Ihmiskehonjatkesoittimet. Instruments extending the body in sonic performance: creation and development of three tangible string instruments for performative sound art

Ihmiskehonjatkesoittimet is an artistic research on tangible instruments extending the human body. The starting point is to research if the intertwined relationship between a musician and a musical instrument could be emphasized by creating instruments that physically extend the body. The author’s own experiences as a musician lead to discussion about the ergonomics of instruments, which is introduced in the theoretical framework of the thesis. As a context and inspiration for this thesis, instruments and artworks by other artists are being presented. The research is based on reflection of the author during the process of designing and build-ing the instruments, and practising and performing with them. Extensive documentation material of the process has been used as a tool for recalling the process and to illustrate the process for the reader. Two main goals were set for the project by the author: (1) to build durable and innovative instruments that physically can be seen as body extensions and (2) to develop as a performing musician by viewing the new instruments from the perspective of performance art. The results of the thesis support these set goals. Each of the instruments has a different approach to them both from the viewpoint of building and strategies of playing – the instruments provide a diverse view on the topic. The instruments are durable, but some different choices in the design would have made the instruments more practical and ergonomic. The amplification of the instruments as well as the design of the sound manipulation makes the instruments sonically versatile. The concept of extending and freeing the body while playing is felt by the performer, and the documentation material suggests that performing with the instruments create interesting visual images of the musician-instrument relationship while creating new sonic ideas and playing techniques. Performing with these instruments has broadened the author’s skills on planning a performance and being a performer – how to make the gestures on stage more meaningful and how to seek contact with the audience as a performer. The thesis aims to give inspiration and knowledge to artists and instrument builders with the emphasis on embodiment and criticism on unergonomic music making. It sends a message that instrument building can be regarded as innovative art and meaningful tool for musicians to develop as performers.Ihmiskehonjatkesoittimet on taiteellinen tutkimus ihmiskehoa jatkavista soittimista. Tutkimuksen lähtökohtana on tutkia, että voiko soittajan ja soittimen välistä yhteenpunoutunutta suhdetta korostaa kehoa jatkavien soitinten avulla. Kirjoittajan omat kokemukset muusikkona taustoittavat tutkimuksessa esiteltyjä teoreettisia pohdintoja soittamisen ergonomiasta. Tämän lisäksi teoreettisessa viitekehyksessä kontekstualisoidaan tutkimusta tutustumalla muihin soittimiin ja taideteoksiin, jotka ovat inspiroineet maisterityötä. Tutkimus perustuu kirjoittajan pohdintaan liittyen soittimien suunnitteluun ja rakentamiseen sekä niiden kanssa harjoitteluun ja esiintymiseen. Tutkimuksen aikana kerättyä laajaa dokumentaatioaineistoa on käytetty työkaluna prosessin muistiin palauttamisessa sekä projektin kuvaamisessa lukijalle. Tutkimukselle asetettiin kaksi tavoitetta: (1) fyysisesti kehoa jatkavien soittimien rakentaminen kestäviksi ja kekseliäiksi, ja (2) esiintymistaitojen kehittäminen tarkastelemalla soittimia performanssitaiteen näkökulmasta. Tutkimuksen tulokset tukevat asetettuja tavoitteita. Jokainen soitin on rakennettu eri näkökulmasta ja niitä soitetaan eri tavoin – soittimet tarjoavat laajan näkökannan tutkimusaiheesta. Soittimet ovat kestäviä, mutta muuttamalla muutaman yksityiskohdan soitinten suunnittelussa soittimet voisivat olla käytännöllisempiä ja ergonomisempia. Soittimien äänen vahvistaminen ja äänen muokkaaminen tekevät soittimista soinnillisesti monipuolisia. Ajatus kehon jatkamisesta ja kehon vapautumisesta toteutuu soittaessa esiintyjän näkökulmasta ja dokumentaatiomateriaalien perusteella soittaminen muodostaa mielenkiintoisia visuaalisia kuvia soittajan ja soittimen välisestä suhteesta luoden samalla uusia äänellisiä ideoita ja soittotekniikoita. Soitinten kanssa esiintyminen on laajentanut kirjoittajan taitoja suunnitella performansseja sekä kartuttanut tietotaitoa siitä, että miten lavalla tehtävistä eleistä voi tehdä merkityksellisimpiä, ja miten etsiä kontaktia yleisöön. Tutkimus pyrkii inspiroimaan ja antamaan tietoa taiteilijoille ja soitinrakentajille näkökulmasta, joka korostaa soittamisen kehollisuutta ja on samalla kriittinen epäergonomisuutta kohtaan. Projekti pyrkii lähettämään viestin – soitinten rakentaminen voidaan nähdä innovatiivisena taiteena ja merkittävänä työkaluna muusikoille esiintymistaitojen kehittämiseen

Musical Instrument Ergonomics in Violin and Piano Performance

The compatibility of the instrument with human physical abilities and characteristics is one of the principles in ergonomics. Inadequate instrument set-ups and sizes that mismatch the player’s physical attributes is frequently cited as one of the risk factors contributing to the development of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) in violin and piano performers. For violinists, playing in a sustained asymmetric posture is inevitable and it has been observed that the left upper limb, which is the side that supports the instrument, is predominantly symptomatic in upper string players (violinists and violists). The use of adaptive accessories, such as a chin rest and/or a shoulder rest, has been proposed to be a way to improve the interface between the instrument and the player. For pianists, a “one-size-fits-all” keyboard has been the available industry standard with respect to the size of the keyboard in modern piano manufacturing, teaching and performing. However, recent demographic evidence proposes that this standardised piano keyboard discriminates against many pianists who have relatively smaller hand sizes. Controversies persist in best methods to ergonomically fit the instrument to the player among players and pedagogues of both these instruments, and no reviews to date have been conducted to determine whether a collection of evidence to support ergonomic ideals exists. This doctoral thesis presented the synthesis of work on investigating ergonomics in violin and piano performance and addressing knowledge gaps regarding optimising the interface between the instrument and the player. A systematic review of this topic was undertaken in Chapter 2. The results revealed that only scarce evidence with heterogeneity and low quality of methodology available on instrumental ergonomics in violin and piano performance. An observational study on interaction between hand span and different sizes of keyboards on muscle activity in pianists was conducted in Chapter 3 to investigate the biomechanical responses under ergonomic modifications, while hand size was identified as a potential risk factor for PRMDs (Chapter 2). The results of this experiment showed less muscular loads in pianists while they were playing on a matched size of keyboard regarding their hand spans, suggesting a compatible interface between the player and instrument can enhance performance biomechanics. Chapter 4 and 5 presented an interview study conducted to explore the factors that contribute to optimising the instrument-player interface in violin playing while the lack of comprehensive understanding of violin set-up was shown in Chapter 2. In Chapter 4, interview data was extracted in a way to present how the violin instrument should fit to a player. The results suggested there were fundamental inconsistencies in the use of physical elements (e.g. violin accessories and position the violin instrument) and the attitudes and beliefs towards instrument set-up while participants held onto different sources of knowledge. On the other hand, comfort and budget were commonly seen as the considerations in selecting the ergonomic set-up. Chapter 5 presents the findings from the aspect of how violinists should fit with their instruments, showing the biomechanics greatly varies but having a neutral posture may be the common aim in violin playing. It is also revealed the phenomenon that violinists tended to prioritise musical performance over monitoring their own posture and movement. Results in both Chapter 4 and 5 showed teacher plays an important role in either pedagogically providing ergonomic suggestions or working with body health professionals on improving a performance interface in violinists, and the process can be time-consuming. The data presented in this thesis showed the complexity of optimising the interface between the musical instrument and the player. From the investigations on violinists and pianists, interdisciplinary collaborations and crossover trainings in the professionals are recommended so that musicians are able not only to be trained with adequate ergonomic supports but to sustain their desirable musical outcomes. Future research building upon the findings of this thesis will further facilitate the inclusion of ergonomics in the industry of musical performance

New frontiers of expression through real-time dynamics measurement of violin bows

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2001.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-87).The violin has long been admired as one of the most beautiful, complex, and challenging musical instruments. With its capacity for nuance, richness of tone, and flexibility of range, its expressive qualities have been surpassed by none, despite the fact that its construction has not been changed for hundreds of years. It is the form and function of the traditional violin that inspired the work detailed in this thesis. Here, the design and construction of a new violin interface, the Hyperbow, is discussed. The motivation driving the research of this instrument was the desire to create a violin bow capable of measuring the most intricate aspects of violin technique, the subtle elements of physical gesture that immediately and directly impact the sound of the instrument while playing. In order to provide this insight into the subtleties of bow articulation, a sensing system was implemented to measure changes in position, acceleration, and the downward and lateral strains on the bow stick. These sensors were fashioned using an electromagnetic field sensing technique, commercial MEMS accelerometers, and foil strain gauges. Because the forces and stresses applied to the bow are immediately connected to a violinist's experience while playing, the implementation of a new music controller that utilizes these intimate aspects of physical interaction between a player and an instrument may inspire altogether new methods of expression. The measurement techniques used in this work were found to be quite sensitive and yielded sensors that were easily controllable by a player using traditional right hand bowing technique. In addition, the Hyperbow proved to be helpful in recognizing and analyzing the physical parameters of common bowstrokesby Diana S. Young.S.M

Five-String Fiddle and the American Vernacular

This research examines the emergence of the five-string fiddle in contemporary North American fiddle culture within the past ten years. By interacting with leading artistlevel practitioners, the research documents the evolution and impact of the instrument to date in exploring the possibilities the five-string fiddle presents for musical performance and innovation. North American vernacular music and, in particular, the contemporary fiddle playing landscape, exemplifies virtousic and innovative idiomatic technique and improvisation as central to an overarching musical explosion, evidenced in the music of many high level, multi-stylistic contemporary practitioners. Within contemporary American fiddle performance, it is compelling to observe how many of the most innovative and highly regarded players now perform on five-string fiddles. The research uses a qualitative research methodology, drawing on interviews conducted with seven leading American fiddle players, each of whom has adopted the five-string fiddle in their own musical practice. The participants represent a rich cross section of American fiddle culture. They emerged naturally during the course of the literature review, and in-depth listening research, as particularly relevant sample cases. All participants were identified as leading exponents of the diversities encompassed in American fiddle music, between them sharing extensive professional recording, performance and academic experience, and all playing on five-string instruments. The research is further illuminated through practice, reflecting on my own musical work in illustrating how I have personally adopted the five-string fiddle, drawing influence from the research in demonstrating some wider possibilities of the instrument. This enquiry is important as it addresses the lack of specific research to date regarding the five-string fiddle, despite the significanance it holds for some of American fiddle music\u27s leading exponents, and consequently, for fiddle music itself. Equally significant, is the role of the instrument in facilitating the performance of innovative extended instrumental techniques, in particular, the five-string fiddles association with the rhythmic/percussive \u27chop\u27 bow techniques, now, so conspicuous within contemporary groove-based American string music. ix The findings of this research established the definitive emergence of the five-string fiddle, and subscribe that the five-string has now become a widely accepted part of the mainstream instrumentation in American music. This understanding emerges clearly through the words and practice of the participants. From this perspective, the research identifies the musical reasons that inspire the instruments popularity and elaborates through practice, the musical possibilities it presents to others

The harp extended: an exploration of resonance, mimicry and improvisation

This research project explores methods of extension of the pedal Harp vocabulary in an attempt to develop a unique language that challenges the instrument's stereotype and better responds to a range of contexts. I have investigated three key areas of extension: the physical structure of the Harp and its internal resonant spaces, mimicry as an exploratory tool useful in better understanding the Harp in relation to the Australian environment, and improvisation both free and structured used to challenge the vocabulary of the Harp in solo performance and collaborative contexts. The research stems from my longstanding curiosity with regards to the limits that a sanctioned or stereotyped repertoire of sounds and techniques places on an instrument for those who engage both as players and listeners. This critical commentary documents the results of the three areas of exploration indicated above as well as exploratory practice undertaken by other Harpists, it also discusses the problematic term 'extended techniques’ and draws on interviews conducted with progressive Harpists and improvisers with regards to extending the vocabulary of their own instruments. The sixty concerts I have performed internationally over the research period have also been central to my research. The final work consists of three elements: a solo Improvised Harp performance in my family home in suburban Sydney (filmed and recorded), a recording of Second Stabbing (Ohnedaruth), a Harp-lead composition by my Berlin-based ensemble: Hammeriver, and a series of three short studies composed of recordings of the resonant spaces inside the Harp entitled Spinal Fluid. All four pieces draw from and address what I have learnt from exploring the resonant physical structure, mimicry and improvisation. The result is a unique language that challenges the stereotypical profile of the Harp as a decorative instrument by embracing both its unique resonance and capacity for darkness, subtlety and texture. This language allows for a more flexible response to a broader range of contexts

Volume 71, Number 08 (August 1953)

Impressions of Bayreuth (interview with Astrid Varnay) Bright Lantern: New Methods for Piano Teachers Lully—Master Musician Children Designed This Opera Production Do\u27s and Dont\u27s for Parents Making Friends Through Music (An editorial) America\u27s Rich Musical Heritage (interview with Annabel Morris Buchanan) Mastering the Cello (interview with Aldo Parisot) Music Therapy—A New Occupational Horizon Faulty Rendering of Appogiaturashttps://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/etude/1114/thumbnail.jp

International Influence on the Development and Reception of Cello Playing in England, 1870–1930: Robert Hausmann, Auguste Van Biene, and Guilhermina Suggia

The development of cello playing in England in the late nineteenth century was driven largely by the efforts of expatriate and visiting performers trained elsewhere. Performers from abroad, with the support and admiration of British institutions and audiences, elevated the technical level of cello playing and helped to increase the quality and quantity of solo repertoire being written and performed. They also expanded the degree of acceptance that British audiences held for the cello, both as a solo instrument and as an instrument that could be played in public by women. This study explores the impact that three such cellists, Robert Hausmann (1852–1909), Auguste Van Biene (1849–1913), and Guilhermina Suggia (1885–1950), had on the development of cello playing in England through their personal and professional activities. Berlin-based cello professor Robert Hausmann, a close associate of Johannes Brahms and Joseph Joachim, made frequent extended visits to London over a period of forty years, performing the British premieres of countless chamber music works and forging fruitful relationships with British performers and composers. Dutch cellist Auguste Van Biene, after training in Belgium and launching a brief concert career in London, became a household name through his work as an actor-cellist in music hall dramas, giving thousands of performances on tours across all of Great Britain and around the world. Guilhermina Suggia, originally from Portugal and trained in Leipzig, lived in London for many years at the height of her career, establishing a visible presence as a glamorous, charismatic, and technically unrivalled soloist. The aim of this study is to draw a nuanced picture of the impact that these influential performers had on audiences and on other musicians in England. Their choices of who to work with, what to program, where to play, and in what manner, affected what was expected and what was valued by the general public and by musical institutions. To assess the broad influence that these cellists had, this study investigates a wide range of sources including published scholarship, contemporaneous music journals, mainstream newspaper coverage from both London and smaller provincial centers, published music editions, essays, letters, iconography, and the limited available recordings of Van Biene and Suggia

Introduction of the viol into sixteenth-century France: perspectives on the cultural integration of musical instruments

This dissertation investigates the introduction and development of a musical instrument, the viola da gamba (viol), in sixteenth-century France by articulating the wider cultural consequences of introducing new musical instruments from one culture to another. The research examines cultural exchange with foreign courts, the effects of patronage, social perceptions and changing attitudes during the introduction of the viol into France. Using the viol as a focal point to explore Renaissance material culture, this thesis is an interdisciplinary study into music, art, language and terminology, foreign connections and cultural interaction. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of the viol’s introduction, development and establishment into sixteenth-century France. Rare archival sources, visual media and printed books never before connected to the viol have been identified and analysed to construct a detailed framework of the social, artistic and musical culture within which the viol was used. The five chapters explore professional viol use in the royal court and regional areas, artistic representations of the viol, triumphal entries and festivals, the changing role of viol players from professional to amateur and the viol in sixteenth-century instrument making. The appendices include a catalogue of images depicting the viol in French visual media, identifying allegorical and religious associations, making foreign connections, exploring methods of artistic creation and analysing physical depictions

Volume 33, Number 10 (October 1915)

Student Days with Edvard Grieg Modern University-Trained Composer Peer Gynt: A Dramatic Prose Reading Arranged from the Famous Drama by Henrik Ibsen, with Musical Accompaniment by Edvard Grieg Development of the Romantic Folk-Songs of Scandinavia Full Hour Lesson Concise Biographical Dictionary of Scandinavian Musicians Use of Finger Exercises in the Early Grades Foundations in Touch for the Beginner Ferdinand Hiller\u27s Tribute to Robert Schumann Blossom Time in Pianoforte Literature (interview with Percy Grainger) Selecting the Pupil\u27s Music Some Occult Aspects of Music How Liszt Encouraged Saint-Saëns Scandinavian Musical Activities in the United States Getting the Right Kind of a Start in Teaching Points that Lead to Musical Progress Future of Scandinavian Music Interesting Phases of Scndinavian Music Richard Mansfield and Hans von Bülow Typography of Programs Love and the Woman Musician Festival Idea in America Origin of the Rakoczy March, The British Estimate of American Public School Music Ibsen and Musichttps://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/etude/1617/thumbnail.jp