Investigating Recurrences in Andrew Lewis’s Penmon Point

Previous conference papers (Seddon 2007; Seddon 2008) have introduced the con- cept of recurrence in acousmatic music, outlining the key issues of this approach to musical investigation and analysis. To briefly summarise, this concept provides a view of structuring processes in acousmatic composition in terms of the constituent sound materials and any perceived connections between them. It also stimulates the consideration of, and engagement with, issues and parameters of cross-referencing between sound materials, providing a view of the music’s structure. Such an investi- gative approach aims to stimulate both analytical and creative strategies; existing works may be appraised in such terms, yet a heightened awareness of the various issues may usefully enrich the compositional process. This paper will discuss issues of recurrence in Penmon Point by Andrew Lewis (2002-03), using this approach to investigate a single composition. The paper will briefly outline the recurrence concept in terms of sound identity, memory and what might constitute a recurrence. Then, key sound identities within Penmon Point will be introduced, and the musical significance of various recurrences will be discussed. Recurring and varying spatial perspectives and spatial shifts will also be appraised, evaluating their contribution to the sense of structure. Finally, more abstract recur- rences and sound material connections will be explored, providing further avenues for musical contemplation

Trevor Wishart’s Globalalia: Initial Listenings and Question Marks

This paper provides a sketch of an analytical approach, outlining listening strategies that could be used as the basis for an analysis of Wishart’s Globalalia. The significance of initial listenings will be discussed, and some questions arising from those first experiences of the work will be considered. While this paper poses more questions about the work than provides analytical observations, some potential areas for investigation within a full analysis will be identified

Recurrence and Sound Material Identity in Acousmatic Composition

This paper introduces the concept of recurrence within acousmatic music, and explores its potential as an approach to both novel composition practices, and the examination of existing musical works. Notions of musical structuring or semblances of formal organisation can often be traced to the perception of recurrent phenomena within a work. The process of recognising returning sound identities and their transformations, drawing links between them, and trying to understand the various interrelationships can be a rewarding aspect of the acousmatic music listening experience. These sound material connections can be made through all manner of perceivable characteristics, including source associations, more subtle spectral attributes, or an evident process of progressive transformation. This paper will explore the concept of recurrence in terms of sound material identity and temporal relationships, and demonstrate its potential application to both compositional thinking and the critical examination of acousmatic works

Higher-level relationships in Dhomont's Novars

A sense of structure can often be traced to the perception of recurrent events in a work. Returning sound materials, or those that remind of earlier instances, can become significant features that provide a temporal perspective, creating musical landmarks against which other material might be considered, compared and appraised. The significance of these landmarks may change as the work unfolds and as other families of recurrent sounds become established, potentially resulting in webs of correspondence that influence overall impressions of form. Investigating recurrence within a work involves assessing aspects of similarity or difference among the various constituent sound identities, considering how they function when they recur, and reflecting on why they are significant. Many kinds of music feature recurrent identities founded on melodic, harmonic and rhythmic patterns and formations, which may be subject to different sorts of repetition and variation. However, the kinds of sound material and the possibilities of sound transformation available to acousmatic composers are sufficiently different and varied that concepts of recurrence within this context require specific attention in order to understand more fully what ‘a recurrence’ can be, how recurrent phenomena operate over different timescales, and how they contribute to impressions of structure and form. With these ideas in mind, a listening strategy for Francis Dhomont’s Novars will be presented focusing on the recurrence of sound material at higher, or more global, levels of structure. The analytical strategy adopted here is primarily based on listening, and so all observations are those of a focused listener rather than reflecting the intentions of the composer

Fleeting Strands

stereo acousmatic sound, fixed medi

The Nowness of Everything

Performance of stereo acousmatic composition in the Sound Gallery at the Bendigo Festival of Exploratory Music, Bendigo, Australia

Recurrence in acousmatic music

This doctoral research concerns recurrent phenomena in acousmatic works, investigating aspects of correspondence among the constituent sound materials, illuminating the temporal relationships existing among them, and providing concepts to help rationalise compositional structuring processes. While the main focus is on acousmatic music, many of the ideas developed in the research have broader scope and are relevant to other areas of music composition. The concept of recurrence is initially defined and considered, followed by the investigation of different aspects of sound identity. Significant factors that contribute to sound identities are proposed, and existing analytical approaches to identity classification are surveyed. A taxonomy of recurrent phenomena is then elaborated, presenting various aspects of sound identity correspondence and temporal relationships, illustrated with examples from acousmatic repertoire. Concepts described in the taxonomy are practically verified and explored in the accompanying portfolio of five acousmatic compositions, and the integration of the theory within practice is documented in the commentaries. The study identifies principles of recurrence that are unique to acousmatic music, providing concepts for creative exploration within and beyond this area of composition, but which are equally pertinent to analytical endeavours. This research is useful to both analysts and composers because it encourages a sensitivity to specific aspects of sound organisation, whilst providing terminology to describe the different relationships at play

Miller Puckette and Kerry L. Hagan (eds.), Between the Tracks: Musicians on Selected Electronic Music. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2020. ISBN 9780262539302 (paperback).

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