Harmonic Intonation and Implication
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University of Plymouth PEARL https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk 04 University of Plymouth Research Theses 01 Research Theses Main Collection 2006 HARMONIC INTONATION AND IMPLICATION (ANALYSES AND COMPOSITIONS): Harmonic perception and intonation in the reception and performance of alternative tuning systems in contemporary composition SWOGER-RUSTON, JOHN PAUL http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/2473 University of Plymouth All content in PEARL is protected by copyright law. Author manuscripts are made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the details provided on the item record or document. In the absence of an open licence (e.g. Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher or author. HARMONIC INTONATION AND IMPLICATION (ANALYSES AND COMPOSITIONS): Harmonic perception and intonation in the reception and performance of alternative tuning systems in contemporary composition. Volume 1 of2 by JOHN PAUL SWOGER-RUSTON A thesis submitted to the University of Plymouth in partial fulfilment for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Dartington College of Arts 2 ABSTRACT John Paul Swoger-Ruston HARMONIC INTONATION AND IMPLICATION (ANALYSES AND COMPOSITIONS): Harmonic perception and intonation in the reception and performance of alternative tuning systems in contemporary composition Most composers and theorists will acknowledge that some compromise is necessary when dealing with the limitations of human performance, perception, and the realities of acoustic theory. Identifying the thresholds for pitch discrimination and execution is an important point of departure for defining workable tuning schemes, and for training musicians to realise compositions in just intonation and other alternative tuning systems. The submitted paper 'HARMONIC INTONATION AND IMPLICATION (ANALYSES AND COMPOSITIONS): Harmonic perception and intonation in the reception and performance of alternative tuning systems in contemporary composition' is a phenomenological study of harmonic perception and intonation through the analysis of recordings, scores, theoretical papers, and discussion with practicing musicians. The examined repertoire covers western 'art' music of the late nineteenth to early twenty-first centuries. I approach my research from the composer's point of view though filtered through the ears and eyes of the performer, who is here considered 'expert listener'. lt is considered that intonation is a dynamic experience subject to influences beyond just intonation or equal temperament (the two poles for intonational reference}-the performance is assumed 'correct', rather than the idealised version of the composer. My goal is to relate the performance to the intentions of the composer and raise questions regarding the choice of notation, resolution of the tuning systems, the complexity of the harmonic concept, etc. and perhaps to suggest how to extend a general theory of harmony that embraces both musical practice and psychoacoustics. lt is with the understanding that harmonic implication affects intonation, but that intonation is subject to several other forces making intonation a complex system (and therefore not fully predictable). 3 LIST OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................... 3 LIST OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... 6 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................... 10 CD TRACK LISTINGS........................................................................................................................... 11 BOUND IN SCORES (IN VOLUME 2 OF 2) AND RECORDINGS (CD) ............................................ 15 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................................... 16 AUTHOR'S DECLARATION ................................................................................................................ 18 PERFORMANCES OF COMPOSITIONS ......................................................................................................... 18 PRESENTATIONS AND CONFERENCES ATTENDED ..................................................................................... 19 AWARDS ............................................................................................................................................... 19 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 20 SECTION 1 HARMONIC INTONATION AND IMPLICATION .................................................. 28 SOME PRELIMINARY NOTES ................................................................................................................... 28 METHODS OF ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................................... 30 PSYCHOACOUSTIC CONCEPTS OF CONSONANCE AND DISSONANCE .......................................................... 40 I. TWELVE-TONE EQUAL TEMPERAMENT .......................................................................................... 43 2 QUARTERTONES ........................................................................................................................... 86 A 2 THE HARMONIC IMPLICATION OF QUARTERTONES IN IVES' CHORALE.. ....................................... 87 3 EIGHTH-TONES ............................................................................................................................. 91 A3 PROLOGUE FOR VIOLA, GERARD GRISEY (I 978) ......................................................................... 94 4 TWELFTH TONES (72TET) ............................................................................................................ I 00 5 OTHER 'N'-TETS ......................................................................................................................... I03 6 JUST INTONATION ....................................................................................................................... I 06 A6 JUST INTONATION IN ANALYSIS .............................................................................................. Ill 7 PITCH CLUSTERS AND SOUND MASSES ........................................................................................ 122 A 7 PITCH CLUSTERS IN ANALYSIS ............................................................................................... 122 THOUGHTS, OBSERVATIONS, HYPOTHESES, AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................................ 126 4 SECTION U COMPOSITIONS ..........•.....................•.......•....................................•........................ 131 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 131 MY BACKGROUND AND INFLUENCES ..................................................................................................... 133 I. [ DREW A LINE IN THE SAND, AND IT GOES FROM HERE TO THERE ................................................... 136 n. THE BEATEN PATH ..................................................................................................................... 141 Ill. I 024 TO 1 ................................................................................................................................... 143 IV. FOR MUTED PIAN0 ..................................................................................................................... 144 V. TRACKANDFIELD ...................................................................................................................... I49 VI. EVENTIDE .............................................................................................................................. I52 VU. THE CROW, THE ROAD, AND THE RAMBLE .............................................................................. 156 VU!. CORRECTIONS AND AMPLIFICATIONS ...................................................................................... 160 IX. THIS MNEMONIC MACHINE .................................................................................................... 163 OBSERVATIONS REGARDING MY COMPOSIT!ONAL PRACTICE ................................................................ 165 APPENDIX 1- GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................. 173 APPENDIX 2- DATA FROM THE ANALYSIS OF FIVE MOVEMENTS FOR STRING QUARTET- V, OP.5 (ANTON WEBERN) ...........•........................................................................................................ 179 INTONATION OF MELODIC PASSAGE (BARS I AND 2) BY FOUR QUARTETS ............................................... 179 INTONATION OF VERTICAL CHORDS (BARS 3 AND 4) BY THREE QUARTETS ............................................... 179 APPENDIX 3- DATA FROM 'COMPANY' ANALYSIS ...............................................••..............•... 181 APPENDIX 4- GRISEY ANALYSIS DATA .................•.............•............................................•.........