Evolution of a musical style: Stylistic transitions in Vivier’s first works i Martine Rhéaume Department of Music, University of Montreal, Canada martine.rheaume_at_umontreal.ca In: M. M. Marin, M. Knoche, & R. Parncutt (Eds.) Proceedings of the First International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology (SysMus08) Graz, Austria, 14-15 November 2008, http://www.uni-graz.at/muwi3www/SysMus08 Background. In Music, the Arts, and Ideas , Leonard Meyer states the internal dynamics hypothesis in the transformation of a musical style: a style emerges gradually and, thus, isn’t the product of a specific decision; a style is learned , even by the composers who invent it, and listeners learn in as well. A personal style can also be understood through its influences, be it from individuals or from culture in general. Accounts of influences on Canadian composer Claude Vivier’s (1948-1983) music are numerous: Tremblay (2000) spots traces of Stockhausen, gamelan, and Messiaen; Braes (2001) unveils links between Stockhausen’s Mantra and Vivier’s Orion ; and Gilmore (2007) accounts for influence of spectral music on Vivier’s Lonely Child . Aims. Since Vivier’s style is often described by its influences, I aim to shed new light onto it by explaining its internal process. How does Vivier go from one work to another? What are the choices he makes in each work and that he modifies from one another, on a given period of time? This is what I aim to understand in analysing the melodic parameter in the music of Claude Vivier. In this paper, I am going through the internal dynamics of Vivier’s emerging melodic style in five vocal works composed between 1973 and 1975: Chants, O! Kosmos, Jesus erbarme dich, Lettura di Dante and Hymnen an die Nacht , analysed in the chronological order of their composition. Main contribution. After a brief summary of paradigmatic analysis (Ruwet, 1972; Nattiez, 2003) of the five works showing they share much of the same melodic material, I follow the evolutional path of a simple yet very significant musical formula, i.e. a motive constantly repeated and transformed throughout the works. By observing the transformation of this specific formula into each work and from one to another, I show a microcosm of the evolution of Vivier’s melodic style: a very simple formula is used to structure entire sections of each work; it evolves into more complicated and implicative states, yet simpler versions can still be found. Complexity is by no means a goal in Vivier’s style, but merely a passing state. personal expression through recurring choices. However, when one wants to Le style n’est rien, mais rien n’est sans le style. understand a specific style, declaring it (Rivarol) impalpable cannot be an option; too much Style is nothing, but nothing is without style. research would end right where it started: “style is nothing”. Thus, by observing the Le style est la volonté de s’extérioriser par des means by which a composer choses to create moyens choisis. (Max Jacob) a work or a corpus of works, it may become Style is the willingness to exteriorize oneself by possible to understand what it is that is being chosen means . exteriorized. How does Canadian composer Claude Vivier ii Quite often, an aphorism will generate as proceed from one work to another? What are much or more sense than there would be in a the choices he makes in each work and that much more thorough theoretic text. This is so he modifies from one to the next, over a because of the simplicity of the formula; its given period of time? What are the succinct aspect makes each term more compositional processes that he uses, keeps important and fruitful for reflection and and transforms from one work to another? imagination. The definitions of “style” as a This is what I aim to understand in analyzing notion, be they generic or specifically related the melodic parameter in the music of Claude to art and music, are not too far from the Vivier in a wider ranging research goal that aphorisms of Rivarol and Max Jacob: style can includes the results discussed in the article be the object of a value judgment, since that follows. In this project, I attempt to “nothing is without style”; style is a form of reconstitute the stylistic evolution of Claude 72 SysMus08 – International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology - Proceedings Vivier’s musical language in an endogenetic 2001) who unveils links between view, based on the assumption that music Stockhausen’s Mantra and Vivier’s Orion ; and can generate music, and that style evolves in an article by Bob Gilmore ( Tempo , 2007) through an internal dynamic process that can accounting for the influence of spectral music be identified and explained. I observe on Vivier’s Lonely Child . Further accounts of changes of style matter that can be noticed various influences are forthcoming in an issue from one work to the next and compile them of Circuit devoted to Vivier’s music, to be chronologically, thus trying to reconstitute the published in 2008. In light of this well- logic of compositional choices that allowed supported evidence, it would be reckless to Vivier’s style to evolve. The internal dynamic state that Vivier’s style is solely the product process of Vivier's early melodic style is of internal development. Moreover, analysed here through five vocal works musicological literature on musical style is composed between 1973 and 1975: Chants, very clear about the fact that no style O! Kosmos, Jesus erbarme dich , Lettura di whatsoever is hermetic to its sociocultural Dante and Hymnen an die Nacht . environment. The analysis of Vivier’s style through its internal process simply offers an Following a brief summary of the alternate view for its understanding. paradigmatic analysis of the five works which highlights the similarities and differences between them, I will describe the evolutional Five works, eleven formulae path of a simple yet very significant musical formula among those works. By observing the When applied to an appropriate corpus of transformation of this specific formula in each works, paradigmatic analysis is a very work and from one to another, we witness a revealing tool of compositional process. This microcosm of the evolution of Vivier’s melodic analysis method is based on anthropologist style. Claude Lévi-Strauss’ myths analysis. It has been applied to music by French linguist and musicologist Nicolas Ruwet (1972) for the Internal development and analysis of monody, and then quite developed external influences: by Jean-Jacques Nattiez (2003). Without reconcilable views going too much into details that are thoroughly explained elsewhere, the In an interview published more than fifteen paradigmatic analysis of a work is made by years ago in the music journal Circuit , the locating repetitions of signifying musical late György Ligeti spoke of Vivier in these elements – be it motifs, cells or ideas – and words: “what strikes me most in Claude by laying them out in columns (one column Vivier’s music is his completely original for each melodic element including one or musical genius. He was alone despite various more repetitions and/or transformations influences , and he was able to bring to life his between related melodic segments). The multicoloured sonic imagination better than score remains legible from left to right, with anybody (ever) could.” iii (1991, p. 15, italics blanks spaces used as a simple graphic and translation are mine). By trying to spacing element rather than a representation understand the endogenetic aspect of Vivier’s of temporal value. These analyses are visually musical style, I do not aim to deny the instructive since they allow to grasp a work’s musical influences present in his music, but form at a single glance, while maintaining the rather to understand how, in the words of linear temporal evolution inherent to music. Ligeti, he was alone . However, they take up a lot of space, since a Accounts of influences on Vivier’s music are score is present integrally, and quite spaced. numerous, namely in an article by Jacques This is why no paradigmatic analysis of a Tremblay ( Circuit , 2000), who spots traces of complete work is given in this article, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Balinese gamelan, although large excerpts will be given later on. Montreal composer and Messiaen’s pupil Gilles By connecting paradigmatic analysis of Tremblay as well as Messiaen himself; in an Chants , Jesus erbarme dich , O! Kosmos, article by Ross Braes ( Discourses on Music , Lettura di Dante and Hymnen an die Nacht , I 73 SysMus08 – International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology - Proceedings have identified something fascinating: eleven syntax, and the impression of either closure paradigmatic formulae – that is, eleven or surprise following musical events that can columns of a paradigmatic table – are be created, depending on whether they are sufficient to account for the melodic concordant with the implication or not. In repetitions that can be found in these five order to allow better understanding of the works. In other words, the melodic elements implications that can be generated by which that are subject to repetition and types of musical events, Meyer gives in transformation in these five works can be Explaining Music a taxonomy of melodic described with the same formulae. Thus, they structures. In his definition of what share, in some way, the same musical constitutes an axial melody, he writes: material. After a brief overview of their “Implication is absent because, since axial individual structures, this discussion follows melodies are essentially prolongations of a the path of one of these formulae from one single tone, no high-level processive work to the next.