Abstract
This thesis consists of a portfolio of twelve compositions, a written commentary, and recordings of ten of the submitted works. The music within was written for a range of forces, from solo pieces to work for symphony orchestra.
The way we listen to music involves bounding the flow of sound; as we hear and grasp music, we objectify it, creating a space between us, the subject, and it, the object. Certain types of musical object can be characterised as non-linear, in the way that they unfold in time without direction or recourse to causal relationships between materials. In the compositions within this portfolio I consider the ramifications of composing with non-linear musical objects, exploring one principal research question:
- How can musical material be presented as a musical object, and what possibilities for expressive outcomes exist when working with musical objects?
This key area of examination is filtered through two secondary research questions:
a) How do different approaches to structural openness affect the sense of time and rhythm of a musical object?
b) How can microtonality and muted timbres be employed in the creation of musical objects?
The project as a whole makes reference to a number of composers: John Cage, Frank Denyer, Morton Feldman, Cassandra Miller, James Weeks, amongst others; as well as writers on a range of subjects: Pierre Schaeffer, Tim Ingold, Marius Kozak, Vincent Meelberg, Bob Snyder, Junichirō Tanizaki, et al. The work of these figures, both canonical and modern, is discussed as a means to shed light on my own music, and as a source of inspiration. Concepts drawn from narrativity, semiotics and psychoacoustics lightly colour both my approach to composing and the subsequent analysis found in this commentary.
In the course of this thesis, various approaches to structuring combinations of objects lead to insight into the dialogue between strict and intuitive compositional & notational approaches, and degrees of performer agency; microtones create a space in which pitch is inflected, and the boundary between melody, harmony and timbre is blurred to create an elusive, subjective musical experience; and the model of performer-object-listener is explored as an index for musical meaning.
The way we listen to music involves bounding the flow of sound; as we hear and grasp music, we objectify it, creating a space between us, the subject, and it, the object. Certain types of musical object can be characterised as non-linear, in the way that they unfold in time without direction or recourse to causal relationships between materials. In the compositions within this portfolio I consider the ramifications of composing with non-linear musical objects, exploring one principal research question:
- How can musical material be presented as a musical object, and what possibilities for expressive outcomes exist when working with musical objects?
This key area of examination is filtered through two secondary research questions:
a) How do different approaches to structural openness affect the sense of time and rhythm of a musical object?
b) How can microtonality and muted timbres be employed in the creation of musical objects?
The project as a whole makes reference to a number of composers: John Cage, Frank Denyer, Morton Feldman, Cassandra Miller, James Weeks, amongst others; as well as writers on a range of subjects: Pierre Schaeffer, Tim Ingold, Marius Kozak, Vincent Meelberg, Bob Snyder, Junichirō Tanizaki, et al. The work of these figures, both canonical and modern, is discussed as a means to shed light on my own music, and as a source of inspiration. Concepts drawn from narrativity, semiotics and psychoacoustics lightly colour both my approach to composing and the subsequent analysis found in this commentary.
In the course of this thesis, various approaches to structuring combinations of objects lead to insight into the dialogue between strict and intuitive compositional & notational approaches, and degrees of performer agency; microtones create a space in which pitch is inflected, and the boundary between melody, harmony and timbre is blurred to create an elusive, subjective musical experience; and the model of performer-object-listener is explored as an index for musical meaning.
| Original language | English |
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| Qualification | Ph.D. |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisors/Advisors |
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| Thesis sponsors | |
| Publication status | Unpublished - 2024 |
Keywords
- Music
- Composition
- Musical objects
- Open Form
- Microtonality
- Temporality