An Examination of Karen Tanaka's Approach to Minimalism: Water Dance and Techno Etudes
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Authors Nomura, Mayu
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AN EXAMINATION OF KAREN TANAKA’S APPROACH TO MINIMALISM: WATER DANCE AND TECHNO ETUDES
by
Mayu Nomura
______
Copyright ©Mayu Nomura 2017
A Document Submitted to the Faculty of the
FRED FOX SCHOOL OF MUSIC
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
In the Graduate College
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
2017
2
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE
As members of the Document Committee, we certify that we have read the document prepared by Mayu Nomura, titled An Examination of Karen Tanaka’s Approach to Minimalism: Water Dance and Techno Etudes and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the document requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts.
______Date: 4/12/17 Dr. John Milbauer
______Date: 4/12/17 Professor Tannis Gibson
______Date: 4/12/17 Dr. Lisa Zdechlik
Final approval and acceptance of this document is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the document to the Graduate Collage.
I hereby certify that I have read this document prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the document requirement.
______Date: 4/12/17 Dr. John Milbauer
3
STATEMENT BY AUTHOR
This document has been submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library.
Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder.
SIGNED: Mayu Nomura
4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many individuals have contributed in completing this document. Although it is not possible to acknowledge each person involved in the process, I would like to express my gratitude to the following:
My professor and advisor Dr. John Milbauer for always challenging and encouraging me.
The members of my committee: Professor Tannis Gibson and Dr. Lisa Zdechlik for their valuable opinions and feedback.
The composer Karen Tanaka for her willingness to share her insights about her compositions in the interviews both in person and emails.
Dr. Shelly Cooper, Dr. Meily J. Mendez, and Dr. Timothy Kolosick for their expertise in editing and proofreading the document.
Dr. Ron Williams for countless discussions about the pieces as well as his willingness to read and edit the document.
Chester Music and Universal Editions as well as Karen Tanaka for their permissions in the use of he examples in this document.
My colleagues for their friendship and encouragement throughout my graduate career.
My husband, Shu, for his endless love and continuous support.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES ...... 6
LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ...... 7
ABSTRACT ...... 9
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...... 10
CHAPTER 2: KAREN TANAKA—BIOGRAPHY ...... 12
CHAPTER 3: MINIMALISM AND POSTMINIMALISM ...... 15
3.1. Minimalism ...... 15
3.2. Postminimalism ...... 17
CHAPTER 4: WATER DANCE ...... 21
4.1. Introduction ...... 21
4.2. Rhythmic and metric implications ...... 22
4.3. Melodic and harmonic implications ...... 32
CHAPTER 5: TECHNO ETUDES ...... 36
5.1. Introduction ...... 36
5.2. Rhythmic and metric implications ...... 38
5.3. Melodic and harmonic implications ...... 43
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION ...... 50
APPENDIX A: LIST OF KAREN TANAKA’S SOLO PIANO WORKS ...... 52
APPENDIX B: LETTERS OF PERMISSION ...... 53
REFERENCES ...... 57
6
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Karen Tanaka, Water Dance, second movement, mm. 1-8, rhythmic reduction ...... 27
Figure 2. Karen Tanaka, Water Dance, first movement, harmonic areas ...... 33
Figure 3. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, first movement, mm. 1-2, 10- pitch set ...... 44
7
LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES
Musical Example 1. Karen Tanaka, Water Dance, first movement, mm. 1-7 ...... 23
Musical Example 2. Karen Tanaka, Water Dance, first movement, mm. 18-19 ...... 24
Musical Example 3. Karen Tanaka, Water Dance, first movement, m. 1 ...... 24
Musical Example 4. Karen Tanaka, Water Dance, first movement, mm. 25-26 and mm. 57-58 ...... 25
Musical Example 5. Karen Tanaka, Water Dance, second movement, mm. 1-5 ...... 27
Musical Example 6. Karen Tanaka, Water Dance, second movement, mm. 32-42, and mm. 57-59 ...... 28
Musical Example 7. Karen Tanaka, Water Dance, third movement, mm. 1-12 ...... 29
Musical Example 8. Karen Tanaka, Water Dance, third movement, mm. 99-147 ...... 31
Musical Example 9. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, first movement, mm. 1-6 ...... 39
Musical Example 10. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, first movement, mm. 1-2 ...... 40
Musical Example 11. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, first movement, mm. 4-6 ...... 40
Musical Example 12. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, second movement, mm. 1-6 ...... 41
Musical Example 13. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, second movement, m. 19 ……….41
Musical Example 14. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, second movement, m. 35 ...... 41
Musical Example 15. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, second movement, mm. 43-48 ..... 42
Musical Example 16. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, third movement, mm. 1-6 ...... 43
Musical Example 17. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, third movement, mm. 40-45 ...... 43
Musical Example 18. Luciano Berio, Feuerklavier from Six Encores for piano, first and second systems ...... 45
Musical Example 19. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, first movement, mm. 6 and 18 ...... 46
Musical Example 20. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, second movement, mm. 43-46 ..... 47
8
Musical Example 21. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, third movement, mm. 26-30 ...... 48
Musical Example 22. Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes, third movement, mm. 30 ...... 49
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ABSTRACT
Japanese composer and pianist Karen Tanaka (b.1961) gained international recognition for her compositions during the 1980s and has become a significant composer of the twenty-first century. Her works have been performed by distinguished international ensembles and encompass various genres including orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental, choral and electroacoustic music as well as sound design. Tanaka’s fourteen solo piano works comprise a variety of styles and levels of difficulty.
Among her solo piano works, Water Dance (2008) and Techno Etudes (2000) exemplify her unique approach to minimalism. This document includes analyses of rhythmic and melodic content, harmonic layering, and other musical devices to demonstrate how Tanaka creates a distinctive compositional language within a minimalist style in these two works. Only few scholarly studies exist regarding her works in English or Japanese; the purpose of this study is to introduce and provide resources about Tanaka and her works.
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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
Japanese composer and pianist Karen Tanaka (b.1961) gained international recognition for her compositions during the 1980s and has become a significant composer of the twenty-first century.1 Stephen Montague states, “Her music is delicate and emotive, beautifully crafted, showing a refined ear for both detail and large organic shapes…”2 Her works, encompassing various genre—orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental, choral, electroacoustic music, and sound design—have been performed by distinguished international ensembles such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Los
Angeles Philharmonic, the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, the NHK Symphony
Orchestra in Tokyo, the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, and l’Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
Tanaka’s fourteen solo piano works comprise a variety of styles and levels of difficulty. Many works exhibit her love and concern for nature and the environment, as seen in the Crystalline series (1988, 1995-96, and 2000), Lavender Field (2000), and
1 Beth Levy, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, Program Note. December 4, 2000, accessed January 7, 2016, http://sfcmp.org/programnotes/00_ December_SFCMP_Program_Notes.pdf.
During the 1980s, Tanaka received numerous prizes at the international composition competitions such as the Gian Battista Viotti International Competition (1984) and International Competition for Chamber Music Ensemble “Premio Trio di Trieste” (1985).
2 Stephen Montague, "Tanaka, Karen. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, November, 2002, accessed September 1, 2015, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/subscriber/article/gro ve/music/48591. 11
Water Dance (2008).3 Her interest in children inspired her to compose the set of twenty character pieces for young performers, The Zoo in the Sky (1994-95), another set
Children of Light (1990), and the recently-published Our Planet Earth (2010-11), all of which are widely used as pedagogical material. 4 Techno Etudes (2000) represents
Tanaka’s new style—which is different from the works mentioned above—with its hard- edged, machine-like character. Among these works, Water Dance and Techno Etudes exhibit her exploration of minimalism, which will be the focus of this study.5
Although her versatility as a composer and pianist keeps her in high demand, resources concerning her life and works are limited. Only few scholarly studies exist regarding her works in English or Japanese. To help fill this gap, this document includes analyses of rhythmic and melodic content, harmonic layering, and other musical devices to describe how Tanaka creates a distinctive compositional language in a minimalist style as exhibited in Water Dance and Techno Etudes. Also, the author will give a brief historical description of minimalism and postminimalism in the United States.
3 Karen Tanaka, Crystalline (New York: Chester Novello, 1988).
______, Lavender Field (New York: Chester Novello, 2000).
4 ______, Zoo in the Sky (Tokyo: Edition Kawai, 1996).
______, Techno Etudes (New York: Chester Novello, 2008).
12
CHAPTER 2 KAREN TANAKA—BIOGRAPHY
Living in various places throughout the world and experiencing different cultures and learning environments have influenced Tanaka’s unique musical style and language.
She has lived in Tokyo, Paris, and Florence, and currently resides in the Los Angeles area where she teaches composition at the California Institute of the Arts.
Born in Tokyo, Tanaka studied piano and composition as a child. She continued studies at the Toho Gakuen School of Music (Tokyo) under the tutelage of Akira Miyoshi in composition and Nobuko Amada in piano.6 Her classes included the analysis of
Debussy, Ravel, and Messiaen since teachers there were heavily influenced by French music.7 The strong French influence illustrated in Tanaka’s music is a result of her academic studies. Like Miyoshi’s music, music of Tanaka in early years exhibits the non- tonal harmonic language represented by a unique use of dissonances with sensitivity to the piano sonorities and resonance, as well as an effective use of silence.
Upon graduation she moved to Paris to study composition with Tristan Murail and to work as an intern at the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique
(IRCAM).8 In the 1980s, composers at IRCAM used the VAX computer to analyze
6 Located in Chōfu, Tokyo, this school offers programs from preparatory division through graduate degrees in all orchestral instruments, piano, voice, composition, musicology and conducting. Notable alumni include the distinguished conductor Seiji Ozawa.
7 Karen Tanaka, interview by author, Valencia, CA, January 25, 2016. She also lists Takemitsu’s music as one of the influential sources.
8 Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (Institute for Research and Coordination Acoustic/Music) is an institute founded by Pierre Boulez in 1976 in Paris. Its primary purpose is to experiment and develop techniques associated 13 different sounds and the sound spectrum, and then to synthesize those sounds.9 During the Paris years, Tanaka’s research included spectral analysis, sound processing and synthesis, and psychoacoustics, all of which heavily influenced her writing and her perception of sound.10
In 1990, Tanaka received funding from the Nadia Boulanger Foundation and a scholarship from the Japanese Government. This financial support enabled her to travel to Florence to study with Luciano Berio. She had been largely influenced by French
Impressionism through her studies with Miyoshi as well as electric and spectral music through her studies with Murail.11 This new experience with Berio provided her with different perspectives from her previous studies. She described him as, “a genius, I learned from genius, it’s kind of like studying with Boulez.”12
In summary, studying with master composers in diverse geographical locations provided Tanaka with new musical soundscapes and exposure to varied cultures. These experiences shaped and refined Tanaka’s musical style and compositional techniques.
With Miyoshi in Japan, she explored French Impressionism as well as the compositional with electroacoustic music. It influenced the musical scene tremendously in the last quarter of the 20th century.
9 The VAX computer was made in the mid-1970s (Virtual Address Extension). It was a primitive type of computer, not nearly as powerful or flexible as computers we use today.
10 Karen Tanaka, email message to author, January 19, 2016. Psychoacoustics is the study of the perception of sound. It involves studying human psychological and physiological response to sound.
11 Spectral technique is a compositional technique that was developed in Europe in the 1970s. Tristan Murail was a pioneer of this technique, which used the acoustic properties of sound itself as the basis for compositional material.
12 Karen Tanaka, interview by author, Valencia, CA, January 25, 2016.
14 languages of Messiaen and Takemitsu. Working at IRCAM, she had the opportunity to learn spectral technique with Murail. Berio exposed her to European Post-Modernism.
Tanaka moved to the Los Angeles area in 2002 and with the increased demand for film and commercial music she became actively involved in producing music for animations and film. These experiences are reflected in her compositions in numerous ways and contribute to her own distinct musical language.
15
CHAPTER 3 MINIMALISM AND POSTMINIMALISM
3.1. Minimalism
Minimalism—a term borrowed from visual arts—describes works characterized by constant repetition of basic melodic and rhythmic figurations in the context of conventional tonal harmonies. It originated as a reaction to the total serialism of Boulez, to the daunting complexity of Messiaen and Stockhausen, and to the chaotic freedom of indeterminacy of Cage and his disciples.13 In their search for greater accessibility, minimalist composers began writing music that was tonal or modal as well as rhythmically regular.14 Four American composers initially pioneered this style during the
1960s: La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass.
Minimalist music can be distinguished by its use of drastically reduced material; repetitions of a short melodic or rhythmic segment; a continuous and audible simple formal structure; an even texture; a simple harmonic palette; a lack of extended melodic lines; phase shifting; and an additive process.15 The first five of these features are likely to be the most obvious to the listener on first hearing. Minimalist music uses limited materials of small groups of pitches or chords with triadic groups. Instead of an extended
13 K. Robert Schwarz. Minimalist (London: Phaidon Press Limited, 1996), 11.
14 J. Peter Burkholder, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca, A History of Western Music, 8th ed. (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2010), 969.
15 Kyle Gann, “Minimal Music, Maximal Impact,” November 3, 2001, accessed September 30, 2015, http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/minimal-music-maximal- impact/2/. Audible structure refers to the music composed using no form of traditional music. The structure is right on the surface that is audible from first hearing the music as seen in Riley’s In C (1964) or Reich’s Drumming (1970-71).
16 melodic line, composers use brief melodic segments that permeate the entire composition. Many authorities including Kyle Gann have stated that “repetition is the most stereotypical aspect of minimalist music, the tendency that audiences superficially associate with its stuck-in-the-groove quality.”16 This led to minimalist music being labeled “trance music,” “hypnotic music,” “modular music,” “wallpaper music,” or
“going-nowhere music.”17
Two distinctive characteristics are commonly found in early minimalist music.
The first, a gradual phase-shifting process, is particularly favored by and associated with
Reich. It is a technique whereby two identical phrases are played at slightly different tempos resulting in the two phrases going in and out of sync with each other, creating a phase-shifting effect.18 The second, an additive process, is associated with Glass’ music.
As observed in his Music in Fifths (1969), a rhythmic pattern is repeated itself many times, and then part of that rhythm is added to the previous one to create a new rhythmic pattern.
Another influence on the development of minimalist music was non-Western music. Although the idea of borrowing from non-Western culture is not unique to minimalism, minimalist composers had no Western precedent to turn for examples of
16 Gann, “Minimal Music, Maximal Impact.”
17 Kyle Gann, American Music in the Twentieth Century (New York: Schirmer Books, 2006), 186.
18 Mertens, 49. Example of this technique can be seen in Reich’s Piano Phase for two pianos (1967). Mertens explains the piece consists of “a fixed part that repeats the basic pattern throughout the piece while the second part accelerates to take it out of phase to produce an ever-changing alignment against the first part, resulting in the stressing of constantly different notes or groups of notes.”
17 extended melodic and rhythmic repetition or prolonged harmonic stasis.19 Both Young and Riley studied with the Indian raga master Pandit Pran Nath, and Glass’s additive technique was based on the additive time structures of the tabla music of India.20 Young,
Riley, and Reich were also attracted to African drumming. Reich spent time learning techniques with a master drummer of the Ewe tribe in Ghana in 1970.21 He also found
Indonesian Gamelan music fascinating and adapted its rhythmic principles to his minimalist pieces.
3.2.Postminimalism
During the late 1970s, minimalism began to shift to a new style— postminimalism—as the original practitioners of minimalism found the aesthetic that they had cultivated no longer satisfying and moved on to other possibilities.22 The term
“postminimalist” first appeared in John Rockwell’s New York Times article in 1981.23
19 Gann, American Music in the Twentieth Century, 186.
20 Wim Mertens, American Minimal Music, trans. by J. Hautekiet (London: Kahn & Averill, 2005), 88.
21 Ibid., 47. This experience inspired Reich to compose Drumming (1971), one of his better-known works.
22 K. Robert Schwarz, “Process vs. Intuition in the Recent Works of Steve Reich and John Adams, American Music 8, no.3 (Autumn 1990): 275; Schwarz, Minimalists, (London, Phaidon Press: 1996), 12; Edward Strickland, Minimalism: Origins, (Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1993), 241.
23 Keith Potter, Kyle Gann, and Pwyll Ap Siôn (Editors), The Ashgate Research Companion to Minimalist and Postminimalist Music (Burlington: Ashgate Publishing Company, 2013), 40.
18
Defining the characteristics of postminimalist music presents difficulties since the genre became much more diverse and inclusive in style. However, postminimalist music still shares several core characteristics with minimalism. First, postminimalist pieces are generally considered tonal and modal with a steady pulse (sometimes motoric) and relatively even texture.24 Repetition remains a prominent feature, but it may not be immediately recognized as composers sometimes skillfully disguise it with a variety of surface activities such as out-of-phase loops (phase shifting), additive processes, or even the use of Fibonacci sequence in postminimalist works such as William Duckworth’s The
Time Curve Preludes (1979).25 Postminimalist composers draw listeners’ attention away from the process.
Another trait that minimalism and postminimalism shared is the inspiration drawn from non-Western cultures such as African music, Japanese Koto, Balinese gamelan, medieval European motets, and bluegrass.26 Postminimalist composers moved toward the erosion of culture barriers, enabling them to explore musical pluralism even further.
Despite some characteristics shared with minimalism, there are several aspects of postminimalist music that differ from those of its predecessor. The length of postminimalist music is generally much shorter compared to many minimalist pieces.
24 Ibid.
25 Kyle Gann, “A Forest from the Seeds of Minimalism: An Essay on Postminimalism and Totalist Music,” 1998 Minimalist Festival of the Berliner Gesellschaft for Neue Musik, accessed June 28, 2016. http://kylegann.com.postminimalis m.html. Although Duckworth uses a single rhythmic figure in each prelude, there are no literal repetitions. Much of the music is based on the Fibonacci sequence which makes the compositional process less obvious to detect.
26 Gann, American Music in the Twentieth Century, 327.
19
Even though postminimalist composers still work with limited materials, their music offers harmonic and textural variety. Divergence from the static harmony once prized in minimalism is a new feature found in postminimalist music.27
The sources of influence on postminimalist music are varied. Accessibility to a wide variety of genres—rock, world music, jazz, and film music—expanded the possibility of this new musical language. No longer did composers need to adhere to minimalists’ “quiet chords, pretty textures, and rhythmic simplicity.”28 Postminimalist music incorporates ideas from inexhaustible musical sources.29 Gann states, “within its smooth exterior, it is a big melting pot in which all the world’s music swim in unobtrusive harmony.”30
Despite the definable characteristics of postminimalist music, the style nonetheless affords considerable opportunity for individual expression. Liberated from the persistently framed repetition and stasis of early minimalism, postminimalist composers cultivated a style that is distinct, more complex, and yet comprehensible.
Tanaka’s Water Dance and Techno Etudes exhibit a number of postminimalist aspects that set them apart from early minimalist works. The next two chapters discuss how
Tanaka differentiates and structures her postminimalist works through the distinctive uses
27 Keith Potter, “Minimalism,” Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press, accessed June 15, 2015, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com. ezproxy3.library.arizona.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/40603.
28 Ibid.
29 Gann, “Minimal Music, Maximal Impact.”
30 Ibid.
20 of rhythmic, melodic, textural, and harmonic devices, exemplified in Water Dance and
Techno Etudes.
21
CHAPTER 4 WATER DANCE
4.1. Introduction
Water Dance was commissioned by the Norwegian pianist Signe Bakke and the
Grieg Academy in Norway. It consists of three movements marked, “Very lightly with flow,” “Very softly with shimmering light,” and “Very lightly, like a harp.” All three movements have the transparent, luminous quality of water. In the composer’s note,
Tanaka states:
The Title, Water Dance, suggests cool, transparent water flowing freely. The work is a joyful dance with pleasant feelings of a pulse, where the water occasionally whispers to us through its shimmering play with light. The music presents a rich flickering and changing texture: just as the water flows constantly and never [in] the same phase.31
As a painter plays with light and shade, Tanaka creates a variety of light and shade effects through different musical devices. She uses timbre, harmonic language, and texture to suggest certain imagery; in this case, the inspiration is Norway.
Tanaka demonstrates her fascination with water, a favored subject among the
Impressionist painters and composers. There are countless pieces inspired by water, such as Debussy’s Reflets dans l’eau from Images Book I (1905) and Ravel’s Jeux d’eau
(1901). Tanaka states, “repetition and gradually changing texture in piano are metaphorically analogous to water that flows constantly and never [in] the same phase.”32
31 Karen Tanaka, Water Dance.
32 Karen Tanaka, email message to author, January 19, 2016.
22
Her pieces effectively reflect the nature of water that never retains a fixed shape and creates continuously-changing sounds.
As previously mentioned, Water Dance exhibits minimalist characteristics, and each movement presents a different pattern of rhythmic and melodic repetition. The texture is consistent throughout each movement or section on the surface level, though
Tanaka incorporates several resources such as irregular note groupings and accents to disrupt the consistent surface.
4.2. Rhythmic and metric implications
Although the surface of Water Dance seems minimalistic with the repetition of rhythmic and melodic figures, Tanaka uses irregular note groupings, various accents, and irregular phrase groupings. These devices break the repetitive surface and contribute to moving the piece forward.33
Irregular note groupings
At the outset of the first movement Tanaka creates a sense of verticality through her incorporation of constant pulse, intervals played simultaneously with both hands, and limited melodic materials.34 The movement first establishes the pattern in 5/8 time, an
33 By adding irregularity to the static background with repetitions, Tanaka creates a forward motion because these irregular note groupings and irregular accents create rhythmic motion that break the stasis.
34 Jonathan Kramer. The Time of Music: New Meanings, New Temporalities, New Listening Strategies, (New York: Schirmer Books, 1988), 55. Kramer explains that vertical time is nonprocessive and is “the determination of some characteristic(s) of music in accordance with implications that arise from principles or tendencies governing an entire piece or section.” Many early minimalist works present repetitions that can be a cause of vertical time due to lack of hierarchy in melodic and rhythmic structures. 23
1 asymmetrical meter, sometimes calledto Signea composite Bakke meter (Musical Example 1). It is usually understood as the sum of twoWater simple Dance meters 3/8 + 2/8 or vice versa. for piano I Musical Example 1. Water Dance, first movement, mm. 1-7. Basic rhythmicKaren pattern Tanaka in 5/8. Very lightly with flow q. = 86 mp sempre 4
8 Patterns in both minimalist and postminimalist music must change in order to create interest and momentum. Tanaka alters the initial pattern as dim.demonstrated in Musical Example 1 with a slight modification in the right hand. This particular pattern is repea12 ted seventeen times before Tanaka introduces a new left-hand pattern indicated in Musical Example 2. The right han d continues the already -establi shed figure . p poco a poco cresc.
subito 16 mf p sempre
mf mp © Copyright 2011 Karen Tanaka. All rights administered exclusively by European American Music Distributors Company.
1 to Signe Bakke Water Dance for piano I Karen Tanaka Very lightly with flow q. = 86 mp sempre 4
8 dim.
12 11 to Signe Bakke to Signe Bakke p poco a poco cresc. Water Dance for piano 24 for piano I I Karen Tanaka Musical Example 2. Water = Dance,86 first movement, mm. 18-19. Karen Tanaka Very lightly with flowsubito q. = 86 16 mf p sempre mp sempre mf mp © Copyright 2011 Karen Tanaka. 4 All rights administered exclusively by European4 American Music Distributors Company. 1 With this introduction of different materials, Tanaka creates an ambiguous grouping . She to Signe Bakke uses the repetition of the right-hand pattern to create a preference for three sixteenth-note Water Dance groupings (3+3+4), reinforced by the attack for points piano of the left hand (Musical Exampl e 3). I Musical Example 3 Water Dance, first movement, m. 1. Karen Tanaka Very lightly with flow q. = 86 8 8 mp sempre dim. dim. 124 ♯ 12 The initial grouping is reinforced by an attack point of F in the left hand where the arrow is shown in Musical Example 3 coincident with the beginning of the second group of p poco a poco cresc. p poco a poco cresc. three sixteenth notes, creating 3 + 3 + 4 sixteenth -note groupings. By doing this, Tanaka forces the measure to divide into 3 + 2 groupings, although it is not easily heard that way 8 because of the subdivision on a sixteenth-note level that actuallysubito creates 1.5 + 1.5 + 2 ( . 16 mf subitop sempre 16 mf p sempre + . +♩) division. This intensifies the complexity because the sixteenth -note groupings dim. work against the eighth-note beats. Musical Example 2 shows the left-hand attack point mf mp mf mp ©12 Copyright 2011 Karen Tanaka. All© Copyright rights administered 2011 Karen exclusively Tanaka. by European American Music Distributors Company. All rights administered exclusively by European American Music Distributors Company. p poco a poco cresc.
subito 16 mf p sempre mf mp © Copyright 2011 Karen Tanaka. All rights administered exclusively by European American Music Distributors Company. 25
3 subito 44 coinciding with the A, and not mfthe E. pIt alters the 3 + 2 grouping of the first measure by creatin g a preference for three eighth -note grouping that would result in 2 + 3 grouping. Irregular accents Beginning in m. 25 mfTanaka beginsmp to add an accent on beat 5 in the left hand. She subito 48 mf p later uses a similar process starting in m. 57, this time with an accent on beat 2, while the 2 2 subito subito 20 right hand20 provide s the rhythmicmf backgroundp sempre and reinforcesmf p the metersempre (Musical Example dim. 4) . The rhythmic activity in the right hand is mor e aurally prominent than the left hand mf mp despite the fact that Tanaka uses it to make the metric accent attenuated and ambiguous. 2 mf mp dim.mf mp dim. 52 Musical Example 4. Water Dance, first movement, mm. 25 -subito26 and mm. 57-58. 20 mf p sempre 24 24 pp sempre p sempre p sempre mp mp mp ≈ mp mf mp dim. p p sempre sempre 56 24 28 28 p sempre * * mp mp p mp mp mp mp mp *softer for the 2nd time p sempre 60 28 32 Tanaka32 adds accents in an irregular manner; displaced accents are used as a tension- creating device . The irregular accents that she applies encourage the listener to anticipate mp **mp ** p mp p sempre** p p sempre since he or she cannot expect what is to happen. Especially after the extended repetitions, ** softer for the 2nd time Tanaka’s irregular accents heighten the listener’s anticipation. David Epstein notes that 6436 3236 p sempre mp p mp 40 3640 40
26 accent is the most significant type of emphasis in both metrical and rhythmic domains.35
Jonathan Kramer also states,
Meter does not drive toward metric accents. Metric beats are points in time that do not “belong” with or group themselves with stronger metric beats. Music drives toward rhythmic accents, not metric accents.36
Therefore, these irregular accents act as a strong driving force in this movement. Once the process of identifying the beat becomes difficult, it is suggested that the listener first seek out the accented beats only, encouraging him or her to listen with anticipation.37
Irregular phrase groupings
The second movement exhibits examples of irregular phrase groupings and irregular rhythmic patterns (Musical Example 5). Its simple rhythmic organization and thin tremolo-based texture create a minimalist-like appearance on the page.38 The only note values used in this movement are quarter, half, dotted half and whole notes that are divided further into smaller valued notes with tremolos. Although the minimal rhythmic material seems simple, Tanaka skillfully disguises the simplicity with irregular phrase groupings and irregular rhythmic patterns (Figure 1).
35 David Epstein, Shaping Time: Music, The Brain, and Performance, (New York: Schirmer Books, 1995), 24.
36 Kramer, 115.
37 Otto Deri, Exploring Twentieth-Century Music (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1968), 35.
38 The idea of only using tremolos came from Tanaka’s work for solo marimba, Tales of Trees (2003). 6 118 poco a poco rit. $ $ % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % 6 # $ %& %& % % %& %& % % %& %& % % %& %& % % %& %&+ al niente - %% 6 ,$ $ )" / &+ 0 0 0 0 ! $
27 II Musical VeryExample softly 5. Water Dance, second movement mm. 1-5. Tremolos create the distinctivewith textural shimmering setting light forq =the 76 entire movement. espress. 3 7 3% 8 % #3 37 8 8 % 3% 8 % % % 8 8 8 9 9 8 % % % % % % 8 8 % p pp % 9 9 8 8 9 9 9 % 9 ,33 7 8 8 9 37 + ' ' ' # # Figure 1. Water Dance, second movement. Irregular rhythmic patterns, mm.1-8. 6 ! 3 38 3% % % 38 #3 338 8 3% % 8 8% 38 8 38 % % $% Ó 3 8Ó | „ | Ó Œ Œ | Œ Ó38 Œ | 3Ó8 Œ %Œ | %Ó $Ó8$ 8| Œ% Ó %Œ% |* 8Ó$8 Ó8 $|8 pp mp dim. 39 % 9 39 9 , 3 9 % 9 9 9 *9 $9 Figure3 3 1. Water Dance, second movement. Irregular rhythmic patterns*9 in the right$9 hand, mm.Figure 1-8. 2. Water' Dance, first movement, Harmonic' areas. # # # #
!12 As seen in Figure 1, thereespress. are no identical rhythmic groupings. This lack of repeated 3 3 3 % 8 % % #3 3 3Intro3 3!3 AM8! FM/Em8 ! B9♭ M 9 E Major % 8 % A Major" 8 % rhythmic groupings, combined% % with varied rhythmic patterns%% in the left hand, generates" *9 $9 9 9 9 8" 8" % 8" ppp p extensive rhythmic diversity. Measures 1 18% 35 46 528 8 % 91 % 8 8 122 , 3 $9 3 % 8" 8 8 % 8 % 8 8 3 $9 3 3 3 V% - I + % + V - I Textural3 accents 3 3 + +
In addition, occasional' wide-spanned# arpeggiated' figures in the second# movement ! ! disrupt the regular flow of the pulse, providing textural accent (Musical Example 6).
However, the nature of this movement—slow and expressive—allows some flexibility in
tempo. The motoric eighth-note beat or steady pulse that minimalist composers favor is
completely absent in this movement.
7 17 mp p pp 22 p pp mp dim. 8 43 28 mp p ppp mp 28 Musical Example 6. Water Dance, second movement, mm. 33-42 and mm. 57-59. poco a poco accel. 4833 pp mp p mp pp 38 53 mp dim. ppp p mf 57 q = 86 mf mf mf mp mp mp
Juxtaposition60 of different rhythmic patterns The third movement demonstrates Tanaka’s personal approach to rhythm as seen mp p in the juxtaposition of different rhythmic patterns. At the outset of the movement, she presents the main motive and subsequently repeats it throughout the movement; in doing so, Tanaka places emphasis on repetition. However, she also creates rhythmic ambiguity by presenting a different grouping in the left hand against the group of three eighth notes in the right hand (Musical Example 7). Although the right hand provides the main metric grouping, she disguises the groupings with the irregular or offset pattern of the left hand since it is more melodic and easily heard. While the right-hand pattern is given in a triple 29
meter, the grouping of duplets placed in the left hand creates hemiola. Moreover, Tanaka
frequently varies the rhythmic grouping in the left hand, making it difficult to anticipate
what is to happen since there is no regularity in its pattern. For example, in m. 9 an
accented note is introduced on the downbeat, then in m. 11 again on an accented
downbeat; however, in the following measure the accent is placed on beat 2, breaking its
regularity. The combination of these two contrasting rhythmic groupings presents a great 10 10 deal of metrical ambiguity.
Musical Example 7. Water Dance, third movement, mm. 1-12. III III
Very lightly,Very like lightly, a harp like aq. harp = 74 q. = 74 p p 9 9 p p p p p p mp mp p mp mp p Metric ambiguity 17 In the middle section of the third movement, beginning in m. 107, repeated 17 p p sixteenth notes provide the basic rhythmic character. As seen in Musical Example 8, Tanaka creates two groups of three sixteenth p notes, obscuring the expected metric beats mp mp p (three groups of two) wi th hemiola . In addition, she emphasizes the regrouping of the mp mp 25 mf mp mp p p 25 mf p mp mp p p
p 30 meter with an extensive repetition of the open 5ths so that the function of the strong downbeats is lost. In m. 120, the grouping changes to three groups of two sixteenth notes, returning to a feeling of triple meter again. For the rest of this section, Tanaka shifts the right hand between the usual metric pattern and the hemiola pattern. Contrary to the stasis of the right hand in m. 120, she uses the left hand’s accentual pattern to create a totally irregular grouping that does not correspond with the metric divisions. For example, after providing the downbeat with the left hand in m. 107, the bass does not appear until m. 113, then m. 115. With the change in sixteenth-note grouping of the right hand, the arpeggiated octave is provided again to signal the beginning of a new group, and this time the bass appears in m. 124 then m. 126. In the next group, it appears in m. 134, m. 125, and m. 137. Likewise, this process continues until the end of this middle section, with no identical pattern. This is the process similar to the one Tanaka utilized in the first movement where she created a static background against irregular rhythmic accents to create metric ambiguity.
12 75 mf mp p p
p 83 p 92 p 31 Musical Example 8. Water Dance, third movement. mm. 99-147. See next page for continuation of example.
99 1 5 2 1 5 2 p pp sempre pp
108 p 1 pp
32
13 116
pp 124 pp sempre
p pp pp
132 pp pp p
140
pp pp
148 mf 4.3. Melodic and harmonic implications Tonal motion plays anmf important role in creatingpp sempre forward motion in this piece. Use of dissonances, sudden harmonic shifts, and textural accents are utilized as tension- p p mp creating devices. The overall tonal plan is shown below in Figure 2.
33
Intro A major FM/Em B♭ major E major A major
Measures 1 18 35 46 52 91 122 V - I V - I Figure 2. Water Dance, first movement. Harmonic areas.
Tonal Plan
At the outset of the first movement, Tanaka begins the work in the key of A major. The first tonal shift occurs to F major in m. 35 instead of the more expected ♯ relative F minor. Since there is no obvious preparation or cadences, this shift comes unexpectedly, especially when the F has no particular relationship to the key that was ♭ established. Through a brief change to E minor in m. 42, the tonality shifts to B major. In
♯ this section, the harmony involves more chromatic alterations, with introductions of D ,
♮ ♯ C and A . Moving farther away from the tonic key creates instability that results in
♭ increased intensity and momentum. After the B major section, a sudden shift to E major occurs with no preparation. In The Rhythm of Tonal Music, Joel Lester states that sudden harmonic changes such as these could be an effective source of accents to produce the forward motion in music.39
Harmonic and textural accents
As discussed in the previous section (4.2. Irregular Accents), accents are placed on selected notes beginning in m. 25 of the first movement. Not only do these accented ♮ notes add dissonance—such as the G 5 in the A major tonality—but also they are often
39 Joel Lester, The Rhythms of Tonal Music (Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1986), 26. 34 written in a higher register. This registral change also adds a textural and timbral highlight since it creates an additional layer in the texture.40 The repetitive pattern of the right hand along with the constant pattern of the left hand create a background texture while the accented notes in the higher register create a supplemental independent layer.
The piece moves towards the point of greatest tension in m. 71 within the remote
E major section, adding musical excitement and increasing instability. This registral ♯ accent reaches its highest point at the A 6; the farthest point both tonally and registrally
(8va is added in m. 76 on this pitch a few measures later). It is also the farthest from the ♯ section’s tonal center of E: the A is a tritone away, directly in the center between two
E’s. This enhanced tension points to a climactic moment, a feature often found lacking in minimalist music. The farther the note travels away from the tonic, the more tension it creates. To create melodic motion away from the A, Tanaka uses dissonances and instability of harmony to heighten an expectation for a return of the tonic, activating the forward motion in the listening experience.
Return of the tonic
In m. 91, the opening tonality and initial pattern return, providing a sense of closure. The avoidance of cadences in the previous section especially makes this cadential motion of V-I even more significant. In creating tonal motion, the tonic is endowed with ultimate stability; subsequently, all tonal relationships conspire toward one goal—the return of the tonic. Kramer also states the return of the tonic is “an event of rhythmic importance, a structural downbeat, a point of resolution, the goal.”41 As
40 Ibid., 31.
41 Kramer, 25. 35 discussed in this example, Tanaka carefully calculates the tonal plan that generates forward motion throughout the piece.
Although Tanaka exploits repetitions and preserves certain patterns that result in primarily a single texture throughout the movement, she skillfully and intuitively creates musical motion and momentum using rhythmic and harmonic devices to move the music forward.
36
CHAPTER 5 TECHNO ETUDES
5.1. Introduction
Techno Etudes was composed in 2000 by Tanaka for the Japanese pianist Tomoko
Mukaiyama. She had originally requested that Tanaka write a piano work to synchronize with a specific pre-recorded techno music.42 Although the tape idea was abandoned, the title was retained.
Techno Etudes consists of three movements with techno being the constant theme.43 Tanaka states, “The whole work can be summarized in three words—techno, rhythm, and speed.”44 All three movements present a great amount of repetition. The driving first movement features two contrasting motivic ideas marked with multiple repeat signs. The second movement is the slowest of the three and features parallel open perfect 5ths in combination with a repetitive background in the bass. The last movement is reminiscent of heavy metal music with features that include ostinato bass and the use of intervals of open 5ths. In all movements the harmonic construction is based on quartal and quintal sound without the use of traditional functional harmonies. Tanaka states,
42 It was linked to Mukaiyama’s project “Amsterdam x Tokyo” in 2000, a celebration of the 400th anniversary of the cities’ official relationship. Mukaiyama chose five composers from the Netherlands and Japan to write new works illustrating the contemporary life in those two cities for which the project is named. For more information: http://tomoko.nl/works/amsterdam-x-tokyo/.
43 Techno music refers to a form of electronic dance music (EDM) that emerged in Detroit, Michigan during the middle to late 1980s. Its characteristics are diverse, but it generally refers to repetitive instrumental music with an emphasis on strong quarter note pulse.
44 Karen Tanaka, Techno Etudes.
37
If you listen to heavy metal music, they use a lot of perfect 5ths. It’s open and strong. If you use thirds, you can make harmony, but I did not want harmonies. I wanted more force and energy. 45
While there is no key signature, the pitches that are reiterated over a period of time imply tonal centricity. Overall, Techno Etudes emphasizes the rhythmic features more than other musical parameters. This work also exhibits some characteristics that
Tanaka inherited from Berio, as well as the influence of jazz and rock music particularly in the third movement.46
Tanaka’s use of repetition is similar to that of Berio. He has expressed his essential compositional idea, which is also reflected in Tanaka’s compositional technique.
I've always tried to confront the problem of redundancy, not so much to induce anticipation of the next event or, every so often, to frustrate that anticipation . . . but rather to make sure that every event, every sound process, should be bathed in sense, in other words: that it's given a “local" sense that refers to other senses in different temporal dimensions. The most elementary form of redundancy is repetition; it's often used as a stylistic cypher or, in its more obsessive forms— when the repeated elements are themselves insignificant— to ward off falling into meaningless disarray. Redundancy and repetition have sometimes been at the centre of my preoccupations.47
As Tanaka studied with Berio, it is only natural that she would utilize some of his compositional techniques; her work Techno Etudes demonstrates the use of repetition to create form and momentum.
45 Karen Tanaka, interview by author, Valencia, CA, January 25, 2016.
46 Ibid. Tanaka notes that the rhythmic and harmonic characteristics of the third movement are similar to those of heavy metal music, particularly from the band, Metallica.
47 Luciano Berio, Two Interviews with Rossana Dalmonte and Bálint András Varga, trans. and ed. by David Osmond-Smith, (New York: M. Boyars, 1984), 125. 38
5.2. Rhythmic and metric implications
The piece features multiple repeat signs and frequently-changing meters. Tanaka also explores various subdivisions of the measures as well as creates areas of stability and instability. Limited use of pitches and their reiteration create a certain amount of repetitiveness, but the frequent changes in meters and groupings combine to create interaction of vertical and linear aspects that generate forward motion.
Frequent meter changes and multiple repeat signs
Frequent meter changes are found in the first movement (Musical Example 9).
The meters involved are simple, compound, symmetrical and asymmetrical. The use of changing meter as well as multiple repeat signs is seemingly arbitrary. In the absence of clear rhythmic and melodic structure, it is extremely difficult for the listener to form recognizable or consistent expectations and patterns especially at the rapid tempo. While avoiding monotony, Tanaka’s writing encourages a forward listening because it fails to shape an understanding or expectation of the rhythmic or melodic groupings.
39 TECHNO ETUDES Musical Example 9. Techno Etudes, first movement.for piano mm. 1-6. Frequently-changing meters. Karen Tanaka I x4 x2 qd = 116 {q = 174} ? 5 œ 7 8 œ œ bœ bœ nœ . . nœ bœ bœ nœ . 16 f ? 5 . . . 7 8 œ œ œ œ . . œ . 16 œ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ œ nœ bœ bœ œ œ
4 x5 x3 . > ? . 7 bœ . 5 nœ œ 11 bœ bœ . 9 .16 bœ nœ . 8 16 œ bœ nœ . 16 . ? . 7 . . 5 11 . 9 .16 œ . 8 œ œ œ 16 œ œ . 16 bœ bœ œ nœ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ Uneven divisions 7 x3 x5 x7 > . . ? Another. 9 bœ device that makebœ s grouping. 7 bœ difficult is Tanaka’sbœ . use5 of unevenbœ divisions.. 3 . 16 œ bœ nœ . 16 œ bœ nœ . 16 bœ nœ . 8 As discussed in the previous chapter, 5/8. is usually felt in 3 + 2 or. 2 + 3 groupings; ? . 9 . . 7 . . 5 . 3 . 16 œ . 16 . 16 . 8 however, such groupingsbœ bœ œ do not fully apply to thisbœ b œmovement. For example,bœ bœ in the opening10 measures, 5/8 is assigned; in the first measure it is divisible by 3+ 2 groupings,x3 œ œ 9 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ? 83 ! 167 nœ œ œ . 16 œ œ œ 87 œ œ œ œ œ . 169 but in the following measure, it changes (to) 3- and 7- sixteenth-note groupings (Musical f p p F Example? 3 10). Though7 the rhythmic repetitive. 9 process repeats7 similar patterns, the . 9 8 nœ œ œ œ 16 œ œ œ œ œ 16 œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 16 grouping is slightly altered each time. This rhythmic process is further complicated by 14 x5 x5 expansion? 9 andœ reductionœ œ of œthe melodicœ œ œ materialœ causing#œ œ # œevery11 occurrencenœ #œ oœf the# patternœ 5 . 16 œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ ‰ . 16 œ . 8 to be unpredictable;p sometimes the Fmelodicf material is augmented by adding extra notes; ? 9 11 5 . 16 œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ #œ ‰ . 16 œ #œ . 8 at other times, œnotesœ areœ subtractedœ œ andœ theœ motive#œ is œshortenednœ œ(Musical#œ Exampleœ nœ 11).48
CH61805 This© process Copyright 2008completely Chester Music negates Ltd. the establishment of any rhythmic groupings, and it is extremely difficult to discern any recognizable patterns.
48 This differs significantly from Glass’s additive process, which adds or subtracts one note at a time at a regular pace. This technique of expansion and contraction of the pattern is more closely related to Berio’s Points on the Curve to Find for piano and 22 instrumentalists (1974). 40 TECHNO ETUDES Musical Example 10. Techno Etudesfor, first piano movement, mm. 1-2. TECHNO ETUDES Karen Tanaka I for piano x4 Karenx2 Tanaka qd = 116 {q = 174} I ? 5 œ œ œ bœ . . nœ bœ . 7 8 bœ nœ x4 bœ nœ 16x2 qd = 116 {q = 174} f œ ? 5 ? 85 œ œ bœ . . nœ bœ 7. 167 8 œ œ œ œ bœ . n.œ œ bœ .nœ16 œ œ f œ œ bœ bœ œ œ nœ bœ bœ œ œ ? 85 . . . 167 4 Musical Exampleœ œ11.œ x5Technoœ œ œ Etudesœ, firstœ movement,bœ œ mm. 4-n6.œ œ bœ œ x3 . bœ œ > bœ œ ? . 7 bœ . 5 nœ œ 11 bœ bœ . 9 .16 bœ nœ . 8 16 œ bœ nœ . 16 4 x5 x3 . . > ? . 7 ? . 7 . . 5 . . 5 11œ 11 bœ . 9. 9 .16 .16 bœ.bœ n8œ . œ 8 œ œ nœ16 16œ bœ bœ.nœ16. 16 bœ bœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ bœ bœœ œ œ . ? 7 . 5 11 9 7 . . . 16 bœ œ x3 8nœ œ œ œ œ œ 16 x5œ œ bœ œ x7 16 > bœ œ . . bœ œ ? . 9 bœ bœ . 7 bœ bœ . 5 bœ . 3 . 16 œ bœ nœ . 16 œ bœ nœ . 16 bœ nœ . 8 7 Another example of uneven x3groupings occurs in the secondx5 movement. x7 . . ? . 9 > . 7 . . 5 . . 3 16? . 9 bœ œ bœ 16. 7 bœ bœ 16. 5 bœ 8. 3 Throughout16bœ bthisœœ œmovement,b œTanakanœ constantly16 bœ bœœ disguisesbœ then œmelodicbœ 1b6œ meterb œby creatingnœ 8a . . 10 different? 9number of groupings that do not. 7 correspond to the meter.. At5 the outset,x3 a steady3 . 16 . 16 . 16 . 8 bœœ œœ 9 œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œbœ œ ? 83 ! 167bœnœ œ œ œ . 16 œ œ bœœ 87 œ œ œbœ œ œ . 169 quadruple meter is established in contrast( ) with the non-metrical left-hand pattern in 4/8 f p 10 p F x3 ? 3(Musical Example7 12). The entrance. 9 of the left hand 7immediately breaks the steady. 9 flow 8 œ œ 16 œ œœ œ. 16 œ 9 œœ œœ œ8 œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ. 16 nœ? 83œ ! œ 167 œnœ œœ œ . 1œ6 œœ œ œ 87œ œœ œœ œœ œ œ . 169 of the quarter-note beat with odd-numbered( ) rhythmic groupings. Even though both 4/4 14 f p p Fx5 ? 3 x5 7 . 9 7 . 9 ? (m.9 1)œ and8 œ 4/8œœ (m.œ 3)œ 16are quadrupleœ œ œ œ œ meter.œ16 œand#œ shareœ œthe#œ same181 œ numbernœœ ofœ#œ beatœ œ s, #theœœ 5. 16 . 16 œ nœœ œœ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ . 16 œœ œ œ œ .œ 8 groupingp of m. 3 completely nFullifiesf the existing pulse. A few other examples are shown ? . 914 . x5 . 11 . 5x5 . 16 œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ#œ #œ ‰ nœ . 16 œ #œ#œ nœ . 8 here.? Inœ Musical9 œœ œœ Exampleœ œ 13œœ, fourœœ uœnequalœ œ groupingsœ œ #œ œ of notes#œ œ 1 are1 set nagainstœ œ#œ œthe meter#œ 5of . 16 œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ ‰ . 16 œ . 8 © Copyright 2008 Chester Music Ltd. CH61805 5/8. Later onp , the grouping is furtherF rearrangedf , completely masking the metric beats ? 9 11 5 . 16 œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ #œ ‰ . 16 œ #œ . 8 (Musical Exampleœ œ 14).œ These œmanipulationœ œ œs of#œ the rhythmœ nœ —especiallyœ # œcoupledœ withnœ an
increase© Copyright in harmonic 2008 Chester Musicactivity Ltd.—create moreCH61805 tension in the piece.
41
Musical Example 12. Techno Etudes, second movement, mm. 1-6.
Musical Example 13. Techno Etudes, second movement, m. 19. Additional rhythmic changes.
Musical Example 14. Techno Etudes, second movement, m. 35.
Juxtaposition of different rhythmic groupings
As demonstrated in Musical Example 15, Tanaka juxtaposes two different rhythmic groupings against the steady expected metric beats. The shortened phrases written in eighth-note values found in the right hand work in opposition to the left-hand groupings as well as to the metric groupings of six. This dichotomy between the hands occurs throughout the Techno Etudes and results in increased complexity and tension. 8 37 ? 11 5 16 bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ? 11 5 16 œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 39 ? bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ? œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 41 42 ? 7 6 bœbœbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 bœbœbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ " ‰ 8 Mus? ical Example 15. Techno 7Etudes, second movement, mm. 43-648. œbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 œbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ 43 œ #œ nœ #œ #œ nœ œ œ bœ n œ œ œ œ b œ n œ # œ nœ ? 86 n œ œ œ œ p p P ? 86 œ œ œbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Nœ œ œ œ Nœ œ œ sempre p 45 bœ nœ #œ b œ b œ n œ bœ œ . ? ? & bœ bœ b œ œ nœ œ . b œ b œ J n œ œ ? œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
47 #œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ nœ #œ # œ œ ? nnœ œ œ bœ n œ œ œ œ b œ n œ nœ p p P ? œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ sempre p Rhythmic variations
Although the third movement maintains a single meter, it offers many rhythmic variations. The time signature 4/4 is assigned at the outset of the movement. The main rhythmic motive is characterized by a pulsating G broken octave, with different combinations of eighth and sixteenth notes. Although the pattern in the left hand sounds similar because of the limited pitch and rhythmic content, Tanaka avoids direct repetitions (Musical Example 16). Found throughout the movement, these modifications provide rhythmic diversity. Mid-way through the movement, the rhythmic augmentation occurs in mm. 40-49 to further diversify the material (Musical Example 17).
43
Musical Example 16. Techno Etudes, third movement, mm. 1-6.
Musical Example 17. Techno Etudes, third movement, mm. 40-45. Rhythmic augmentation in the left hand.
5.3. Melodic and harmonic implications
The pitch set and quartal sound
The fundamental compositional process in the first movement results from the continuous repetitions and arrangements of different sets of pitches.49 In the first two
49 Although the term ‘set’ is used in this analysis, it should be noted that the 10- note group does not undergo the process associated with a row in twelve-tone music nor the analytical processes of set theory and analysis.
44 measures, a 10-pitch set is presented. Tanaka uses this set exclusively for the first fifteen measures (Figure 3).
A A A "A "A A "A "A A A
Figure 3. Techno Etudes, first movement, 10- pitch set from the beginning.
These pitches progress in a series of 4ths, and the interval of a 4th remains an important compositional unit as the piece progresses through continual reiteration and transformation, a technique Berio often utilized in his compositions (Musical Example
18).50 The initial set is a series of ascending 4ths. The intervallic emphasis of the initial pitch group and its upward contour provides unity to the movement even though the groupings change constantly.51
Copyright Page 1
50 Berio often uses particular set of pitches in his compositions such as Points on a Curve to Find, and some of the pieces in his Six Encores for piano (1965-1990). His treatment of the set also strays from the traditional meaning of serial music.
51 Gestures often maintain a consistent pattern and contour throughout the composition in Berio’s music. Tanaka mentions Feuerklavier (1989) from Six Encores as an example.
45
Musical Example 18. Luciano Berio, Feuerklavier from Six Encores for piano, first three systems. In this example, Berio presents the twelve pitches of the chromatic scale and repeats them.52
Luciano Berio SIX ENCORES for piano, Feuerklavier Copyright © 1990 by Universal Edition AG, Vienna All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of European American Music Distributors Company, sole U.S. and Canadian agent for Universal Edition AG, Vienna
Other intervals as sources of accents
Other intervals such as 7th and 9th are used as sources of accents that provide more tension in the first movement. The significant change in intervals occurs several times. ♭ The downward motion of E - to F (m7th) appears in m. 6, and the unexpected interval of a
♯ m9th appears with an upward shift from F to G in m. 18 (Musical Example 19). Since the primary focus of the entire movement is the interval of a 4th, appearances of the intervals of a 7th and 9th become significant events. In particular, Tanaka’s use of dramatic upward leaps of 9ths creates increased tension and registral accents.
52 Luciano Berio, Six Encores (London: Universal Edition, 1990). SP stands for sustaining pedal and 1c signifies una corda. TECHNO ETUDES for piano Karen Tanaka I x4 x2 qd = 116 {q = 174} ? 5 œ 7 8 œ œ bœ bœ nœ . . nœ bœ bœ nœ . 16 f ? 5 7 8 œ œ œ œ . . œ . 16 œ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ œ nœ bœ bœ œ œ
4 x5 x3 . > ? . 7 bœ . 5 nœ œ 11 bœ bœ . 9 .16 bœ nœ . 8 16 œ bœ nœ . 16 . ? 7 . 5 11 9 .16 . 8 œ œ œ 16 œ . 16 bœ bœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ œ
7 x3 x5 x7 > . . ? . 9 bœ bœ . 7 bœ bœ . 5 bœ . 3 16 œ bœ nœ 16 œ bœ nœ 16 bœ nœ 8 TECHNO ETUDES . . for piano ? . 9 . 7 . 5 . 3 16 œ 16 16 8 bœ bœ œ Karen Tanaka bœ bœ bœ bœ I 10 x4 x2 x3 qd = 116 {q = 174} ? 5 œ ? 3 7 œ œ 7 . 9 œ œ œ 7 œ œ œ œ œ . 9 8 œ œ bœ 8 . . ! nœ 16 nœ bœœ . œ16 . 16 œ œ œ 8 œ œ œ œ œ . 16 bœ nœ bœ nœ ( ) f f p p F ? 3 7 9 7 46 9 ? 85 8 . . 16 . 167 . 16 8 . 16 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ nœ œnœ œœ œ bœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ Musical Example 19. Technobœ œ Etudes, first movement, mm. 6 and 18.
4 x5 14 x5 x3 x5 . > œ œ ? . 7 bœ . 5 nœ œ? 11. 9 œ bœœœ œ œ œ . œ bœœ œ .œ œ9œ œ œ œ ‰ #œ #œ . 11 œnœ #œ #œ . 5 .16 bœ nœ . 8 1616 œ bœ nœ . 16 16 8 p F . f ? . 7 . 5 ? 11. 9 . . 9 ‰ . 11 . 5 .16 . 8 œ œ œ 16. 16 œœ œ œ . œ œ . œ16 œ œ#œ #œ nœ . 16 œ #œ#œ nœ . 8 bœ bœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ b œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Quintal© Copyright harmony 2008 Chester Music Ltd. CH61805 7 x3 x5 x7 . . ? 9 > . 7 The second movement. 5 exhibits extensive3 use of a quintal sound. Throughout the . 16bœ bœ bœ nœ . 16 bœ bœ bœ nœ . 16 bœ bœ nœ . 8 œ œ movement, the main source of forward motion is the use of consecutive 5th intervals to . . ? 9 . 7 . 5 3 . 16 . 16 create melodic lines,. since16 the ostinato-like. accompaniment8 pattern does not provide bœ bœ œ œ bœ bœ bœ bœ harmonic motion. Its sound resembles Organum of the Medieval period, which consisted
10 x3 of two voices that are usually a perfect 4th or 5th apart. ? 3 ! 7 nœ œ œ œ œ . 9 œ œ œ œ œ œ 7 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . 9 8 16 . 16 Tanaka8 uses these melodic lines to. create16 shapes through the rise and fall of ( ) f p p F pitches consistently reinforced by the momentum of the phrases with crescendos and ? 3 7 . 9 7 . 9 8 nœ œ œ œ 16 œ œ œ œ œ 16 œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 16 diminuendos. In this example, she combines ascending phrases and many chromatic
14 x5 alterations with rhythmic complexity, highlightedx5 by the dynamics that result in increased ? 9 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ #œ 11 nœ #œœ #œ 5 . 16 œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ ‰ rhythmic and melodic. 16 tensionœ (Musical Example. 8 20). In addition, the melodic range p F f expands significantly. As the music reaches its climactic point, the pitches rise from B3 ? 9 11 5 . 16 œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ #œ ‰ . 16 œ #œ . 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œto D7,œ coveringnœ a threeœ -octave#œ spanœ. Eachnœ phrase group has an ascending motion, and it
© Copyright 2008 Chester Music Ltd. CH61805expands in length each time it occurs, creating a sense of growth and momentum in its
push toward the final section.
8 37 ? 11 5 16 bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ? 11 5 16 œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 39 ? bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ? œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 41 ? 7 6 bœbœbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 bœbœbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ " ‰ 8 47 ? 7 6 Musical Exampleœbœ œ œ 20œ œ. Technoœ œ œ œ Etudesœ œ œ œ œ, second8 œ bmovement,œ œ œ œ œ mm.œ œ œ œ43œ-œ46.œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ 43 œ #œ nœ #œ #œ nœ œ œ bœ n œ œ œ œ b œ n œ # œ nœ ? 86 n œ œ œ œ p p P ? 6 8 œ œ œbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Nœ œ œ œ Nœ œ œ sempre p 45 bœ nœ #œ b œ b œ n œ bœ œ . ? ? & bœ bœ b œ œ nœ œ . b œ b œ J n œ œ ? œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
47 Chromatic dissonances #œ nœ œ œ bœ n#œ œ œ œ bnœ n#œ # œ œ ? n œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ Chromatic dissonances are also a feature of the piece, especially in the third p p P ? movement.œ Contraryœ œ bœ toœ œtheœ highlyœ œ œ repetitiveœ œ œ œ œnatureœ œofbœ theœ rhythmicœ œ œ œ œ organization,œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ sempre Tanaka’sp harmonic treatment of the chromatic motive in the right hand adds tension by creating chromatic dissonances (Musical Example 21). The basic melodic profile is angular and constructed from a series of descending parallel perfect 5ths followed by a 7th and an ascending figure.
48
Musical Example 21. Techno Etudes, third movement, mm. 26-30.
Chromatic motive
Tanaka’s angular melody provides a rough texture and a sense of unresolved tension.53 Although each phrase has a descending melodic contour, each sequence begins at a higher pitch, creating an overall ascending motion. In addition, the texture becomes thicker beginning in m. 30. Along with the chromatic alterations, Tanaka superimposes the intervals of 4ths and 5ths to create further harmonic ambiguity.54 For example, in m.30, four sets of superimposed 5ths can be observed (perfect 5th followed by diminished 5th): ♭ ♭ ♯ ♭ ♭ ♯ A-E -B -, G -D-A, G-D -A -, and F -C-G (Musical Example 22). These chromatic pitches generate more tension since they are unrelated to the G centricity that was established in the beginning and continues to be present in the accompaniment.
53 A great similarity can be found in the opening guitar riff of Metallica’s Master of Puppet, which also presents angular melodic lines.
54 The intervals of perfect 4ths and 5ths (inversions of one another) are used interchangeably, creating further variations in sonority. 49
Musical Example 22. Techno Etudes, third movement, mm. 30.
Tanaka utilizes a variety of rhythmic devices to build metric and rhythmic irregularities to their fullest potential without losing the overall unity of the movement.
She not only demonstrates the technique of her teacher, Berio, but also includes her own compositional individuality, creating a unique musical language. Although Techno
Etudes exhibits many repetitions, its subsequent rhythmic complexities, avoidance of tertian harmony, and use of chromatic dissonances push it beyond earlier minimalist music.
50
CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION
Karen Tanaka’s Water Dance and Techno Etudes exhibit a number of features that distinguish them from early minimalist works. Tanaka’s interest in French
Impressionism as well as Berio’s influence shaped her distinct compositional language within these pieces.
Water Dance represents Tanaka’s ability to synthesize various compositional devices to create the aural impression of water. While it has a minimalist sound with its repetitive surface, it exhibits few traits of minimalist pieces as outlined earlier in the document. While one hears repetitions of rhythmic or melodic patterns and a steady pulse within each movement, Tanaka creates the images of various phases of water through different use of rhythmic and harmonic devices. She creates the rhythmic and metric ambiguities through various types of accents such as metric, textural, and registral; use of irregular phrase groupings; and juxtaposition of different rhythmic patterns. The harmonies constantly shift to reflect various colors, light and shadow. In addition, subtle yet detailed dynamic shadings and calculated structure contribute to create a sense of musical motion while maintaining the piece’s unity through use of a consistent texture.
Tanaka skillfully applies these devices to create tension and release—necessary tools in creating forward motion.
Another example of Tanaka’s adept skill in drawing from her varied background is her work, Techno Etudes. This piece also uses repetitions of rhythmic and melodic motives and exhibits a hypnotic character in both rhythmic and harmonic construction.
However, this use of repetition is more closely associated with Berio’s repetition of pitch sets and their variations than early minimalist composers. Techno Etudes combines 51
Berio’s style with intricate and pervasive use of rhythmic devices. The rhythmic complexities are represented by frequently-changing meters, irregular subdivisions, rhythmic diminution and augmentation, and the juxtaposition of different rhythmic patterns. In addition, Tanaka deliberately avoids tertian harmonies by emphasizing quartal and quintal sonorities. Her insistent use of rising patterns of 4ths and the open
5ths— especially the association with the heavy metal genre—provide the melodic energy and force in the piece. Along with her use of chromatic dissonances, she pushes these pieces further from the notion of the minimalist pieces.
As this document has illustrated, both Water Dance and Techno Etudes incorporate a number of compositional devices that create a distinct sound unique to
Tanaka. Although both pieces employ repetitive patterns, they exceed the characteristics associated with early minimalist music. They include such features as extended repetition, phase shifting, additive process, linear transformation, non-Western influences and audible structure. Water Dance and Techno Etudes reflect Tanaka’s distinctive use of rhythmic, melodic, textural, and harmonic devices as well as her own imaginative compositional language. The understanding various compositional elements can provide performers and listeners with a greater appreciation for these works.
52
APPENDIX A SOLO PIANO WORKS OF KAREN TANAKA55
Crystalline (1988)
Jardin des herbes (1989, rev. 1995), for harpsichord
The Zoo in the Sky (1994–95)
Crystalline II (1995–96)
Children of Light (1998–99)
Our Planet Earth (2010–11)
Lavender (1989), for harpsichord
Techno Etudes (2000)
Lavender Field (2000)
Crystalline III (2000)
Northern Light (2002)
Herb Garden (2005)
Water Dance (2008)
Blue Crystal (2014)
55 The list includes two works for harpsichord. 53
APPENDIX B: LETTERS OF PERMISSION
54
April 19, 2017
Mayu Nomura 735 Sienna Park Dr. Reno, NV 89512
RE: TECHNO ETUDES, by Karen Tanaka
Dear Mayu:
This letter is to confirm our agreement for the nonexclusive right to reprint measures from the composition(s) referenced above for inclusion in your thesis/dissertation, subject to the following conditions:
1. The following copyright credit is to appear on each copy made:
Techno Etudes Music by Karen Tanaka © Copyright 2009 Chester Music Limited. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
2. Copies are for your personal use only in connection with your thesis/dissertation, and may not be sold or further duplicated without our written consent. This in no way is meant to prevent your depositing three copies in an interlibrary system, such as the microfilm collection of the university you attend, or with University Microfilms, Inc.
3. Permission is granted to University Microfilms, Inc. to make single copies of your thesis/dissertation, upon demand.
4. A one-time non-refundable permission fee of seventy-five ($75.00) dollars, to be paid by you within thirty (30) days from the date of this letter.
5. If your thesis/dissertation is accepted for commercial publication, further written permission must be sought.
Sincerely,
Duron Bentley Print Licensing Manager
55
56
57
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