anderson 2000-provisional history of spectral music

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A provisional history of spectral musicJulian Anderson

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ontemporary Mu sic Review

2000, Vol. 19, Part 2, p. 7-22

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P r o v i s i o n a l H i s t o r y o f S p e c t r a l

M u s i c

J u l i a n n d e r s o n

KEY WORDS: Spect ra lMusic; historical ov erview; Feedb ack; French Music.

T h e c u r r e n t m u s i c a l s c e n e i s r e p l e t e w i t h a m a s s o f c u r r e n t s a n d c o u n t e r -

c u r r e n t s . T h e c e r t a i n t y o f h i s t o r ic a l p u r p o s e w h i c h i n f u s e d t h e e a r l i e st

s e m i n a r s a n d p u b l i c a ti o n s o f t h e D a r m s t a d t g r o u p is l a rg e l y u n t h i n k a b l e

t o d ay . I n d e e d , n o r e c e n t c o m p o s i t i o n a l t r e n d , n o t e v e n m i n i m a l i sm , h a s

m a d e c o m p a r a b l y d o g m a t i c a n d e x c l u s iv e c l ai m s u p o n m u s i c ' s p r e s en t ,

l e t a l o n e i ts f u t u r e . In a t t e m p t i n g a h is t o r ic a l a n d c o m p a r a t i v e s u r v e y o f

s o - c a ll e d ' s p e c t r a l m u s i c , ' t h e r e f o r e , i t m u s t b e m a d e i m m e d i a t e l y c l e a r

t h a t fe w o f th e c o m p o s e r s w h o s e m u s i c m i g h t a t o n e t i m e o r o t h e r h a v e

b e e n d e s c r i b e d a s ' s p e c tr a l ' h a d a n y c o n s c i o u s n o t i o n t h a t t h e y m i g h t

h a v e c o n s t i t u t e d a c o h e r e n t g r o u p . T h e r e i s n o r e a l sc h o o l o f s p e c tr a l

c o m p o s e r s ; r a t h er , c e r t a in f u n d a m e n t a l p r o b l e m s a s s o c i a te d w i t h t h e

s t a te o f c o n t e m p o r a r y m u s i c , s i n c e a t l e a s t 19 6 5, h a v e r e p e a t e d l y p r o -

v o k e d c o m p o s e r s f r o m w i d e l y d i f f e r en t b a c k g r o u n d s i n t o s e ar c h i n g o u t

s o m e c o m m o n s o l u t i o n s i n v o l v i n g t h e a p p l i c a ti o n o f a c o u s t ic s a n d

p s y c h o - a c o u s t ic s t o c o m p o s i t io n .

A s w i l l b e e v i d e n t f r o m t h e g e n e r a l i t y o f t h a t l a st p h r a s e , n o t t h e l e a s t

o f th e p r o b l e m s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h s p e c t r a l m u s i c i s a r r iv i n g a t a c le a r, g e n -

e r a l l y a c c e p t a b l e d e f i n i t i o n o f t h e t e r m . A s f a r a s I c a n a s c e r t a i n , t h e

n o m e n c l a t u r e ' s p e c tr a l ' i s re g a r d e d b y v i r t u a ll y e v e r y m a j o r p r a c t i t io n e r

o f t h e t r e n d a s i n a p p r o p r i a t e , m i s l e a d i n g l y s i m p l i s ti c a n d e x t r e m e l y

r e d u c t iv e , t T h e u s e o f s p e c t r a, w h e t h e r h a r m o n i c o r n o n - h a r m o n i c , i s

1. See, for examp le, Murail (1989).


3/17

Julian Anderson

o n l y t h e m o s t s u p e r f i c i a l fe a t u r e o f t h e m u s i c o f t h e s e c o m p o s e r s . A

m u c h m o r e f u n d a m e n t a l c o n c e r n s h a r e d b y m o s t o f t h e se c o m p o s e r s is

w i t h t h e c o n s c i o u s c o m p o s i t i o n o f t h e d e g r e e o f p r e d i c t a b i l it y o r u n p r e -

d i c t a b il i ty i n th e i r m u s i c , a n d a c o n s e q u e n t f a s c i n a t io n w i t h t h e p s y c h o l -

o g y o f p e r c e p t i o n . F i n a ll y, m o s t c o m p o s e r s i n v o l v e d w i t h t h is t e n d e n c y

s h a r e a n i n c l i n a t io n t o t ra n s c e n d t h e l im i t s o f p a r a m e t r i c c o m p o s i t i o n :

t h e s e r i a l o b s e s s i o n w i t h d e v i s i n g s e p a r a t e o r r e l a t e d c h a r t s f o r p i t c h ,

d u r a t i o n , i n t e n s it y , d y n a m i c s a n d t i m b r e i s r e p l a c e d w i t h a f o n d n e s s f o r

a t t e m p t i n g t o a b o l is h t h e d i s t in c t i o n s b e t w e e n t h e s e p h e n o m e n a . T h i s i s

e s p e c i a l l y t r u e f o r t h e F r e n c h c o m p o s e r s d i s c u s s e d i n t h e s e t w o i s s u e s ,

w h o h a v e s h o w n a p a r t ic u l a r f a s c i n a ti o n w i t h s o -c a l le d c o m p l e x

s o u n d s 2 - - s o u n d s s u c h a s h a rm o n i c s p e c tr a , h a r m o n i c o r n o n - h a r m o n i c

F M s p e c t r a , b e l l s o u n d s a n d m u l t i p h o n i c s , a ll o f w h i c h e l i d e t h e d i s t in c -

t i o n b e t w e e n h a r m o n y a n d t i m b r e . W e sh a l l c o m e b a c k t o t h is p o i n t l a te r ,

b u t i t i s i n t e r e s ti n g t o n o t e h e r e t h a t t h e p r e v a l e n c e o f a n o b s e s s i o n w i t h

t r a n s c e n d i n g t h e li m i ts b e t w e e n p a r a m e t e r s l e d G 6 r a r d G r i s e y t o s u g g e s t

t h e a d j e c t i v e l i m i n a l a s a n a p t e p i t h e t f o r t h e t re n d .

A b r i e f p r e h i s t o r y

T h e o r i g i n s o f s p e c t r a l m u s i c a r e s o d i v e r s e a n d n u m e r o u s t h a t n o s in g l e

s u r v e y c a n p r e t e n d t o b e e x h a u s t iv e . T h e a t t e m p t t o re l a te m u s i c o -

c u l t u r a l a c t i v i t y t o ( s u p p o s e d l y ) n a t u r a l l a w s o f a c o u s t i c s h a s b e e n a

m a i n s t a y o f m u s i c a l t h e o r y s i n c e t h e t i m e o f t h e a n c i e n t G r e e k s . I n t h e

W e s t , th i s t e n d e n c y i s b e s t e x e m p l i f i e d i n t h e t r e a t i s e s o f M e r s e n n e ,

T i n c t o r i s a n d R a m e a u , t h e l a t t e r s i g n i f i c a n t l y a t t e m p t i n g t o e s t a b l i s h t h e

o r i g in s o f F r e n c h B a r o q u e t o n a l h a r m o n i c p r a c t i c e s i n t h e h a r m o n i c s p e c -

t r u m ( a l th o u g h t h e r e s u lt s w e r e h e a v i l y d i s p u t e d b y l e a d in g G e r m a n

m u s i c i a n s o f t h e d a y , n o t l e a s t J. S. a n d C . P . E . B a c h ).

I n t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u ry , t r e at i se a f t e r t r e a ti s e h a s u s e d t h e h a r m o n i c

s p e c t r u m t o j u s t i fy t h e m o s t d i v e r s e c o m p o s i t i o n a l s t y le s . H a r r y P a r t c h

d e v i s e d h i s s c a l e o f 4 3 n o t e s t o t h e o c t a v e i n o r d e r t o i n c o r p o r a t e a

m a x i m u m o f j u s t i n te r v a ls d e r i v e d f r o m o v e r t o n e p r o p o r t i o n s - - a s

e x p l a i n e d i n h i s t r e a t i s e

G e n e s i s o f a M u s i c 3

( c i r c a 1 9 4 5 ) - - a n d d e s i g n e d

h i s o w n i n s t r u m e n t s t o p e r f o r m m u s i c w r i t t e n in t h e sc a le . H e n r y

C o w e l l s r e m a r k a b l e t re a t is e

N e w M u s i c a l R e s o u rc e s 4

( 1 9 1 9 , p u b l i s h e d

2. See Murail (1980), an article significantly entitled La r6 volution des son s complexes.

3. See Par tch (1949, 1974).

4. See Cow ell (1996).


4/17

A Prov i s iona l Hi s t ory o f Spe c t ra l Mu si c

1 93 0) i n c l u d e s a n e l a b o r a t e s e q u e n c e o f th e o r e t ic a l c o n s t r u c t s d e r i v e d b y

a n a l o g y w i t h t h e h a r m o n i c s p e c t r u m : n o t c o n t e n t w i t h i n v e n t i n g h a r -

m o n i c s y s t e m s d e r i v e d f r o m i t , C o w e l l g o e s s i g n i f i c a n t l y f u r t h e r t h a n

a n y t h e o r i s t p r i o r t o W o r l d W a r I I i n d e v i s i n g a c o m p l e x r h y t h m i c s y s t e m

b y s u p e r i m p o s i n g p o l y - r h y t h m s i n th e p r o p o r t i o n s o f h a r m o n i c s p e ct ra .

H e d r a w s a p a ra l le l b e t w e e n t h e c o m p o s i t i o n o f t i m b r e s a n d r h y th m i c

p a t t e r n s; e x a c t l y t h e s a m e p r e m i s e , w i t h s i m i l a r r h y t h m i c a l r e s u lt s , w a s

t o b e a c r u c ia l b u i l d i n g b l o c k n e a r l y f o r t y y e a r s l a t e r i n S t o c k h a u s e n s

Gruppen.

S i n c e C o w e l l s t r e a t i s e a l s o p r o p o s e s t h e d e v i s i n g o f a c h ro -

m a t i c s c a l e o f t w e l v e t e m p i , o n e o f w h i c h i s e x tr a o r d i n a r i l y s i m i l a r t o t h e

t e m p o s c a l e i d e a e q u a l l y f u n d a m e n t a l t o

Gruppen

( a n d t o m o s t o f

S t o c k h a u s e n s m u s i c s i n c e t h en ) , o n e c a n n o t h e l p w o n d e r i n g w h e t h e r

S t o c k h a u s e n h a d s e e n C o w e l l s t r e a ti s e b e f o r e s ta r t in g h i s c o m p o s i t i o n . . .

I n a n y c a s e , C o w e l l s t h e o r i e s w e r e t o b e a c k n o w l e d g e d a s t h e in s p i ra -

t io n f o r t h e r h y t h m i c e x p l o r a t io n s o f C o n l o n N a n c a r r o w i n h i s lo n g

s e q u e n c e o f s t u d i e s f o r p l a y e r p i a n o . B o t h C o w e l l a n d P a r t c h a l s o

i n c l u d e a s u r v e y o f w h a t t h e y t e r m u n d e r t o n e s - - a t h e o re t ic a l ly

d u b i o u s c o n c e p t c o m p r i s i n g a n e x a c t in t e r v a ll i c i n v e r s i o n o f t h e h a r -

m o n i c s p e c t r u m , d e v i s e d i n o r d e r to p r o v i d e a n a t u r a l j u s ti f ic a t io n f or

t h e m i n o r t r i a d .

A l l o f t h is p r o v e d a c r u c ia l i n f lu e n c e o n t h e m i n i m a l i s t c o m p o s e r L a

M o n t e Y o u n g , w h o i s a p r e c u r s o r o f s p e c tr a l m u s i c t o s o m e d e g r e e . L a

M o n t e Y o u n g s h a r e s w i t h m u c h e a r l y s p e c t r a l m u s i c a n i n t e r e s t i n

s o u n d s o f lo n g d u r a t i o n a n d m u s i c w h o s e r a t e o f c h a n g e i s v e r y s l o w . I n

L a M o n t e Y o u n g s c a s e , h o w e v e r , t h e d u r a t i o n is c o n s i d e r a b l y l o n g e r

t h a n f o r a n y s p e c t r a l i s t : a s i n g l e s o u n d c a n l a s t f o r s e v e n t o t e n m i n u t e s

o r m o r e ( o f te n w i t h t h e h e l p o f e l e c tr o n i c e q u i p m e n t ) , a n d t h e r a te o f

c h a n g e r e d u c e d t o s u c h a n e x t e n t t h a t t h e m u s i c o f t e n s e e m s t o t a l l y

i m m o b i l e . T o g e t h e r w i t h a l l th i s, L a M o n t e Y o u n g h a s s h o w n c l o s e i n te r -

e s t in ju s t i n to n a t i o n a n d t h e h a r m o n i c s e ri e s. P i e c e s s u c h a s

The To rtoise

h is dreams and journeys ( 1 9 6 4 - ) a n d The Well Tuned Piano (1965- , fo r a

p i a n o t u n e d i n o v e r t o n e s o f a lo w E - fi at ) e x p lo i t e x t r e m e l y r e f i n e d t u n i n g

s y s t e m s in m u s i c o f s u c h l i m i t e d p i t c h c o n t e n t t h a t t h e l is t e n e r s c a n

a b s o r b t h e u n u s u a l t u n i n g c a r e f u l l y a n d p e r c e i v e i t i n a l l i t s r i c h n e s s .

T i m b r e , t o o , b e c o m e s a l l i m p o r t a n t .

P a u l H i n d e m i t h s i m p o r t a n t t r e a t is e

The Craft of M usical Composition s

( 19 42 ) i s a n u n u s u a l c a s e o f a c o m p o s e r a t t e m p t i n g t o e x p l a i n t h e b a s i s o f

h i s e n t ir e h a r m o n i c w o r l d t h r o u g h a v a r i e t y o f a c o u s t i c a l p h e n o m e n a .

H i n d e m i t h d e v i s e d s c a l e s o f r e l a ti v e i n te r v a ll ic c o n s o n a n c e a n d d i s s o -

n a n c e w h i c h h e u s e d a s d e t e r m i n i n g f a c t o r s i n al l h i s m u s i c f r o m t h e

5. See Hinde mith (1942).


5/17

10 Julian nderson

e a r l y T h i rt ie s o n w a r d s . H i n d e m i t h p l a c e s g re a t e m p h a s i s u p o n t h e

d e r i v a t i o n o f h i s sc a l e s f r o m n o t o n l y t h e h a r m o n i c s p e c t r u m b u t m o s t

e s p e c i a l l y fr o m s u m a n d d i f f e re n c e t o n e s - - a s fa r a s I c a n ju d g e , o n e o f

t h e e a r l ie s t c o m p o s i t i o n a l e x a m p l e s o f th e u s e o f w h a t w e n o w c a ll r i n g

m o d u l a t i o n h a r m o n y , a n d i t i s n o a c c i d e n t t h a t G 6 r a r d G r i s e y h a s c i te d

t h e H i n d e m i t h t r e a ti s e a s a n i n s p i r a t io n f o r h i s re s e a r c h e s i n t o s u m a n d

d i f fe r e n c e t o n e s a s g e n e r a t o r s o f h a r m o n i c f ie l ds . 6 I n c o m m o n w i t h

C o w e l l a n d P a r t c h , H i n d e m i t h r e p e a t e d l y c it e s h i s a c o u s t ic a l re s e a r c h e s

a s n a t u r a l ' j u s t i f ic a t i o n f o r h i s t h e o r i e s , i m p l y i n g t h a t t h e y a r e t h e r e f o r e

i n h e r e n t l y s u p e r i o r t o o t h e r t h e o r e t i c a l c o n c e i t s o f t h e t i m e s u c h a s t h e

t w e l v e - t o n e s y s t e m , f o r w h i c h h e p r e s u m a b l y f e lt n o s u c h n a t u r a l

j u s t i f i c a t i o n c o u l d b e f o u n d . T h i s i s , o f c o u r s e , a l o g i c a l f a l l a c y : w h o e v e r

s a i d t h a t a rt m u s i c , b y n a t u r e c o n s t r u c t e d a n d t h e p r o d u c t o f c o m p l e x

s o c i o - c u l tu r a l p h e n o m e n a , h a d t o b e b a s e d i n n a t u r e ? B u t it i s a f a l la c y

w h i c h w i l l r e c u r f r e q u e n t l y t h r o u g h o u t t h e s e c o n d h a l f o f t h e t w e n t i e t h

c e n t u r y .

W e f i n d a s i m i l a r r e c o u r s e t o n a t u r e a s a j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r m o d a l a n d

h a r m o n i c p r o c e d u r e s i n M e s s i a e n 's Tech n iq u e d e mo n La n g u a g e M u s i ca l

(1 94 2): h e r e , th e h a r m o n i c s p e c t r u m i s u s e d t o d e f e n d M e s s i a e n ' s f a v o r i te

c a d e n c e s t r e s si n g t h e a u g m e n t e d f o u r t h - - a c o m m o n f e a t u r e o f h i s

m u s i c e m p l o y i n g t h e o c t a to n i c s c a le ( o r 2 n d M o d e o f L i m i t e d

T r a n s p o s i ti o n , a s h e t e r m s i t) . E q u a l ly , w e o b s e r v e M e s s i a e n d e v i s i n g a

' c h o r d o f r e s o n a n c e , ' a t w o - o c t a v e e i g h t- p i tc h a g g r e g a t e c o m p r i s i n g h a r -

m o n i c s 4 - 1 5 o f t h e h a r m o n i c s p e c t r u m , s u p e r i m p o s e d i n e q u a l te m p e r a -

m e n t ; t h i s c h o r d w a s t o r e m a i n a n i m p o r t a n t e l e m e n t i n h i s h a r m o n i c

v o c a b u l a r y r i g h t u p t o hi s d e a t h . I n h i s t r e a t is e M e s s i a e n f u r t h e r

e m p l o y s t h e h a r m o n i c s p e c t r u m t o j u s ti f y h is u s e o f ' a d d e d r e s o n a n c e ' - -

d i s s o n a n t u p p e r p i t c h e s a d d e d t o a d i a t o n i c t r i a d i n t h e m i d d l e r e g i s t e r ;

a n d a l s o to j u s ti f y h i s f o n d n e s s f o r 'i n f e r io r r e s o n a n c e ' - - d i s s o n a n t c l u s-

t e r s o f n o t e s , o f t e n a t t h e b o t t o m o f th e p i a n o , a d d e d t o a h i g h e r d i a t o n i c

t r ia d . I n t h e l a tt e r c a s e , h o w e v e r , M e s s i a e n a l s o c i te s t h e c o m p l e x t i m b r e s

o f m e t a l p e r c u s s i o n i n s t r u m e n t s , e s p e c i a l ly be l ls , g o n g s a n d t a m - t a m s , a s

t h e m o s t i m m e d i a t e a n a l o g y w i t h t h i s t y p e o f h a r m o n y , a n d i n t h is

r e s p e c t h e l o o k s f o r w a r d d i r e c t ly t o w a r d s t h e F r e n c h s p e c t r a l c o m p o s e r s ,

w h o h a v e a l o n g s t a n d i n g f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h t h e i n s t r u m e n t a l s i m u l a t i o n

o f s u c h n o n - h a r m o n i c s o u n d s . I n s e v e r a l p a s s a g e s o f hi s i n s tr u m e n t a l

p i e c e Couleurs de la Ci t~ Cdleste ( 19 6 3) M e s s i a e n ' s i n t e r e st i n c o m p o s i n g

r e s o n a n c e i s m a n i f e s t e d i n h is a t t e m p t s t o t ra n s f o r m t h e t i m b r e o f l o w

t r o m b o n e p e d a l t o n e s

p l a y e d f o r t i ss i m o

b y a d d i n g h i g h t h r e e - p a r t c h o r d s

p l a y e d p ia n o o n t h r e e c l a r i n e t s . T h e h i g h e r p i t c h e s o f t h e c l a r i n e t s a r e

6. In private con versation with the author, Novem ber 1995.


6/17

A Provisional History o f Spectral Music

either picked from harmonics of the trombone tones, or from pitches

foreign to the harmonic spectra of the trombone tones concerned. In the

former case, the clarinet sounds te nd to fuse with the trombo ne sounds;

in the latter case, they provoke a degree of distortion of the trombone

timbre. A comparison of these passages with the openin g of Grisey s

P a r t i e l s

(1975), in which a trombone spectrum is simulated by an instru-

mental ensemble, shows to wha t extent the French spectralists emanated

very directly from certain aspects of Messiaen s t hought. Messiaen has

also stated that his birdsong derived pieces feature a special type of

har mony which is close to that fou nd in spectral music: When I repro-

duce a birdsong, every note is provided with a chord, not a classified

chord but a complex of sounds which is designed to give the note its

timbre. 7 The resultant har mon y is thus on the cusp between har mon y

and timbre which is a source of such fasc ination for spectralists.

In his fondness for added and inferior resonance, Messiaen admits to

being highly influenced by the music of his colleague Andr6 Jolivet

(1904-1974), w hos e early piano work s

M a n a

(1935) and the

C i n q D a n s e s

R i t u e l l e s

(1939) include man y fascinating varieties of such resonances,

and whose exploitation of the extremes of piano registers and textures

was certainly to have an effect on Mess iaen s

V i n g t R e g a r d s

(1944),

C a n t e y o d j a y a

(1949) and the two

l l e s d e F e u

6tudes (1950). Jolivet also

devised a variety of harmonic aggregates from superimpos ing harmonic

spectra - - a procedure later also found in Murail s

1 3 C o u l e u r s d u S o l e i l

C o u c h a n t - -

and at least one of the resu ltant chord pro gressions wa s sub-

sequently adopted by Messiaen in his ow n music of the time. 8

Jolivet studie d with Edg ard Var6se and the latter is widely regar ded as

a forerunner of spectral composition by its leading practitioners. The

Canadian composer Gilles Tremblay, later one of his country s leading

representatives in the field of spectral music, studied with Var6se at the

start of the fifties and has rec ounte d tha t Var6se said to him: Let s not

forget that, for us as musicians,

s o u n d

is one of our best teachers. That is

wh y we sh ould ob serve it and s tud y it: its lessons are inexhaustible. 9

According to Tremblay, Var6se conside red the harmoni c spectr um a

basic phenomenon, the harmonic phenomenon which transcends our

7. Olivier Messiaen.

Mu sique et Couleur No uvelles Entretiens Avec Claud e Samu el

Belfond,

Paris, 1986,

p 102

8. C.f. Jolivet,

Cinq Danses R itue lles

no. 3 Danse Nuptiale, opening chord progression;

compare with Messiaen,

Trois Petites Liturgies de la P resence Divine

no. 1, the chord pro-

gression at the words Soleil de sang, d oiseaux ; see also Messiaen,

Harawi

no. 1, the

Cinq Rechants

no. 1, and

Canteyodjaya.

9. GillesTremblay: Acoustiqueet Forme chez Var~se in La

Revue M usicale

triple issue nos.

383-385, Richard Masse, 1985.


7/17

12 JulianAnderson

e r a 1 ~ a n d h i s f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h s o u n d f o r s o u n d s s a k e r e s u l t e d i n a

n u m b e r o f w o r k s i n w h i c h t h e n o t i o n o f t i m b r e i s e l e v a t e d t o a c o m p o s i -

t io n a l p ri n c ip l e . T h e A m e r i c a n c o m p o s e r M o r t o n F e l d m a n , w h o k n e w

V a r 6 se w e l l i n t h e f o r ti e s a n d f if ti e s, h a s r e m a r k e d u p o n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e

m a t c h i n g i n V a r 6 s e s m u s i c o f h a r m o n i c a g g r e g a t e t o i n s t r u m e n t a l

t i m b r e s is a lm o s t u n c a n n y , a n d i n d e e d a w o r k l i k e Int~grales (1924)

l a rg e l y c o n s i s t s o f blocs sonores e a c h s h a r p l y d e f i n e d i n r e g i st e r, i n t e r v a l-

l ic c o n t e n t a n d i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n . A n a l y s i s o f s u c h p h e n o m e n a h a s s o f a r

p r o v e d p r o b le m a t i c, a s c o n v e n t i o n a l a n al y ti c m e t h o d s h a v e d e v e l o p e d

e x t r e m e l y r e fi n e d m e a n s o f e x a m i n i n g p i t ch b u t n o t t i m b r e .

A n o t h e r f r e q u e n t l y c i te d p r o g e n i t o r o f s p e c t r a l m u s i c i s t h e I t a l ia n

c o m p o s e r G i a c i n t o S c e l s i ( 1 9 0 5 - 1 9 8 8 ) . T h e r e a r e t w o a s p e c t s t o t h i s

i n f l u en c e . S c e ls i s s e q u e n c e o f r a d i c a l l y f o c u s e d w o r k s c o m p o s e d a f t e r

t h e l a t e f i f t i e s, s u c h a s t h e Four Orchestral Pieces on a Single Note (1959),

r e d u c e d p i t c h c o n t e n t s o c o m p l e t e l y t h a t t h e l i s t e n e r i s f o r c e d to e x a m i n e

o t h e r w i s e u n n o t i c e a b l e m i n u t i a e o f s o u n d , s u c h a s h a r m o n i c s , b e a t s a n d

d i f f e r e n c e t o n e s. A l t h o u g h S c e l s i d i d n o t i n v e s t ig a t e s p e c t r a i n h i s h a r -

m o n i c t h i n k i n g , t h e e x t r e m e l y s u s t a i n e d t e x t u r e o f h is l a t e r m u s i c s o m e -

t i m e s r e s u l t e d i n a f a s c i n a ti o n w i t h g r a d u a l , c o n t i n u o u s l y e v o l v i n g

p r o c e s s e s w h i c h w o u l d p r o v e s u g g e s t i v e t o M u r a i l a m o n g s t o t h e r s . T h e

m o s t n o t a b l e e x a m p l e o f t h is i s S c e l s i s F o u r t h S t r i n g Q u a r t e t (1 96 4) ,

w h i c h t r a c e s a s t e a d y , a l b ei t i rr e g u l a r r i s i ng b a n d o f p i tc h e s w h i c h c l im b s

a b o u t a s i x t h o v e r t h e w o r k s e l e v e n m i n u t e s .

O f t h e t h r e e o t h e r i m m e d i a t e i n f l ue n c e s , p a r a d o x i c a l l y a ll a r e m e m b e r s

o f t h e g e n e r a t i o n o f c o m p o s e r s b e l o n g i n g t o o r a s s o c i a te d w i t h t h e

D a r m s t a d t g r o u p o f f if ti e s s e ri a li s ts . G y 6 r g y L i g e ti s t e x t u r e - b a s e d m u s i c

p i e c e s s u c h a s Atrnosph~res (1961) and Lontano (1 9 6 7 ) - - s h a r e d w i t h

S c e l s i s m u s i c ( u n k n o w n t o L i g e ti a t t h a t t i m e ) a p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h

s l o w r a t e s o f c h a n g e a n d d e n s e , c o n t i n u o u s l y e v o l v i n g t e x t u re s . T h is h a d

a n o b v i o u s e f f e c t n o t m e r e l y o n G r i s e y a n d M u r a i l b u t l a t e r o n t h e m u s i c

o f K a i j a S a a r i a h o a s w e l l . M u ra i l h a s a l s o c i t e d a l e ss k n o w n s o u rc e o f

t h is t y p e : t h e e a r l y m u s i c o f F r e d e r i c h C e r h a , w h o l a t e r b e c a m e f a m o u s

f o r c o m p l e t i n g t h e o r c h e s t r a t i o n o f t h e A c t I I I o f B e r g s Lulu. In a l a rg e -

s c a l e c y c l e o f o r c h e s t r a l p i e c e s e n t i t l e d Spiegel c o m p o s e d f r o m 1 9 6 0 t o

1 96 2, i n d e p e n d e n t l y f r o m b o t h L i g e ti a n d S c e ls i, C e r h a e v o l v e d h i s o w n

f o r m o f r a d i c a l t e x t u r e m u s i c w h i c h i n v o l v e d s p l i t t in g t h e o r c h e s t r a i nt o

p e r p e t u a l l y f l u c t u a t i n g m a s s e s o f s o u n d s . P e r h a p s t h e f i n e s t o f t h e s et ,

Spiegel V f o r o r c h e s t r a a n d e l e c tr o n i c ta p e , f e a t u r e s a r e m a r k a b l y s o p h i s-

t i c a t e d f u s i o n o f e l e c t ro n i c a n d i n s t r u m e n t a l s o u n d i n t o a s e a m l e s s fl o w

i n w h i c h , a s i n S c e l s i , c o n v e n t i o n a l f o r m a l d i v i s i o n s a r e c o m p l e t e l y

1 0. I n t e r v i e w w i t h G i l l e s T r e m b l a y i n Salabert Ac tue l s N o v e m b e r D e c e m b e r 19 88 .


8/17

Prov i s ionaI Hi s t ory o f Spe c t ra l Mu si c 3

e l i d e d i n f a v o r o f a s i ng l e , u n i d i re c t i o n a l p r o c es s . A l t h o u g h h e d i d n o t

k n o w t h e Spiegel c y c l e a t t h e t i m e , M u r a i l s f i rs t f u l l y c h a r a c te r i s ti c w o r k

Sables (19 74 ) s h a re s m a n y a t t r i b u t e s w i t h t h e p i e c e s o f t h e c y c l e .

S e v e r a l p i e c e s b y K a r l h e i n z S t o c k h a u s e n d e s e r v e m e n t i o n i n g h e r e .

St imrnung (19 67 ) fo r s ix v o c a l i s t s is c e r t a i n l y a n e a r l y e x a m p l e o f s p e c t r a l

c o m p o s i t i o n : a s i n g le h a r m o n i c s p e c t r u m o n B - fl at is f i l te r e d b y p e r p e t u -

a l l y c h a n g i n g p h o n e t i c c o l o r a t i o n o n t h e s i x v o ic e s , w h o a l s o e m p h a s i z e

i n d i v i d u a l p a r t i a l s b y u s i n g o v e r t o n e c h a n t i n g . C e r t a i n l y , t h i s i s a

r e m a r k a b l e i n s t a n c e o f a p p l y i n g a c o u s t i c r e s e a r c h t o c o m p o s i t i o n i n a

t h o r o u g h g o i n g a n d c o n s i s t e n t w a y : o n e n o t e s t h a t t h e l a r g e - s c a l e h a r -

m o n i c v o c a b u l a r y ( a s i n g l e h a r m o n i c s p e c t r u m ) i s i d e n t i c a l w i t h t h e

s m a l l -s c a l e d e t a i l ( m a d e u p o f th e i n d i v i d u a l h a r m o n i c s p e c t r a p r o j e c t e d

b y e a c h o f t h e s i x v o i c e s ) . T h e o n e f e a t u r e t h a t i s l a c k i n g i s a c l e a r l y

d i r e c t i o n a l p ro c e s s ; i n s t e a d , a n d t y p i c a l l y fo r S t o c k h a u s e n a t t h i s t i m e ,

t h e p i e c e c o n s is t s o f a s e r i e s o f m o m e n t s w i t h n o e v i d e n t o v e r a l l d i re c -

t i o n a t a l l . I n t h i s a s i n o t h e r r e s p e c t s , o n e s e n s e s t h e i n f l u e n c e o f La

M o n t e Y o u n g , w h o s e m u s i c S t o c k h a u s e n a l m o s t c e r t a i n ly k n e w .

S t o c k h a u s e n s M a n t ra (1970) fo r two p ian i s t s and l ive e lec t ron ics , i s a

m o r e c o m p l i c a t e d c a s e; a l t h o u g h i t w a s c e r t a i n l y a n i n s p i r a t i o n f o r m a n y

e a r l y s p e c t r a l c o m p o s e r s s u c h a s C l a u d e V i v i e r a n d c o m p o s e r s s u c h a s

J o h a n n e s F r i ts c h , P e t e r E o tv o s a n d o t h e r s o f t h e F e e d b a c k S t u d i o s i n

C o l o g n e . Mantra s m o s t i m m e d i a t e f e a t u r e i s it s u s e o f a s i n g l e m e l o d i c

f o r m u l a t o d e t e r m i n e b o t h l a r g e f o r m a n d s m a l l - sc a l e d e t a il , a c o m p o s i -

t i o n a l t e c h n i q u e S t o c k h a u s e n h a s b e e n u s i n g e v e r s i n c e. F o r t h e p r e s e n t

p u r p o s e s , t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t f e a t u r e o f Mantra i s it s u s e o f r i n g m o d u l a -

t i o n t o c o l o r t h e p i a n o t i m b re . Ea c h o f t h e t h i r t e e n s e c t i o n s o f

Mantra

is

b a s e d a r o u n d o n e o f t h e t h i r te e n p r i n c i p a l n o t e s o f t h e w o r k s m e l o d i c

f o r m u l a : t h e f i r s t p i a n o h a s t h e o r i g i n a l s e r i e s , t h e s e c o n d p i a n o t h e

i n v e r s i o n , e a c h s t a r t i n g fo rm a c e n t r a l p i t c h A 3 . I n a d d i t i o n , e a c h p i a n i s t

o p e r a t e s a r i n g - m o d u l a t o r a n d a s i n e - t o n e g e n e r a t o r t o m o d u l a t e t h e

p i a n o s o u n d . T h e p i t c h o f e a c h s i n e - t o n e g e n e r a t o r c h a n g e s a c c o r d i n g t o

t h e s e r i e s o f p r i n c i p l e p i t c h e s j u s t o u t l i n e d , a g a i n s t a r t i n g f r o m t h e

c e n t r a l p it c h o f A 3. A n y p i t c h p l a y e d o n o n e o f t h e p i a n o s w i l l h a v e a

s p e c if i c r e la t i o n s h i p t o t h e p i t c h o f i ts s i n e - t o n e g e n e r a t o r , f r o m

e x t r e m e l y d i s s o n a n t t o to t a l l y c o n s o n a n t a n d t h e t i m b r e s o f t h e r i n g -

m o d u l a t i o n w i l l v a r y i n p a r a l l e l f r o m n o n - h a r m o n i c t o h a r m o n i c , t h e

m o s t h a r m o n i c t i m b r e s r e s u l t i n g f r o m n o t e s i n o c t a v e u n i s o n w i t h t h e

s i n e - t o n e s , o r i n s i m p l e t r i a d i c r e l a t i o n s h i p s t o t h e m .

S t o c k h a u s e n s p e a k s o f t h i s p e r p e t u a l o s c il l at io n b e t w e e n d i s s o n a n t a n d

c o n s o n a n t t i m b r e s a s a m o v e m e n t f r o m t e n s i o n t o r e l a x a t i o n a n d b a c k ,

a n a l o g o u s t o h u m a n b r e a t h i n g . C e r t a i n l y t h e l is t e n e r c a n e a s i l y h e a r t h e

c o n s i s t e n c y o f t i m b r e a n d m e l o d i c f o r m w h i c h p e r m e a t e s t h e m u s i c , n o t

l e a s t in t h e o p e n i n g a n d c l o s i n g s e c t i o n s o f t h e m u s i c , a s t h e p i t c h A 3 i s


9/17

4 Julian nderson

c e n t r a l t o b o t h p i a n o s a n d s i n e - t o n e g e n e r a t o r s i n t h e s e s e c t io n s . T h e

r a n g e o f c o n s o n a n t t i m b r e s p r o d u c e a b l e w i t h t h e A is c o n s id e r a b l e : a n y

p i t c h e s o f th e t r i a d s o f A - m a j o r , F - m a j o r o r D - m a j o r . B e c a u s e t h e s e r e l a -

t i o n s h i p s a r e h e a r d r e p e t i t iv e l y o v e r t h e d u r a t i o n o f t h e s e s e c t i o n s, t h e

l i st e n e r g r o w s a c c u s t o m e d t o th e t im b r e s , a n d c a n q u i c k l y p r e d i c t w h i c h

t i m b r e s w i l l a s s o c i a t e w i t h w h i c h p i a n o p i t c h e s . T h e r i n g - m o d u l a t i o n

s o u n d l o s e s it s 'e x o ti c ," u n f a m i l i a r q u a l i t y a n d i t b e c o m e s p o s s i b l e t o h e a r

i n s i d e t h e t im b r e s , t o h e a r t h e m a s re a l h a r m o n y , a f e a t u r e w h i c h w a s t o

p r o v e h i g h l y s u g g e s t iv e t o m a n y y o u n g e r c o m p o s e r s .

A n i n d e p e n d e n t f i g ur e fr o m D e n m a r k p r o v i d e d w h a t I w o u l d a r g u e i s

t h e f ir s t p r o p e r l y i n s t r u m e n t a l p i e c e o f s p e c t r a l c o m p o s i t i o n . B o r n i n

1 93 2, P e r N o r g a a r d h a d s t a r t e d h i s c a re e r a s a t y p i c a l l y N o r d i c c o m p o s e r

i n th e m o l d o f S i b e li u s ; l a t e r h e b r o k e o u t i n t o a f o r m o f m o d e r n i s m a n d

e x p l o r e d c o l l a g e a n d e l e c tr o n ic s . B y th e l a t e s ix t ie s , h e h a d r e a c h e d a n

a n a l o g o u s s t a t e o f r e s e a r c h t o t h a t o f L ig e t i a n d C e r h a , w i t h a s e r i e s o f

o r c h e s tr a l w o r k s e x p l o r i n g t i m b r e t h r o u g h d e n s i t y a n d s l o w l y tr a n s -

f o r m i n g t e x t u r e s . T h e c l u s t e r f o r m s o n l y o n e p a r t o f th i s v o c a b u l a r y ;

t h e r e is a c o n s i d e r a b le d e g r e e o f m u l t i -l a y e r e d m e l o d i c d e v e l o p m e n t ,

a n d a l s o a f o n d n e s s f o r h a r m o n i c s p e c t r a - - o f t e n s e v e r a l a r e s u p e r i m -

p o s e d a t d if f e r e n t s p e e d s a s i n t h e c a s e o f h i s r e m a r k a b l e o r c h e s t r a l w o r k

Iris f r o m 1 9 6 7 . T h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r , h e c o m p o s e d a s t i l l m o r e r a d i c a l

w o r k ,

Voyage into the Golden Screen,

f o r c h a m b e r o r c h e s t r a . O n l y i n i t s

m o o d o f c o n c e n t r a t e d s t il ln e s s d o e s t h is w o r k r e l a te t o t h e s o n g b y

D o n o v a n f r o m w h i c h i t t a k e s it s ti tl e. T h e r e a r e t w o m o v e m e n t s , o f

w h i c h t h e f ir s t i s q u i t e w i t h o u t p r e c e d e n t i n a n y E u r o p e a n m u s i c o f th e

t i m e . T h e m u s i c i s e n t i r e l y b a s e d u p o n t w o h a r m o n i c s p e c t r a a q u a r t e r -

t o n e a p a r t , o n G a n d A - f l a t l o w e r e d b y a q u a r t e r - to n e . T h e s e s p e c t r a a r e

s i m u l a t e d i n j u s t in t o n a t i o n m a i n l y o n t h e o r c h e s t r a l s t r in g s , w h i c h

n e c e s s i t a t e s scordatura f o r t h e v i o l i n s , v i o l a s a n d c e l l o s ( p a r a l l e l w i t h

S c e l s i ) . E a c h s p e c t r u m u n f o l d s g r a d u a l l y a g a i n s t t h e o t h e r , a n d a s t h e y

c l a s h t h e i r v e r y p r o x i m i t y r e s u l t s i n s t r o n g d i f f e r e n c e t o n e s ( ' b e a t s ' ) . T h i s

c u l m i n a t e s i n t h e h u g e , b l u r r e d m u l t i p l e o c t a v e a t th e c l i m a x o f th e

p i e c e , w h i c h s o u n d s u n c a n n i l y s i m i l a r to S c e ls i, a n d h a s s i m i l a r r e c o u r s e

t o n o is e p r o d u c i n g d e v i c e s , s u c h a s b u z z s o u n d s o n t h e h a r p , f l u tt e r-

t o n g u i n g a n d v a r y i n g b o w p r e s s u r e t o e m p h a s i z e t h e g r a in y t i m b r e o f

m u l t i p le ' b e a ts . ' It s h o u l d b e e m p h a s i z e d t h a t N o r g a a r d h a d a b s o l u t e l y

n o i d e a o f S ce l si 's w o r k a t t hi s ti m e - - i t w a s l a r g e ly u n k n o w n - - a n d

w a s e x t r e m e l y s u r p r i s e d w h e n h e d i d f i r s t h e a r S c e l s i' s Four Pieces T h e

w o r k a l s o c o n t a i n s c u r i o u s p r e - e c h o e s o f G r i s ey , M u r a i l a n d t h e w o r k o f

t h e fe e d b a c k g r o u p , a l t h o u g h t h e s e c o m p o s e r s h a v e r e m a i n e d u n c o g -

n i s a n t o f N o r g a a r d ' s w o r k . N e v e r t h e le s s , Voyage into the Golden Screen is

a n i m p o r t a n t p r e c u r s o r o f s p e c t r a l m u s i c , p e r h a p s t h e m o s t d i r e c t o f a ll ,

a n d m u s t b e r e c o g n i z e d a s s uc h .


10/17

Prov i s iona l Hi s t ory o f Spe c t ra l Mu si c 5

The

secon d phase

the seventies and early eighties

Spectral Composition is properly the creation of composers from the fol-

lowing generation. There are several distinct centers of development,

some of which were in sporadic contact throughout this period. Paris

and Cologne were the two principal centers, each with its group --

L Itin~raire and Feedback Studios respectively. As the work of L Itindraire

is well covered in the second issue, a brief history of Feedback seems

appropriate at this point.

The group was foun ded by a num ber of former pupils, associates and

assistants of S tockhaus en in 1970: Johannes Fritsch, Rolf Gelhaar,

Clarence Barlow n and Mesias Maiguash ca amo ngs t them; several other

composers, notably Claude Vivier and Peter Eotvos, appear to have

maintained occasional contact with the group. Feedback Studios func-

tioned not merely as a group of like-minded composers but also as a

publishing house for their works (and still does). The influence of

Stockhausen is certainly a factor in their music, and the particular vari-

eties of spectral composition f ound in their work were perhaps triggered

by Mantra and Stimmung.

Maiguashca s music odd ly combines a fascination for ring- and fre-

quency-modulation harmony with the rhythmic energy and life of the

folk music of his native Equador. His ensemble work Monodias e

Interludios (1984) is a case in point: the spectra are generated purely

instrumentally, with an unspecified bass-instrument (double-bass, bass

tuba, or some such) taking the role of a carrier frequency in FM synthe-

sis, the changing spectra being prov ided to the nearest quarter-tone by

the rest of the group. This is monophonic music: as the title indicates,

Maiguashca has compo sed mono dies for sets of FM timbres and

grouped them into lively melodic movements, each with its own distinc-

tive character an d sonorities. The acuteness of the compo ser s ear

enables him to instru ment his chosen spectra with such facility that the

ear is deceived into hearing even quite complex and fast moving spectra

as timbre, rather than simple chords. Maiguashca manage d a similar

feat, this time combin ing real and simul ated FM, in his attractive IRCAM

commission FMelodies (1981) whose title again indicates his desire to

infuse spectral composition with some melodic content.

This merits further thought: with certain notable exceptions, spec-

tral composers have had a lot of trouble discovering ways to write

11. Editor s note:the composer Clarence Barlow desires that his name be spelled differently

with each use in print. The author of this article has respected that wish and therefore

each re-iteration of the name is spelled differently:Baalo, Baaleuw, Baalow,etc. all refer

to the same composer.


11/17

6 Julian nderson

m e l o d i c a l l y , o r f o r t h a t m a t t e r p o l y p h o n i c a l l y . O n e a n s w e r t o t h i s

p r o b l e m i s t o d e n y i t s e x i s t e n c e a l t o g e t h e r : s u p p o s e d l y s u c h s t a n d a r d

c o n c e p t s a s m e l o d y ' a n d ' c o u n t e r p o i n t ' h a v e c e a s ed t o h a v e a n y

m e a n i n g i n t h e n e w s y n t a x o f s p e c t r a l c o m p o s i t i o n . T h i s a t t i t u d e c e r -

t a i n l y p r o v e d f e a s i b l e f o r a w h i l e i n t h e s e v e n t i e s , a n d a n u m b e r o f

c l a s s i c p i e c e s w e r e t h e r e b y p r o d u c e d : G r i s e y ' s

Pa r t i e l s

a n d M u r a i l ' s

Eth ers a n d G o n d w a n a a m o n g s t t h e m . B u t a l r e a d y i n G r i s e y 's M o d u l a t i o n s

a d e g r e e o f m e l o d i c - c e l lu l a r d e v e l o p m e n t p r o v e d n e c e s s a r y f o r t e x t u r a l

v a r i e ty , a n d Mu r a i l ' s

M emo i re -Ero s io n a n d Les Co u ra n t s d e EEsp a ce

(1976

a n d 1 9 79 r e s p e c t i v e ly ) a l s o c o n t a in e d h in t s o f me lo d i c w r i t i n g . S in c e t h e

l a t e e i g h t i e s M u r a i l ' s i n t e r e s t i n me ta - p r o c e s s e s ,' o r p r o c e s s e s c o n s i s t i n g

o f s ev e ra l s u p e r i m p o s e d p r o c e ss e s, h a s p r o v i d e d a m e a n s o f p o l y p h o n i c

a n d e n r i c h e d t e x tu r a l w r i t in g , a n d

L E s p r i t d e s D u n e s

( 19 9 4) b e a r s w i tn e s s

t o a w i s h t o d e v e l o p m e l o d i c f o r m a t i o n s f r o m c o m p l e x s p e c t r a . B u t

m e l o d i c a n d l i n e a r w r i t i n g r e m a i n s u n t y p i c a l o f t h i s t y p e o f c o m p o s i n g .

I t i s t h u s a l l t h e m o r e s u r p r i s i n g t h a t s e v e r a l F e e d b a c k c o m p o s e r s

m a d e r e p e a t e d f o r ay s i n t o m e l o d i c c o m p o s i t i o n d u r i n g t h i s p e r io d .

A s i d e f r o m t h e w o r k o f M a i g u a s h c a , i t a l so p l a y s a r o l e i n t h e m u s i c o f

K la r e n z B a a lo , J o h a n n e s F r i t c h a n d P e t e r E o tv o s . C l a r e n t s B a a r lo u g h ' s

cogluotobi is i s letmesi (1 98 0) i s p r o b a b l y t h e b e s t k n o w n , a n d c e r t ai n l y t h e

m o s t e x t r e m e p r o d u c t o f t h e F e e d b a c k g r o u p . N o t p r o p e r l y s p e c t r a l

m u s i c , i t s h a r e s n o n e t h e l e s s a n u m b e r o f i m p o r t a n t c o n c e r n s w i t h s p e c -

t ra l c o m p o s i t i o n . A n a m b i t i o u s , h a l f - h o u r c o m p o s i t i o n f o r re - t u n e d

p i a n o , i t b e t r a y s t h e ( a c k n o w l e d g e d ) i n f lu e n c e o f t h e w o r k o f P a r t c h a n d

L a M o n t e Y o u n g i n e x p l o r i n g t h e r i c h p o s s i b il i t ie s o f j u s t i n t e r v a l s

d e r i v e d f r o m t h e h a r m o n i c s p e c t r u m . U n l i k e Y o u n g ' s

T h e W e l l T u n e d

Pia n o , o n l y a f e w n o t e s o f t h e p i a n o a r e r e - t u n e d i n s t e a d o f t h e e n t i re

k e y b o a r d , t o a v o i d ' a m i c r o t o n a l m u s h ' a s B a a l e u w s a y s. T h e r e s u l ta n t

t u n i n g i s c e r t a in l y e a s i ly m e m o r i z a b l e , a n d a n e c o n o m i c , e ff e ct iv e w a y o f

r e d e f i n i n g p i a n o t e m p e r a m e n t i n l i n e w i t h s p e c t ra l n e e d s ; it 's a d e v i c e

w h i c h h a s b e e n u s e d m o r e r e c e n t l y i n G r i s e y 's

V o r t e x T e m p o r u m

(1996), in

w h i c h a g a i n o n l y a f e w k e y s o f th e p i a n o a r e r e -t u n e d , p r o d u c i n g t h e f r e-

q u e n c i e s c o m m o n t o a l l t h e s p e c t r a e m p l o y e d i n t h e p i e ce . In B a a l o w ' s

c a se , h o w e v e r , t h e e l e m e n t s o f s p e c t ra l c o m p o s i t i o n e n d t h e re : h i s p i a n o

p i e c e is a n e l a b o r at e m e l o d i c , a n d l a te r p o l y p h o n i c m o n s t e r , o p e r a t i n g o n

s e v e r al l a y e rs o f p r o c e s s e s at o n c e - - s o m e t i m e s s p r e a d a c ro s s t h e e n t i r e

k e y b o a r d a n d , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e c o m p o s e r , p e r f o r m a b l e o n l y b y a n ' u l tr a -

v i r t u o s o p i a n i s t . ' ( T o d a t e , H e r b e r t H e n c k i s t h e o n l y p i a n i s t t o h a v e

a t t e m p t e d t h e w o r k ; B a g h l o u g h l a te r m a d e a c o m p u t e r r e a li z at i on o f t h e

w o r k a t I R C A M , s i nc e n o h u m a n p e r f o r m e r c a n p l a y a l l th e p i t ch e s i n

t h e s c o r e . ) N e v e r t h e l e s s , i t s c o n c e r n f o r t r a n s f o r m i n g c o n s t a n t a n d

m e l o d i c a l ly s i m p l e m u s i c i n t o h i g h l y d i s s o n a n t p o l y p h o n y r e v ea l s a n

o b s e s s io n w i th a u d i t i v e ly p e r c e p t i b l e , d i r e c t i o n a l p r o c e s s e s c lo s e ly an a l -


12/17

Prov i s ionaI Hi s t ory o f Spe c t ra I Mu si c 7

o g o u s t o t h e w o r k o f G r i s e y a n d M u r a i l i n t h e s e v e n ti e s . B a l o w p u r s u e d

t h e s e e x p l o r a t io n s f u r t h e r i n h i s e n s e m b l e p i e c e Im Januar am Nil (1982).

J o h a n n e s F r i t s c h , a m o r e o r t h o d o x l y s p e c t r a l c o m p o s e r , m a d e a t y p i -

c a l ly F e e d b a c k a t t e m p t t o f u s e m e l o d i c a n d s p e c t r a l n o t i o n s i n s e v e r a l

w o r k s , p a r t i c u l a r l y h i s S tr ing Quin te t (1 98 4, c o m p o s e d i n m e m o r y o f

C l a u d e V i v ie r ), as h a s P e t e r E o t v o s i n m u c h o f h is m u s i c . E o t v o s e n s e m -

b l e p i e c e Sequences of the W ind (19 76 ) e m p l o y s a s e t - u p s i m i l a r t o t h a t o f

M a i g u a s h c a s Monodias, w i t h a t u b a p r o v i d i n g t h e e q u i v a l e n t o f a c a r r i e r

f r e q u e n c y to p r o d u c e r i n g - m o d u l a t i o n s p e c tr a l m e l o d i e s p l a y e d b y t h e

r e s t o f t h e e n s e m b l e , a g a i n t u n e d t o t h e n e a r e s t q u a r t e r - t o n e . I n t h e e i g ht -

i e s h e e x p l o r e d F M h a r m o n i c t e c h n i q u e s t o g e n e r a t e c o m p l e x m e l o d i c o r

p o l y p h o n i c s t r a n d s o f s p e c t r a in s u c h w o r k s a s h i s a m b i t i o u s e n s e m b l e

p i e c e A Chinese Opera (1989). His Intervalles Int~rieurs (1982) , on the o ther

h a n d , w a s a s t u d y in r i n g - m o d u l a t i o n h a r m o n y a n d h a r m o n y d e r i v e d

f r o m a p p l y i n g t h e G o l d e n S e c t i on r a ti o t o t h e f r e q u e n c y s p ac e , a l a r g e ly

t e x tu r a l e s s a y m o r e i n l i ne w i t h t h e w o r k o f t h e c o m p o s e r s f r o m t h e

g r o u p L Itin~raire, f o r w h o m i t w a s c o m p o s e d .

T h e e m p h a s i s o n m e l o d y i n t h e F e e d b a c k g r o u p m a y , o f c o u r s e, b e

a n o t h e r p r o d u c t o f t h e h e r i t a g e o f S to c k h a u s e n . C e r t a i n l y i t p l a y e d a

c r u ci a l ro l e in t h e m u s i c o f t h e m o s t c u r r e n t l y p l a y e d c o m p o s e r o n c e

a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e C o l o g n e c i r c l e , a n o t h e r S t o c k h a u s e n p u p i l , t h e

C a n a d i a n c o m p o s e r C l a u d e V i v i e r (1 9 48 -1 9 83 ) . V i v i e r s m u s i c m a k e s

l it tl e p r e t e n s e a t r e s o l v i n g t h e d i f f ic u l t y o f c o m p o s i n g r e a l ly p o l y p h o n i c

s p e c t ra l m u s i c b y n o t t r y i n g t o d o s o. V i r t u a ll y h is e n t i r e m a t u r e o u t p u t

i s e s s e n t i a l l y h o m o p h o n i c , a n d i t i s o n l y w i t h h i s o u t p u t f r o m 1 98 0

o n w a r d s t h a t w e n e e d c o n c e r n o u r s e l v e s h er e . H a v i n g a b s o r b e d t h e

m u s i c o f B al i a n d E a s t A s i a a t f i r s t h a n d i n t h e m i d - s e v e n t i e s , V i v i e r

d e v e l o p e d a p e c u l i a r l y o r i g in a l , d i r e c t m e l o d i c s t y l e , e s s e n ti a l ly d i a t o n i c

a n d u n a s h a m e d l y n a i v e , e v e n c h i l d l i k e . H i s b a s i c t e c h n i q u e i s s i m p l e :

t h e m e l o d y w a s t h e f ir s t t h i n g t o b e w r i t t e n ; it w a s t h e n p r o v i d e d , w h e r e

d e e m e d n e c e s s a r y, w i t h a b as s -l in e . T h e m e l o d y a n d t h e b a ss - li n e w e r e

t h e n r i n g - m o d u l a t e d a g a i n s t e a c h o t h e r t o p r o d u c e s p e c t r a w h i c h r a n g e d

f r o m h a r m o n i c t o n o n - h a r m o n i c a c c o r d i n g t o t h e c o n s o n a n c e o r d i s s o -

n a n c e o f t h e m e l o d y t o i ts ba s s -l in e . T h e m e l o d y w a s a l so o f t e n d o u b l e d

w i t h i ts o w n h a r m o n i c s , t o e n r i c h t h e t e x tu r e , a n d a l l t h e s e f a c to r s c o m -

b i n e d w i t h a s t r o n g p r e f e r e n c e fo r s t a ti c , ri t u a l i s t ic a l l y b l o c k - l i k e fo rm s .

N a r r o w t h o u g h i t m a y b e , V i v ie r s m u s i c e m a n a t e s a n e x t r a o r d i n a r il y

d i s t i n c t a t m o s p h e r e q u i t e u n l i k e a n y o t h e r c o m p o s e r . A l l t h e m a t u r e

w o r k s i n v o l v e t h e h u m a n v o i c e , u s u a l l y a s o p r a n o . T h e f i r st pi e c e to b e

w r i t t e n w i t h t h e s e t e c h n i q u e s w a s Lonely Child (1 9 8 0 ) fo r s o p ra n o a n d

o r c h e st r a , in w h i c h t h e c o m p o s e r s a y s t h e e n t i r e o r c h e s tr a l m a s s i s t ra n s -

f o r m e d i n t o t im b r e . . . m u s i c a l l y I h a d j u s t o n e t h i n g t o m a s t e r : t h is g r e a t

s p e c t r u m o f c o lo r s . Bouchara - - Chanson d Amour (19 81 ) fo r s o p r a n o a n d


13/17

8 Julian nderson

e n s e m b l e , p r e s e n t s V i v i e r s t e c h n i c a l p r o c e d u r e s a t t h e i r p u r e s t a n d m o s t

c h a r a c t e r is t i c - - t h e s e c o n d s e c t i o n o f th e w o r k p r e s e n t s a v i v i d e x a m p l e

o f V i v i e r s s k i ll a t c o m p o s i n g w i t h r i n g - m o d u l a t i o n t i m b r e s : t h e o r c h e s -

t r a t i o n s o u n d s v i r t u a l l y e l e c tr o n i c i n i t s b r ig h t n e s s a n d s h e e n . T h e l a s t

w o r k s s h o w V i v ie r e la b o r a t i n g h i s f i el d o f ac t i o n s o m e w h a t :

Pro lo g u e

p o u r u n M a r c o P o l o

(1 9 8 2 ) i s h i s m o s t c o m p l e x wo rk , a c a n t a t a fo r s i x

v o i c e s , c h a m b e r o r c h e s t r a a n d t a p e w h i c h m a k e s s o m e i n r o a d s i n t o

b r e a k i n g u p t h e h o m o p h o n y i n t o m u l t i - l a y e r e d p o ly p h o n y . T hi s f a ct o r

a l s o c o m e s i n t o p l a y i n h i s la s t c o m p l e t e d c o m p o s i t i o n

T r oi s A i r s P o u r u n

Op d ra Ima g in a i re

(19 83 ) fo r s o p ra n o a n d f i f t e e n i n s t ru m e n t s , a r a d i a n t l y

l y ri c a l w o r k c o m p o s e d f o r a c o m m i s s i o n f r o m

L Itindraire.

A s i d e f r o m t h e a b o v e m e n t i o n e d g r o u p s o f c o m p o s e r s , o t h e r a c ti v it ie s

t h r o u g h t h i s p e r i o d s h o u l d b e m e n t i o n e d . A t a b o u t t h e s a m e t i m e , a

n u m b e r o f R o m a n i a n c o m p o s e r s , w h e t h e r i n e x i l e l i k e M i e r e a n u o r

R a d u l e s c u , o r n a t i v e s u c h a s N i c u l e s c u , S t ro e , Du m i t r e s c u a n d Io a c h i m e s c u

b e g a n t o e x p l o re t h e p a ra l l e l a r e a s o f r e s e a rc h , li n k i n g t h e e x p l o ra t i o n o f

a c o u s t i c s a n d s p e c t r a w i t h t h e f o l k m u s i c o f t h e i r h o m e c o u n t r y ( c . f .

R o m a n i a n S p e c t r a l M u s i c , i n t h i s v o l u m e ) . T h e E x p e r i m e n t a l G r o u p o f

H u n g a r i a n R a d i o i n B u d a p e s t, w i t h w h i c h E o t v o s w a s a l s o a s so c i a te d a n d

w h i c h i n c l u d e d c o m p o s e r s Z o l t o n J e n e y a n d L a s z lo S a r)~ a ls o e x p l o r e d

a c o u s t i c l i n k s w i t h c o m p o s i t i o n , a l t h o u g h t h e i r m a i n a r e a o f i n t e r e s t wa s

o f t e n e l se w h e r e ( m u c h o f t h e ir m u s i c i s q u i te i n f l u e n c e d b y m i n i m a l is m ) .

S e v e r a l o t h e r i n d e p e n d e n t f i g u r e s e m e r g e d a r o u n d t h i s t i m e : t h e

G e r m a n E r h a r d G r o s s k o p f , st il l to o l i tt le k n o w n o u t s i d e h i s o w n c o u n t r) ~

i s a n i n t e re s t i n g c a s e o f a c o m p o s e r w h o a r r i v e d a t a s p e c t r a l -t y p e c o m -

p o s i t i o n a s a m e a n s o f r e -a s s e s s in g c o n s o n a n c e i n t h e w a k e o f t h e c o l -

l a p s e o f se r i al i sm . H e g e n e r a l l y w o r k s w i t h l o o p s o f h a r m o n i c s p e c t r a a s

t h e p i t c h m a t e r i a l f o r ( l a r g e l y) i n s t r u m e n t a l m u s i c . T h e e f f e ct , i n h i s

o r c h e s t r a l p i e c e

S l o w - M o t i o n S o u n d

(1 9 8 1 , fo r k o t o a n d o rc h e s t r a ) o r i n

h i s p o w e r f u l Q u i n t e t t i ib e r d e n H e r b s t a n f a n g (1980) , i s o f a r i ch ly var ied

h a r m o n i c v o c a b u l a r y , s w a y i n g h a u n t i n g l y b e t w e e n d i f f e r e n t c o m p l e -

m e n t a r y a r e a s o f s i m p l e o r m o r e c o m p l e x v e r t i c a l i t i e s w i t h a n i c e

m i x t u r e o f i n e v i t a b il i ty a n d s u r p r i s e . H i s m o s t c o m p l e x w o r k , t o d a t e ,

e m p l o y i n g t h e s e t e c h n i q u e s i s t h e a m b i t i o u s o r c h e s t r a l b a l le t

Lig h t kn a l l

( 19 86 ), a n d , l ik e m a n y o f th e c o m p o s e r s i n t h i s v o l u m e , h i s i n s t r u m e n t a l

w r i t i n g h a s a d o p t e d a n u m b e r o f t e c h n i q u e s d i r e c tl y i n f l u e n c e d b y

s t u d i o p r o c e d u r e s , s u c h a s s p e c t r a l f i l t e r i n g , m i c r o t o n a l t e m p e r a m e n t s

a n d , o f c o u r s e , t h e l o o p i n g t e c h n i q u e i ts e lf .

T h e m u s i c o f J o n a t h a n H a r v e y h a s d e v e l o p e d s t e a d i l y si n c e 19 70

t o w a r d s a v e r y p e r s o n a l f o r m o f s p e c t ra l c o m p o s i t io n , o f t e n w i t h t h e a i d

o f e l ec t ro n ic s . H i s e a r l i e s t m u s i c w a s i n f a c t wr i t t e n u s i n g t h e s t r i c te s t f o rm

o f se r i a l t e c h n i q u e s (h e s t u d i e d fo r a wh i l e w i t h M i l t o n B a b b it t) . He m a d e

a n u m b e r o f a t t e m p t s t o c o m b i n e t h i s w i t h h i s f a s c in a t io n w i t h t i m b r e , a n d


14/17

Prov i s iona l Hi s t ory o f Spe c t ra l Mu si c 9

i n s u c h w o r k s a s

In n er L ig h t I

(19 71 ) fo r e n s e m b l e a n d t a p e , o r

In n er L ig h t

I I I

(19 75 ) fo r o r c h e s t r a a n d t a p e , h e fu s e d t h e t wo wo r l d s s u c c e s sfu l ly . I n

e a c h c a se , t h e t a p e p r o v i d e s t h e m e a n s o f b r i d g i n g t h e g a p b e t w e e n a

s e r ia l , e q u a l l y t e m p e r e d u n i v e r s e a n d a s p e c t r a l e l e c tro n i c o n e , d i s s o l v i n g

t h e i n s tr u m e n t a l t i m b r e s a n d e x a m i n i n g t h e m u n d e r a n a u r a l m i c r o s c o p e ,

a s i t we re . W i t h M o rtu o s P la ng o V ivos Vo co (1980) , he p ro du ce d a c lass ic o f

c o m p u t e r m u s i c a n d p r o b a b l y t h e o n l y s e r ia l ly c o m p o s e d s p e c t r al c o m p o -

s i ti o n . T h e e n t i r e p i e c e i s b a s e d u p o n t h e Gre a t T e n o r b e l l i n W i n c h e s t e r

C a t h e d ra l . T h i s w a s a n a l y z e d b y c o m p u t e r , a n d t h e e i g h t s e c ti o n s o f th e

w o r k a r e e a c h b a s e d a r o u n d o n e s e l e c t e d lo w p a r ti a l i n t h e b el l s p e c t ru m ;

t h e d u r a t i o n o f e a c h se c t io n w a s d e t e r m i n e d b y t h e f r e q u e n c y - p r o p o r t i o n s

o f th e s e e i g h t p i tc h e s . F u r t h e rm o re , t h i s s e q u e n c e o f e i g h t p i t c h e s p ro v i d e s

a l l t h e m e l o d i c m a t e r i a l i n t h e p i e c e ( t h e t a p e i n c l u d e s t h e s i n g i n g o f a

b o y s v o ic e , t h a t o f H a r v e y s c h o i r b o y s on ) . In s h o r t, e v e r y e v e n t , d o w n t o

t h e s m a l l e st d e t ai l, c a n b e d e d u c e d d i r e c t l y ba c k t o t h e b e l l s p e c t r u m a n d

the e igh t p i tches ex t ra c ted f ro m i t . Cur iou s ly , fo r a ll i ts s t r i c tu res o f

ecriture

t h e p i e c e s o u n d s v e ry f r e e a n d s p o n t a n e o u s . M o re r e c e n tl y , i n s u c h p i e c e s

a s

A d v a y a

(1994, fo r ce l lo and e lec t ron ics ) an d

Ash es Da n ce Ba ck

(1997, for

c h o i r a n d e l ec t ro n ic s ) H a r v e y h a s b e e n i n v e n t i n g a n d e x p l o r i n g n e w w a y s

o f d is t o r ti n g , c o m p r e s s i n g a n d e x p a n d i n g s p e c t r a t o p r o v i d e h i s p i tc h

m a t e r i a l a n d fo rm a l p r i n c i p le s .

A t t e m p t s , u s u a l l y o n t h e p a r t o f s l ig h t ly o l d e r c o m p o s e r s , t o c o m b i n e

s e r i a l i s m a n d s p e c t r a l t e c h n i q u e s a r e fo u n d i n f i g u re s o t h e r t h a n Ha rv e y .

T h i s is a f e a t u r e o f t h e m u s i c o f H u g u e s D u f o u r t , i n f l u e n c i n g e s p e c i a ll y

h i s c h o r d - s p a c i n g a n d i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n i n L a

Tempesta

a n d

S a t u r n e

(1977

a n d 1 9 7 9 r e s p e c t i v e l y ) . It is a l s o a f e a t u re o f t h e e x t ro v e r t e d , e n e rg e t i c

m u s i c o f C a n a d i a n G i l le s T r e m b l a y ( w h o t a u g h t V i vi er , b y t h e w a y ) . H i s

p i a n o c o n c e r t o

E n v o i

(19 83 ) o p e n s w i t h a f r e n e t i c c a d e n z a i n wh i c h t h e

s o l o i s t o u t l i n e s t h e p r i n c i p l e h a r m o n i c a r e a s o f t h e w o r k ; t h e p i a n o

t e x t u re i s d i s s o n a n t , c o m p l e x a n d q u i t e t y p i c a l o f p o s t - s e r i a l c o m p o s i t i o n .

T h e c a d e n z a i s f o ll o w e d , h o w e v e r , b y a l o n g o r c h e s t ra l t u t ti i n w h i c h a ll

t h e p i a n o s m a t e r i a l is u n w o u n d , t o r e v e a l i t a s b e i n g c o m p r i s e d o f s u p e r -

i m p o s e d h a r m o n i c s p e c t r a i n t h e d i f f e r e n t r e g is t e rs o f t h e o r c h e s tr a : w h e n

f u l l y s u p e r i m p o s e d , t h e s e s p e c t r a f o r m a t e n s e d is s o n a n c e ; e x a m i n e d o n e

b y o n e , t h e y f u n c t i o n as d i f f e r e n t p l a t e a u s o f c o n s o n a n c e , a n d t h e w o r k

u n f o l d s a s a d i a l o g u e b e t w e e n t h e s e t w o h a r m o n i c t y p e s .

The t h i r d phase since the la t e e igh t i e s

T h e l a st d e c a d e h a s w i t n e s s e d a n u m b e r o f in t e r es t in g d e v e l o p m e n t s ,

s o m e o f t h e m q u i t e u n e x p e c t e d . S p e c t r a l m u s i c h a s i n e v i t a b l y b e e n d i s-

s e m i n a t e d m o r e w i d e l y o n t h e i n t e r n a ti o n a l s c al e, a f a c to r w h i c h h a d


15/17

2

Julian nderson

b e g u n a s e a r l y a s 1 9 8 0 w i t h t h e i n v i t a t i o n o f G r i s e y a n d M u r a i l t o t h e

D a r m s t a d t S u m m e r S ch o o l, a n d t h e i n v it a t io n o f L'Itin aire a s a w h o l e t o

t h e s u m m e r s c h oo l i n 1 98 2, w h e n t h e w o r k o f t h e F e e d b a c k c o m p o s e r s

w a s a l so f e a t u r e d ( F r i t sc h s m u s i c w a s f e a t u r e d t h e r e i n 1 9 8 4, a y e a r i n

w h i c h t h e w o r k o f V i v ie r w a s a l so p r e s e n t e d ; w h i l s t B a lo w a s f e a t u r e d

e v e r y y e a r s i n c e 19 80 ). T h r o u g h s u c h e x p o s u r e , a n d t h r o u g h t h e p u b l i c

a d v o c a c y o f t h e l a t e O l iv i e r M e s s i a e n , a s w e l l a s e n e r g e t i c p r o m o t i o n o n

t h e p a r t o f th e B r i ti s h c o m p o s e r G e o r g e B e n j a m i n , t h e m u s i c h a s a t t a i n e d

a c c e p t a n c e a n d i n f l u e n c e d a l a r g e n u m b e r o f c o m p o s e r s i n v a r y i n g

d e g r e e s . F r a n c e h a s s e e n t h e e m e r g e n c e o f t h e n e a r e s t t h i n g t o a s c h o o l

o f c o m p o s e r s e x p a n d i n g a n d d e v e l o p i n g t h e r e s e a r c h e s o f G r i s e y a n d

M u r a i l . S u c h p u p i l s o f th e i r s a s P h i li p p e H u r e l , M a r c - A n d r 6 D a l b a v i e ,

J e a n - L u c H e r v 6 a n d J o s h u a F i n e b e r g h a v e a l l e x p l o i t e d t h e l a t e s t t e c h -

n o l og i e s, o f t e n w i t h r e c o u r se t o I R C A M a n d w i t h t h e e n c o u r a g e m e n t o f

s u c h p r o m i n e n t p s y c h o - a c o u s t i c i a n s a s S t e v e M c A d a m s , e x p l o r i n g s u c h

c r u c i a l a r e a s a s p e r c e p t i o n a n d a u d i t o r y e v e n t s t r e a m i n g .

T h e F i n i s h c o m p o s e r K a i j a S a a r i a h o h a s e m e r g e d i n t h e l a s t f i f t e e n

y e a r s a s o n e o f t h e b e s t k n o w n s p e c t r a l l y - i n f l u e n c e d c o m p o s e r s o f i n d e -

p e n d e n t t r a i n i n g a n d t h o u g h t . S h e , t o o, h a s w o r k e d a t IR C A M ; w h i l e s h e

n e v e r o f f i c i a ll y s t u d i e d w i t h e i t h e r M u r a i l o r G r i s e y, s h e h a s r e a d i l y

a d m i t t e d t o th e i r i n f lu e n c e o n h e r w o r k ( w h i c h n e v e r t h e l e s s i n h a b i ts a

q u i t e d i f f e r e n t s o u n d - w o r l d w h o s e o f t e n f i e rc e l y b r i g h t s o n o r i t ie s b e t r a y

t h e i n f l u e n c e o f S i b el iu s , a s w e l l) . H e r c o m p a t r i o t , M a g n u s L i n d b e r g d i d

s t u d y w i t h G r i s e y i n P a ri s, a n d a l so a t t e n d e d h i s s e m i n a r s i n D a r m s t a d t .

H o w e v e r , h e s i m u l t a n e o u s l y s t u d i e d w i t h V i nk o G l o b ok a r, a n d h is w o r k

u p t o 1 9 87 b e t r a y e d n o t r a c e o f s p e c t r a l t h in k i n g , c o n c e n t r a t i n g o n w h a t

h e t e r m e d a b r u t is t fu t u r i s t i n s t r u m e n t a l v o c a b u l a r y w h o s e p i tc h -

c o n t e n t w a s d e t e r m i n e d b y a f o r m o f p i t c h- c l a ss s e t th e o r y . P e r h a p s t h e

s i n gl e m o s t s u r p r i si n g c h a n g e o f m a n n e r i n r e c e n t y e a r s o c c u r r e d t e n

y e a r s a g o i n L i n d b er g s o u t p u t , w h e n h e b e g a n e x p l o r i n g w a y s o f d e d u c -

i n g h a r m o n i c s p e c t r a f r o m d i s s o n a n t m a t e r i a l w i t h t h e a i d o f t e c h n o l o g y

a t I R C A M . S i n ce th a t p o in t , h e h a s d e v e l o p e d a m u c h m o r e h a r m o n i c a l l y

p e l l u c i d s t yl e , as e x e m p l i f ie d i n h i s e x p l o s i ve e n s e m b l e p i e c e Joy (1989)

w h i c h q u i c k l y b e c a m e a c o n t e m p o r a r y c la s si c . H i s i n t e r e s t i n sp e c t r a l

t e c h n i q u e s i s m a i n l y l i m i t e d to t hi s t e c h n i q u e o f c o n s o n i z i n g d i s s o -

n a n c e - - h e g e n e r a l ly u s e s eq u a l t e m p e r a m e n t a n d h a s a v o i d e d i n v ol v e -

m e n t w i t h s o - c a l l ed c o m p l e x s o u n d s s u c h a s F M s p e c t r a. A s o n e o f t h e

m o s t p r o m i n e n t c o m p o s e r s a n y w h e r e o n t h e c u r r e n t m u s i c a l sc e n e, h e

p r e s e n t s a v a l u a b l e e x a m p l e o f a c o m p o s e r w h o b e n e f i t e d f r o m t h e l ib e r -

a t i n g i n f l u e n c e o f s p e c tr a l t h in k i n g , w i t h o u t h a m p e r i n g h i s p e r s o n a l

s t y l e o r b e c o m i n g p a r t o f a n y s e c t .

A l t h o u g h m a n y o f i t s c o m p o s e r s a r e s t i l l v e r y p r o d u c t i v e , t h e r e h a s

b e e n n o a p p a r e n t f o l l o w - u p t o t h e a c ti v it i e s o f th e F e e d b a c k g r o u p i n


16/17

Provisional History of Spectral Music

2

G e r m a n y , w h e r e t h e m u s i c a l s ce n e h a s b e c o m e v e r y s t r o n g l y d o m i n a t e d

b y t h e m u s i c a n d t h o u g h t o f H e l m u t L a c h e n m a n n , W o l f g a n g R i h m a n d

B r i a n F e r n e y h o u g h , al l o f w h o m , i n t h e i r d if f e r e n t w a y s , s t a n d a t t h e

o p p o s i t e p o l e f r o m s p e c t r a l m u s i c f r o m a t e c h n i c a l a n d a e s t h e t ic p o i n t o f

v ie w . I n c o n s e q u e nc e , r e c e n t G e r m a n m u s i c h a s d e v e l o p e d a l o n g q u i te

d i f f e r e n t l in e s , a l t h o u g h s o m e o f th e m u s i c o f H a n s Z e n d e r s h o w s a p e r -

s o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t o f r e n e w e d i n t e r e s t in s p e c t r a l t h i n k i n g ( e s p e c ia l l y

t h r o u g h r i ng - a n d f r e q u e n c y - m o d u l a t i o n h a r m o n y ) . S i m i la r ly , a s i d e f r o m

J o n a t h a n H a r v e y a n d c e r ta i n a r ea s o f t h e w o r k o f G e o r g e B e n ja m i n a n d

N i g e l O s b o r n e , t h e r e h a s b e e n n o w i d e s p r e a d B r it is h sp e c t r a l m o v e m e n t .

R a t he r , as w i t h L i n d b e r g, c e r t a i n a sp e c t s w h i c h h a v e a p p e a r e d m o s t

s t i m u l a t in g t o t h e im a g i n a t i o n s o f i n d i v i d u a l c o m p o s e r s h a v e m a d e

t h e m s e l v e s d i s c r e t e l y fe l t i n t h e i r w o r k - - n o t a b l y i n t h e i r c o n c e p t i o n s o f

t i m b r e a n d h a r m o n y . T h e m u s i c o f R i c h ar d C a u s t o n a n d A n d r e w D a n ie l s

a r e t w o f i n e e x a m p l e s o f th i s, a l t h o u g h n e i t h e r w o u l d c a ll t h e m s e l v e s

spec t ra l .

T h e n e w e r r e s e a r c h e s o f G r i s e y a n d M u r a i l a r e d e a l t w i t h e x t e n s i v e l y

i n th e s e c o n d i s s u e a n d I d o n o t p r o p o s e t o t o u c h o n t h e m h e r e , b e y o n d

n o t i n g t h a t m o s t r e c e n t pi e c e s o f G r i s e y i n p a r t ic u l a r h a v e s h o w n a v e r y

f r e s h a n d i n v e n t i v e a p p r o a c h t o q u e s ti o n s o f m e t er , m e l o d y a n d

p o l y p h o n y w h i c h , a s n o t e d e a r l i e r , h a d p r e v i o u s l y p r o v e d e l u s i v e o r

r e m a i n e d u n e x p l o r e d . O n e o f h is m o s t a c c l a i m e d p i e c es , L Ic6ne

Paradoxale

( 19 96 ) s h o w s t h e s e f r e s h d i s c o v e r i e s t h a t l e d G r i s e y i n n e w

e x p r e s s iv e d i r e c ti o n s , u n d r e a m t o f t w o d e c a d e s b e f o r e .

P o s t s c r i p t ( p e r s o n a l )

Th e f u t u r e o f t h i s m u s i c i s , a t p r e s e n t , d i s t i n c t l y u n c e r t a i n . W i t h M u ra i l s

r e c e n t a p p o i n t m e n t a t a n A m e r i c a n u n i v e r s i t y ( C o lu m b i a ), o n e m i g h t

e x p e c t th e e m e r g e n c e o f t r e n d s i n A m e r i c a n m u s i c s h o w i n g t h e i n f l u e n c e

o f h i s t h o u g h t a n d p r a c ti c e . H o w e v e r , i t is to o e a r l y to c o m m e n t u p o n

t h i s p o s s ib i li ty . M u c h d e p e n d s o n t h e f u t u r e o f m i n i m a l i s m a n d n e o -

t o n a l i ty a s c o m m e r c i a l f o rc e s; as l o n g a s t h e s e o p t i o n s r e m a i n e c o n o m -

i c a ll y at t r a c ti v e f o r c o m p o s e r s , p u b l i s h e r s a n d r e c o r d c o m p a n i e s , t h e r e

w i l l c o n t i n u e t o b e m a n y a d h e r e n t s t o t h e s e s ty l e s o f c o m p o s i t i o n

( b e s i d e s t h o s e p r o p e r l y i n c l i n e d t o w a r d s t h e m ) . T h e t r u e o r i g i n a l s o f

t h e s e s t y l e s l i k e R e i c h o r A n d r i e s s e n , m a y t h u s r e m a i n t h e e x c e p t i o n

r a t h e r t h a n t h e r u l e .

M i n i m a l i s m h a s s h o w n t h a t t h e e x t r e m e l i m i t a t io n o f m u s i c a l v o c a b u -

l a r y n e e d n o t i m p e d e t h e m u s i c s r e c e p t i o n b y t h e g e n e r a l p u b l i c. Y e t, it

i s s a d t o r e p o r t t h a t t o m a n y p e o p l e , o u t s i d e t h e i m m e d i a t e c i r cl e , s p e c -

t r a l m u s i c h a s r e m a i n e d m o r e i n t e r e s t i n g as p a s s i n g s o u n d c o l o r s t h a n a s


17/17

J u l i an A nde rson

a substantial musical technique. This impression is no doubt reinforced

by the fact that the opportunities to hear much of this music are too

scarce for proper assessment. Indeed its influence upon such figures as

Lindberg Harv ey or to a lesser extent Vivier has demo nstrat ed that it

can be readily assimilated as this type of passing color within a slightly

broader musical style. If it is to have a more lasting impact than that

however the music must get into the hands of more performers ensem-

bles orchestras and above all reach the ears of the general public.

anderson 2000-provisional history of spectral music

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