DOCSLIB.ORG

Musical Forces in Claude Vivier's Wo Bist Du Licht!

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Musical Forces in Claude Vivier's Wo Bist Du Licht! Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 9-30-2016 12:00 AM Musical Forces in Claude Vivier’s Wo bist du Licht! and Trois airs pour un opéra imaginaire Emilie L. Marshall The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Catherine Nolan The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Music A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Doctor of Philosophy © Emilie L. Marshall 2016 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Musicology Commons, and the Music Theory Commons Recommended Citation Marshall, Emilie L., "Musical Forces in Claude Vivier’s Wo bist du Licht! and Trois airs pour un opéra imaginaire" (2016). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 4244. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/4244 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract Claude Vivier’s (1947–1983) idiosyncratic and moving composition style often evades traditional, pitch-centred approaches to music-theoretical analysis; however, the somatic and sensual qualities of his style encourage a metaphorical appreciation of his music. This study analyses Wo bist du Licht! (1981) and the first two airs from Trois airs pour un opéra imaginaire (1982), which both feature his technique sinusoïdale, from the perspective of conceptual metaphor and musical forces. At the centre of this study are the dominant conceptual metaphors that linguist George Lakoff and philosopher Mark Johnson identify as being integral to our understanding of time, and which music theorist Arnie Cox demonstrates also underlie our concept of motion and change in music. My approach builds on Steve Larson’s theory of musical forces, which qualifies the musical motion metaphor by invoking musical analogues to gravity, magnetism, and inertia. These, Larson demonstrates, operate in a predictable way in tonal music. The post-tonal context of Vivier’s music requires modification of Larson’s approach. To this end, I incorporate concepts borrowed from Robert Hatten and Matthew BaileyShea. From Hatten, I borrow the notion of a musical agent, and analogues to friction and momentum, only I qualify musical momentum as a combined perception of musical mass (manifested as register, density, and texture) and velocity (manifested as tempo). From BaileyShea, I borrow the concept of water and wind as non-sentient, unpredictable environmental forces. The wave and wind metaphors are particularly adept at conveying the changes in texture and intensity that the technique sinusoïdale affords. Because they complement force metaphors, I also include energy and other embodied, non-motion metaphors (e.g., kinetic/potential energy, pressure, timbre). Although not forces-based, timbre metaphors have corporeal connotations that are helpful in converying the changing mental states suggested in the second air of Trois airs. These metaphors rely on our intuitive understanding of motion and embodied experience to convey musical change. They enable us to discuss more phenomenological, abstract i ii musical attributes by drawing on a familiar vocabulary rooted in sensorimotor experience. This approach resonates particularly well with the sensual nature of Vivier’s music. Keywords Claude Vivier, Wo bist du Licht!, Trois airs pour un opéra imaginaire, musical forces, conceptual metaphor, spectra, musical embodiment, temporal metaphor, musical agency, forces, virtual environmental forces, combination-tone classes, timbre, George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. iii Acknowledgments First, I would like to thank my caring supervisor, Dr. Catherine Nolan, for her gentle guidance over the years. Your insightful comments, prompt response to emails, and revisions of drafts have been invaluable. I greatly appreciate the understanding, encouragement, and patience you have shown me. A special thank you to my second reader, Dr. Peter Franck, for his thoughtful suggestions and attention to detail. Dr. Nolan and Dr. Franck, your contributions have immeasurably improved this thesis. I also wish to acknowledge the generous financial support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council in the form of a doctoral fellowship and the University of Western Ontario’s Graduate Research Scholarship. Thank you to Thérèse Desjardins, president of the Fondation Vivier for permission to include Vivier’s sketch material in this study. Derek Horemans, your help with the Sibelius transcriptions has been invaluable. Claire Wilkins your assistance with formatting issues has been most appreciated! To my friends at Western, I treasure the laughs we’ve shared. How fortunate we were to have had such a good group dynamic. No one could ask for better office mates than Emilie Lahaie and Lauren Cooke. Gretta Sayers and Nancy Murphy, even though we’re dispersed across the continent now, know that our ongoing online chats have been, and continue to be, an immense support. Lisa Bing, Jada Watson, Corinna Kroeger, and Christine-Anne Roy, your friendship over the many years I deeply value. Lastly, to my wonderful family (mom Claudette, dad Keith, Michèle, Eric, David, Janelle, uncle Guy, and uncle Marc), without whose encouragement, love, and support I would not have succeeded. Finally, Carolyn and Uncle Michel, if it weren’t for you, I would never have finished! I am forever grateful for your help in getting me back on track, and more importantly, helping me stay on track. iv Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................ i Keywords ............................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................. iii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... iv List of Figures .................................................................................................................... vi List of Appendices .............................................................................................................. x Chapter 1: Introduction to Claude Vivier and an Embodied, Metaphoric Approach ......... 1 1.1 Biography ................................................................................................................. 5 1.2 Review of the Literature .......................................................................................... 9 1.3 Stockhausen ........................................................................................................... 19 1.4 French Spectralism ................................................................................................. 23 1.5 Basic Acoustic Concepts ........................................................................................ 25 1.6 Generation of Vivier’s Spectra .............................................................................. 32 1.7 Overview of the Present Study ............................................................................... 43 Chapter 2: Temporal and Musical Motion ........................................................................ 46 2.1 Conceptual Metaphor and Cross-Domain Mapping .............................................. 47 2.2 Musical Motion ...................................................................................................... 57 Chapter 3: Analytical Approaches to Vivier’s Music ....................................................... 72 3.1 Steve Larson’s Theory of Musical Forces ............................................................. 73 3.2 Application of Force (and Embodied) Metaphors to Non-Tonal Contexts ............ 82 Chapter 4: Wo bist du Licht! ............................................................................................. 94 4.1 General Form ......................................................................................................... 96 4.2 Spectral Content ................................................................................................... 102 v 4.3 Section A, 1 to 4 .................................................................................................. 111 4.4 Section C .............................................................................................................. 121 4.5 Final Thought ....................................................................................................... 140 Chapter 5: Trois airs pour un opéra imaginaire ............................................................. 144 5.1 The First air, 1 to 17 ............................................................................................ 149 5.2 The Second air ..................................................................................................... 179 5.3 Narrative of Sonic Purification and Life Cycle in the Second air ....................... 194 5.4 Final Thought ....................................................................................................... 198 Chapter 6: Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 199 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Pace Final 26.11.15
    Positions, Methodologies and Aesthetics in the Published Discourse about Brian Ferneyhough: A Critical Study Ian Pace1 Since Brian Ferneyhough achieved a degree of public recognition following the premiere of his Transit (1972-75) in March 1975 at the Royan Festival, a range of writings on and reviews of his work have appeared on a relatively regular basis. The nature, scope, style, and associated methodologies of these have expanded or changed quite considerably over the course of Ferneyhough's career––in part in line with changes in the music and its realization in performance––but nonetheless one can discern common features and wider boundaries. In this article, I will present a critical analysis of the large body of scholarly or extended journalistic reception of Ferneyhough's work, identifying key thematic concerns in such writing, and contextualizing it within wider discourses concerning new music. Several key methodological issues will be considered, in particular relating to intentionality and sketch study, from which I will draw a variety of conclusions that apply not only to Ferneyhough, but to wider contemporary musical study as well. Early Writings on Ferneyhough The first extended piece of writing about Ferneyhough's work was an early 1973 article by Elke Schaaf2 (who would become Ferneyhough's second wife),3 which deals with Epicycle (1968), Missa Brevis (1969), Cassandra's Dream Song (1970), Sieben Sterne (1970), Firecyle Beta (1969-71), and the then not-yet-complete Transit. Schaaf’s piece already exhibits one of the most
    [Show full text]
  • A Perspective of New Simplicity in Contemporary Composition: Song of Songs As a Case Study Isabel Maria Pereira Barata Da Rocha
    MESTRADO COMPOSIÇÃO E TEORIA MUSICAL A perspective of New Simplicity in contemporary composition: Song of Songs as a case study Isabel Maria Pereira Barata da Rocha 06/2017 A perspective of New Simplicity in contemporary composition: Song of Songs as a case study. Isabel Maria Pereira Barata da Rocha MESTRADO M COMPOSIÇÃO E TEORIA MUSICAL A perspective of New Simplicity in contemporary composition: Song of Songs as a case study Isabel Maria Pereira Barata da Rocha Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espetáculo como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Composição e Teoria Musical Professor Orientador Professor Doutor Eugénio Amorim Professora Coorientadora Professora Doutora Daniela Coimbra 06/2017 A perspective of New Simplicity in contemporary composition: Song of Songs as a case study. Isabel Maria Pereira Barata da Rocha Dedico este trabalho a todos os homens e todas as mulheres de boa vontade. A perspective of New Simplicity in contemporary composition: Song of Songs as a case study. Isabel Maria Pereira Barata da Rocha A perspective of New Simplicity in contemporary composition: Song of Songs as a case study. Isabel Maria Pereira Barata da Rocha Agradecimentos À minha filha Luz, que me dá a felicidade de ser sua mãe, pelo incentivo. Aos meus pais Ana e Luís, pelo apoio incondicional. A Ermelinda de Jesus, pela ajuda sempre disponível. À Fátima, à Joana e à Mariana, pela amizade profunda. Ao José Bernardo e aos avós Teresa e António José, pelo auxílio. Ao Pedro Fesch, pela compreensão e pela aposta na formação dos professores em quem confia.
    [Show full text]
  • Idyllwild Bible Church Want Cash Fast.” to Palm D Esert
    Real POSTMASTER: Dated material, please deliver April 4-6, 2012 Estate See page 15. Idyllwild Printed on 40% minimum recycled newsprint. News bites TCoveringo the Sanw Jacinto and Santan Rosa Moun tainsC from Twinr Pinesı to Anzaer to Pinyon Jazz in the Pines Almost all the News — Part of the Time August headliners and program announced. VOL. 67 NO. 14 75¢ (Tax Included) IDYLLWILD, CA THURS., APRIL 5, 2012 See page 14. Sheriff’s raid Drug-related arrests in Supervisors hear Idyllwild. See page 2. sheriff talk crime Stranded hiker rescued RMRU rescue at night in and budget very dangerous conditions. See page 2. By J.P. Crumrine Attorney Paul Zellerbach Editor and County Fire Chief John Air tanker plan Hawkins. U.S. senators question ayoffs will be needed Parish was blunt and Forest Service strategy. to balance the Riv- grim. “While it appears that erside County bud- the economy is improving, See page 9. L get for fi scal year 2012-13, the revenue needed to sus- which starts July 1. Interim tain a full fi scal recovery of Exchange students County Executive Larry Par- our county’s budget is not Four students from ish presented preliminary expected for several years,” Marumori, Japan, budget information to the he said in his letter to the visit Idyllwild. board in two days of hear- supervisors. See page 10. ings last week. County departments During the sessions, have already been ordered Speaker the board of supervisors to prepare for the next fi s- Peter Askim talks fusion in heard from public safety cal year and to plan for department heads, including cuts, especially in nonpublic new classical music.
    [Show full text]
  • Henryk Górecki's Spiritual Awakening and Its Socio
    DARKNESS AND LIGHT: HENRYK GÓRECKI’S SPIRITUAL AWAKENING AND ITS SOCIO-POLITICAL CONTEXT By CHRISTOPHER W. CARY A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF MUSIC UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2005 Copyright 2005 by Christopher W. Cary ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Christopher Caes, who provided me with a greater understanding of Polish people and their experiences. He made the topic of Poland’s social, political, and cultural history come alive. I would like to acknowledge Dr. Paul Richards and Dr. Arthur Jennings for their scholarly ideas, critical assessments, and kindness. I would like to thank my family for their enduring support. Most importantly, this paper would not have been possible without Dr. David Kushner, my mentor, friend, and committee chair. I thank him for his confidence, guidance, insights, and patience. He was an inspiration for me every step of the way. Finally, I would like to thank Dilek, my light in all moments of darkness. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iii ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................... vi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................1 Purpose of the Study.....................................................................................................1
    [Show full text]
  • 23 Novembre 2013 Casa Della Musica Casa De
    XXIII Rassegna Internazionale di Musica Moderna e Contemporanea Parma, 22 settembre - 23 novembre 2013 Casa della Musica Casa del Suono Teatro Regio XXIII Rassegna Internazionale di Musica Moderna e Contemporanea 1991 2013 VENTITRÉ ANNI DI MUSICA CONTEMPORANEA IN ITALIA Traiettorie ha ricevuto il XXX Premio della critica musicale "Franco Abbiati" come migliore iniziativa del 2010 per i meriti acquisiti durante i primi vent'anni della sua attività. In copertina: Mauro Staccioli, Disegno per Traiettorie, 2013 collage su carta, 70x100 cm Foto Bruno Bani, Milano Courtesy A arte Studio Invernizzi Quello che viene capito troppo rapidamente non ha lunga durata. Fëdor Dostoevskij Istituzioni Assessorato alla Cultura Main partner Partner Media partner Sponsor tecnici XXIII Rassegna Internazionale di Musica Moderna e Contemporanea Direttore artistico Martino Traversa Promotore Fondazione Prometeo Istituzioni Comune di Parma - Assessorato alla Cultura Istituzione Casa della Musica Regione Emilia-Romagna Provincia di Parma Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo - Direzione Generale per lo Spettacolo dal Vivo Teatro Regio di Parma Main partner Fondazione Monte di Parma Banca Monte Parma Partner Chiesi Farmaceutici Symbolic Media partner Rai Radio3 Sponsor tecnici Astoria Residence Hotel Ristorante "Il Trovatore" di Parma Tipocrom Calendario dei concerti 22/09 Ridotto del Teatro Regio Hae-Sun Kang e giovani talenti francesi Webern, Harvey, Schönberg 28/09 Casa della Musica Garth Knox e Rohan de Saram Bach, Kurtág, Romitelli, Dallapiccola
    [Show full text]
  • Chamber Music & Music for Piano Solo
    VIVIERCHAMBER MUSIC & MUSIC FOR PIANO SOLO Alessandro Soccorsi piano Thies Roorda flute Joseph Puglia violin Sietse-Jan Weijenberg cello Niels Meliefste percussion Pepe Garcia percussion Claude Vivier 1948-1983 Immediately after his birth, Claude Vivier (Montreal, 14 April 1948 – Paris, 7 March Chamber Music & Music for Piano Solo 1983) was taken to an orphanage. His mother abandoned the young boy simply because at the time, in Roman Catholic Quebec, society would not accept illegitimate 1. Shiraz for piano solo (1977) 14’44 4. Pianoforte for piano solo children. When Armand and Jeanne Vivier visited the orphanage in December 1950, Salabert, Paris (1975) 8’03 they were initially in search of a girl. They decided to adopt the little Claude instead. 1985, Les Éditions YPPAN, These events would mark his further life and art. 2. Pulau Dewata Saint-Nicolas, Canada From his 13th birthday onwards, he attended a few schools with the aim of for variable ensemble (1977) 13’03 becoming a Catholic frère. Some five years later, the seminary advised him to Arr. for piano and percussion 5. Paramirabo for flute, violin, withdraw. “Community life with rules: he wasn’t cut out for that.” His search for by A. Soccorsi cello and piano (1978) 14’23 “life,” as he himself wrote, “in the most creative and universal sense of the term,” 1988, Les Éditions YPPAN, as well as his emerging homosexuality, may have been decisive reasons. His true 3. Pièce for cello and piano Saint-Nicolas, Canada vocation turned out to be music. He enrolled at the Conservatoire de musique in (1975) 6’52 Montreal in 1967.
    [Show full text]
  • Minimalism and New Complexity in Solo Flute Repertoire by Twila Dawn Bakker Bachelor of Arts, Univer
    Two Responses to Modernism: Minimalism and New Complexity in Solo Flute Repertoire by Twila Dawn Bakker Bachelor of Arts, University of Alberta, 2008 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the School of Music Twila Dawn Bakker, 2011 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. ii Supervisory Committee Two Responses to Modernism: Minimalism and New Complexity in Solo Flute Repertoire by Twila Dawn Bakker Bachelor of Arts, University of Alberta, 2008 Supervisory Committee Dr. Jonathan Goldman, School of Music Supervisor Dr. Michelle Fillion, School of Music Departmental Member iii Abstract Supervisory Committee Dr. Jonathan Goldman, School of Music Supervisor Dr. Michelle Fillion, School of Music Departmental Member Wind repertoire, especially for flute, has received little focused attention in the musicological world especially when compared with other instruments. This gap in scholarship is further exacerbated when the scope of time is narrowed to the last quarter of the twentieth century. Although Minimalism and New Complexity are – at least superficially – highly divergent styles of composition, they both exhibit aspects of a response to modernism. An examination of emblematic examples from the repertoire for solo flute (or recorder), specifically focusing on: Louis Andriessen’s Ende (1981); James Dillon’s Sgothan (1984), Brian Ferneyhough’s Carceri d’Invenzione IIb (1984), Superscripto (1981), and Unity Capsule (1975); Philip Glass’s Arabesque in Memoriam (1988); Henryk Górecki’s Valentine Piece (1996); and Steve Reich’s Vermont Counterpoint (1982), allows for the similarities in both genre’s response to modernism to be highlighted.
    [Show full text]
  • JAMES D. BABCOCK, MBA, CFA, CPA 191 South Salem Road  Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877 (203) 994-7244  [email protected]
    JAMES D. BABCOCK, MBA, CFA, CPA 191 South Salem Road Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877 (203) 994-7244 [email protected] List of Addendums First Addendum – Middle Ages Second Addendum – Modern and Modern Sub-Categories A. 20th Century B. 21st Century C. Modern and High Modern D. Postmodern and Contemporary E. Descrtiption of Categories (alphabetic) and Important Composers Third Addendum – Composers Fourth Addendum – Musical Terms and Concepts 1 First Addendum – Middle Ages A. The Early Medieval Music (500-1150). i. Early chant traditions Chant (or plainsong) is a monophonic sacred form which represents the earliest known music of the Christian Church. The simplest, syllabic chants, in which each syllable is set to one note, were probably intended to be sung by the choir or congregation, while the more florid, melismatic examples (which have many notes to each syllable) were probably performed by soloists. Plainchant melodies (which are sometimes referred to as a “drown,” are characterized by the following: A monophonic texture; For ease of singing, relatively conjunct melodic contour (meaning no large intervals between one note and the next) and a restricted range (no notes too high or too low); and Rhythms based strictly on the articulation of the word being sung (meaning no steady dancelike beats). Chant developed separately in several European centers, the most important being Rome, Hispania, Gaul, Milan and Ireland. Chant was developed to support the regional liturgies used when celebrating Mass. Each area developed its own chant and rules for celebration. In Spain and Portugal, Mozarabic chant was used, showing the influence of North Afgican music. The Mozarabic liturgy survived through Muslim rule, though this was an isolated strand and was later suppressed in an attempt to enforce conformity on the entire liturgy.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 1: from Autonomy to Heteronomy: a Change of Paradigm in South African Art Music, 1980-2006
    Chapter 1: From autonomy to heteronomy: A change of paradigm in South African art music, 1980-2006 Introduction Composition in South Africa has been an increasingly contested artistic and ideological space since the early 1980s. In this dissertation I argue that the demise of apartheid and the rise of democracy resulted in an institutional and aesthetic crisis for the field of composition, embodied in musical terms by a shift away from a Eurocentric paradigm to a cross-cultural one that embraced various ‘African elements’ within a framework of modernism and discourse of accessibility. In this chapter I consider the factors – both internal to the field of art music and those resulting from larger societal changes – that contributed to this artistic and ideological shift. Partly I am concerned with the politics of the field itself: the struggle for power within a highly contested cultural space. More broadly I am interested in the position of the field relative to changes in society at the macro level, in terms of race, class, and economic imperatives. A central question is, to what extent did the restructuring of the field in response to these changed imperatives affect the aesthetic choices of composers? The autonomy of art music during apartheid was challenged by the politicization of the field during the 1980s. The extent and rapidity of social and institutional change, and the new self-consciousness that it evoked in composers previously only concerned with “production for producers” (Bourdieu 1993:15), resulted in a crisis that foreshadowed an aesthetic revolution, or change of paradigm. In this chapter I present the theoretical basis for this claim and explain some of the historical reasons for its emergence.
    [Show full text]
  • UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Millennial Passions: New
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Millennial Passions: New Music and the Ends of History, 1989-2001 A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology by Stephany Andrea Moore 2016 © Copyright by Stephany Andrea Moore 2016 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Millennial Passions: New Music and the Ends of History, 1989-2001 by Stephany Andrea Moore Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology University of California, Los Angeles, 2016 Professor Robert W. Fink, Chair This dissertation examines a group of four musical Passion settings, commissioned by the International Bachakademie Stuttgart to mark the 250th anniversary of J.S. Bach’s death in 2000. The terms of the commission, titled “Passion 2000,” called for each composer to choose one of the canonic Gospels and write a setting in his or her own language. They were Wolfgang Rihm, German; Sofia Gubaidulina, Russian; Osvaldo Golijov, Spanish; and Tan Dun, English. I consider these four Passions against the backdrop of two historical turning points: the end of the Cold War and the turn of the millennium. I look at the impact of these turns on the production and reception of new music, considering tensions between the rapid globalization of the post-Cold War period and the simultaneous struggles to renegotiate the terms of local or regional identities. Accordingly, I address issues of nationalism and postnationalism, globalization, and multiculturalism, while also situating the Passions within music-historical lineages and networks of influence. While the end of the Cold War put ideas about the “end of history” into wide circulation, the approach of the millennium also carried eschatological ii implications, as well as hopes for global, historical redemption from the brutalities of the twentieth century.
    [Show full text]
  • Download File
    Post-Ironic Sounds: Wallacian New Sincerity in “Unavoidably Sentimental” for Large Ensemble Yair Klartag Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2019 © 2019 Yair Klartag All rights reserved ABSTRACT Post-Ironic Sounds: Wallacian New Sincerity in “Unavoidably Sentimental” for Large Ensemble Yair Klartag This essay presents a conceptual analysis of my piece Unavoidably Sentimental for Large Ensemble. Specifically, the paper traces the roots of the musical thinking in the piece to a notion of Sincerity that emerges from David Foster Wallace’s books and essays. The term New Sincerity, coined by Adam Kelly, is deployed to consider what a post-postmodern Sincerity could sound like in contemporary music. The paper provides general background to the literary discourse around the concept of New Sincerity as an extension of Lionel Trilling’s formalization of Sincerity and Authenticity. It suggests some examples of how a renewed sense of Sincerity could incarnate in contemporary music. As a background for the analysis of Unavoidably Sentimental itself, the paper provides background to my prior engagement with concepts like irony and authenticity in music. Unavoidably Sentimental is analyzed as a linear process, in which the piece tries to emerge out of a net of self-aware referential musical objects into the creation of sonic states of unmediated human communication between the musicians and the audience. I present different musical strategies in which the piece confronts the limitations of human communication through music, contextualized with reference to the portrayal of communication in Wallace’s writings.
    [Show full text]
  • Welcome! We Are Honored to Share with You the Unique Musical World of French Composer Olivier Messiaen, One of the Twentieth Century’S Most Visionary Musical Artists
    Welcome! We are honored to share with you the unique musical world of French composer Olivier Messiaen, one of the twentieth century’s most visionary musical artists. During this immersive weekend, works of Messiaen’s are paired with those of other composers who share with the French master a common goal of reconnecting listeners with the sounds and splendors of the natural world. We are fortunate to be able to combine an illustrious group of guests with local talent, featuring students in the doctoral keyboard studies program of the Department of Music. Ithaca is a natural jewel, and as we celebrate Cornell’s Sesquicentennial year, it is a particular joy to be able to perform across campus in settings that honor a spirituality of place. Environs Messiaen also highlights a joint page in the histories of the Lab of Ornithology and the Department of Music: Messiaen made extensive use of recordings from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and he and his wife, pianist Yvonne Loriod, visited Cornell in 1973, sponsored by the music department. On page 4 you can read the review of their performance published by the Cornell Daily Sun. We are indebted to many people who have helped us prepare this festival, most of all Damien Mahiet, program KWWZLQVI\WZWN \PM?M[\ÅMTL+MV\MZNWZ0Q[\WZQKIT3MaJWIZL;\]LQM[IVQLMITXIZ\VMZQV\PMXI[\NM_UWV\P[I[_MTT I[W]ZNZQMVL[3QSW6WJ][I_II\\PM+WZVMTT+WVKMZ\;MZQM[IVLVM]ZWJQWTWOaXZWNM[[WZ:WV0WaU][QKTW^MZIVL fount of birdly wisdom. We thank the Cornell Plantations, the Lab of O, the Johnson Museum, and other programs and departments around campus, but most of all, our musicians and lecturers.
    [Show full text]