Exploring compositional relationships between acousmatic music and electronica Ben Ramsay Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy De Montfort University Leicester 2 Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................. 4 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... 5 DVD contents ........................................................................................................................ 6 CHAPTER 1 ......................................................................................................................... 8 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 8 1.0.1 Research imperatives .......................................................................................... 11 1.0.2 High art vs. popular art ........................................................................................ 14 1.0.3 The emergence of electronica ............................................................................. 16 1.1 Literature Review ......................................................................................................... 18 1.1.1 Materials .............................................................................................................. 18 1.1.2 Spaces .................................................................................................................. 29 1.1.3 Cultures ............................................................................................................... 31 CHAPTER 2 ....................................................................................................................... 39 2.0 Materials, Spaces and Cultures .............................................................................. 39 2.1 Materials ................................................................................................................... 40 2.1.0 Micro, Meso and Macro-level structures ............................................................ 40 2.1.1 The Language Grid ............................................................................................. 40 2.1.2 The dividing line ................................................................................................. 47 2.1.3 Gesture and texture ............................................................................................. 53 2.1.4 (Re)injecting energy ............................................................................................ 54 2.1.5 Growth and depletion – compositional structuring ............................................. 56 2.1.6 Dynamic range .................................................................................................... 59 2.1.7 Recorded sound ................................................................................................... 60 2.1.8 Use of beat, pulse and metre ............................................................................... 62 2.2 Spaces ........................................................................................................................ 63 2.2.0 Composed Space ................................................................................................. 64 2.2.1 Performance Space .............................................................................................. 65 2.3 Cultures ..................................................................................................................... 71 2.3.0 Sonic Memes ....................................................................................................... 71 3 2.3.1 Cultural frames .................................................................................................... 73 CHAPTER 3 ....................................................................................................................... 77 3.0 Discussion of compositions ...................................................................................... 77 3.1 Compositions ............................................................................................................ 78 3.1.0 Décalage ............................................................................................................. 79 3.1.1 Solid Phase .......................................................................................................... 81 3.1.2 Low-bypass .......................................................................................................... 83 3.1.3 Batteries Of Orchards ......................................................................................... 86 3.1.4 Papa November ................................................................................................... 90 3.1.5 Volmet North ....................................................................................................... 92 3.1.6 Flinch-Rest .......................................................................................................... 94 3.1.7 Reload ................................................................................................................. 97 3.1.8 Refract ................................................................................................................. 98 3.1.9 Repeat .................................................................................................................. 99 CHAPTER 4 ..................................................................................................................... 102 4.0 Conclusions ............................................................................................................. 102 4.0.1 Summary ........................................................................................................... 102 4.0.2 Discussion ......................................................................................................... 102 4.0.3 Further research ................................................................................................. 106 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 107 Discography ...................................................................................................................... 112 Appendix ........................................................................................................................... 114 Programme notes ......................................................................................................... 115 Performances and releases .......................................................................................... 119 Correspondence ............................................................................................................ 123 Tables and Figures ....................................................................................................... 128 4 Abstract This research explores the compositional relationships between acousmatic music and electronica in order to offer a way of unifying the two musical forms. The original contribution to knowledge comes from the creation of a portfolio of compositions that extend the two idioms towards one another, resulting in a series of works that are presented as a journey between and a fusion of electronica and acousmatic music. The dissertation offers a collection of associated theories that underpin the creation of the portfolio. In turn this dissertation addresses three areas that relate to compositional materials, the use of space, with consideration for both compositional and performance space, and a selection of associated cultural considerations that relate to the musics in question. The literature that relates to these three aspects is introduced and discussed with relation to the portfolio. The method behind the composition of the portfolio was not intended to present a collection of fusion works from the outset, but rather to begin composing a selection of purely acousmatic works in order to gain practical compositional understanding of the music. The process was then to grow the portfolio towards the electronica realm, and in parallel map this journey in the dissertation. 5 Acknowledgements I would firstly like to extend my warm gratitude to Prof. Simon Emmerson for his inspirational and unwavering support, enthusiasm and expert supervision throughout the course of this PhD. I would also like to thank: Prof. Leigh Landy (De Montfort University) for his expertise, advice and guidance as second supervisor. Dr Simon Atkinson and Dr Peter Batchelor from the MTIRC (De Montfort University) for their support and interest in my work, and Simon Smith for technical advice and studio support. The Centre for Media, Arts and Technology (C-MAT) at Staffordshire University who funded this research as well as attendance at several international conferences where I showcased my work. Michael Gatt (De Montfort University) for giving me the opportunity to share some of my research with the OREMA project. All staff at the former Sonic Arts department (Middlesex University) who launched me in this direction. The wider community who have selected many of the works in the portfolio for performance and release. Finally I would like to thank my family, friends