Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T02:32:50.712Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A Cross-genre Study of the (Ec)Static Perspective of Today’s Music

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 November 2015

Riccardo Wanke*
Affiliation:
CESEM - Sociology and Musical Aesthetics Research Centre, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Av. de Berna, 26 C, 1069-061 Lisbon, Portugal

Abstract

This article explores a particular perspective, shared across various contemporary musical currents, that focuses on sound itself as a complex entity. Through the analysis of certain fundamental musical elements and sonic characteristics, this study develops a new method for comparing different genres characterised by a similar approach to sound. Using the benefits of audio, spectra and score examinations, this strategy is applied to post-spectralist and minimalist compositions (e.g. G. F. Haas, B. Lang, R. Nova, G. Verrando), as well as glitch, electronic and basic-channel style pieces (Pan Sonic, R. Ikeda, Raime). Nine musical attributes are identified that help trace a new outlook on various currents in today’s music. The study’s contribution lies in its revealing of a shared musical perspective between different artistic practices, and in the establishment of new connections between pieces that belong to unrelated contexts.

Type
Articles
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andrews, J. and Halstead, T. 2010. If Anywhere Was Here He Would Know Where We Are (2010). On Raime – If Anywhere Was Here He Would Know Where We Are. UK: Blackest Ever Black – BLACKEST002-Vinyl.Google Scholar
Andrews, J. and Halstead, T. 2011. Told & Collapsed (2011). On Raime – Hennail. UK: Blackest Ever Black – BLACKEST005-Vinyl.Google Scholar
Andrews, J. and Halstead, T. 2012. Passed Over Trail (2012). The Walker In Blast And Bottle (2012). On Raime – Quarter Turns Over A Living Line. UK: Blackest Ever Black – BLACKEST001-CD.Google Scholar
Bériachvili, G. 2008. La Poétique Du Son Dans L’oeuvre de Giacinto Scelsi (À Propos Del Quattro Pezzi per Orchestra et Au-Delà). In Giacinto Scelsi Aujourd’hui. Paris: Publication Cdmc.Google Scholar
Bregman, A. S. 1990. Auditory Scene Analysis. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cascone, K. 2000. The Aesthetics of Failure: ‘Post-Digital’ Tendencies in Contemporary Computer Music. Computer Music Journal 24(4): 1218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, M. 2012. Analysing Electroacoustic Music: An Interactive Aural Approach. Music Analysis 31(iii): 347380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Couprie, P. 2003. La Musique Électroacoustic: Analyse Morphologique et Représentation Analitique. PhD thesis, Université de Paris IV – Sorbonne.Google Scholar
Couprie, P. and Malt, M. 2014. Representation: From Acoustics to Musical Analysis. Proceedings of the Electroacoustic Music Studies Network Conference (EMS14), Electroacoustic Music Beyond Performance. Berlin: EMS14 Conference.Google Scholar
Cox, C. 2011. Beyond Representation and Signification: Toward a Sonic Materialism. Journal of Visual Culture 10(2): 145161.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cox, C. and Warner, D. (eds.) 2004. Audio Culture. Readings in Modern Music. New York: Bloomsbury.Google Scholar
Delalande, F. 2013. Analyser La Musique, Pourquoi, Comment? Paris: Ina Editions.Google Scholar
Demers, J. 2010. Listening Through Noise: The Aesthetics of Experimental Electronic Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Döbereiner, L. 2014. How to Think Sound in Itself? Towards a Materialist Dialectic of Sound. Proceedings of the Electroacoustic Music Studies Network Conference (EMS14), Electroacoustic Music Beyond Performance. Berlin: EMS14 Conference.Google Scholar
Emmerson, S. 1986. The Relation of Language to Materials. In S. Emmerson (ed.) The Language of Electroacoustic Music. London: Macmillan Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Emmerson, S. 2007. Living Electronic Music. Aldershot: Ashgate.Google Scholar
Emmerson, S. and Landy, L. 2012. The Analysis of Electroacoustic Music, the Differing Needs of Its Genres and Categories. Proceedings of the Electroacoustic Music Studies Network Conference Meaning and Meaningfulness in Electroacoustic Music. Stockholm: EMS12. www.ems-network.org/IMG/pdf_EMS12_emmerson_landy.pdf (accessed 28 August 2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fineberg, J. 1999. Sculpting Sound: An introduction to the Spectral Movement: its Ideas, Techniques, and Music. PhD thesis, Columbia University.Google Scholar
Giomi, F. and Ligabue, M. 1998. Evangelisti’s Composition Incontri Di FasceSonore at W.D.R.: Aesthesic-Cognitive Analysis in Theory and Practice. Journal of New Music Research 27(1–2): 120145.Google Scholar
Griffiths, P. 2010. Modern Music and After, 3rd edn. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Haas, G. F. 1998. 2. Streichquartett. Vienna: Universal Edition, Score UE31198.Google Scholar
Haas, G. F. 2000. In Vain. Vienna: Universal Edition. Score UE31835.Google Scholar
Haas, G. F. 2003. In Vain (2000). On Haas – Klangforum Wien, S. Cambreling – In Vain. Austria: Kairos, 0012332KAI-CD.Google Scholar
Haas, G. F. 2004. Streichquartett Nr. 2 (1998). On Kairos Quartett Streichquartette 1 Und 2. Germany: Edition Zeitklang, ez-19017-CD.Google Scholar
Holmes, T. 2008. Electronic and Experimental Music: Technology, Music and Culture, 3rd edn. New York: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hulse, B. and Nesbitt, N. (eds.) 2010. Sounding the Virtual: Gilles Deleuze and the Theory and Philosophy of Music. Burlington: Ashgate.Google Scholar
Ikeda, R. 1996. Headphonics (1995), +/- (1996). On Ryoji Ikeda +/-. UK: Touch – TO:30-CD.Google Scholar
LaBelle, B. 2006. Background Noise: Perspectives on Sound Art. New York: Continuum Books.Google Scholar
Landy, L. 1994. The ‘Something to Hold on to Factor’ in Timbral Composition. Contemporary Music Review 10(2): 4960.Google Scholar
Landy, L. 2007. Understanding the Art of Sound Organization. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lang, B. 2000. DW2 (1999). On Differenz/Wiederholung 2. Austria: Kairos, 0012112KAI-CD.Google Scholar
Lang, B. 2004. DW3 (2000), DW8 (2003), DW15 ‘Songs/Preludes’ (2003). On DW8/DW15/DW3. Germany: Col legno, Bayerischer Rundfunk, BR-Klassik, WWE-20090-CD.Google Scholar
Lang, B. 2006. DW 17 ‘Doubles/Schatten II’ (2004). On DW 17: Doubles/Schatten II. Germany: Col legno, WWE-1SA20613-CD.Google Scholar
Lang, B. 2007. DW9 ‘Puppe/Tulpe’ (2003), DW14 (2004). On DW14+DW9. Germany: Cavalli Records, Edition Villa Concordia, CCD 452-CD.Google Scholar
Malt, M. and Jourdan, E. 2011. Real-Time Uses of Low Level Sound Descriptors as Event Detection Functions. Journal of New Music Research 40(3): 217223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neill, B. 2004. Breakthrough Beats: Rhythm and the Aesthetics of Current Electronic Music. In C. Cox and D. Warner (eds.) Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music. London: Continuum.Google Scholar
Nova, R. 2005. Eleven (nd). On Art Zoyd Studio & Musiques Nouvelles Ensemble, Expériences De Vol 4 – 5– 6. France: In-Possible Records - EXP01-CD.Google Scholar
Ratcliffe, R. 2011. New Forms of Hybrid Musical Discourse: An Exploration of Stylistic and Procedural Cross-Fertilisation Between Contemporary Art Music and Electronic Dance Music. Proceedings of the International Computer Musica Conference. Huddersfield, UK.Google Scholar
Roy, S. 2003. L’analyse Des Musiques Électroacoustiques: Modèles et Propositions. Paris: L’Harmattan.Google Scholar
Smalley, D. 1997. Spectromorphology: Explaining Sound-shapes. Organised Sound 2(2): 107126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Solomos, M. 2013. De La Musique Au Son. L’émergence Du Son Dans La Musique Des XXe-XXIe Siècles. Colletion Aesthetica. Rennes: Presse Universitaires de Rennes.Google Scholar
Vainio, M. and Väisänen, I. 2004. Kesto 234.48:4 (2004). On Pan Sonic – Kesto 234.48:4. UK: Blast First – BFFP 180BX-CD.Google Scholar
Verrando, G. 2013. Dulle Griet (2009), Triptych #2 (2008). On Mdi ensemble, RepertorioZero – Dulle Griet. France: AEON 1328-CD.Google Scholar
Voegelin, S. 2010. Listening to Noise and Silence: Towards A Philosophy Of Sound Art: Toward a Philosophy of Sound Art. New York: Continuum Books.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weale, R. 2005. The Intention/Reception Project: Investigating The Relationship Between Composer Intention and Listener Response In Electroacoustic Compositions. PhD thesis, De Montfort University.Google Scholar