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The Ashgate Research Companion to Minimalist and Postminimalist Music

Keith Potter, Kyle Gann, Pwyll ap Siôn

A Technically Definable Stream of Postminimalism, Its Characteristics and Its Meaning

Publication details https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 Kyle Gann Published online on: 13 Nov 2013

How to cite :- Kyle Gann. 13 Nov 2013, A Technically Definable Stream of Postminimalism, Its Characteristics and Its Meaning from: The Ashgate Research Companion to Minimalist and Postminimalist Music Routledge Accessed on: 28 Sep 2021 https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315613260.ch2

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The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The publisher shall not be liable for an loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 1 study;as we thephenomena us. shape in take we data the of let we after only but history, shape we historians, music in favour ourselves efface to strive we scholars, As Introduction was often open and varied from one performance to another. Composers sometimes Composers another. to performance one from varied and open often was works these for Instrumentation pleased. they as go and come could and floor the on sit or down lie might members audience concert; classical-music standard the of that often evening-length and suited to were a listening mode more works ambient and less formal Minimalist than paradigm. performance new a embody to seemed 1970s and 1960s the of works minimalist major the of Many decisive. The however, were differences, minimalism. as known style earlier somewhat the to response collective a level, intuitive, with every nuancepossibleinbetween thesetwopolarities. completely to structured highly from typology in ranged it that was repertoire this of a harmonic syntax that was in no way conventional. One of the most intriguing aspects using though Baroque, late the of music instrumental Italian and German particularly music, Baroque of genres certain to analogous was music the throughout), affect one staticness (which emotional is and not materials to say circumscribed that its it In was eras. unemotive, but modernist rather or that Romantic it tended late to the maintain of monochrome or terraced, with little of the expressive fluidity one associates with music be to tended Dynamics tempo. of change without and – movement or work entire an throughout often – maintained always almost was beats steady of grid A harmonies. American in theconcerts I heard,was overwhelmingly diatonicinitsscales and mostly music, The ignore. to striking too were commonalities stylistic whose music of repertoire new a of aware became I 1990s, and 1980s the in critic music a as Working

Characteristics andItsMeaning rm h bgnig i see cer ht hs ui ws o te ot obvious most the on was, music this that clear seemed it beginning, the From The author wishes to thank the USA’s National Endowment for the Humanities for Humanities their supporttowardsthe theresearchcontainedinthischapter. for Endowment National USA’s the thank to wishes author The Stream ofPostminimalism,Its A Technically Definable Kyle Gann 2 1

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 names – attempted a capsule definition of postminimalism as ‘using repetition for ‘usingrepetition as ofpostminimalism classics’. the and jazz sounds from embracing and structure, than rather texture definition a capsule attempted – names lesser-known other some and Reich Amy Irsay, James composers reviewing – Pareles at least by 1981, by least Yorkat New Times the in music about minimalists’ among musicians in conversation. The critic John Rockwell started using the term ‘post- especially around, wasfloating ‘postminimalism’ word The working. were composers style of consistencies and and method. overlaps striking more revealed have could symphonies emerged had that eighteenth-century works of survey avant-gardes. No Francisco San and Manhattan the from minimalist unconventional more the by inspired textures and processes harmonies, with but chamber format in classical conventionally were writing that works was minimalists) original the than younger little a (thus 1950s and made comparisons inescapable. It was as though an entire generation born in the 1940s 1990s that conformed to these criteria was too copious to ignore. Ubiquitous similarities bodyof eclectic aremarkably music –ironicallysobeneathitsseamlesslyeven surface. was It compositions. and tunes specific and anthems national even and music, Renaissance music, chamber eighteenth-century jazz, pop, homogeneity, this music made reference to a panoply of genres: Balinese gamelan, folk, manner. occult even underlying, Minimalism, more moreover, was not a the only musical influence.in Beneath a patina ofthem stylistic used it that repertoire new this by wrought changes primary the of one is it listener; the to obvious be to meant generally were devices these music, minimalist In devices. structural as over taken often were compositions, early Glass’s Philip and Reich’s Steve in found processes additive and electronic phase-shifting the particular in music, However,minimalist of timbres. aspects certain involving occasionally instrument, solo instruments such as guitar or or synthesizer, but rarely with much emphasis on electronic ensembles chamber for music was the of Most minutes. 25 to 5 say, of, lengths concert-music conventional more to returned works of duration The markings. expressive of minimum a with though notation, standard in written always almost was It paradigm. concert classical-music performance circumstances. the on depending longer on stretch could but length, composed a at set not sometimes were Works alone. music their performing to dedicated ensembles, own their formed Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic 4 3 2 these days’. these post-Minimalism about deal good a hears ‘[o]ne that mentioning by review a off start other instruments and voices’. the by pulse that of adumbration shimmering a and pulse rhythmic steady ‘a as idiom 5

A word was needed to encompass this new musical language in which so many so which in language musical new this encompass to needed was word A and 1980s the in recordings on and concerts at encountered works of number The The subsequent repertoire that imposed itself represented a return to the conventional John Rockwell, ‘Concert: New Music of California’, of Music New ‘Concert: Rockwell, John John Rockwell, ‘Avant Garde:Johnson’, TheNewYork Times,13June1982:p.69. Cage’, 1 October1981:p.24. Honor to Festival 1982 Music; of ‘News Rockwell, John Jon Pareles, ‘Music: SixatLa Mama’, p. 13. 3 In 1983, he referred to John Adams as a ‘Post-Minimalist’, describing his describing ‘Post-Minimalist’, a as Adams John to referred he 1983, In 4 Just prior to that article, and in the same newspaper, Jon The NewYork Times,6March1983:p.64. 40 , 6 June 1983: June 6 Times, York New The 2 and in 1982 he could he 1982 in and h Nw ok Times, York New The 5 There

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 8 12 11 10 9 eiw f h Ierae esml promn msc y ag n Mcal Gordon Michael and (b. 1956). Lang by music performing ensemble Icebreaker the of review in postminimalism term the used Potter Keith year, term to Paul Dresher’s music in the in music Dresher’s Paul to term h NoRmni psmdrim f on dm’ music. Adams’s John of postmodernism Neo-Romantic the invented’‘been had Rockwell,by (presumably giveshe though describe to citation) no his 1996 book can define the body of music I venture to write about here with the utmost specificity. utmost the with here about write to venture I music of body the define can practices is never literal enough. This cannot be helped. I may lack a precise term, but I musical varietyof a to word a of mapping the that protest who alwaysthose are there and controversy, without introduced ever is term musical new No any). (if contrasts stepped of favour in kind any of models rhetorical expansive or expressive eschew to postminimalism’, ‘grid referring to instance, the music’s for tendency to necessary: place every be note on will a semiquaver term or restricting quaver grid further and some the repertoire of music whose style characteristics I have described. Perhaps ultimately only denote to postminimalism un-hyphenated use to chapter, this of purposes the for ‘post’ as ‘after’; those who referred to a new style by younger composers applied to applied unified more sleeker, the composers it younger by style new a to referred who those ‘after’; as ‘post’ opsr sprtd h tr into term the separated composers on though, as whatever conscious level, is those who described It the later music form. of previously minimalist non-hyphenated the use to tended minimalists original the first hyphen, a with it spell to tended Glass, Reich and of music in post-1980s the term also and the music, Adams’s used describe to who years early Rockwell) these (especially those that coincidence curious the out five years later on 26 March 1988, in an article that mentioned the composer Daniel composer the mentioned Goode as that an example. article an in 1988, March 26 on later years five proposed here. is, indeed, a strong continuity between the latter definitions in particular and the usage the English composer Steve Martland (b. 1959) (b. Martland Steve composer English the (b. 1946) and Lois Vierk (b. 1951). (b. Vierk Lois and 1946) (b. Giteck Janice 1957), (b. Childs Ellen Mary performing music) styleof this for ensemble 1991, in a review of the Relâche ensemble (perhaps the most important commissioning 7 6

The exact typesetting of the term has been applied in each case in order to bring to order in case each in applied been has term the of typesetting exact The My own earliest use of the term postminimalism, at least in the in least at postminimalism, term the of use earliest own My ). Those who applied the term to younger composers who had not been among been not had who composers younger to term the applied who Those M). Keith Potter, ‘Classical Music: Icebreaker; Queen Elizabeth Hall, SBC,London’, Hall, Independent Elizabeth Queen Icebreaker; Music: ‘Classical Potter, Keith K. RobertSchwarz, Minimalists (London,1996),p.170. 1996: p.31. 1995: p. C1; and ‘Kronos Picks Up a Theater Credit’, Stroke’, Bold a Painters” ‘“Modern Kosman, Joshua Eclectic’, October 1994:p.42. and Heady – Martland ‘Steve Kosman, Joshua 1991: E3. Satire’, into Goes Boldly ‘“Pioneer” Kosman, Joshua Kyle Gann,‘EnoughofNothing’, Village Voice Kyle Gann,‘A Tale ofTwo Sohos’, 12 Minimalists , 4December1996:ReviewSection, p.23. Postminimalism, ItsCharacteristicsandMeaning 6 I made my first attempt at a full definition of the style on 30 April , K. Robert Schwarz mentions that the term ‘post-minimalism’ postminimalist 7 A week later, the critic Joshua Kosman applied the applied Kosman Joshua critic the later, week A San Francisco Chronicle Francisco San Village Voice post-minimalist . From this tendency I will take licence, then, licence, take will I tendency this From . 41 post-minimalism , 36/18,30 April 1991:p.82. 9 , 33/4,26January1988:p.76. and David Lang (b. 1957). (b. Lang David and epaiig h cnoain of connotation the emphasizing , The Independent The San Francisco Chronicle, 14 January , 4 August4 Chronicle, Francisco San 7 May 7 Chronicle, Francisco San ,8 (and often with a capital a with often (and later using it to describe to it using later 16 Chronicle, Francisco San 11 At theendofthat Village Voice Village newspaper in a in newspaper 10 Then,in , was The

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 well asontheavailability ofscoresandrecordings. as features, technical generic certain to relevance on primarily based examples select therefore will I one; this as such chapter introductory an in digested cursorily even be can than music of repertoire larger a clearly perverselyis This nominalism. ideological a like seem would terminology common a applying and from refrain technical to terms, in contextual both characterized be can music of body large a such York andmany When others. Wes Skempton, PhilWinsor, Howard Vrolijk, Renske Sellars, Volans, Kevin James Speach, Bernadette Scott, Stephen Reynolds, Belinda Payne, Maggi Jane Leach, Bunita Marcus, Steve Martland, Sasha Matson, John McGuire, Beata Moon, Mary Lauten, Elodie PaulLansky, Lang, David PeytonJones, Jeremy Koykkar, Joseph Daniel Goode, Judd Greenstein, Jean Hasse, Melissa Hui, Dennis Kam, Guy Klucevsek, Lawrence Crane, Paul Dresher, Paul Epstein, Graham Fitkin, Kyle Gann, Peter Garland, Childs, Ellen Mary Cardini, Bryars,Giancarlo Gavin Bruce, Neely Brady, Tim Borden, David Becker, Dan Beglarian, Eve (in Anderson, Beth Albert, Thomas including order) alphabetical constructs, tempo grid-like and harmonies diatonic postminimalism’s and TheDreamKing(both1983)Peter Gena’sMcKinley(1983). Jonathan Kramer’s Jonathan Giteck’s Janice (1979–81), Requiem Gradual n cud on, mn toe ok, ila Duckworth’s William works, (1978–79) and those among count, could One work. other’s each of unaware were who composers from 1970s late the in format appeared notated fully and abbreviated an in processes and harmony minimalist used discourse withit. public’s the of terms in depth promotes also language common a of development but mind-opening, excitingly be can innovation Continuous record. to record or concert to concert from expectations of set new a confront to having werefrom Listeners freed that works problems could learn from each other between and push the language’s evolution to a Differences new level. language. same the same on working distinctive.Composers and subtle be could language this shared the speaking people of large from numbers accrue can advantage much how forgets one that arts the in prevalent so become has idiosyncrasy valorizationof overnight.The almost bloom full in appeared language musical new a however,conventions, these Within hall. concert the of those remained hallucinogenics) in interest of lack paradigmatic a to chairs in sit to desire a Its from ranging derivative. or conformist creators, its of part the on wayproclivities personal whatever to perhaps (due conventions any in was music that postminimalist impression the give to designed not is follows that similarities of catalogue The Origins 1990s, anditcanbeestablishedbyevidencetoovoluminoustocontradict. the but definition; circumscribed my repertoire I describe was a widespread for and clearly recognizable idiom of the 1980s and indulgence reader’s the beg to have may I Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic In addition to these composers, others have written notated music within music notated written have others composers, these to addition In Not that any of the above happened by conscious intention. The first works that works first The intention. conscious by happened above the of any that Not Southern Harmony (1980–81), Ingram Marshall’s (1981–83), Daniel Lentz’s Daniel (1981–83), Time of Out and In Moments 42 Breathing Songs from a Turning Sky Turning a from Songs Breathing Fog Tropes ie uv Preludes Curve Time (1979–82) and Wild Turkey Wild (1980), Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 each other. with phase of out going and concurrently running cycles rhythmic different denoted he which by links’, of ‘harmony a on works basing suggested Cowell which book in (1930), Cowell’s Henry to traced be also can tendency shifting audible as process.) In addition than to Steve Reich’s rather structure for uses phrase-lengthening it additive that say and also phase-shifting could we likewise, structure’; than rather texture for repetition (As we have already noted, Jon Pareles used postminimalism in 1983 to connote ‘using process. subtractive) (or additive and phase-shifting notably, most minimalism: associated with processes strict the of some retain that works in clear especially is former The else. something and postminimalism between or postminimalism to minimalism from state transitory a identify can one which in phases are there and postminimalist, of influencesonthepostminimalistmovement. examples such several among clearly were themselves works those Moreover, rubric. postminimalist the within it include to attempt to misleading be would it music, this wrote minimalism of advent the to prior formed were styles whose composers Since gamelan, and harp voices, for Serenade Dream (both 1948) and to it as ‘proto-postminimalist’. Examples would certainly include Cage’s and others, so similar to 1980s postminimalism that I have sometimes jocularly referred of the 1940s output of John Cage and the later output of Lou Harrison, Alan Hovhaness 13 made were decisions such and note, melody’s unmoving the sometimes first, appears with major consequences. Within each pair of notes, sometimes the moving melody note ultimately minimalism, from departure telling a is this and strictness complete with out moving melody with upward stems.) It should be observed that the process is not carried phase with itself. of (Example 2.1 provides out the unchanging melody going with downward references) stems and the recurring work’s the of one Irae’, ‘Dies the of shape the mode therearetwoG#spermelodythatchangetheirpositionwithineachiteration. not-completely-diatonic pitch set aids this perception, since within the general E-minor the times; of number same the each them use and pitches, same the use melodies the all that level some on noticeable is it but ear, by analysed be could than obscure more probably is melodies the between relation The occasional pauses. with and melodies, augmentations successive rhythmic 15 of consists It roots. examples minimalist the its of to one closest is instance, for XI, Prelude others. than transitional more some techniques, varietypostminimalist stunning of movements,a 24 their in exhibit, 2012), example, seminal a As Processes

s h tr i ue hr, cmoiin a b udrto a big ny partly only being as understood be can composition a here, used is term the As consisting music, of repertoire another is there that parenthetically add might One Analysis reveals that the melodies result from one 16-note melody (itself based on on based (itself melody 16-note one from result melodies the that reveals Analysis p. 77. Henry Cowell, 13 Postminimalism, ItsCharacteristicsandMeaning New Musical Resources Three Dances for two prepared pianos (1945), as well as Harrison’s (1978–79), by William Duckworth (1943– Duckworth William by (1978–79), Preludes Curve Time Come Out (1966) and (Cambridge, 1996 [first edition: New York, 1930]), (1972) and quite a few others. few a quite and (1972) Sutro Koro La 43 Piano Phase (1967), the phase- e Mscl Resources Musical New In a Landscape, Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 that keeps coming back to all the same notes and similar rhythmic patterns, over and over patterns, rhythmic similar and notes same the all to back coming keeps that melody inscrutable an is it again and ‘15×16’, titled is movement The principle. in XI work, piano later much his of own composing techniques on the insights gained from this study. The first movement Example 2.1 Actual and Underlying Patterns in William Duckworth’s Prelude XI from Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic 14 1986. in published was detail, great in opus Reich’s Steve in Process and Structure ‘Pattern whose of theideaSteve Reich’sPianoPhase,withdifferentandlessobviouseffect. expansion clear a is Yetwork mind. the in criteria pianistic and melodic with intuitively

also had a major impact on another composer, Paul Epstein (b. 1938), (b. Epstein Paul composer, another on impact major a had also Phase Piano Quarterly, 72/4(1986):pp.494–502. Paul Epstein, ‘Pattern Structure and Process in Steve Reich’s Steve in Process and Structure ‘Pattern Epstein, Paul theTimeCurve Preludes,Book1 (2002), is similar to Duckworth’s Prelude Prelude Duckworth’s to similar is (2002), Interleavings 44 14 Epstein subsequently based much of his of much based subsequently Epstein ’, analysing Reich’s analysing Phase’, Piano Piano Phase ’, Piano The Musical The

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 Milton Babbittofpostminimalism’ duetothefanaticalrigourofhisstructures. source material over 20 minutes is quite dazzling. quite is minutes 20 over material source as figure 12-note one that with achieved figures subsidiary and textures of range The listening. close very encourages irresistibly it so is, process the what out figure might Epstein’s of attraction The apparent. music, in particular, is that it makes one think seems that if one could listen hard enough, one ordering logical underlying some Itbecomes and instrument. a given on work, the in ones only the are figure melodic that of pitches five the out that clear audibly ‘filtered’ are pitches certain moment given any at and on), so and R7 quaver seventh the third on starts the which that on 3, Rotation begins quaver that version the calls (Epstein position possible every to rotated inone12-note, the Within relations pitches. five phase only using on figure melodic palindromic basedentirely is (1995) piano and cello flute, for Example 2.2 Paul Epstein’s‘15×16’from 15 two uses Epstein itself, against different melodiesforamorecomplexprocess. melody a phases XI Prelude Duckworth’s Whereas melodies, one 15 quavers long and the other 16, offset by one semiquaver (see Exampleother 2.2). two from to results melody overall impossible the that reveals almost analysis Again, ear. by appears decode that logic underlying apparent some with again over

hs da s ral epne i ohr pti wrs His works. Epstein other in expanded greatly is idea This version forsynthesizerbasedonthesameprinciple. In fact, the chamber version of Postminimalism, ItsCharacteristicsandMeaning Palindrome Variations is greatly reduced from a 22-minute 45 Interleavings 15 One might refer to Epstein as ‘the as Epstein to refer might One (bars1–4) metre, this figure is figure this metre, þ¼ aidoe Variations , Palindrome

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 of structure ever since my eversince structure of type this in interested been had I intervals. regular equally at recur elements melodic foregrounded certain beats; 149 every tutti orchestral an by interrupted long, beats 83 Song for orchestra (2011, based on a 2006 piano composition) is grounded on an ostinato Example 2.3a Pattern StructureinDanBecker’s Gridlock structural additional the with scale, C-major a within other each with phase of out go in thesemiquaver continuum. out from the sequence, with accented rhythms resulting from where certain pitches fall notes pick lines accompanying the and another, to progressing systematically before on. The harmony, then, tends to cluster for a while around one area in the circle of fifths so and third the on later note, second overthe starting on then similarly and – 21 13, 8, based on the Fibonacci series: 1; 1, 2; 1, 2, 3; 1, 2, 3, 5; 1, 2, 3, 5, 8; 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13; 1, 2, 3, 5, semiquavers, he creates a longer series by taking groups of notes in an additive pattern traces roughly the circle of fifthsthat (Example 2.3b reproduces bars2.3a) 59–63 of theExample full score). Then, in in (given sequence 20-note entire a The from grid. drawn a is onto composition everything out map to too) it do composers female will that we (though find tendency ‘male’ the of virtue a make to attempted he that to work note the programme the in mentions Becker 1960, in Born formalism. postminimalist keeping the metric unit constant) and subtractive process. The composition opens in opens composition Reich, The process. of subtractive and manner constant) unit the metric the in keeping (more process additive both employs (1942–2004), Kramer Jonathan by 5, No. Piano for Music Likewise, acceleration. spiralling a in disappear to seems it until repetition each with geometrically up speeding on, so semiquaverand a in minims, then in double-dotted crotchets, then dotted crotchets, then crotchets tied to basis a pitch row taken from the bass line of Erik Satie’s additive as well as subtractive processes. Duckworth’s  Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic siao losotnn h er oostinato, alsoshorteningthemetreto up. built is Then, underneath pattern a freer right-hand eleven-note melody, Kramer begins steady subtracting notes from a the until on so and third, a then bar, the within 

metre, with only one note per bar, repeating over and over. A second note is added is note second over. A and over repeating bar, per note one only with metre, y w wrs rqety s paesitn a a udryn principle. underlying an as phase-shifting use frequently works own My From the works of Philip Glass, postminimalism also inherited a tendency toward tendency a inherited also postminimalism Glass, Philip of works the From a Becker’s Dan Gridlock o mxd nebe 19) s ital a aiet for manifesto a virtually is (1994) ensemble mixed for Satie for soprano and mixed ensemble (1975), in which lines which in (1975), ensemble mixed and soprano for   ,   46 ,   andsoon. Time Curve Prelude Vexations. The row appears first IX uses as its Desert Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 Example 2.3b Becker’s Gridlock(bars59–63) but even thisstructuralelementrecedesasthe‘B’melodyintrudesmore andmore. series, Fibonacci the to proportional lengths to according first at expand lengths phrase the which in way systematic the in here minimalism additive Glass’s from inheritance some is There 2.4). Example (see (C) diatonic actually not are lowerlines the two though keys, various from scales through conjunctly wandering by bitonality of impression an a melody that here-and-there breaks the continuity (B); and a set of six chords that create (A); extended gets dyad sometimes final whose line bass arpeggiated slowly a three elements: only of up made but is dance process, languorous ofadditive This structure. overall freer a trace a to harnessed find we VII, Prelude In example. telling a more, once Duckworth’s work. same the within indeed and output, composer’s same the in coexist can composition free and process strict that style the of features the of one is It structured. highly so not is music postminimalist most, perhaps using similarpatterns.) and so on. (I later learned that the composers Jon Gibson and Barbara Benary were also within each phrase are switched in the next phrase: ABCDEFG, BADCFEG, BDAFCGE dyads pitch that pattern) ‘change-ringing’ a as bell-ringers British to (known principle While the minimalist roots of such strict-process composition are quite evident, much, Postminimalism, ItsCharacteristicsandMeaning 47 provide, provide, Preludes Curve Time continued Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 expand in length, and so do the echo distances, from four beats to five to six to eight. to six to five to beats four from distances, echo lines the melodic do so the and step length, by in expand Step 2. to 4 to 6 to 8 singer from and 7, to 5 to 3 to 1 singer omitting pitches until two differentbegins lines of echoes areLeach moving in a ‘doubleGradually, braid’, from delay. crotchet’s a at echoed are pitches the in all density process, maximum this At texture. the cross they as lines echo the main in the fill between echoed, gaps increasingly pitches, Other 2.5). Example (see 8 singer from more beats until, within each two-bar phrase, three pitch-echoes start with singer 1 and new three on up start echoes new gradually and introduced, are pitches Other again. back and 8 singer to 1 singer from – singer to singer from echoing pitch single a with opens process. The music, written for eight female singers staged in two square configurations, Example 2.3b concluded Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic (1987), by Mary Jane Leach (b. 1949), is based on a strict evolving strict a on based is 1949), (b. Leach Jane Mary by (1987), Echoes Mountain 48 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 the from VII Prelude Duckworth’s in Elements Three 2.4 The Example 2.5 Mary Jane Example Leach’s

Preludes,Book1 between singers1–8(bars51–53) Postminimalism, ItsCharacteristicsandMeaning Mountain Echoes, illustrating the linear configurations 49 Time Curve Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 (Duckworth, in his in (Duckworth, / to. my referred songs the early both of dawn’s melodies the voice, the the in quotes, by Lentz …’, of see ‘tis country you can say / ‘oh lines the On i’. America god course of here. his mentioned composer other any of that Scored for female voice and orchestra with multiple electric keyboards and digital delay, than wide-ranging more and wilder is movement ofMahler’s symphony. where cummings mentions beauty (‘why talk of beauty what could be more beaut- / iful iful / beaut- more be could what beauty of talk (‘why beauty mentions cummings where though, unexpectedly, More thing.) same the does and poem same the uses year), same hrs f utv alrs eod ypoy eas te et nlds h words his in the Berio Luciano includes by used text also going’, the ‘Keep because Symphony Second Mahler’s Gustav of chords diminished-seventh the to reference makes (2002), Mind His Changed Never Driver Bus chorale. entire a quotationofthe into Belgarian, The A similarlyscoredcompositionby Bach’s chorale ‘Es ist genug’ (It is enough). The work smoothly segues, in its final bars, J.S. of notes four first the are These E@–F–G–A. times: 150 repeats and bass and piano more is what than know enough’. Just before this you text enters near the unless end, a four-note ostinato enough begins in the is what know never ‘You Hell: from his Proverbs of one including Blake, William of texts of setting a is 1958), (b. Beglarian Eve by postminimalist (or possibly pre-postminimalist?) composition based on the same hymn. from the original³¼. into reworked ‘AmazingGrace’, hymn old the on based largely is and style, boogie-woogie restrained slightly and fully-notated a in couched is 1967) (b. Reynolds (greatly style piano Likewise, Hooker. the Lee Jerry of abstracted) and style banjo bluegrass to references as well as Vexations, Satie’s Erik of line bass the and chant Irae’ ‘Dies the including movements, various in William Duckworth’s major. B of key Leach) D@-minortriadtoa and Bruckner anopening both (in unexpected say, the to chord German-sixth from, to move pitches the inflecting bars, few every change that ostinatos rhythmic in proceeds music The D@. on drone multi-voice opening the of pulsing the from up fact that pick even might one accurately, rhythms the of motives) melodic their perform few singers the assuming Symphony; Eighth Bruckner’sfrom Anton Adagio a (plus harmonies opening the through way its works of quotation playful Leach’s or Jane Mary ironic music. tonal sometimes earlier abstracted, the invite of to repertoire seem any to harmonies adaptability and tempo unvarying of style’s vein this the in postminimalism; common is styles and music other of quotation reason, whatever For Quotation of mystery. sense a creating ear, by disentangle to impossible is repetitive,and moments certain at and strict deceptively sounds minutes, 11 taking process, The F. B@, C,D F, G@,A A, The entire pitch content remains on a seven-pitch, non-diatonic scale within one octave: Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic The most quotation-prone postminimalist is Daniel Lentz (b. 1942), whose music whose 1942), (b. Lentz Daniel is postminimalist quotation-prone most The o vie n mxd hme esml (1994), ensemble chamber mixed and voice for Hell and Heaven of Marriage The (1986) is an extended setting of e.e. cummings’ poem ‘next to to ‘next poem cummings’ e.e. of setting extended an is (1986) Bell the in Crack The for soprano and chamber ensemble (of the the (of ensemble chamber and soprano for Zone Combat the in Music (1975) by Thomas Albert (b. 1948) is another is 1948) (b. Albert Thomas by (1975) Grace with Maze A Time Curve Preludes are partly unified by the quotations that recur for six female voices (1989) slowly (1989) voices female six for Bruckstück 50 for orchestra (1999) by Belinda by (1999) orchestra for Grace Sara’s Sinfonia , which is based on the third the on based is which , ¦¼ metre

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 Example 2.6 DanielLentz’s fourth The materials. their in limited greatly but process strict any of devoid works Moving further along the continuum from strict to intuitive, one may find postminimalist Limitation ofMaterials repeated-chord textures. trademark Lentz’s into smoothed less or more all text, Mass Latin the with replaced or Wildthe Yonder’into Blue ‘Americaand altered lyrics the of many with Beautiful’, the Go ‘Off We Again’, Home Marching Comes ‘Johnny Freedom’, of Cry ‘Battle Doodle’, Guillaume from extracts Machaut’s ‘Ma fin est mon contains commencement’, the ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’, Credo ‘Yankee collage-like the repertoire; postminimalist in thescore. phrases builds up to a thicker and more layered pureRenaissance texture than the notes sung and played of passages the composition apply digital delay to the voice two and keyboards, so that the repetition of works Lentz of parts Certain 2.6). Example (see texture dead’), repeated-note bouncy, his into counterpoint happy heroic these than Lentz’s WolfMass Postminimalism, ItsCharacteristicsandMeaning 18–7 i pras h bget utto-ev wr i the in work quotation-heavy biggest the perhaps is (1986–87) The CrackintheBell(bars235–40) 51 continued Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic etrs n ryhi sye, nuaig ewe to eps Lkws, h first the Likewise, tempos. two movement between of Garland’s undulating styles, rhythmic and textures different four on touching sections seven through goes movement five-minute lovely this material, of paucity extreme its Yetdespite execution. in chordal if conception, in No process or continuity device informs this music; it is entirely and intuitively melodic pitches B, D and E in the left hand, usually as octaves and in one section as single notes. the plus displacements, octave or transpositions no with hand, right the in chords five (1987) by Peter Garland (b. 1952) is an extreme case. The entire movement employs of only movement second The materials. of set circumscribed without anylogicalorrationalarrangement,entirelyintuitive. but motives, same the to over and over back come vibraphone and flute voice, the in notes those on melodies slower stately, accompanying the Likewise, transformation. systematic no and five notes, than longer phrase any of all at repetition no is there fact an creates C and B impression that it must be repeating or systematically permutativeG, in some way, but in F, E, pitches the to limitation melody’s The movement. the of duration entire the almost for clarinet and piano the through runs that quavers steady scale and audibly indebted to gamelan music, revolves around a continuous melody in Shanti movement ofOm Example 2.6 concluded What such works reveal as the essence of postminimalism is its reliance on a small, a on reliance its is postminimalism of essence revealthe works as such What I Have Had to Learn the Simplest Things Last, for piano and three (1986) by Janice Giteck (b. 1946), couched in a pelog gamelan pelog a in couched 1946), (b. Giteck Janice by (1986) 52 for piano for Muerto del Jornada Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 Fibonacci structuring of many of the preludes and a free tendency toward subtractivetoward tendency free a and preludes the of many of structuring Fibonacci the Given third. major and second flat a with scale quasi-Arabic a be to seems it D, on when ambiguity; major–minor with scale Lydian a on based be to seems melody the E@, on is drone the When created. is by tonality shifting (stabilized of sense bass A),a and B@ the fifths, their in By D D. and E@ B@, pitches drone A, between forth G, and back E@,F,F#(orG), switching scale: seven-pitch non-diatonic a within entirely structure. background strict a mimic to explicitly at theend(seeExample2.7). of alternations undulating minims finally on and crotchets to way giving harmony, throughout changing slowly a with quavers almost based Autumn is of Bough (1983) a piano in for Red Leaves] to Green from Change [Slow Autunnali Foglie di Tralcio His motion. semiquaver or quaver flowing steadily a with often figures, arpeggiation or harmonic recurring between move that 16 limpidly among phrases that add and subtract pitches one at a time: GCD, GDF#, GB the pianist play a AB grid. semiquaver uninflected an within remain four compositions All B. @, B A, G, F#, E, D, C, C: on based scale’ ‘overtone an called be might what and (1995) Cicada and Gasitsharmonicmaterial. percussionists (1993), goes through nine varied sections using only triads on B@, C,D,F Varial will continue,ever unpredictableinitsdetails. way to form expectations except that the sonority – with its undulating scalar melody – no continuum, impressive20-minute work’s the in landmarks no are There hands. left by phrase, from range, Dynamics times. 11 as many as repeated are varyinglengths, of pauses brief by side each on bound phrases, the of slower.Many considerably are sections single-note The tempos. recurring of repertoire small a in resulting thus 132, and 96 120, 108, 112, 126, single 138, a = crotchet in of tempos quite among not subtly weave phrases is the composition as throughout The tempo A. and G F, E, D, to the restricted as are perceived melody, notes, Top mid-register. in notes of line single a by interrupted chords are the 174, and 155 150, bars and point) halfway the past (just 114 bar in points, four at note; lowest the momentarily is B@ and introduced, is E@ an through, halfway drone, and B@ heard as a tentative tonic. There are subtle exceptions: in bar 53, less than bass a as F low a with G, A, F, E, D, B@, C,C# of scale a on place takes work entire The piano. other the in echoed immediately always almost chord each throughout, hand each in chords alternate pianists two The materials. limited of use its in tour-de-force

 William Duckworth’s music at times seems to limit the use of materials in order in materials of use the limit to seems times at music Duckworth’s William compositions piano written has 1940) (b. Cardini Giancarlo composer Italian The This aspect of postminimalism, in particular, is hardly limited to American works. American to limited hardly is particular, in postminimalism, of aspect This The Serbian postminimalist Vladimir Tošić (b. 1949) has written a series of works – ofworks a series written has 1949) (b. Tošić Vladimir postminimalist Serbian The F#, AB@E, ABE, CBE,CB,C,CDandthenrepeatingtheprogression. this volume. Stojanović-Novičić’s in creativeendeavours’ its Dragana and beginnings emergence, Serbia: in Minimalism ‘Musical see minimalists, Serbian other and Tošić on more For for piano (1990), piano for o to ins 19) y h SuhArcn on ei Vln (. 99 i a is 1949) (b. Volans Kevin born South-African the by (1994) pianos two for o brtn sxpoe n pao 20) al ae etrl on entirely based all – (2001) piano and saxophone baritone for Altus ppp tomf, and in a couple of places are differentiated between right and Postminimalism, ItsCharacteristicsandMeaning moto perpetuo of up-and-down arpeggios over which the strings move for flute and contrabass (1992), contrabass and flute for Dual 53 Lento Trascolorare dal Verde al Rosso in un in Rosso al Verde dal Trascolorare Lento Time Curve Prelude Curve Time Voxal Voxal for piano and strings and piano for , in particular, has particular, in , 16 XV takes place takes XV  F#,

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 Example 2.7 Giancarlo Cardini’s by one, other figures are introduced and take turns dominating the continuity. The thecontinuity. turns dominating opening figures of the firsttake movement use only the pitchesand D, E, F, F#,G,Gand A, with introduced are figures other one, by One strategy). postminimalist as well as Stravinskian (a arrangements unpredictable rhythmically in figures melodic/harmonic reiterating by movementsbegin three the of chamber ensemble (1989) implies a sense of composing within a grid. The first and last Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic transformation iseventually abandonedforamove inanotherdirection. its is transformation Slow way. rhapsodic changing slowly its create a sense of gradual process that turns out to be entirely illusory as the music wends sharps, one sharp and then, after a chromatic transition, to five sharps. Repeated phrases and cello (2003). This starts in a diatonic scale with three sharps, moving by stages to two to pointapre-compositionalpatternthatisinfactnot there. case. the not is seems one this pattern, pre-compositional this strict a obscure preludes the of some Where that shows analysis but structure, predetermined some outline pitches drone the that assume to tempted is one composition, the of end the at rhythm Like Becker’s Like One could say something similar about Dan Becker’s di Foglie Autunnalidi Gridlock , the title of Joseph Koykkar’s (b. 1951) (b. Koykkar’s Joseph of title the , (bars4–9) Lento TrascoloraredalVerde alRossoinunTralcio 54 Fade for flute, piano, vibraphone , but each each but operandi, modus Expressed in Units for in Expressed Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 pt to up ranging metres in throughout, beat dotted-crotchet steady a uses (1997) percussion and strings with Concerto Piano Robert Her influences. minimalist suspect not might Ashley unaware someone that mellifluous Cage, and John with studied she that and Riley Terry overall shape. thoughtful a in results wildrhythmic which ones, quiet by supplanted arather are figures loud is though ride, work The figures. succeeding in introduced pitches other G,movement F, second D, scale the of the pages within entirely flow with C, and B A@, eight first The prominent. particularly F# orGand and betweenF shifts undulating and endlesslyelaboratedidea, butquiteunpredictableinitsdetails. clear a from drawn timelessness, of evocation lovely a is work the minutes, 16 Lasting section. each in away further step a moves and section first the in unison in starts that ‘shadowed’and viola keyboard, electric the the in in note chords a by by accompanied also are notes sustained The 7. to 1 from crotchet, dotted a by divisible durations last a of notes’ sustained the consists note, sustained a phrase to leading 6) to Each 0 (from semiquavers range. of number narrow fairly a within line steps) the (or keep leaps to occasional downward by interrupted scales rising of consist melodies the of all the clarinettistonsopranosaxophoneandflautist on altoflute. solo by a different instrument, as shown in Table 2.1. The oboist doubles on cor anglais, of a bar. These rhythms create a seven-part structure, each part of which accompanies a end the at end will section the that so four of multiples in haveoccur repetitions to the odd, is pattern each in semiquavers of number the Because on. so and 3+3+3+3+5+3+5 then semiquavers), in (counted pattern 7+10 a first groupings: odd in drum bass a on softly out tapped rhythms repeating by set is structure The semiquavers. constant in bass, the in C middle repeating insistent an in grounded is This (1991). bass) and viola percussion, keyboard, electronic bassoon, saxophone, oboe, (flute, ensemble Relâche style in his late instrumental postminimalist works. One such work is classically a to resorts and structure quasi-minimalist a on works his patches isolated few a with scale, A-minor of chromaticism. the within entirely almost is instance, tonalities. simple very within technique many differentkindsofflowers grow,andmarked againbyastream-of-consciousness called compositions of series a has also and rhythm, and then modulating through the same keys again, phrase by phrase. She metre variationsof with twice them through going keys, these of all of succession a in and back to A, after which a simple, syncopated theme arrives. The theme then appears free. The opening spells out chords in a thirds-descending sequence on A, F, D, B easily how of sign a postminimalism cansimulateearlier,lessself-conscioushistoricalstyles. sources, folksong English on based twentieth- composition early British an was century work the that suppose almost could One major. D than more A on mode Mixolydian the suggest passages some but sharps, two mostly is signature key the harmony; static of periods long with often insouciance, stream-of-consciousness Beth Anderson (b. 1950) is an interesting case study, a composer of music so simple simple so music of composer a study, case interesting an is 1950) (b. Anderson Beth h mldc set f hs sls s ipe n eeat n ocpin Almost conception. in elegant and simple is solos these of aspect melodic The Robert bases postminimalist, often hardly 1930) are (b. operas Ashley his Although Anderson’s breezy   ad and   . Flowing melodic figures and rhythmic ostinatos recur with an almost almost an with recur ostinatos rhythmic and figures melodic Flowing . Postminimalism, ItsCharacteristicsandMeaning Net Work for piano (1982) is more process-orientated, but playfully , denoting a kind of meadow in which in meadow of kind a denoting Swales, for string quartet (1986), for (1986), quartet string for Swale Rosemary 55 Outcome Inevitable, scoredforthe @, G, E@, E

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 its originsstillmuchinevidence. Cover evolves from postminimalism, leaving it behind toward something else, but with minimalism, from coming postminimalism, of the side one as on slightly Just lies style.Preludes Curve that in participates work particular a which to talk and degrees form, about ideal an as itself style the treat can we that is idea central its in of style) terms any (or postminimalism defining of advantages the of One postminimalist. the music could go than there are in Mozart (fewer, in fact) – but its technique remains where on limitations implied more no are there a – postminimalist like not is almost form Cover’s others, in adding and of undulation notes an as two starting additively, melodies and sets pitch up build to tends it term), Stockhausenesque a use (to ‘moment’ each within that, except postminimalist a new scale. There might be no reason to call this curvaceous, quasi-organic composition chord at bar 26 and subsequently every few bars the music ups the energy by shifting to new sudden a to crescendos music However,the D#–A. and E–B fifths competing the low drone note, and a certain obsessive reiteration of characteristic figures, particularly G, A#, B, D# – with E in the piano as a postminimalist. Only six pitches are used – E, F#, something else. The first 25 bars of Belinda Reynolds’s increasingly alteredinrhythmbysubtractionofbeats. work, the through runs ostinato eight-beat quasi-pop, simple, A C. of harmonics 17th instruments (2007), for instance, uses only six chords on the 1st, 7th, hand. 9th, 11th, 13th and of out getting from pitches of number the keep to Table 2.1 TheStructureofRobert Ashley’s Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic drawn from a widespread coincidence of occurrences in a diversity of compositions of diversity a in occurrences of coincidence widespread a from drawn position: that postminimalism, in this specific definition, was not simply a set of qualities 1978 that the observer and listener are tempted into a realist, as opposed to nominalist, in minimalist- paradigm flat-dynamic following quarter-century the in music conventionally minimalist) not (but influenced diatonic, grid-rhythmed, this is insistent So Conclusion Soloist Oboe Flute Clarinet Alto Flute Cor Anglais Soprano Saxophone Bassoon n eti psmnmls cmoiin, e er h sye ei t bed into bleed to begin style the hear we compositions, postminimalist certain In partly chords of repertoire limited a use compositions microtonal own my of Some Drum Pattern 7+10 3+3+3+3+5+3+5 3+3+4+5+8 3+10+2+8 4+4+5+2+2+4 9+4+2+3+7 17+5+3 Pattern Length 56 = 17 = 25 = 23 = 23 = 21 = 25 = 25 Outcome Inevitable f iiaim Ultimately, minimalism. of memory Cover (1996) certainly seem to be No. ofRepetitions Charing Cross for electronic Charing × 28 × 24 × 28 × 28 × 32 × 24 × 32 (1991) Section Length 119 150 161 161 168 150 200 Time Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 whose contingency, or arbitrariness, seemed all the more palpable in contrast to the to contrast in palpable more the all seemed arbitrariness, or contingency, whose radical and more arbitrary music. tocomposed Postminimalism, on the other hand, advanced no such claims. It constituted new an equally genuinely were effects, acoustic resultant unintended and form expanding phase-shifting, slow as such attend, to us asked minimalism which to tape and drones phenomena its The plane. narrow a along with if expansion, that sense, minimalism, a in continued, loops, early and scope; and diversity in expanded employed means sonic the music, of history the in eras modernist and Romantic the composers, the Stravinsky/minimalist influences seem inextricably mixed.) Throughout put it, ‘All art is artificial’. (In certain areas of postminimalism, particularly among Dutch a such to appeal to come expression diverse groupofcomposersinthe1980sandsince? of form particular this did Why parameters? opening its outside step not does that structure a creating and materials one’s limiting of act the in implied is What world? the about say it does what precisely, More mean? one style ortheother. minimalism and postminimalism), though most of the composers involved tend toward between divide strict no is there as (just totalism from postminimalism separating line real no is there short, In obvious. perceptually always not is dissonance temporal the instance) for Jarvinen, and Art Gordon Michael of music totalist the in (unlike though characterizes the music often of John Luther Adams, but language with the tempo layering of totalism, diatonic Postminimalism’s in layers. superimposed tempos different of feeling a by unified characterized is totalism a whereas tempo, of consistent a feeling in grid rhythmic the by distinguished is examples postminimalism written me, have For myself genres. I both of and styles, two the straddle to seems particular, in 1953), (b. Adams Luther John of music The another. one into blend can totalism and are often more dissonant. In certain works and with certain composers, postminimalism been called ‘totalism’. Totalism is a more rhythmically complex style, and its harmonies ‘postminimalism’ and another style, also with an inheritance from minimalism, that has seems tohave occurredtomanypeopleinthesameperiodoftime. conception style ideal some that but identical, are symphonies eighteenth-century of group any than more imply any content, or meaning in to identical are compositions those that least the in not is This works. different of hundreds in instantiated became but virtually a self-contained paradigm inspired by minimalism in many minds, which 17

First of all, postminimalism was an explicit acknowledgement that, as Igor Stravinsky postminimalism (‘grid’) does above, provided definition restricted the in what, So One should also perhaps note a difference between what is being described here as here described being between is difference what a note perhaps also should One o mr o ttls se ye an ‘oal Ismic’, ‘Totally Gann, Kyle see totalism on more For nentoa Cneec o Mnmls Msc 26 etme 20) Uiest of University 2009), Missouri-Kansas City,USA. September (2–6 Music Minimalist on Conference International Rouse’s Mikel in Means Expressive as Methods ‘Totalist McIntire, and Wales; North University, Bangor 2007), September 2 paper presented at the First International Conference on Minimalist Music (31 August– Totalism’, of case the Style: Post-Minimalist a in ‘TerminologyMeaning McIntire, and Century Twentieth the in Music American Neill’, Ben Polansky, Larry Gordon, Michael Rouse, Mikel Chatham, Rhys 1990s: the for beats ‘Downtown Gann, KyleGann, in reprinted Postminimalism, ItsCharacteristicsandMeaning 17 reduction of means, to a repertoire of harmonies and rhythms (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 2006), pp. 127–9; pp. Los 2006), and Angeles, (Berkeley Downtown Music , 10/1 (1994): pp. 33–49; Gann, 33–49; pp. (1994): 10/1 Review, Music Contemporary 57 ’, paper presented at the Second the at presented paper Kansas’, Failing (New York, 1997), pp. 352–86; also David D. David also 352–86; pp. 1997), York, (New ilg Voice Village 2 Jl 1993), July (20 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 idea ofcohesiveness tothewinds.) the throws music whose (1918–2005), Rochberg George recent and 1938) (b. Bolcom William contrasting rules as as such postmodernists with Romantic’ note, ‘New the language and might totalism both a trends, (One compositional as cohesiveness. thought: internal 12-note guarantee from to them meant to familiar terms in conceptualized still music they but serialism, than music audience-friendly more a seek to studying serialism and had internalized many of its values. Minimalism inspired them The postminimalist generation, most of them born in the 1940s or 1950s, had grown up rhythmic and comprehensible (in terms of materials, if not always in terms of process). gently melodic, linear, smooth, opposite: the precisely often is syntax postminimalist opaque, and compose. arrhythmic angular, to discontinuous, abrupt, is which syntax serialist within where But syntax cohesive a language, musical consistent a sought postminimalists the serialists, the Like serialism. of opposite antipodal exact the is it Stanley Cavell, RichardFleming,JohnWisdom andothers. by exemplified philosophy of school language’ ‘ordinary the of analogue artistic an as cited be might postminimalism sense, this In bits. small in world the of sense make to can we complexity, its all suggests in reality elicited understand process cannot we listening while The that, limitations. its for clearer the all context a in and itself, music of behaviour the hear can we elements restricted few a of behaviour the in that whole, the for stand can part the that asserts self-renewal.of It evercapable consciousness, for metaphor a is music that conceit the realism, musical widespread of kind a of denial a is postminimalism way, this Described processes. restricted and few elements a even of interaction the by overwhelmed easily be can it that limited so is perception one’s The but understandable, minimalism. is us, tell inclassic to seems postminimalism world, embodied that from one different very a and statement, more going on than our ears and minds can account for. This in itself is a metaphysical musical universe with which to work; and even within that truncated segment, there is the of fragment circumscribed a only given Weare environment. musical transparent logic just beneath the surface, creating a slight air of mystery within an otherwise fairly its hides often so music postminimalist that then, ironic, more the all is it listener; the Given the small number of variables, some sort of logic is almost necessarily evident to point. larger a illustrate to order in variables chosen few a only with problem a up set will mathematician waya the universe, small a made has composer the though as is It amber. preserved in fly source, a like content, emotional in not but notes abstract preservedin their from off cut are therein contained sometimes music other to references seemingly conceived asawholeratherthanlinearthoughtprocess. work the of materials the global, as but moment-to-moment, as perceivednot is music the for inspiration The release. and tension of points towardsmove will it that course, its change will inspirations sudden that freely, evolve will music the that expectation chords, or a certain scale, of and handful an a to unchanging music tempo postminimalist constitutes of a limitation The abundance. modernist former Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic 18

Another, perhaps more practical, way to characterize postminimalism is negative: is postminimalism characterize to way practical, more perhaps Another, psmnmls cmoiin em sl-otie, o pitn otad the outward; pointing not self-contained, seems composition postminimalist A writings onordinarylanguagephilosophy (Lewisburg,2004). Fleming’s Richard example, for See, First Word Philosophy: Wittgenstein–Austin–Cavell,Philosophy: Word First 58 18 of the common negation ofthe (at least) (at begin Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 the brainwere equallyentertained. of sides both that so hand, in hand go to tended phenomena right-brain and left-brain centuries, nineteenth and eighteenth the of music classical conventional in Moreover, involved. techniques the of knowledge some and score the of aid the without possible left brain at all, or the underlying structures were so complex that no aural analysis was Stockhausen’s Boulez’s (Pierre works serialist complex instance) certain and for unexpected Changes , of the (Music enjoyed music brain chance-composed Cage’s right John the In perceptions. as analysing, quit and on, going was what Glass’s Philip Phase, movements of his early string quartet, possible with only the most modest means.’ Once already I asked La is Monte Youngvariety much why the fivehow look anything; add to needing without interest musical sustain can I long how ‘look says; it do’, can I what ‘Look virtuosity. spiritual of kind write music’. material, and after a second’s reflection he responded, ‘contrast is for people who can’t ehius I cran lsi mnmls wrs See Reich’s (Steve works minimalist classic certain In chance and techniques. serialism both by encompassed music of repertoire the and minimalism ht hl is rsne a b itie, t a’ b aaye b er Dn ekr for Becker, Dan ear. by analysed be instance, characterizestwoapproachesinhismusic: can’t it intuited, be can presence its while that nonlinear so structure logical strict a create may they or detail; surface with it obscure logical background some that procedure seems evident; limited they can start out so with a strict background materials structure and then with music write intuitively can on how strictly structured they are and in what parameters. A postminimalist depending composer particularly expression, of variety wide a offer works postminimalist that, and textures, nuanced heavily and without risking the welcome cloudy sense of boredom that serialism’s a many listeners found to in made minimalism. Beyond 1980s rhythm, early propulsive the and/or in contrast jumpy a with often lines, clean hard, a different direction. Creating a through-composed, intuitive structure withonly structure intuitive athrough-composed, Volans’s Kevin in (as elements five to three Creating direction. different a in mystical, equally be can effect the works, postminimalist structured highly less In just logic half-evident a below the surface hide and dare the ear they to parse it and brain-teasers; start anticipating what might happen. like seem can Duckworth, William sometimes Pauland of Epstein those as such works, postminimalist structured Highly 20 19

n at psmnmls hs tkd u a laat afa psto between position halfway pleasant a out staked has postminimalism fact, In Additionally, or to put the same point in other words, postminimalism’s style of style postminimalism’s words, other in point same the put to or Additionally, Comment totheauthor,1992. Email totheauthor,12 August 2011. onto themusic. overlayingby support some structural rhythmic)processes (usually different ‘inject’ and try then I where improvisatory, even intuitive, very initially are ‘humanize’ by coloring and sculpting and adding directionality. 2. Pieces that to try and in ‘intervene’ then I that processes strict of bunch a with Pieces 1. 20 Postminimalismseemsanextensionofthissentiment. Gruppen Postminimalism, ItsCharacteristicsandMeaning Music in Fifths in Music 19 ), either there were no phenomena that could be analysed by the ), the analytical left brain could quickly figure out figure quickly could brain left analytical the ), On Remembering a Naiad 59 Cicada or Peter Garland’s works) evokes a evokes works) Garland’s Peter or , Karlheinz Maître, sans Marteau Le (1956), all used the same oe Outand Come Piano Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:35 28 Sep 2021; For: 9781315613260, chapter2, 10.4324/9781315613260.ch2 cities during that period, has been greatly underrated and under-recognized, and is welland worthconsiderableperformanceandstudy. under-recognized, and underrated greatly been other has and period, that Francisco during San cities Philadelphia, York, New of stages concert so the repertoire, on enjoyable this common that suggest to like also would I patterns. listening and compositional of paradigm identifiable certain a by fascinated became composers of overview has suggested that, for a time in the 1980s and 1990s, at least, a large number this that hope I But style. this of periphery the towards outwards spirals one as apart vice versa. result. This suggests that at the base of our same intuition the to is come a they kind paths, of different arithmetic Through – arithmetic. and and intuition perhaps between us, tells postminimalism difference, significant no is There which. is which tell cannot ear the and ones, written intuitively with jostle movements structured strictly which in – works – Duckworth’s – works energy or atmosphere. This is why it seems so significant that there are postminimalist right brain, once well engaged, loses any sense of time and becomes wrapped will up in the listeners many involvement, the but music); chance-composed and serialist with do many (as bored left-brain become simply some without because mode, listening enjoying the opaque process without being able to pin very much down. It is a pleasant figure out the underlying pattern; but the ear is more often left with a sense of mystery, turns out to or be analysis a deliberate left-brain illusion. to The accessible left brain entirely remains not involved, is hoping logic (perhaps) to that either but transformation; gradual or materials of limitation the by suggested is logic underlying some or logic, Ashgate Research CompaniontoMinimalist&PostminimalistMusic teps o eie h picpe o ti psmnmls rpror begintofall repertoire thispostminimalist of theprinciples define to Attempts In postminimalism, however, either the ear can tell that there is some underlying some is there that tell can ear the either however, postminimalism, In and Janice Giteck’s Janice and Preludes Curve Time 60 Om Shanti Om are examples are