflictedby the seemingly outrageous George J. Skapski Northridge, California; December 15th, 1992 ix 9 1 THE FIRST DAY THE IDEAL MUSICNOTATION Could you Master PAN: Now, we will be concernedwith music notation. define for me music notation? used for Student NOT: Music notation, as we knowit, is a system of symbols permanent recording ofsounds. definition. PAN: Generally, it seems to be areasonable and sufficient times, some additionalqualifications are needed. Theneed for However, especially in our what purpose does a briefqualification becomes clearerwhen you will ask the question: music notation serve? anybody reading NOT: Obviously, the purpose ofmusic notation is to enable another human being. it to re-create the progressionof sounds composed by Certainly, this is an acceptable answer.Notation, thus defined, helps PAN: diagrams created after musichas been the performer. Therefore,all those graphs and produced, do not deservethe name of music notation? NOT: I do not think so. PAN: Why? Because, they only accountfor what has been alreadyproduced. They NOT: encoding or for analytical purposes.However, may be of somevalue for the mechanical they hardly could guide aperformer in music making. when trying to You have pointed theobvious difficulties encountered PAN: of some statistical make music from"ex-post" symbolicalgraphs or from accumulation 0 2 ii data. Imagine trying to convert rectangular bars to sounds of different duration.The eye can distinguish perhaps double- orhalf-durations. Maybe, the triple proportions can be perceived in relation to the referential unit.Surely, this type of proportions is only an infinitely small portion of the rich variety of durational proportionsfound in music. How about guessing the relationship of two bars which standfor the proportion expressed in traditional notation as double-dotted quarter note followed by a sixteenth note? NOT: As a rule, performers could not rely on bars for accuracy in judging different durations.I cannot think of a pianist required to play from such notation. PAN: Unless he would be equipped with a ruler to compare different durations with each other. Joke aside, a similar situation could arise inthe realm of pitch. How would you react to a prospect of producing just twodifferent sounds of the following specifications: One designated at the frequency of 273 cycles per second, andthe other to be following at the level of 405 cycles per second? NOT: Impossible! Even when I think of those singers endowed with a so- called "perfect absolute pitch," none of them could reproduceaccurately a longer succession of sounds so encoded. PAN: Do we need to go on with more examples? NOT: Actually, I realize that I should have added to mydefinition the purpose of music notation. All those"ex-post" notations, as you called them, are incapable of serving the performing musician.Couldn't they be used, however, to feed the machines which produce music by electronic means? PAN: Well, if the composer uses a machine to program hismusic, and the print-outs epresent the data used in this process, the reverse processshould produce the same musi, as originally intended. Whoknows if that may be the only process to create music in the future. NOT: Does this obliterate the need for music notationin the future? PAN: Time only will tell.Right now, I am concerned with music notation which by-passes the machine, and whichestablishes the direct communication between human beings.Actually, music composed at a synthesizerneeds procedures which will permit the encoding cif sounds electronically.Those procedures are not designed for the human eyes to see them.They would not help vocalists or performers onacoustic