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March 21, 2008
After an analysis of Boulez’s Douze Notations for piano, I decided to begin a collection of piano miniatures. My plan was to write five compositions, roughly one every two weeks, that would exhibit a strong degree of coherence among movements. The total duration would fall below the seven-minute mark. Nevertheless, my initial enthusiasm for such a collection was challenged as work on the first movement turned into weeks of compositional development and refinement. This was coupled with analysis of the following piano works: Stockhausen’s Klavierstucke III, Ferneyhough’s Lemma-Icon-Epigram, and Lachenmann’s Ein Kinderspiel.
Helmut Lachenmann: Ein Kinderspiel - No. I
March 20, 2008
The work I have chosen to analyze, Ein Kinderspiel, is a collection of seven piano movements for children written in 1980— this essay will focus on the first one. Of particular interest were my initial attempts to conceive how Lachenmann could move beyond the twelve tones of the piano and make it into a sound vehicle without recalling novel, well-known extended techniques and/or preparations (i.e. attacks inside the piano). Add to this the familiarity of piano music (the instrument’s well tread repertoire) and the challenge is fairly set for a composer interested in deconstructive procedures.
New Dimensions in Compositional Practice: Spatialization and Sound Movement
December 1, 2007
Technological advancements in the field of electronic music has provoked the exploration and use of spatial elements in music composition not as a cosmetic application but as a fundamental component of dimensionalized, sonic experience. The spatialization and movement of sound through space, two non-interchangeable but interconnected concepts, pose considerable artistic challenges for the contemporary composer, which may, for example, be addressed through his/her familiarity in the areas of psychoacoustics, notation (codification of spatial elements), and electronics.
By deemphasizing technical means and assuming the position of an artist confronted with a new set of tools, this paper may divert attention toward questions in spatial composition generally left unturned— for example, in what capacity can spatial elements serve as structural information carriers or as an equivalent to the parameters of rhythm, dynamic, and pitch? Therefore, the aim of this paper, after identifying the necessity to venture into this new terrain and establishing a historical and technical context, is the postulation of strategies to effectively employ sound spatialization and movement in musical composition as posited by contemporary composers, including the author.
December 5, 2006
In 1567, the Italian composer Alessandro Striggio (1535-1592) visited London and introduced his forty-voice motet Ecce beatam lucem. A seventeenth-century document states that upon news of such a “mega-motet” an unnamed Duke challenged his fellow Englishmen to undertake a similar feat. Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585), a skilled composer, was encouraged enough to take the dare and the end result was nothing less than a masterpiece. Spem in alium, Tallis’ forty-voice motet, has until recently emerged as an English Renaissance classic written by a composer at the height of his maturity. In this investigation, a comparison to Striggio’s motet in historical context and an examination into modern performance practice will shed some light on the permanent qualities of Spem in alium.
A survey of selected works by Berio, Ferneyhough, Lachenmann, and Harvey
March 13, 2006
Compositions discussed: Luciano Berio Sequenza I, Brian Ferneyhough Cassandra’s Dream Song, Helmut Lachenmann Pression, Jonathan Harvey Advaya.
A survey of selected works by Webern, Boulez, Stockhausen, and Xenakis
February 9, 2006
This survey attempts to approach the work of four composers whose aesthetic lineage is undeniably related. Their basic compositional principles are discussed and analyzed through pertinent works. Nonetheless, a common thread or point of emphasizes is clear in my discussion of the aforementioned: the concentration on timbre, its function (i.e. as a thematic component), and the ramifications it holds for instrumental selection and usage. I should note that the use of serial techniques is mentioned in the Webern and Boulez analysis due to a stronger relevance with the work at hand but an extensive review of its employment is beyond the scope of this paper. Stockhausen’s Kontakt may be regarded as his point of departure from numerical serialism while Xenakis preferred to rely on probability theory in his organization of material. Yet, Webern’s work, which heavily influenced Messiaen’s students, offers an advanced perspective on the use of instrumental color than that of his predecessor Schoenberg.
Mozart’s Death: Myth and Reality
June 10, 2003
On December 5, 1791, two months before his 36th birthday, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died in Vienna. An extensive debate continues two centuries after the death of the great composer. How did this prolific figure of the 18th century die at the young age of 35? Was he poisoned by Antonio Salieri, a rival court composer, or the mysterious organization known as the Freemasons? Perhaps Mozart, who was known to have suffered from bouts of rheumatic fever throughout his life, fell victim to a disease? Although numerous scholars have provided their analysis on this historic event, the issue remains unresolved. Nevertheless, an educated hypothesis can be derived by analyzing the many theories and myths that exist concerning the composer. In the end, the romantic legends that have characterized the retelling of Mozart’s life have to be discredited and the more plausible assumption of a death by disease accepted.
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