Contemporary Composition SeminarFall 2012

Instructor: Prof. SIGMANThursday 14:00-16:00

Lecture VIII

0. Exam Return

• [go over Midterm]

•

0.1 Important Dates

• 11/29: NO CLASS • 12/13: FINAL PRESENTATIONS• 12/20: FINAL EXAM ( 시험 )

0.2 Final Project Description

• [see handout]

0.3. Elliott Carter (1908-2012)

• Died on Tuesday @ age 103Assignment: • A) Read about Carter (e.g., in Modern Music

and After) • B) Listen to 1 piece by Carter composed after

1948

Recommended Pieces

• 1) any String Quartet• 2) Penthode• 3) A Mirror on Which to Dwell• 4) Double Concerto• 5) Night Fantasies • 6) Oboe Concerto

Written Assignment (due 11/15 in class)

• Write 1 paragraph (4-5 sentences) about the Carter piece that you listened to

질문 : • What did you find interesting? • Was there anything similar to the pieces

discussed in class? • Anything similar to other pieces that you know?

0.8: Contact Info

• Do NOT send email to my Keimyung address! (Nothing personal: the system is just limited.)

• ALWAYS use: lx.sigman@gmail.com

I. Spectralism

A. Spectral Composers: The Itineraire Group

0. The Paris “Scene,” early 1970s

• Messiaen (already old!)• Boulez and serialism• Musique concrète/electronic music• Xenakis• a new “voice”/”way” was necessary for the

young generation!

1. Background

• French composers in the late 1960s/early 1970s—all students of Messiaen

• Studied at IRCAM• Common musical interests• New compositional techniques • Rejection of serialism/Darmstadt school

(Stockhausen/Boulez/Nono etc.)

2. Common Aesthetic Goals

• Explore physicality ( 신제성 ) of sound, using new technologies

• Use of psychoacoustic/perception research • Sounds and processes from nature • Unite timbre, harmony, rhythm, orchestration, and

form• Focus on harmony• Focus on clear, linear process • New sounds!

[Spectrum]

Basic Musical Parameters

• Sound• Time

3. Ensemble L’Itinéraire

• Ensemble founded in 1973 in Paris ( 파리 ) by spectral composers

• Dedicated to performing their music• Still active !

4. Spectral Composers, Generation I

• Gérard GRISEY• Tristan MURAIL• Hugues DUFOURT• Roger TESSIER• Michaël LEVINAS• [Jean-Claude RISSET]• All invited to Darmstadt in the 1980s

5. Spectral Composers, Generation II

• [students of Grisey]• [born in the 1960s]• Philippe HUREL• Marc-André DALBAVIE• Philippe LEROUX• [François PARIS]

6. Spectral Composers, Generation III

• [born in the 1970s] • Franck BEDROSSIAN• Raphaël CENDO• Yan ROBIN

7. Influences

• Ligeti (process and spectral harmony; e.g., Lux aeterna; Atmosphères)

• Scelsi (process and unifying “third dimension” of sound)

• Messiaen (bell and bird song transcription; spectral harmony; orchestration)

• Xenakis (sound physicality; use of electronics/ technology)

• Later Stockhausen (e.g., Stimmung)

II. Gérard Grisey

A. Bio

• (1946-1998)• studied with Messiaen • Studied in Darmstadt with Ligeti,

Stockhausen, and Xenakis • Taught at the CNSM (Conservatoire Nationale

Supérieure) in Paris • Died of a stroke ( 뇌일혈 )

B. Les Espaces acoustiques (1974-85)

• Literally “acoustic spaces” • Cycle of 6 pieces, expanding in

instrumentation• Derive all material from trombone spectrum • Slow, extended processes• All pieces connected (played attacca)

1. Espaces acoustiques, Part I

• Prologue (viola solo) • Périodes (flute, clarinet, trombone, violin,

viola, cello, contrabass) • Partiels (chamber orchestra of 18 musicians)

2. Espaces Acoustiques, Part II

• Modulations (for orchestra of 33 musicians) • Transitoires (for large orchestra of 84

musicians) • Epilogue (for large orchestra of 80 musicians +

4 horn soloists)

B. Partiels (1975)

• Title = “partials” (overtones) • Clear “orchestration” of trombone spectrum • Extended playing techniques for instruments

1. Harmonicity and Periodicity

• Harmony: Harmonicity-> Inharmonicity-> Noise

• E.g.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET_nT_55mVo

• Rhythm: Periodic-> Aperiodic-> Statistical Rhythm

2. Trombone Spectrum

3. Spectral Analysis: Orchestrated

4. Form and Process

Formal Proportions

• Durations = intervals of trombone spectrum * a constant

• Sections decrease in duration

Process: 3 States

• 1) “Inhalation” : harmonicity (stability) -> noise (instability)

• 2) “Exhalation”: Noise-> Harmonicity

• 3) “Repose” (rest):

5. Partiels: Score/Recording

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk0S_MYm748

III. Tristan Murail

A. Bio

• (b. 1947)• Studied with Messiaen • Also studied Arabic ( 아랍이 ) and Political

Science • Worked at IRCAM• Taught in Paris, Columbia University (New

York), and the Salzburg Mozarteum (Salzburg)

B. Treize Couleurs du Soleil Couchant (1978)

• Title = “13 colours of the setting sun” • For flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and

electronics

1. Electroacoustic Technique: Ring Modulation

• -> harmony: 13 “colours” = 13 harmonic structures

• Generating interval: 1 Carrier + 1 Modulator• Ring modulation = Carrier X Modulator • +/- (sum/difference) tones: produced by

adding and subtracting fundamental frequencies and pairs of partials from each other

2. Electronics

• Reverb: (increase ensemble sound) • Echo: (short delay on piano)• Ring modulation: (flute and clarinet)

3. 13 Coleurs: Score/Recording

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEW6rfj7DLk