Compositional Procedures in Electronic Music and the Emergence of Time Continuum

Author(s)

Rossetti, Danilo ; Antunes, Micael ; Manzolli, Jonatas

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ORGANISED SOUND; v. 25, n. 2, p. 12-pg., 2020-08-01.

Abstract

We introduce an analytical methodology to approach the perception of time in the electronic worksThema: Omaggio a Joyce(1958), by Luciano Berio, andGesang der Junglinge(1955-6), by Karlheinz Stockhausen. Such works have already been widely analysed and discussed. Moreover, similarities between them have been pointed out, such as the use of the voice as their main compositional material and the search for a continuum between the voice and electronic sounds. Despite their similarities, we argue that the perception of time in those works is significantly different. For that purpose, we bring theoretical references such as time concepts related to complex dynamic systems, and the perception of time according to the Gestalt theory. We discuss segmentation and texture evolution in time of both works employing graphical representations based on perceptual audio descriptors such as the mel scale and the volume. In addition, aiming to find recurrences, repetitions and variations of the spectral material in time, we apply phase space graphs addressing the values of the descriptors employed in the analysis. The features found will lead to conclusions on the emergence of time perception in which the continuity depends on the presence of similar events, periodicities and pregnancies, while discontinuity is given by the presence of more variation, instability and saliences. We emphasise the differences of form perception in those pieces, arguing that they are the result of the manipulation of sound materials and organisation in time by the composers. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/23433-8 - Electroacoustic processes based on time-frequency analyses and their application in live-electronic music
• Grantee: Danilo Augusto de Albuquerque Rossetti
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 19/09734-3 - Musical analysis and perceptual phenomena: psychoacoustic and computational aided study
• Grantee: Micael Antunes da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate