Unfolding Time: Studies in Temporality in Twentieth Century Music (Collected Writings of the Orpheus Institute)

Questions concerning music and its inextricably intertwined and complex interface with time continue to fascinate musicians and scholars. For performers, the primary perception of music is arguably the way in which it unfolds in "real time." For composers a work appears "whole and entire," with the presence of the score having the potential to compress, and even eliminate, the perception of time as "passing." The paradoxical relationship between these two perspectives, and the subtle mediations at the interface between them with which both performers and composers engage, form the subject matter of this collection of essays. The contributors address the temporal significance of specific topics such as notation, tempo, meter, and rhythm within broader contexts of performance, composition, aesthetics, and philosophy. The aim is to present novel ideas about music and time that provide particular insight into musical practice and the world of artistic research. **Contributors:** Bruce Brubaker, New England Conservatory; Pascal Decroupet, University of Liege; Mark Delaere, Catholic University of Leuven; Justin London, Carleton College; Ian Pace, University College Falmouth Unfolding Time – Studies in Temporality in Twentieth-Century Music 4 Contents 6 Preface 8 Tempo, Metre, Rhythm. Time in Twentieth-Century Music Music 14 Temporal Complexity in Modern and Post-Modern Music: a Critique from Cognitive Aesthetics 46 1. Aesthetic Relevance and Audibility 46 2. The Perception of Rhythmic Duration, Number, Motion, and Complexity 49 2.1 Order, Duration and Number 49 2.2 Motion 51 2.3 Rhythmic Complexity 53 3. Messiaen and Babbitt: Two Case Studies in Rhythmic Composition 54 3.1 Messiaen’s Mode de Valeurs et D’intensités 55 3.2 Babbitt on ‘Twelve Tone Rhythmic Technique’ 56 3.3 Other Aspects of Rhythmic Composition and Development 58 4. Analytically-Informed Listening (?) 59 5. Aesthetic Versus Artistic Properties 61 6. Artistic Aspects of Rhythmic Complexity 63 Works Cited 68 Rhythms – Durations – Rhythmic Cells – Groups. Concepts of Microlevel Time-Organisation in Serial Music and their Consequences on Shaping Time on Higher Structural Levels 70 Sources 94 Bibliography 94 Time is Time: Temporal Signification in Music 96 Part One 96 Part the Second Again Minimalism Again 132 Notation, Time and the Performer’s Relationship to the Score in Contemporary Music 150 I. The Performer’s Reading of Grand Narratives 150 II. The Performer’s Encounter with Notation as Critical Alternative 153 III. Contemporary Music, Notation and Performance: An Elliott Carter Case Study 157 IV. Mauricio Kagel’s Anti-Idioms 164 V. Pierre Boulez, Notation and Recorded Performance 167 VI. Morton Feldman and Notational ‘Spelling’ 169 VIII. Michael Finnissy Pro and Contra Tradition 176 IX. Complex Matters: Karlheinz Stockhausen and Brian Ferneyhough and the Learning Experience 180 Personalia 194 Mark Delaere 195 Justin London 195 Pascal Decroupet 196 Bruce Brubaker 196 Ian Pace 197 Darla Crispin 198 Colophon 200 Annotation Questions Concerning Music And Its Inextricably Intertwined And Complex Interface With Time Continue To Fascinate Musicians And Scholars. For Performers, The Primary Perception Of Music Is Arguably The Way In Which It Unfolds In Real Time. For Composers A Work Appears Whole And Entire, With The Presence Of The Score Having The Potential To Compress, And Even Eliminate, The Perception Of Time As Passing. The Paradoxical Relationship Between These Two Perspectives, And The Subtle Mediations At The Interface Between Them With Which Both Performers And Composers Engage, Form The Subject Matter Of This Collection Of Essays. The Contributors Address The Temporal Significance Of Specific Topics Such As Notation, Tempo, Meter, And Rhythm Within Broader Contexts Of Performance, Composition, Aesthetics, And Philosophy. The Aim Is To Present Novel Ideas About Music And Time That Provide Particular Insight Into Musical Practice And The World Of Artistic Research. Tempo, Meter, Rhythm : Time In Twentieth-century Music / Mark Delaere -- Temporal Complexity In Modern And Post-modern Music : A Critique From Cognitive Aesthetics / Justin London -- Rhythms--durations--rhythmic Cells--groups : Concepts Of Microlevel Time-organisation In Serial Music And Their Consequences On Shaping Time On Higher Structural Levels / Pascal Decroupet -- Time Is Time : Temporal Signification In Music / Bruce Brubaker -- Notation, Time And The Performer's Relationship To The Score In Contemporary Music / Ian Pace. Mark Delaere ... [et Al. ; Edited By Darla Crispin]. Includes Bibliographical References. Questions concerning music and its inextricably intertwined and complex interface with time continue to fascinate musicians and scholars. For performers, the primary perception of music is arguably the way in which it unfolds in ‘real time'; while for composers a work appears ‘whole and entire', with the presence of the score having the potential to compress, and even eliminate, the perception of time as ‘passing'. The paradoxical relationship between these two perspectives, and the subtle mediations at the interface between them with which both performers and composers engage, form the subject matter of this collection of studies. The various contributors address the temporal significance of specific topics such as notation, tempo, metre and rhythm within broader contexts of performance, composition, aesthetics and philosophy. The aim is to present novel ideas about music and time that provide particular insight into musical practice and the world of artistic research. With contributions by: Bruce Brubaker, Pascal Decroupet, Mark Delaere, Justin London, Ian Pace.