considering form/structure and continuity/discretization dialectic from timbral analysis

Dr Nathalie Hérold Postdoctoral Researcher Excellence Laboratory GREAM (Experimental Research Group on Musical Act) University of Strasbourg SFAM Board Member

[email protected] [email protected] http://unistra.academia.edu/NathalieHérold

EuroMAC 2014 – Session 4D Arts Faculty, University of Leuven – Friday 19 September 2014, 11.30-12.00

CONSIDERING FORM/STRUCTURE AND CONTINUITY/DISCRETIZATION DIALECTIC

FROM TIMBRAL ANALYSIS

Nathalie Hérold – Considering Form/Structure and Continuity/Discretization Dialectic from Timbral Analysis

My research: PhD thesis : “Timbre and Form: The Timbral Dimension of Form in the Piano Music of the First Half of the Nineteenth Century” (2011) postdoctoral research project – GREAM Lab: “The Role of Timbre in the Musical Form During the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries” (2013-2015) http://gream.unistra.fr/ http://unistra.academia.edu/NathalieHérold


The notions of form/structure and continuity/discretization are at the very heart of timbral analysis: timbre as form-carrying [porteur de forme] timbre as a multidimensional metaparameter implications of timbral analysis in terms of continuity and discretization?


How is it possible to think the continuity/discretization dialectic from timbral analysis? What are the principles revealed by this type of analysis? And what is it possible to deduce concerning the general category of form/structure?

1. The relation between timbral continuity and discretization 2. The timbral units and their articulations 3. The chaining of timbral units: between discrete sequence and continuous movement

1. The relation between timbral continuity and discretization

1.1 The passage from continuous to discrete


The idea of sound continuum: “The evidence is the sound continuous.” (François Nicolas) basic premise wave nature of physical sound

The discretization process: cognitive discretization short-term memory what we perceive is a series of discrete moments


1.1 The passage from continuous to discrete


In the case of timbre: “The human voice is the sound source for which we probably carry out the finest discrimination of timbre, and for which our structural comprehension is the richest.” (McAdams and Saariaho) cognitive categorisation: discretization, verbalisation

Some musical applications:

Schumann, Carnaval Op. 9, “Paganini”, mm. 36-38

Chopin, Prelude Op. 28, No. 24, mm. 73-77 Grisey, Partiels, p. 1


1.2 The passage from discrete to continuous


Discrete sound events: series of impulsions, unfolding of onsets… musical stream in time ⇒ discretization

The “continuisation” process: principle of cognitive economy perceptive thresholds idea of “liminal music” (Grisey)


1.2 The passage from discrete to continuous


In the case of timbre: emergence of a global timbral quality ear frequency resolution (critical bandwidth) ear time resolusion

Some musical applications:

Chopin, Nocturne Op. 27, No. 2, mm. 51-52

Liszt, Années de pèlerinage, “Orage”, mm. 15-17

Debussy, L’isle joyeuse, m. 1 Ohana, Prelude No. 1 (extract)


1.3 The continuous-discrete duality


The general idea of continuous-discrete duality: duality principle “Whereas the answer to the question of the final nature of ‘things’, although problematic, seemed to be a choice between the continuous and the discrete, we are forced to admit that experience imposes us to think the continuous and the discontinuous together.” (Jean-Louis Léonhardt)

The hybrid character of timbral objects: harmony-timbre variability of perceptive thresholds local/global oriented auditory attention justification of organisational levels


2. The timbral units and their articulations

2.1 The grouping into timbral units

The notion of timbral unit: reveals the continuous-discrete duality at a given organisational level “The basic units for speech are phonemes and the basic units for music are timbres or simply sounds.” (Erickson) “What happens in the short-term [...] also happens [...] in the long-term – that is in the musical time at a larger scale. [...] [the timbres] mark the finest characters of musical time, the richest and subtlest differentiations.” (Boucourechliev) “Formed by the combination and the interaction of a variable number of components, this is a moment which has no a priori limit in time, because it can correspond to a short segment, a long period, or even the entire work. It will always be a multiple, which poses however as a potentially morphological, structuring unit.” (Guigue)



2.1 The grouping into timbral units

The notion of timbral grouping: justifies the notion of timbral unit auditory scene analysis sequential grouping (auditory streams) depending on timbre similarities simultaneous grouping depending on harmonicity relations



2.1 The grouping into timbral units The modalities of timbral grouping at low level:

Vertical grouping

Horizontal grouping

Frequency resolution Ex: Liszt, “Orage”, mm. 15-17

Common harmonics Ex: Chopin, Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2, m. 1

Timbral counterpoint Ex: Beethoven, Sonata Op. 53/III, mm. 55-58

One-voice polyphony Ex: Beethoven, Sonata Op. 106/III, mm. 88-89

Timbral camouflage Ex: Beethoven, Sonata Op. 109/III, mm. 33-35

Common fundamental Ex: Chopin, Scherzo Op. 20, mm. 1-8



2.1 The grouping into timbral units The modalities of timbral grouping at high level:

Statistic grouping

Syntactic grouping

Statistical stability Ex: Chopin, Piano Sonata Op. 35/IV

Discrete statistical evolution Ex: Beethoven, Sonata Op. 111/II, mm. 1-65

Continuous statistical evolution Ex: Chopin, Barcarolle, mm. 39-78

Insertion of a subordinate timbre Ex: Chopin, Ballade No. 1, mm. 1-106

Development by binary oppositions Ex: Beethoven, Sonata Op. 106/III, mm. 57-88

Development from a generative element (Ex: Chopin, Berceuse, mm. 1-35)


2.2 Different types of timbral units


Two main types of timbral units: static timbral units: no/little internal movement dynamic timbral units: containing internal movement, continuous timbral evolution depending on the level into consideration

Examples:

Chopin, Piano Sonata Op. 35/IV

Chopin, Barcarolle, mm. 39-78

Beethoven, Sonata Op. 53/III, mm. 55-58

Liszt, “Orage”, mm. 15-17

Statical types

Dynamical types


2.3 The articulations between timbral units


The notion of timbre articulation: the junction of two adjacent timbre units “the breakings of continuity indicate the passage from one discrete entity to another, and, consequently, announce a new sound complex.” (Guigue)

Its main characteristics: factors of continuity/discontinuity degree of continuity (depending on number and salience of continuity factors) with/without pivot area


2.3 The articulations between timbral units


Examples:

Beethoven, Sonata Op. 106/III, mm. 176-180

Continuity/discontinuity factors

Timbre articulation with pivot

Timbre articulation without pivot

Schumann, Carnaval Op. 9, “Eusebius”, mm. 12-21

Chopin, Scherzo No. 3, Op. 39, mm. 164-171


3. The chaining of timbral units: between discrete sequence and continuous movement

3.1 The discretization pertaining principles

The categorisation principle: cognitive process to discretize timbral space categories (in a limited number) in a musical work degree of timbral similarity phase space (Ex: Schumann, ”Eusebius”)

The ordering principle: order of timbre units combinatorics arrangement with repetition


3.2 The continuity pertaining principles


The hierarchisation principle: cognitive economy climaxes, local/global extremums principal/subordinate timbral unit, prolongation

The directionalisation principle: search for an underlying direction progressive/recessive movement directional profiles, tendency curves


3.3 The articulation between continuity and discretization


CATEGORISATION

ORDERING

HIERARCHISATION

DIRECTIONALISATION

Discrete domain Continuous domain


3.3 The articulation between continuity and discretization


The example of step progression: Beethoven, Op. 109/III, var. VI (low level) – type abcdef Beethoven, Op. 111/II (high level) – see graph below horizontal density categorisation ordering hierarchisation directionalisation

Beethoven, Sonata Op. 111/II

Dr Nathalie Hérold Postdoctoral Researcher Excellence Laboratory GREAM (Experimental Research Group on Musical Act) University of Strasbourg SFAM Board Member

[email protected] [email protected] http://unistra.academia.edu/NathalieHérold

EuroMAC 2014 – Session 4D Arts Faculty, University of Leuven – Friday 19 September 2014, 11.30-12.00

CONSIDERING FORM/STRUCTURE AND CONTINUITY/DISCRETIZATION DIALECTIC

FROM TIMBRAL ANALYSIS

considering form/structure and continuity/discretization dialectic from timbral analysis

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