Music Composition As Dialogue Nathalie
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TUTTI! - MUSIC COMPOSITION AS DIALOGUE NATHALIE DUPUIS-DÉSORMEAUX A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN MUSIC YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ONTARIO SEPTEMBER 2017 © Nathalie Dupuis-Désormeaux, 2017 Abstract As an engineer, when I could not comprehend a physical phenomenon, I turned to mathematics. As a mathematician, when I could not link sciences to humanity, I turned to music. As a music composer, I no longer see things, I see others. The novel method of music composition presented herein is a first comprehensive framework, system and architectonic template relying on the ideologies of Mikhail Bakhtin's dialogism as well as on research in auditory perception and cognition to create music dialogue as a means of including and engaging participants in musical communication. Beyond immediate artistic intent, I strive to compose music that fosters inclusiveness and collaboration as a relational social gesture in hope that it might incite people and society to embrace their differences and collaborate with the 'others' around them. After probing aesthetics, communication studies and sociology, I argue that dialogism reveals itself well-suited to the aims of the current research. With dialogism as a guiding philosophy, the chapters then look at the relationship between music and language, perception as authorship, intertextuality, the interplay of imagination and understanding, means of arousal in music, mimesis, motion in music and rhythmic entrainment. Employing findings from Gestalt psychology, psychoacoustics, auditory scene analysis, cognition and psychology of expectation, the remaining chapters propose a cognitively informed polyphonic music composition method capable of reproducing the different constituents of dialogic communication by creating and organizing melodic, harmonic, rhythmic and ii structural elements. Music theory and principles of orchestration then move to music composition as examples demonstrate how dialogue scored between voice-parts provides opportunities for performers to interact with each other and, consequently, engage listeners experiencing the collaboration. As dialogue can be identified in various works, I postulate that the presented Dialogical Music Composition Method can also serve as a method of music analysis. This personal method of composition also supplies tools that other musicians can opt to employ when endeavouring to build balanced dialogue in music. If visibility is key to identity, then composing music that potentially enters into dialogue which each and every voice promotes 'humanity' through inclusivity, yielding a united Tutti ! iii Dedication À mes parents Marie-Claire Dupuis et Ronald Désormeaux pour leur appui inlassable et éternel. À mon frère Marc, son épouse Susan, mon neveu Alexandre et ma nièce Kristina pour les années d'encouragement et de soutien. À ma famille choisie pour la confiance inébranlable. To all those who see or are willing to see the true value of Art. iv Acknowledgements This work (and all that has yet to unfurl from it) has come to fruition due to the unwavering support and encouragement of my biological and chosen families, and for that, je vous dis merci! Likewise, I extend a special word of gratitude to my advisor, Michael Coghlan, for trusting in my potential from the onset, and for his astute guidance throughout this process. Equally, I sincerely thank Tere Tilban-Rios for her genuine kindness and for always knowing how to help things fall into their right place. It is impossible to mention everyone who has played a role in the shaping of my work, but I wish to thank the fine people at York University for their part in sustaining this dialogue; in particular, I would like to recognize the contributions of Mark Chambers, Rob Bowman, Barry Elmes, Jay Rahn and Dorothy deVal. Valuable comments were also received from William Thomas, John Mayberry and Johanna Devaney. Sincere thanks go to oboist Christiane Wilke, clarinettist Patricia Wait and pianist James Parker for their contributions to the dialogic compositions herein. Additionally, I am indebted to Angelo Mingarelli, Roxane Prevost and Michael Munro for giving me the vote of confidence I needed to begin this great adventure. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge the funding provided by York University as well as by the Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program. v Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................... ii Dedication .............................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. v List of Tables ......................................................................................................................... ix List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... x List of Examples .................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1 - Introduction, Rationale, Research Questions, Methodology ................................ 1 1.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Rationale ................................................................................................................... 3 1.3. Research Questions .................................................................................................. 6 1.4. Methodology ............................................................................................................ 7 1.5. Chapter Conclusions................................................................................................. 8 1.6. Chapter References................................................................................................... 9 PART ONE The Impetus............................................................................................................................ 10 Chapter 2 - Music as Communication.................................................................................... 11 2.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 11 2.2. Discussion .............................................................................................................. 12 Communication as Society/Community ....................................................................... 12 Music Communication as Society/Community ............................................................ 15 Music Communication as Society/Community20 through Inclusiveness .................... 20 2.3. Chapter Conclusions............................................................................................... 34 2.4. Chapter References................................................................................................. 35 Chapter 3 - Inclusiveness via Dialogism and Intertextuality ................................................. 37 3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 37 3.2. Discussion .............................................................................................................. 38 Aesthetic Theory Leading up to Dialogism .................................................................. 40 Dialogism and its Application to Music ....................................................................... 45 Parallels between Dialogism and Reception Theory .................................................... 50 Appropriative Authoring/Intertextuality ....................................................................... 53 3.3. Chapter Conclusions............................................................................................... 63 3.4. Chapter References................................................................................................. 64 vi PART TWO The Tools ............................................................................................................................... 67 Chapter 4 - Experiencing Music: Means of Arousal.............................................................. 68 4.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 68 4.2. Discussion .............................................................................................................. 69 Intellectual Arousal ....................................................................................................... 69 Sensory and Emotional Arousal .................................................................................... 77 Physical Arousal ........................................................................................................... 85 4.3. Chapter Conclusion ................................................................................................ 87 4.4. Chapter References................................................................................................. 89 Chapter 5 - Auditory Perception ...........................................................................................