DOCSLIB.ORG

Automatic Orchestration for Automatic Composition Eliot Handelman Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology Montreal, Canada

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Automatic Orchestration for Automatic Composition Eliot Handelman Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology Montreal, Canada Musical Metacreation: Papers from the 2012 AIIDE Workshop AAAI Technical Report WS-12-16 Automatic Orchestration for Automatic Composition Eliot Handelman Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology Montreal, Canada Andie Sigler Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology and School of Computer Science McGill University Montreal, Canada David Donna School of Computer Science McGill University Montreal, Canada Abstract In this paper we define a narrow version of the orchestra- tion problem that deals with assigning notes in the score to The automatic orchestration problem is that of assign- ing instruments or sounds to the notes of an unorches- instrumental sound samples. A more complete version of the trated score. This is related to, but distinct from, prob- orchestration problem includes articulations and dynamics, lems of automatic expressive interpretation. A simple while an extended version could include varying and adding algorithm is described that successfully orchestrates to the score (“arranging”). A more constrained version of scores based on analysis of one musical structure – the the orchestration problem would take into consideration the “Z-chain.” limitations and affordances of physical instrumental perfor- mance. One way for an autonomous system to compose is to ini- tially write parts for different instruments or sounds. A sec- Strategies for Expressive Interpretation and ond strategy (one closer to some human practice) is to write a “flat” score first and then orchestrate it. The latter poses Automatic Orchestration a more general problem, since a system capable of orches- There has not been much previous research in the area of au- trating its own compositions could also be capable of or- tomatic orchestration in the sense of autonomously assign- chestrating other input, from Beethoven sonatas to Tin Pan ing sounds to a score.1 However, there has been research Alley tunes to Xenakis. The goal of being able to orches- on expressive interpretation. The goal there is generally ei- trate “known” music makes the system more suceptible to ther to imitate human performance, to impart a mood as analysis and evaluation, and therefore to development. described by an adjective, or both. Like automatic orches- Orchestration is a problem of music generation through tration, automatic interpretation starts with a flat score and analysis, occupying a place on the continuum from expres- modifies it through analysis, adding new layers of informa- sive interpretation (often framed as timing, articulation and tion. New layers could take the form of instructions for mod- dynamics) through to arrangement and variation-making. ifying dynamic levels or tempo, addition of accents, or as- This class of problems is different from (and somewhat more signment to instrumental sounds. constrained than) the goal of generating music from scratch. Approaches to expressive interpretation are generally Since a successful orchestration will be reflective of, or syn- based on determining sets of rules for assigning dynamic chronized with, things that are happening in the music, an and tempo curves, articulations, and accents to notes. These analytical level is essential. rules are developed from music theories (Bisesi, Parncutt, The flip side of the orchestration problem is that if we and Friberg 2011), inferred through listening consultations treat orchestration as a kind of sonified analysis, then not with professional musicians (Friberg, Bresin, and Sundberg only can analysis help us make orchestrations, but careful 2006), or derived through machine-learning analysis of hu- listening and re-analysis of orchestrations generated through man performances (Widmer 2003). Rules are often based on computational analysis can help us evaluate and refine our 1 analytic methods. Research on “automatic orchestration” at IRCAM focusses on analysis of timbre and instrumental capabilities for assisted orches- Copyright c 2012, Association for the Advancement of Artificial tration, not the automatic assignment of sounds to a score (Carpen- Intelligence (www.aaai.org). All rights reserved. tier et al. 2012). 43 analysis of grouping (phrase) structures at different hierar- Experiment chical levels, as well as local melodic and harmonic events An ultimate goal is to generate full orchestrations with bells (Widmer and Goebl 2004; Friberg, Bresin, and Sundberg and whistles in appropriate places. This will entail a large- 2006; Canazza et al. 1998; Todd 1992). As a result, the per- scale orchestration system with analytical access to many formances are focussed on local effects, with global consis- interacting musical structures as well as means of reason- tency stemming from consistency in rule parameters and in ing about combinations within a large database of articulate musical structure. samples. The two sides of the coin, then, are reasoning about One general way these approaches could be extended the score, and reasoning about the sounds.3 In this paper, we would be to analyze longer range structure, so that it would report on a preliminary experiment in which the focus is on be possible to control differentiated patterning of perfor- analysis of the score for orchestration. mance expression along a series of repetitions or variations. Harold Cohen asks: “What is the minimum condition un- This kind of analysis might bring the addition of expres- der which a set of marks functions as an image?” (Cohen sive layers a little further along a performance-arrangement- 1994). Likewise, it is of interest to find a minimal set of re- variation-composition continuum of music creation. quirements which will result in orchestrations that function The orchestration problem is closer to the compositional musically – that sound structured in relation to the perceiv- level of musical action than are the problems of expres- able musical structure. sive performance. Therefore a different set of challenges are A simple algorithm was developed in order to evaluate posed, in which the set of interesting solutions is perhaps one kind of structure (called a Z-chain) for its utility in or- more open. We need not imitate human-written orchestra- chestration. tions, nor model the expression of musical mood. We would Z-chains are recursive structures built based on orienta- be very happy to produce surprising, innovative orchestra- tion (in the present case, orientation of pitch). They exist on tions, as opposed to modelling a given style. In fact, we local and large scales, with large-scale Z-chains built out of would like to use computational music analytic methods as local-scale ones. Z-chains are built on the principle of chain- a means for discovering new kinds of orchestrations. ing like to like, so that a Z-chain contains substructures with In contrast with approaches to expressive imitation, there- 2 identical sets of recursive orientations. Z-chains therefore fore, we can proceed without a set of rules. Instead of mod- capture a certain kind of repetition structure which is on the elling a desired outcome, we can experiment with processes one hand deterministic and rigorous, but on the other hand that might generate musically interesting yet unpredictable low-dimensional enough so that musical passages that are orchestrations. quite different can be part of the same Z-chain. A null-hypothesis strategy for the orchestration problem is to assign sounds to notes randomly. Another pre-analytic Chains and Z-chains solution would be to assign each pitch to a different sound (so every C5 sounds like a trumpet, etc.). Beyond this, anal- Suppose we have sequence of pitches (or of durations, loud- ysis is required. nesses, or any other “oriented” feature in which for any two The proposed strategy is to synchronize aspects of struc- elements x and y, either x is greater, y is greater, or they ture in the score with structure in the orchestration layer. An are equal). Chains are a way of taking a sequence apart into analytic system is used to select structures within the score different “dimensions” so we can look at different aspects of (where a “structure,” generally speaking, is some abstractly the sequence separately. specified data type which is instantiated by a set of notes A chain is a consecutive subsequence of elements going in the score), and each structure is assigned to some sound. in just one orientation. Figure 1 shows the three orientations Given an analytic system that identifies overlapping struc- of (pitch) chains in the beginning of the Menuet in G from tures of several different types, this is a strategy that can the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook. The top view shows generate a large number of different orchestrations. The se- chains going up (shaded pitches connected by lines). The lection of structures and assignment of sounds can be done middle view shows chains going down, and the bottom view randomly, with human assistance, or with a more specific shows “be” chains (repetition chains). algorithmic approach. We can proceed by taking each view as a separate di- The technical part of this paper describes an experiment mension, and recursively “chaining” chains together. Recur- in orchestration using just one of several musical structures sive chains are called Z-chains – named for their zig-zigging currently being developed. Unlike the phrasing and grouping shapes. Figure 2 shows chains up with their top pitches re- structures often used for expressive interpretation, the struc- spectively going up: a Z-chain up-up. Figure 3 continues the tures used here are non-hierarchical and non-contiguous, recursion, finding a Z-chain up-up-down-be. The Z-chains affording interleaving and overlapping of colors in the or- include entire chains, not just the top pitches. chestration. The experimental hypothesis is that innovative We need not only look at the top pitches of chains. Figure and yet musically sensible orchestrations can be produced 4 shows Z-chains with respect to bottom pitches: a Z-chain by synchronization with a (particular) structural level of the up-down-down-be-down, which spans most of the Menuet.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Studies in Instrumentation and Orchestration and in the Recontextualisation of Diatonic Pitch Materials (Portfolio of Compositions)
    Studies in Instrumentation and Orchestration and in the Recontextualisation of Diatonic Pitch Materials (Portfolio of Compositions) by Chris Paul Harman Submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Music School of Humanities The University of Birmingham September 2011 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. Abstract: The present document examines eight musical works for various instruments and ensembles, composed between 2007 and 2011. Brief summaries of each work’s program are followed by discussions of instrumentation and orchestration, and analysis of pitch organization. Discussions of instrumentation and orchestration explore the composer’s approach to diversification of instrumental ensembles by the inclusion of non-orchestral instruments, and redefinition of traditional hierarchies among instruments in a standard ensemble or orchestral setting. Analyses of pitch organization detail various ways in which the composer renders diatonic
    [Show full text]
  • Beethoven's Fourth Symphony: Comparative Analysis of Recorded Performances, Pp
    BEETHOVEN’S FOURTH SYMPHONY: RECEPTION, AESTHETICS, PERFORMANCE HISTORY A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School Of Cornell University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Mark Christopher Ferraguto August 2012 © 2012 Mark Christopher Ferraguto BEETHOVEN’S FOURTH SYMPHONY: RECEPTION, AESTHETICS, PERFORMANCE HISTORY Mark Christopher Ferraguto, PhD Cornell University 2012 Despite its established place in the orchestral repertory, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B-flat, op. 60, has long challenged critics. Lacking titles and other extramusical signifiers, it posed a problem for nineteenth-century critics espousing programmatic modes of analysis; more recently, its aesthetic has been viewed as incongruent with that of the “heroic style,” the paradigm most strongly associated with Beethoven’s voice as a composer. Applying various methodologies, this study argues for a more complex view of the symphony’s aesthetic and cultural significance. Chapter I surveys the reception of the Fourth from its premiere to the present day, arguing that the symphony’s modern reputation emerged as a result of later nineteenth-century readings and misreadings. While the Fourth had a profound impact on Schumann, Berlioz, and Mendelssohn, it elicited more conflicted responses—including aporia and disavowal—from critics ranging from A. B. Marx to J. W. N. Sullivan and beyond. Recent scholarship on previously neglected works and genres has opened up new perspectives on Beethoven’s music, allowing for a fresh appreciation of the Fourth. Haydn’s legacy in 1805–6 provides the background for Chapter II, a study of Beethoven’s engagement with the Haydn–Mozart tradition.
    [Show full text]
  • The Classical Period (1720-1815), Music: 5635.793
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 096 203 SO 007 735 AUTHOR Pearl, Jesse; Carter, Raymond TITLE Music Listening--The Classical Period (1720-1815), Music: 5635.793. INSTITUTION Dade County Public Schools, Miami, Fla. PUB DATE 72 NOTE 42p.; An Authorized Course of Instruction for the Quinmester Program; SO 007 734-737 are related documents PS PRICE MP-$0.75 HC-$1.85 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS *Aesthetic Education; Course Content; Course Objectives; Curriculum Guides; *Listening Habits; *Music Appreciation; *Music Education; Mucic Techniques; Opera; Secondary Grades; Teaching Techniques; *Vocal Music IDENTIFIERS Classical Period; Instrumental Music; *Quinmester Program ABSTRACT This 9-week, Quinmester course of study is designed to teach the principal types of vocal, instrumental, and operatic compositions of the classical period through listening to the styles of different composers and acquiring recognition of their works, as well as through developing fastidious listening habits. The course is intended for those interested in music history or those who have participated in the performing arts. Course objectives in listening and musicianship are listed. Course content is delineated for use by the instructor according to historical background, musical characteristics, instrumental music, 18th century opera, and contributions of the great masters of the period. Seven units are provided with suggested music for class singing. resources for student and teacher, and suggestions for assessment. (JH) US DEPARTMENT OP HEALTH EDUCATION I MIME NATIONAL INSTITUTE
    [Show full text]
  • Score-Reading Orchestrationonline.Com
    course notes Score-Reading orchestrationonline.com © 2014 Thomas Goss 1 course notes Score-Reading orchestrationonline.com Part 1: Your Visual Ear Score-Reading Course Notes I. What is a Score? compiled by Thomas Goss and Lawrence Spector a. a document which contains an artistic work, free from its creator b. a set of directions for the conductor and musicians c. a visual record of an auditory experience from the imagination of the composer INTRO TO THE SCORE-READING COURSE The purpose of this series is to bring the two experiences of hearing music and seeing notes very close This course is intended as an introduction to score-reading for developing musicians at the orchestral level: composers, arrangers, and conductors in training. As stated in the video, score-reading should be together. A very experienced composer or conductor will observe a page of music and know exactly a lifelong habit. The experienced score-reader will eventually be able to develop the ability of determining what it’s supposed to sound like. This is called “mental hearing,” and can be developed through years of which score, for them, is a timeless artistic statement by whether that score always has new things to scoring and score-reading (and conducting as well). say to their eye and inner ear. II. Musical Literacy a. imagine learning to read music with time spent comparable to learning to read text Table of Contents b. my definition of musical literacy: the ability to read the score of the great works (in addition to knowing styles and eras of music, performers, repertoire, etc.) Part 1: Your Visual Ear ..............................................................................2 c.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Orchestrate and Arrange Music by Dr
    Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 1 How to Orchestrate and Arrange Music By Dr. David Brinkman Prepared for the Instrumentation and Arranging Class at the University of Wyoming This material is intended for use by students in the class, and may not be used or duplicated for any other purpose. Copyright 2009. All rights are reserved. Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1 Instruments Chapter 2 Definitions Chapter 3 Historical Instrumentation/Orchestration Chapter 4 Transcriptions Chapter 5 Arranging Chapter 6 Score and Parts Chapter 7 Overall Considerations Chapter 8 Grading Rubric Chapter 9 Jazz Arranging Chapter 10 Marching Band Arranging Chapter 11 Scoring for Young Band/Orchestra Chapter 12 Finale Check Sheet Introduction Creating an effective arrangement of music is a craft and it is an art. A person can learn appropriate ranges of the instruments and effective combinations. That, as well as learning to effectively notate (using Finale or other notation program) can be considered the craft of arranging. The artistry is the ability to imagine sounds and to make them come alive. It involves creativity, musicality, musical experience, and attention to details. The successful student—and the successful orchestrator/arranger will be able master the craft and work towards the artistry of creating a new musical work. Brinkman: How to Orchestra and Arrange Music 2 Chapter 1 Instruments You must know “in your ear” how the various instruments will sound individually and in combination. • You must know the ranges of the instruments o Consult your text o Use the Check Range Plug-in on Finale. On Finale 2009 it is under Scoring and Arranging.
    [Show full text]
  • The Benefits of Orchestration for the High School Orchestra Conductor Robert D
    Eastern Illinois University The Keep Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications 1953 The Benefits of Orchestration for the High School Orchestra Conductor Robert D. Climer Eastern Illinois State College Recommended Citation Climer, Robert D., "The Benefits of Orchestration for the High School Orchestra Conductor" (1953). Masters Theses. 4502. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/4502 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses & Publications at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. r -, THE BENEFITS OF ORCHESTRATION FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR -i<- An Independent Paper by Robert D. Climer L _J THE BENEFITS OF ORCHESTRATION FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA COND UCTOR by ROBERT D. CLIMER An Independent Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Education at the Eastern Illinois State College Charleston, Illinois April 24, 1953 PREFACE In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, Master of Science in Education, the author has prepared the following paper which surveys the high school orchestra and points out the benefits of a program of orchestration study for the high school orchestra conductor. Accompanying this paper is an orchestration, " " Lotus Land, Cyril Scott, which is also submitted. " Originally conceived by the composer for piano, Lotus " Land has been transcribed by the writer for the orches- tra. The first transcription was prepared for an or- chestra of semi-symphonic proportions such as would be found only in the larger and the more progressive pros­ perous high schools.
    [Show full text]
  • Lecture Notes on Transposition and Reading an Orchestral Score
    Lecture Notes on Transposition and Reading an Orchestral Score John Paul Ito Orchestral Scores The amount of information presented in an orchestral score can seem daunting, but a few simple things about the way the score is arranged can make it much more manageable. The instruments are grouped by families, in the following order: Woodwinds Horns Brass Percussion [Soloists, Singers] Strings Within each family, instruments are grouped by type, ordered with the higher instrument types higher within the family: Woodwinds: Flutes Oboes Clarinets Bassoons Brass: Trumpets Trombones Tubas Strings: Violin 1 Violin 2 Viola Cello Bass Notes on Transposition – © 2010 John Paul Ito 2 Similarly, individual instruments within an instrument type are ordered from high to low: Flutes Piccolo Flute Alto Flute Oboes Oboe Cor anglais Clarinets Eb Clarinet Clarinet Bass Clarinet Note that grouping by instrument type first means that the score will not reflect a consistent progression from high to low within instrument families. For example, among the woodwinds, the cor anglais will appear above the Eb clarinet, even though the Eb clarinet has a higher register. For the purposes of harmonic analysis, it is very convenient that scores are laid out with the strings on the bottom. This reflects an 18th-century concept of orchestration, in which the strings served as a foundation, with winds and brass added for extra color. Even into the 19th century, it remains true that all of the information needed for harmonic analysis is found in the strings, at the bottom of the score. This makes analysis easier, because string instruments are not transposing instruments.
    [Show full text]
  • Intro to Orchestration Orchestrationonline.Com
    course notes Intro to Orchestration orchestrationonline.com © 2014 Thomas Goss 1 course notes Intro to Orchestration orchestrationonline.com Intro to Orchestration Course Notes compiled by Thomas Goss and Lawrence Spector Table of Contents INTRO TO THE INTRO TO ORCHESTRATION COURSE Part 1: The Importance of Craft ................................................................3 Part 2: Elements of Craft ..........................................................................4 Hello, and welcome to the long-awaited course notes! If you are reading this, you are probably a viewer of my Orchestration Online YouTube channel. Thanks very much for watching, and I truly appreciate all Part 3: Personal Resources ......................................................................5 the helpful feedback that I’ve received since its inception in 2006. Part 4: Texture, Balance, & Function .......................................................6 Part 5: The Orchestrator At Work ............................................................7 As of this writing, there are still two more video chapters of this course to be uploaded. But nearly all of Part 6: Biggest Mistakes ...........................................................................8 the main principles of the professional approach to orchestration have been covered. They include: Part 7: Career Advice ................................................................................11 Part 8: Developing Your Skill Set .............................................................13 •
    [Show full text]
  • Study of Instrument Combination Patterns in Orchestral Scores from 1701 to 2000
    Table of Contents for this manuscript Study of Instrument Combination Patterns in Orchestral Scores from 1701 to 2000 Song Hui Chon,*1 Dana DeVlieger,*2 David Huron*3 *School of Music, Ohio State University, U.S.A. [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] included in an orchestral work) and instrument usage (how ABSTRACT often an instrument is actually sounding in a piece). Orchestration is the art of combining instruments to realize a composer’s sonic vision. Although some famous treatises exist, instrumentation patterns have rarely been studied, especially in an II. METHOD empirical and longitudinal way. We present an exploratory study of We first divided the 300 years into six 50-year epochs. instrumentation patterns found in 180 orchestral scores composed Then in each epoch, 30 orchestral compositions were selected. between 1701 and 2000. Our results broadly agree with qualitative In selecting the scores, we made use of the Gramophone observations made by music scholars: the number of parts for Classical Music Guide (Jolly, 2010), The Essential Canon of orchestral music increased; more diverse instruments were employed, Orchestral Works (Dubal, 2002), and the list of composers on offering a greater range of pitch and timbre. A hierarchical cluster Wikipedia. The composers were grouped into three tiers: analysis of pairing patterns of 22 typical orchestral instruments found Tier-1 for those listed in both the Gramophone Guide and the three clusters, suggesting three different compositional functions. Essential Canon; Tier-2 for those listed in any one of the two books; Tier-3 for those listed only on the Wikipedia page.
    [Show full text]
  • Schwartz on Orchestrations
    Stephen Schwartz Comments on Orchestrations and Working with Orchestrators The following questions and answers are from the archive of the StephenSchwartz.com Forum. Copyright by Stephen Schwartz 2010 all rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced without prior written consent, including copying material for other websites. Feel free to link to this archive. Send questions to [email protected] Working with Orchestrators 1 Question: It is my understanding that most of Broadway’s composers write primarily a piano/vocal score, and do little or no arranging. I find this quite understandable, considering the immense creative load of composition. What is your relationship, then, to your arranger and/or orchestrator? How much do you participate in the arranging process? Answer from Stephen Schwartz: I always have a very close relationship with my orchestrator. To skip to question 5 for a moment, these days with the advent of MIDI programs, I tend to play a song into my Disklavier and then have the piano part printed out for the orchestrator (the program we tend to use is Studio Vision, though I have worked with Performer and occasionally Q-Base as well.) Then I go over the music very carefully with the orchestrator, talking about possible instrumentation, orchestral colors, style and tone, and so on. These days, I tend to insist that the orchestrator do a synth version of his arrangement so I can hear it and make changes, with the understanding that there are certain things a live players will achieve that are next to impossible on synths, though you'd be surprised how close you can come.
    [Show full text]
  • Music for Youth Orchestras Selected in Conjunction with National Association of Youth Orchestras (UK)
    Music for Youth Orchestras Selected in conjunction with National Association of Youth Orchestras (UK) Boosey & Hawkes invites youth orchestras to explore the rich and exciting repertoire created by 20th century and contemporary composers. Works have been specially selected and graded for youth orchestra, and information includes helpful suggestions for training and rehearsals. 1 Symphony Orchestra 10 Chamber Orchestra 11 String Orchestra 13 Wind Orchestra Levels of difficulty are from 1-5 (hardest) * these works are on sale through good music retailers, all other works are on hire through B&H ** in addition to the inspection scores available upon three week loan, scores of these works are available on sale for continuous study For further information, inspection scores and tapes of the works in this brochure, please contact Unafrances Clarke on +44 (0)20 7054 7258 or [email protected] Symphony Orchestra Adams, John Two Fanfares (1986) ** Duration 8 mins Level 4/5 2.2picc.2.corA.4(III,IV ad lib)—4.4.3.1—timp.perc(3)— 2 opt.synth(Casio 200 or Yamaha DX series)—pft—harp—strings The two orchestral fanfares by American composer John Adams (b.1947) are amongst his most popular works, performed by leading orchestras throughout the world. The scoring of Tromba Lontana highlights two solo trumpets placed either side of the platform and their calls are accompanied by ethereal orchestration which demands great subtlety in performance. The contrasting Short Ride in a Fast Machine is a brilliant study in minimalist pulsation, whose exciting challenges will ensure an enthusiastic response. Argento, Dominick Fire Variations (1981-82) ** Duration 20 mins Level 4 3(III=picc).2.corA.3(III=bcl).3—4.3.3.1—timp.perc(2)—pft—cel—harp—strings The American composer Dominick Argento (b.1927) is best known for his widely-performed operas, but he has also written a number of very attractive orchestral works, including Fire Variations.
    [Show full text]
  • Performance Practice and the Classic Period Malcom S
    Performance Practice Review Volume 1 Article 4 Number 1 Spring/Fall 'Back to the Land': Performance Practice and the Classic Period Malcom S. Cole Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/ppr Part of the Musicology Commons, Music Performance Commons, and the Music Practice Commons Cole, Malcom S. (1988) "'Back to the Land': Performance Practice and the Classic Period," Performance Practice Review: Vol. 1: No. 1, Article 4. DOI: 10.5642/perfpr.198801.01.4 Available at: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/ppr/vol1/iss1/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Claremont at Scholarship @ Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in Performance Practice Review by an authorized administrator of Scholarship @ Claremont. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 'Back to the Land': Performance Practice and the Classic Period1 Malcolm S. Cole Interest in performance practice (performing practice, historical performance) is a 20th-century phenomenon. Digging through the accretions of centuries, performer-scholars in ever-growing numbers are striving to recover "authentic" styles, to go "back to the land," in Adam Carse's delightful phrase. For the Classic period specifically, no longer does the misconception prevail that performance problems declined dramatically (or vanished) as notation and instruments became more like today's. To the contrary, numerous issues invite attention. First, however, I recommend reflection in three broad areas: the peculiarly elusive nature of the subject; the ground covered by the term "Classic period"; the apparent continuity of performing tradition from 1. The following abbreviations are used in this paper AM: Acta musicologica; JAMS: Journal of the American Musicological Society; JM: Journal of Musicoiogy; MJb: Mozart Jahibuch; ML: Music and Letters; MT.
    [Show full text]