BRUNEL UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF HUMANITIES School of Music A Pluralistic Spectrum of the Mimetic by Graham Flett Commentary for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Student Number: 1240746 December 19th, 2017 Abstract Through the composition of ten pieces, I have explored the theme of mimesis and musical pluralism, especially as it occurs and applies in my own music. The following commentary begins by initially discussing my own context as a composer, providing an overview of the motivations that first prompted me to investigate and research this topic. After this background is explained, I examine key philosophical concepts connected to both mimesis and artistic pluralism, with the latter being chiefly concerned with how it affects the creation of new musical works. With the above issues having been discussed, this context effectively frames the next seven chapters of this commentary, which involves analysis and examination of ten works I composed for this doctoral degree. This begins with a thorough analysis of two chamber works and then moves onto an in-depth elaboration about a more expansive ensemble work of forty-minutes. After this discussion, I present a series of mimetically related works; compositions more theoretical in design and concept, yet still illustrating and building upon the central theme of this artistic research. Lastly, three other works are examined, demonstrating similar and contrasting compositional approaches. The concluding chapter of the commentary presents a succinct but thorough overview of the ramifications of the above compositions — focusing primarily on the relative success of these works, as well as their shortcomings, potential for future exploration, possible refinement, and overall connection to the theme of mimesis and musical pluralism. Contents List of Figures .................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... iv List of Compositions ...................................................................................................................... v 1. Background .................................................................................................................................. 1 1.0 Aims and Motivation ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Relevant History of the Composer ........................................................................................... 2 1.2 Mimesis: Conscious and Discreet ............................................................................................. 3 1.3 Stepping Beyond Irony ................................................................................................................ 3 1.4 Positioning Processes of Imitation ......................................................................................... 5 1.5 Compositions and Influences .................................................................................................... 8 2. Unravelling the Mimetic ....................................................................................................... 10 2.0. Mimesis — Here and Now ................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Mimesis of Models (not birds) ............................................................................................ 12 2.2 Anachronism and Aesthetic Dissonance/Consonance .............................................. 13 3. Making the Mimetic Plural ................................................................................................... 15 3.0 Aesthetic Dissonance / Consonance ................................................................................. 15 3.1 Inclusion versus Exclusion .................................................................................................. 15 3.2 Progressing from this framework .................................................................................... 18 4. Initial Concepts in Practice .................................................................................................. 20 4.0 The first two compositions .................................................................................................. 20 4.1 Deportations – Two Disparate Musical Types .............................................................. 20 4.2 Deportations – Microtonal Inflections ............................................................................. 27 4.3 Air Troika – Balancing Three Musical Materials ........................................................... 29 4.4 Air Troika – Integration of Material Types .................................................................... 32 4.5 Air Troika – Combinations, Contrasts, and Irony ........................................................ 35 4.6 Air Troika – Form .................................................................................................................... 37 4.7 Air Troika – Reflecting upon the Merge ........................................................................... 38 5. Refractions and versions | The Duke of Green ............................................................... 39 5.0 Four Versions: Keppel, Laurel, Mantis, Viridian ............................................................ 39 5.1 The Duke of Green – Origins & Intentions ....................................................................... 40 5.2 The Duke of Green – Materials & Concerns .................................................................... 41 5.3 The Duke of Green – Ellington Reference ......................................................................... 41 5.4 The Duke of Green – Carnatic Reference .......................................................................... 42 5.5 The Duke of Green – Laurence Crane: John White in Berlin ........................................ 43 5.6 The Duke of Green – Lyrics as Source Material .............................................................. 44 5.7 The Duke of Green | Macro-Considerations, Ordering & Composing Versions ... 45 5.8 The Duke of Green | Transitions Between Versions (Live Audio) ........................... 45 5.8 The Duke of Green | Micro-Level Considerations .......................................................... 47 5.9 The Duke of Green | Discreet Mimesis (ongoing) .......................................................... 51 6. Large Rhythmic Canon ........................................................................................................... 53 6.0 Background – Large Rhythmic Canon (LRC) ................................................................... 53 6.1 LRC – Inserted Rests ............................................................................................................... 54 6.2 LRC – Delayed Entrances ....................................................................................................... 55 6.3 LRC – Instances of Three-Voice Alignment ..................................................................... 56 6.4 LRC – Applied in my Compositions .................................................................................... 57 7. Valley of Years | composition for string quartet and gamelan ................................. 59 7.0 Valley of Years – Overview ................................................................................................... 59 7.1 Valley of Years – string quartet material and its content ........................................... 59 7.2 Valley of Years – Mimetic Qualities of the String Quartet .......................................... 64 7.3 Valley of Years – Gamelan within the Context of Cross-Cultural Mimesis ............ 65 7.4 Valley of Years – Gamelan composition (origins and laras pelog) .......................... 66 7.4 Valley of Years – mimesis operating on several levels ................................................ 69 7.5 Valley of Years – In Review ................................................................................................... 74 8. Applying the LRC – Ghost Estates & Rustic Sea Riser .................................................... 75 8.0 Ghost Estates (string quartet) ............................................................................................. 75 8.1 Ghost Estates – implications of composition .................................................................. 78 8.2 Rustic Sea Riser – origins and electronics ....................................................................... 78 8.3 Rustic Sea Riser – bass clarinet content ........................................................................... 80 8.4 Rustic Sea Riser – Final Thoughts and Implications .................................................... 81 9. veranderen stasis .................................................................................................................... 83 9.0 in brief ........................................................................................................................................ 83 9.1 veranderen stasis .................................................................................................................... 83 9.2 Building from a fragment of Webern ............................................................................... 83 9.3 The Consequential