Portfolio of Original Compositions
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PORTFOLIO OF ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS A thesis submitted to the University of Manchester for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2019 RICHARD P. SCOTT School of Arts, Languages and Cultures Contents PORTFOLIO OF MUSICAL WORKS 5 USB STICK CONTENT 6 Portfolio of Musical Works 6 Appendix 1 — Supporting Material #1: Recordings of Group Improvisation 6 Appendix 2 — Supporting Material #2: Etudes, Versions, Transitional Pieces and Other 6 ABSTRACT 7 DECLARATION 8 COPYRIGHT STATEMENT 8 TECHNICAL INFORMATION 9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 10 1. INTRODUCTION 11 1.1 Portfolio Contents 12 1.2 Research Enquiry 12 2. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT 15 2.1 Introduction 15 2.1 Artistic Context 16 2.2 Basic Concepts of Synthesis and Voltage Control 17 2.2.1 SYNTHESISER AS INSTRUMENT 17 2.2.2 SYNTHESISER AS SOUND LIBRARY 18 2.2.3 SYNTHESISER AS COMPUTER OR PATCH PROGRAMMER 18 2.2.4 SYNTHESISER AS INTERACTIVE ALGORITHM 20 2.2.5 SYNTHESISER AS ENSEMBLE: MALLEABILITY AND THE PARADOX OF CONTROL 20 2 2.3 Final Comments on Background and Context 21 3. COMMENTARY ON THE COMPOSITIONS 23 3.1 Several Circles (April 2014) 23 3.1.1 COMPOSITIONAL STRUCTURE 24 3.1.2 DURATION FREED FROM GESTURE 25 3.1.3 EMERGENCE OF “MOLECULAR” ASPECTS, CONCEPTS AND PROCESSES 26 3.2 Song for Ghosts (July 2014) 29 3.2.1 PATCH-PROGRAMMED ALGORITHMIC VARIATIONS 29 3.3 Spertions (2014) 30 3.3.1 INTERACTIONS OF THREE TYPES OF PHRASING 30 3.3.2 COMMENTARY: THRESHOLDS OF CONTROL 32 3.4 Klangwelt (February 2015) 32 3.4.1 COMPOSITIONAL STRUCTURE 32 3.4.2 COMMENTARY: DISLOCATION BETWEEN RECORDING AND COMPOSING 33 3.5 Music Floats Upwards (June 2015) 34 3.5.1 DUAL TENDENCIES 34 3.5.2 COMMENTARY: BECOMING MOLECULAR 35 3.6 Flowers for Antonin (August 2016) 36 3.6.1 COMPOSITIONAL STRUCTURE 37 3.6.2 THE INFLUENCE OF ANTONIN ARTAUD 38 3.6.3 COMMENTARY: ENSEMBLE COMPOSING AND LINEAR RESOLUTION 38 3.7 Tales from the Voodoo Box Suite (May 2017): Pigeon Toad; Clara at the Worm Disco; At the Hop 39 3.7.1 OVERVIEW 39 3.7.2 FORM, RHYTHM AND SONORITIES 40 3.8 Thunder, Actually Bicycles… (August 2018) 41 3.8.1 COMPOSITIONAL STRUCTURE AND ANALYSIS 41 3.8.2 COMMENTARY: SOUND SOURCES AND LETTING THE MATERIALS “HAVE THEIR SAY” 42 3.9 Everything is Always at Once (September 2018) 44 3.9.1 COMPOSITIONAL STRUCTURE 44 3.9.2 COMMENTARY: MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS AND THE INTEGRATION OF DISPARATE MATERIALS 45 3 3.10 On the Surface, Crying to the Moon (February 2019) 46 3.10.1 COMPOSITIONAL STRUCTURE 47 3.10.2 COMMENTARY: UNITY OF SOUND MATERIALS, FLUIDITY BETWEEN IMPROVISATION AND COMPOSITION 48 4. CONCLUSION 49 4.1 Addressing Research Questions 49 4.2 Research Contribution 52 4.3 Future Work 54 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND DISCOGRAPHY 56 APPENDICES 66 Appendix 1 — Supporting Material #1: Recordings of Group Improvisation 66 A1.1 SCATTER (MARCH 2015), BY RICHARD SCOTT’S LIGHTNING ENSEMBLE 66 A1.2 ABRUS (JANUARY 2015), BY PARAK.EETS 67 A1.3 HAUCH MIT (FEBRUARY 2015), BY VORFELD, SCOTT, GRATKOWSKI 68 A1.4 HEAD IV (AUGUST 2015), BY AXEL DÖRNER AND RICHARD SCOTT 69 A1.5 THAT’S A MORAY (AUGUST 2015), BY AUDREY CHEN AND RICHARD SCOTT 70 A1.6 LIVE IN BERLIN (JANUARY 2016), BY AUDREY CHEN AND RICHARD SCOTT [VIDEO] 70 A1.7 N (JANUARY 2016), BY ALEXANDER FRANGENHEIM, NIKOLAUS NEUSER, RICHARD SCOTT 71 Appendix 2 — Supporting Material #2: Etudes, Alternative Versions and Other 73 A2.1 WISDOM AND NONSENSE 73 A2.2 A SPARK IGNITES, CATHEDRALS TUMBLE 73 A2.3 SPERTIONS [STUDIO VERSION] 74 A2.4 MUSIC FLOATS UPWARDS LIVE AT SLT LEEDS 2016 [VIDEO] 74 A2.5 RICHARD SCOTT LIVE AT ELECTRIC SPRING 2017 [VIDEO, COMPLETE CONCERT] 75 A2.6 EVERYDAY ARITHMETIC (IN 13 PARTS) [BROADCAST] 76 A2.7.1 RESONATING SOUND OBJECTS [VIDEO] 76 A2.7.2 NOT LIKE YOUR FUNK [VIDEO] 77 A2.7.3 HORDIJK BOUNCY SPACE BALLS [VIDEO] 77 A2.7.4 HORDIJK NOCTURNE [VIDEO] 77 A2.7.5 ELECTROACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE [VIDEO] 77 Appendix 3 — Supporting Texts 78 A3.1 RESEARCH DIARY EXTRACTS AND DISCUSSION 78 4 A3.2 THANKS 80 [Word count: 15,656] Portfolio of Musical Works 1. Several Circles (April 2014 / 11:31) 2. Song for Ghosts (July 2014 / 3:58) 3. Spertions (live at iFIMPaC 2014 / 4:51) [video] 4. Klangwelt (February 2015 / 8:23) 5. Music Floats Upwards (June 2015 / 11:38) 6. Flowers for Antonin (August 2016 / 11:07) 7. Tales from the Voodoo Box suite (May 2017) 7.1 Pigeon Toad (2:34) 7.2 Clara at the Worm Disco (4:04) 7.3 At the Hop (2:19) 8. Thunder, Actually Bicycles… (August 2018 / 12:27) 9. Everything is Always at Once (September 2018 / 14:29) 10. On the Surface, Crying to the Moon (February 2019 / 17:52) Total Time: 1h45m13s 5 USB Stick Content Portfolio of Musical Works 1. Several Circles 2. Song for Ghosts 3. Spertions 4. Klangwelt 5. Music Floats Upwards 6. Flowers for Antonin 7.1. Pigeon Toad (Tales from the Voodoo Box) 7.2. Clara at the Worm Disco (Tales from the Voodoo Box) 7.3. At the Hop (Tales from the Voodoo Box) 8. Thunder, Actually Bicycles… 9. Everything is Always at Once 10. On the Surface, Crying to the Moon Appendix 1 — Supporting Material #1: Recordings of Group Improvisation A.1.1 Scatter (March 2015), by Richard Scott’s Lightning Ensemble A1.2 Abrus (January 2015), by Parak.eets A1.3 Hauch Mit (February 2015), by Vorfeld, Scott, Gratkowski A1.4 Head IV (August 2015), by Axel Dörner and Richard Scott A1.5 That’s a Moray (August 2015), by Audrey Chen and Richard Scott A1.6 Live in Berlin (January 2016), by Audrey Chen and Richard Scott [video] A1.7 n (January 2016), by Alexander Frangenheim, Nikolaus Neuser, Richard Scott Appendix 2 — Supporting Material #2: Etudes, Versions, Transitional Pieces and Other A2.1 Wisdom and Nonsense A2.2 A Spark Ignites, Cathedrals Tumble A2.3 Spertions [studio version] A2.4 Music Floats Upwards Live at SLT Leeds 2016 [video] A2.5 Richard Scott Live at Electric Spring 2017 [video, complete concert] A2.6 Everyday Arithmetic (in 13 parts) [broadcast] A2.7.1 Resonating Sound Objects [video] A2.7.2 Not Like your Funk [video] A2.7.3 Hordijk Bouncy Space Balls [video] A2.7.4 Hordijk Nocturne [video] A2.7.5 Electroacoustic Performance [video] 6 Abstract The portfolio represents an artistic investigation into the applications and consequences of voltage-controlled analogue (modular) synthesis as a tool for composition and performance in the contexts of electronic musical composition and of freely improvised (i.e. not scored or notated) performance. The thesis consists of a portfolio of ten electronic music compositions, a commentary on each piece and supporting documentation and appendices. Various initial and emergent questions are explored, including different uses and perceptions of modular synthesis, compositional process, free improvisation and the concept of the “molecular” nature of composition and dialogic listening. 7 Declaration I confirm that no portion of the work referred to in this thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning. Copyright Statement i. The author of this thesis (including any appendices and/or schedules to this thesis) owns certain copyright or related rights in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Manchester certain rights to use such Copyright, including for administrative purposes. ii. Copies of this thesis, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic copy, may be made only in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and regulations issued under it or, where appropriate, in accordance with licensing agreements which the University has from time to time. This page must form part of any such copies made. iii. The ownership of certain Copyright, patents, designs, trademarks and other intellectual property (the “Intellectual Property”) and any reproductions of copyright works in the thesis, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this thesis, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property and Reproductions cannot and must not be made available for use without the prior written permission of the owner(s) of the relevant Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions. iv. Further information on the conditions under which disclosure, publication and commercialisation of this thesis, the Copyright and any Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions described in it may take place is available in the University IP Policy in any relevant Thesis restriction declarations deposited in the University Library, The University Library’s and in The University’s policy on Presentation of Theses. 8 Technical Information The compositions discussed in this thesis are presented both in the form of stereo WAV files in 44.1 kHz / 16 bit and in the original (and preferable) 88.2 kHz / 24 bit formats. Video files are presented in variety of formats; when possible they are presented in the original format they were shot in. 9 Acknowledgements Many thanks are due to Professor Ricardo Climent, Doctor Richard Whalley, Doctor Kevin Malone, Professor David Berezan, Axel Dörner, Rob Hordijk, Jef Chippewa and Beatriz Ferreyra. There are many others to thank who are listed on page 62/63. 10 1. Introduction Any sound whatsoever can be the starting point for a musical composition. The ways in which this sound can be transformed are limited only by the imagination of the composer.