Modern Api Design and Physical Computing Techniques in Just
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Andrián Pertout
Andrián Pertout Three Microtonal Compositions: The Utilization of Tuning Systems in Modern Composition Volume 1 Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Produced on acid-free paper Faculty of Music The University of Melbourne March, 2007 Abstract Three Microtonal Compositions: The Utilization of Tuning Systems in Modern Composition encompasses the work undertaken by Lou Harrison (widely regarded as one of America’s most influential and original composers) with regards to just intonation, and tuning and scale systems from around the globe – also taking into account the influential work of Alain Daniélou (Introduction to the Study of Musical Scales), Harry Partch (Genesis of a Music), and Ben Johnston (Scalar Order as a Compositional Resource). The essence of the project being to reveal the compositional applications of a selection of Persian, Indonesian, and Japanese musical scales utilized in three very distinct systems: theory versus performance practice and the ‘Scale of Fifths’, or cyclic division of the octave; the equally-tempered division of the octave; and the ‘Scale of Proportions’, or harmonic division of the octave championed by Harrison, among others – outlining their theoretical and aesthetic rationale, as well as their historical foundations. The project begins with the creation of three new microtonal works tailored to address some of the compositional issues of each system, and ending with an articulated exposition; obtained via the investigation of written sources, disclosure -
Early Experimental and Electronic Music
Early Experimental and Electronic Music Today you will listen to early experimental and electronic music composed in the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. Think about the following questions as you listen to the music. 1. One of your listening assignments, “Valse Sentimentale,” is played by Clara Rockmore, a virtuoso on the theremin, an early electronic instrument. Look at the YouTube videos of Theremin and Clara Rockmore playing the theremin. How is the instrument played? Why has it been used only infrequently as a serious musical instrument? 2. When was the theremin developed and who was its inventor? 3. As an additional listening assignment, listen to “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys (in the listening for Monday). Where do you hear an electro-theremin, which is similar to the theremin, but easier to play? 4. What are the connections between the theremin and modern-day synthesizers? 5. What instrument is being played in “Oriason?” From your reading, what is unusual about the use of this instrument in this recording? 6. Watch the YouTube video of Thomas Bloch playing Messian piece on the Ondes-Martenot. How does is this instrument similar to but yet different from a piano? What does it have in common with the theremin. 6. People often think that experimental music is difficult and not beautiful. Is that true of all the music in these lessons? Is it true sometimes? Give examples. 7. The well-tempered scale usually used in Western music has 12 pitches in an octave. Well-tempered scale (12 pitches in an octave) In the section on Partch in Gann’s American Music in the Twentieth Century, Partch is said to have rebelled against the “acoustic lie” of the well-tempered scale. -
Tuning: at the Grcssroads
WendyGarloo ?O. Box1024 Tuning:At the New YorkCit, New York 10276USA Grcssroads lntrodrciion planned the construction of instruments that per- formed within the new "tunitrg of choice," and all The arena o{ musical scales and tuning has cer_ publishedpapers or books demonstretingthe supe- tainly not been a quiet place to be for the past thlee dority of their new scales in at least some way over hundred yeals. But it might iust as well have beenif €qual temperament.The tradition has continued we iudge by the results: the same 12V2 equally with Yunik and Swi{t {1980),Blackwood (1982),and temperedscale established then as the best avail- the presentauthor (Milano 1986),and shows no able tuning compromise, by J. S. Bach and many sign of slowing down despite the apparent apathy otheis lHelrnholtz 1954j Apel 1972),remains to with which the musical mainstream has regularly this day essentially the only scale heard in Westem grceted eech new proposal. music. That monopoly crossesall musical styles, of course therc's a perf€ctly reasonable explana- {rom the most contemporary of jazz and av^rf,t' tion lor the mainstream's evident preferetrce to rc- "rut-bound" gardeclassical, and musical masteeieces from the main when by now there are at least past, to the latest technopop rock with fancy s)'n- a dozen clearly better-sounding ways to tune our thesizers,and everwvherein between.Instruments scales,i{ only for at least part of the time: it re' ol the symphonyorchestra a((empr with varyirrg quires a lot of effort ol several kinds. I'm typing this deSreesof successto live up ro lhe 100-centsemi manuscript using a Dvorak keyboard (lor the ffrst tone, even though many would find it inherently far time!), and I assureyou it's not easyto unlearn the easierto do otherwise: the stdngs to "lapse" into QWERTY habits of a lifetime, even though I can Pythagoieen tuning, the brass into several keys of akeady feel the actual superiodty of this unloved lust irtonation lBarbour 1953).And th€se easily but demonstrablv better kevboard. -
Reprint from Artistic Experimentation in Music - ISBN 978 94 6270 013 0 - © Leuven University Press, 2014 ARTISTIC EXPERIMENTATION in MUSIC
Reprint from Artistic Experimentation in Music - ISBN 978 94 6270 013 0 - © Leuven University Press, 2014 ARTISTIC EXPERIMENTATION IN MUSIC: AN ANTHOLOGY Artistic Experimentation in Music: an Anthology Edited by Darla Crispin and Bob Gilmore Leuven University Press Table of Contents 9 Introduction Darla Crispin and Bob Gilmore Section I Towards an Understanding of Experimentation in Artistic Practice 23 Five Maps of the Experimental World Bob Gilmore 31 The Exposition of Practice as Research as Experimental Systems Michael Schwab 41 Epistemic Complexity and Experimental Systems in Music Performance Paulo De Assis 55 Experimental Art as Research Godfried-Willem Raes 61 Tiny Moments of Experimentation: Kairos in the Liminal Space of Performance Kathleen Coessens 69 The Web of Artistic Practice: A Background for Experimentation Kathleen Coessens 83 Towards an Ethical-Political Role for Artistic Research Marcel Cobussen 91 A New Path to Music: Experimental Exploration and Expression of an Aesthetic Universe Bart Vanhecke 105 From Experimentation to Construction Richard Barrett 111 Artistic Research and Experimental Systems: The Rheinberger Questionnaire and Study Day: A Report Michael Schwab 5 Table of Contents Section II The Role of the Body: Tacit and Creative Dimensions of Artistic Experimentation 129 Embodiment and Gesture in Performance: Practice-Based Perspectives Catherine Laws 141 Order Matters A Thought on How to Practise Mieko Kanno 147 Association-Based Experimentation as an Artistic Research Method Valentin Gloor 151 Association -
Sine Waves and Simple Acoustic Phenomena in Experimental Music - with Special Reference to the Work of La Monte Young and Alvin Lucier
Sine Waves and Simple Acoustic Phenomena in Experimental Music - with Special Reference to the Work of La Monte Young and Alvin Lucier Peter John Blamey Doctor of Philosophy University of Western Sydney 2008 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my principal supervisor Dr Chris Fleming for his generosity, guidance, good humour and invaluable assistance in researching and writing this thesis (and also for his willingness to participate in productive digressions on just about any subject). I would also like to thank the other members of my supervisory panel - Dr Caleb Kelly and Professor Julian Knowles - for all of their encouragement and advice. Statement of Authentication The work presented in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, original except as acknowledged in the text. I hereby declare that I have not submitted this material, either in full or in part, for a degree at this or any other institution. .......................................................... (Signature) Table of Contents Abstract..................................................................................................................iii Introduction: Simple sounds, simple shapes, complex notions.............................1 Signs of sines....................................................................................................................4 Acoustics, aesthetics, and transduction........................................................................6 The acoustic and the auditory......................................................................................10 -
Surprising Connections in Extended Just Intonation Investigations and Reflections on Tonal Change
Universität der Künste Berlin Studio für Intonationsforschung und mikrotonale Komposition MA Komposition Wintersemester 2020–21 Masterarbeit Gutachter: Marc Sabat Zweitgutachterin: Ariane Jeßulat Surprising Connections in Extended Just Intonation Investigations and reflections on tonal change vorgelegt von Thomas Nicholson 369595 Zähringerstraße 29 10707 Berlin [email protected] www.thomasnicholson.ca 0172-9219-501 Berlin, den 24.1.2021 Surprising Connections in Extended Just Intonation Investigations and reflections on tonal change Thomas Nicholson Bachelor of Music in Composition and Theory, University of Victoria, 2017 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF MUSIC in the Department of Composition January 24, 2021 First Supervisor: Marc Sabat Second Supervisor: Prof Dr Ariane Jeßulat © 2021 Thomas Nicholson Universität der Künste Berlin 1 Abstract This essay documents some initial speculations regarding how harmonies (might) evolve in extended just intonation, connecting back to various practices from two perspectives that have been influential to my work. The first perspective, which is the primary investigation, concerns itself with an intervallic conception of just intonation, centring around Harry Partch’s technique of Otonalities and Utonalities interacting through Tonality Flux: close contrapuntal proximities bridging microtonal chordal structures. An analysis of Partch’s 1943 composition Dark Brother, one of his earliest compositions to use this technique extensively, is proposed, contextualised within his 43-tone “Monophonic” system and greater aesthetic interests. This is followed by further approaches to just intonation composition from the perspective of the extended harmonic series and spectral interaction in acoustic sounds. Recent works and practices from composers La Monte Young, Éliane Radigue, Ellen Fullman, and Catherine Lamb are considered, with a focus on the shifting modalities and neighbouring partials in Lamb’s string quartet divisio spiralis (2019). -
Exploration of an Adaptable Just Intonation System Jeff Snyder
Exploration of an Adaptable Just Intonation System Jeff Snyder Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Columbia University 2010 ABSTRACT Exploration of an Adaptable Just Intonation System Jeff Snyder In this paper, I describe my recent work, which is primarily focused around a dynamic tuning system, and the construction of new electro-acoustic instruments using this system. I provide an overview of my aesthetic and theoretical influences, in order to give some idea of the path that led me to my current project. I then explain the tuning system itself, which is a type of dynamically tuned just intonation, realized through electronics. The third section of this paper gives details on the design and construction of the instruments I have invented for my own compositional purposes. The final section of this paper gives an analysis of the first large-scale piece to be written for my instruments using my tuning system, Concerning the Nature of Things. Exploration of an Adaptable Just Intonation System Jeff Snyder I. Why Adaptable Just Intonation on Invented Instruments? 1.1 - Influences 1.1.1 - Inspiration from Medieval and Renaissance music 1.1.2 - Inspiration from Harry Partch 1.1.3 - Inspiration from American country music 1.2 - Tuning systems 1.2.1 - Why just? 1.2.1.1 – Non-prescriptive pitch systems 1.2.1.2 – Just pitch systems 1.2.1.3 – Tempered pitch systems 1.2.1.4 – Rationale for choice of Just tunings 1.2.1.4.1 – Consideration of non-prescriptive -
Marc Sabat 3 Chorales for Harry Partch
Marc Sabat 3 Chorales for Harry Partch for retuned violin and viola PLAINSOUND MUSIC EDITION 3 Chorales for Harry Partch (1993) for retuned violin and viola NOTES The violin and viola are both retuned: the uppermost string is lowered by a perfect fifth, and the lowest string is lowered by a perfect fourth. The violin is tuned to pitches D-d-a-a and the viola to pitches G-g-d-d. The music for each instrument is written across two staves, each of which represents a pair of strings. Upward stems indicate notes to be played on the upper string; downward stems refer to the lower string. Notes without stems may be played on either string (or on both strings simultaneously). The music proceeds slowly, approximately two minutes per system. Wavy lines indicate the durations of available tones. Timbre is free and ought to be varied using all possibilities ranging from pure pitch to noise, using the timbral idiosyncrasies of the loosely detuned strings as well as the tonal purity of the normally tuned strings. It is not necessary to play all possible written notes at all times, but an effort to do so within the indicated dynamic should be generally attempted. The model is of sound “in slow motion”, as though string playing were being examined through a microscope in time. The intonation is based on an 11-limit Utonal chord of subharmonic tones, and it is expected that additional subharmonics will be produced in the course of performance by occasional use of excessive pressure. This piece was written and premiered in Sheffield, Vermont, during a workshop with composer/violinist Malcolm Goldstein. -
Divisions of the Tetrachord Are Potentially Infinite in Number
EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION ''''HEN I WAS A young student in California, Lou Harrison suggested that I send one of my first pieces, Piano Study #5 (forJPR) to a Dr. Chalmers, who might publish it in his journal Xenbarmonikon. Flattered and fascinated, I did, and John did, and thus began what is now my twenty year friendship with this polyglot fungus researcher tuning guru science fiction devotee and general everything expert. Lou first showed me the box of papers, already called Divisions ofthe Tetracbord, in 1975. I liked the idea of this grand, obsessive project, and felt that it needed to be availablein a way that was, likeJohn himself, out of the ordinary. When Jody Diamond, Alexis Alrich, and I founded Frog Peak Music (A Composers' Collective) in the early 80S, Divisions (along with Tenney's then unpublished Meta + Hodos) was in my mind as one of the publishing collective's main reasons for existing, and for calling itself a publisher of"speculative theory." The publication of this book has been a long and arduous process. Re vised manuscripts traveled with me from California to Java and Sumatra (John requested we bring him a sample of the local fungi), and finally to our new home in New Hampshire. The process of writing, editing, and pub lishing it has taken nearly fifteen years, and spanned various writing tech nologies. (When John first started using a word processor, and for the first time his many correspondents could actually read his long complicated letters, my wife and I were a bit sad-we had enjoyed reading his com pletely illegible writing aloud as a kind of sound poetry). -
Case Studies of Women and Queer Electroacoustic Music Composers
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2019 Music Technology, Gender, and Sexuality: Case Studies of Women and Queer Electroacoustic Music Composers Justin Thomas Massey West Virginia University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Part of the Musicology Commons, and the Music Performance Commons Recommended Citation Massey, Justin Thomas, "Music Technology, Gender, and Sexuality: Case Studies of Women and Queer Electroacoustic Music Composers" (2019). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 7460. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7460 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you must obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by an authorized administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Music Technology, Gender, and Sexuality: Case Studies of Women and Queer Electroacoustic Music Composers Justin T. Massey A Dissertation submitted To the College of Creative Arts At West Virginia University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in Saxophone Performance Michael Ibrahim, DMA, Chair Evan MacCarthy, PhD, Research Advisor Jared Sims, DMA Matthew Heap, PhD Jonah Katz, PhD School of Music Morgantown, West Virginia 2019 Keywords: Music Technology, Electroacoustic Music, Feminist Studies, Queer Studies, New Music, Elainie Lillios, Jess Rowland, Carolyn Borcherding Copyright © 2019 Justin T. -
Tuning, Tonality, and 22-Tone Temperament
Tuning, Tonality, and Twenty-Two-Tone Temperament Paul Erlich ([email protected]) (originally published in Xenharmonikôn 17, Spring 1998; revised 4/2/02) Introduction Western modal and tonal music generally conforms to what is known as the 5-limit; this is often explained (e. g., by Hindemith) by stating that the entire tuning system is an expression of integer frequency ratios using prime factors no higher than 5. A more correct description is that all 5-limit intervals, or ratios involving numbers no higher than 5, aside from factors of 2 arising from inversion and extension, are treated as consonances in this music, and thus need to be tuned with some degree of accuracy. The diatonic scale of seven notes per octave has been in use since ancient Greek times, when harmonic simultaneities (other than unisons and octaves) were not used and the only important property of the scale was its melodic structure. As melodic considerations continued to play a dominant role in Western musical history, scales other than the diatonic had very limited application, and harmonic usage was intimately entangled with diatonic scale structure. It is fortuitous that the diatonic scale allowed for many harmonies that displayed the psychoacoustic phenomenon of consonance, defined by small- integer frequency ratios, as well as many that did not. Medieval music conformed to the 3-limit, the only recognized consonances being the octave (2:1) and the perfect fifth (3:2) (plus, of course, their octave inversions and extensions, obtained by dividing or multiplying the ratios by powers of 2; this “octave equivalence” will be implicit from here on.1) The diatonic scales were therefore tuned as a chain of consecutive 3:2s (Pythagorean tuning). -
Dramatic Structures in the Theatrical Music of Harry Partch and Manfred Stahnke
MICROTONALITY, TECHNOLOGY, AND (POST)DRAMATIC STRUCTURES IN THE THEATRICAL MUSIC OF HARRY PARTCH AND MANFRED STAHNKE By NAVID BARGRIZAN A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2018 © 2018 Navid Bargrizan To my parents, whose passion for both music and academic education has inspired me ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude for their mentorship and constructive criticism to my advisor Dr. Silvio dos Santos, and the members of my doctoral committee, Dr. Jennifer Thomas, Dr. Paul Richards, and Dr. Ralf Remshardt. I am very much obliged to Dr. Manfred Stahnke for his generosity and wisdom; Ms. Susanne Stahnke for her cordial hospitality; Dr. Georg Hajdu for sharing his knowledge, and Dr. Albrecht Schneider for evoking my interest in microtonality. I appreciate the support of the following individuals and organizations, without whom I could not have realized this dissertation: DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service); the past and present directors of UF’s Music Department, Dr. John Duff and Dr. Kevin Orr; UF’s College of the Arts; UF’s Graduate School and Office of Research; UF’s Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere; UF’s Student Government; Singer and Tedder Families; director of the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music at the University of Illinois, Dr. Scott Schwarz; the staff of the University of California San Diego Special Collections and Northwestern University Library. My family, friends, and early mentors have encouraged and supported me throughout my academic education.