Composing Contrapuntal Worlds: Developing an Aesthetics and Practice of Counterpoint in the ...

289 Pages·2017·9.36 MB·English

Composing Contrapuntal Worlds: Developing an Aesthetics
and Practice of Counterpoint in the 21st Century
Author
Flenady, Liam Joseph
Published
2017
Thesis Type
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
School
Queensland Conservatorium
DOI
https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/1374
Copyright Statement
The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise.
Downloaded from
http://hdl.handle.net/10072/365379
Griffith Research Online
https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au
Composing Contrapuntal Worlds:
Developing an Aesthetics and Practice of Counterpoint in the 21st Century
Liam Flenady
BMus (Hons), Griffith University
Queensland Conservatorium of Music
Arts, Education and Law
Griffith University
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
March 2017
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Abstract
This doctoral project centres on the composition of a series of works for
different instrumentations that attempt to answer the question: “What could be an
artistically satisfying aesthetics and method of composing music based on
rethinking counterpoint beyond its historical forms?” This dissertation functions as
a supplement to these compositions. It outlines the rationale and methodology of
the project, before detailing the aesthetics of counterpoint that have been developed
across the course of this research project. The core chapters then chart the
development of my compositional approach by showing how each work relates to
four core research themes: 1. Relation of parts—how the compositional logic
structures relations between simultaneous parts; 2. Form—how the form of a work
relates to its contrapuntal logic; 3. Scope of world—how individual parts are
structured and to what extent the contrapuntal logic involves a homogeneous or
heterogeneous aesthetic; and 4. Compositional process—how the contrapuntal logic
influences the compositional process itself.
‘Counterpoint’ is a central term in the history of Western art music. It has
often been a key framework for musical innovation, though today it is more
associated with historical musical studies. While ‘polyphony’ is still discussed in the
context of new music, this dissertation argues that the idea of ‘counterpoint’ can be
of use to composition today beyond the replication of earlier styles. This is because
counterpoint can be understood as concerning a compositional logic, one that
structures relations between simultaneous parts, while ‘polyphony’ normally
represents one particular texture-type that can emerge from a contrapuntal logic.
Unlike previous theories, the aesthetics of counterpoint developed here is not one
of a ‘point-against-point’ regulation of consonance-dissonance relationships, nor of
predominantly linear constructions. Instead, counterpoint is a ‘polymorphic’
construction, in which the degree of parametric identity and difference of multiple
simultaneous musical objects is structured across time. This conception is
underpinned by a conception of music, derived from Richard Barrett and Adam
Harper, as ‘space’, and in particular, the idea of a musical composition as a ‘world’,
inspired by Alain Badiou’s theory in Logics of Worlds (2009). In this conception,
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musical space is made up of parametric ‘dimensions’, each of which is a continuum
from maximal to minimal values. These parameters are not limited to the four
associated with integral serialism (pitch, duration, timbre, and intensity), but extend
to any compositionally controllable property of sound or performance. The goal of
counterpoint considered as ‘world determination’, then, is the exploration of a
particular music space (a compositional ‘world’) in order to deliver intense
experiences of this space and the objects it gives rise to, as well as of what difference
itself is.
This project shows the development toward this idea of counterpoint,
beginning with two ‘false starts’ in the form of two different trios: Trio for Trumpet,
Guitar and Percussion (2013) and Quite Early Morning, no. 2 (2014), included as
appendices. After these works, there is a relatively clear trajectory from a linear
conception of counterpoint to a ‘polymorphic’ counterpoint based on identity
relations. The first work of the folio, a new day in the desert (2014), is a quintet for
bass flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano. This work is based on a ‘polyvalent’
approach where lines are structured according to the semi-intuitive concept of
‘character’, and long-range temporal tendencies and relations between lines are
largely the (unanticipated) result of independent processes. Si el clima fuera un
banco (2015), a work for solo piano and audio playback, essentially continues this
approach to counterpoint though with greater clarity of musical extremes and with
fruitful experiments in methods of distributing parts in time and in registral space.
The following work in the folio, Kampflieder (2015–16), a chamber orchestra work,
for the first time develops a logical approach to the construction of identities in the
work and moves decisively towards a ‘group polyphony’ and ‘statistical’
composition. The solo flute work, warped passages (2016), and the septet
braneworlds (2016) finally show a logical method of composing based on identity
relations between musical objects within a delimited parametric space, where
sections (or ‘regions’) define different sets of relations.
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Statement of Originality
This work has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any university.
To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously
published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the
thesis itself.
__________________________________
Liam Flenady
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Acknowledgements
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land upon
which much of this doctoral project was carried out, the Jagera and Turrbal people
of what is now called Brisbane.
I would like to thank my parents for all their support and encouragement and
for always reminding me that I should put myself (and the PhD) first. I would also
like to thank Hannah Reardon-Smith, my life-partner, collaborator and, strangely
enough, my wife, who has been an immense emotional, moral and intellectual
support throughout this research. Next, I owe a huge thanks to the gang at Kupka’s
Piano—Jodie, Hannah, Mac, Katherine, Angus, and, in particular, Alex—whose
generous, collaborative spirit helped me constantly push myself as a composer. A
particularly heartfelt thanks is warranted for Richard Barrett, my lessons with
whom in The Hague were pivotal in the development of my compositional
aesthetics. Thanks go out to Peter Dejans and the staff at the Orpheus Institute,
Ghent for their generous support and stimulating discussions, conferences and
symposia in 2014-15. I also wish to simply give thanks to the international
community of musicians who are committed to the pursuit of some kind of aesthetic
truth and who have influenced me in unquantifiable ways.
Finally, I would like to thank my supervisory team, Dr. Gerardo Dirié and Dr.
Stephen Emmerson, who have both—in remarkably different ways—helped shape
this project from its earliest stages and allowed me a very wide leash for a large
portion of the process.
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Table of Contents
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................... 2
Statement of Originality ................................................................................................................ 4
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 5
List of Figures .................................................................................................................................... 8
Chapter 1: Introduction ...............................................................................................................10
Project Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 10
Methodology ............................................................................................................................................... 19
Chapter 2: Aesthetics of a New Counterpoint ......................................................................25
Why Counterpoint?.................................................................................................................................. 25
Counterpoint Beyond Western Art Music ...................................................................................... 27
On the Distinction Between Counterpoint and Polyphony ..................................................... 29
Historical Influences and Affinities ................................................................................................... 31
Major Modern Theories of Counterpoint: Adorno and Mahnkopf ....................................... 37
Aesthetics of Counterpoint as ‘World Determination’. ............................................................. 46
Chapter 3: Two False Starts .......................................................................................................59
Trio for Trumpet, Guitar, and Percussion ........................................................................................ 59
Quite Early Morning, no. 2 ..................................................................................................................... 63
Chapter 4: a new day in the desert ...........................................................................................69
Work Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 70
Compositional Elements ........................................................................................................................ 70
Reflections on the Counterpoint ........................................................................................................ 87
Chapter 5: Si el clima fuera un banco ......................................................................................94
Work Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 95
Compositional Elements ........................................................................................................................ 97
Reflections on the Counterpoint ..................................................................................................... 120
Chapter 6: Interlude—Mirror Motets ................................................................................... 126
Chapter 7: Kampflieder ............................................................................................................. 131
Work Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 132
Compositional Elements ..................................................................................................................... 133
Reflections on the Counterpoint ..................................................................................................... 156
Chapter 8: warped passages ................................................................................................... 163
Work Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 164
Compositional Elements ..................................................................................................................... 165
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Reflections on the Counterpoint ..................................................................................................... 181
Chapter 9: braneworlds ............................................................................................................ 185
Work Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 186
Compositional elements. .................................................................................................................... 187
Reflections on the Counterpoint ..................................................................................................... 208
Chapter 10: Conclusions ........................................................................................................... 218
Trajectories of the Research ............................................................................................................. 218
Definition and Principles of Counterpoint as ‘World Determination’ ............................. 225
Chapter 11: Epilogue—A Book of Migrations .................................................................... 232
Idiomatic Materials ............................................................................................................................... 232
Four Parts ................................................................................................................................................. 233
Counterpointing a Radically Unequal Space .............................................................................. 234
Macro-Temporal Independence ...................................................................................................... 235
Electronics ................................................................................................................................................ 236
Revelation or Invention? .................................................................................................................... 236
References ..................................................................................................................................... 238
Selected Blog Posts ..................................................................................................................... 246
Appendix 1: Project Timeline................................................................................................. 253
Appendix 2: About Kupka’s Piano ........................................................................................ 256
Appendix 3: Conference Paper—‘Si el clima fuera una composición’ ..................... 257
Appendix 4: Conference Paper—‘The Ideology of Polyphonic Time’ ...................... 267
Appendix 5: Conference Paper—‘We Only Want the Earth’ ........................................ 276
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List of Figures
Figure 1.1: The research process 21
Figure 3.1: Precompositional grid for Trio (bars 29–40) 61
Figure 3.2: Bars 46–49 from Trio 62
Figure 3.3: Sketch fragment for QEM2 65
Figure 3.4: Sketch fragment from QEM2 (piano) 66
Figure 3.5: Bars 60–61 of QEM2 66
Figure 3.6: Bars 122–124 of QEM2 67
Figure 4.1: Duration sequence realised in bass flute part (bars 1–12) 72
Figure 4.2: Melodic contour as realised in violin part 74
Figure 4.3: Metric relations as presented in bars 1–3 77
Figure 4.4: Extended techniques structures realised in cello part 81
(bars 19–24)
Figure 4.5: Rhythmic and dynamic unity and motivic relations in bars 83
175–179
Figure 4.6: Dynamic and gestural interrelations (bars 23–26) 85
Figure 5.1: Macro-temporal structure of Si el clima 102–103
Figure 5.2: ‘Primitive communism’ linear characters in bars 30–35 107
Figure 5.3: ‘Feudalism’ linear characters in bars 110–114 110
Figure 5.4: Modal passage (bars 104–105) 111
Figure 5.5: ‘Capitalism’ linear characters in bars 187–189 113
Figure 5.6: Composite phrases in ‘crisis’ section (bars 305–307) 119
Figure 5.7: Degrees of melody-like linear character (bars 193–196) 123
Figure 6.1: Triple harmonic structure of motet 1 129
Figure 6.2: Bass clarinet part in motet 2 130
Figure 7.1: Guide to staging groups in Kampflieder 141
Figure 7.2: Harmony generator patch in OpenMusic 142
Figure 7.3: Bars 1–2 of Group IV 145
Figure 7.4: Music of ‘Der Rote Wedding’ (Red Front) by Hanns Eisler 146
from the ‘Kampflieder’ songbook
Figure 7.5: ‘Structural’ use of ‘Der Rote Wedding’ in Group IV 147
(bars 48–51)
Figure 7.6: Deceleration of structural song in Group III (bars 57–61) 148
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Figure 7.7: Accelerating and decelerating melody in Group II 155
(bars 189–191)
Figure 8.1: warped passages underblowing/fingering chart 167
Figure 8.2: warped passages ‘isofingering’ 169
Figure 8.3: Determinacy level 1 in Region 1 174
Figure 8.4: Determinacy level 2 in Region 13 175
Figure 8.5: Determinacy level 3 in Region 10 176
Figure 8.6: Determinacy level 4 in Region 4 176
Figure 9.1: ‘Time plot’ of Region 23 193
Figure 9.2: ‘Time plot’ of Region 8 194
Figure 9.3: Maximum registral value 195
Figure 9.4: Minimum registral value 195
Figure 9.5: Maximum value of pitch parameter for 17 divisions 196
Figure 9.6: Minimum pitch parameter value 196
Figure 9.7: Intermediate value for pitch parameter in Group IV, Region 5 197
Figure 9.8: Representation of pitch parameter 201
Figure 9.9: Representation of dynamic contour 202
Figure 9.10: Representation of identity relations in Region 10 203
Figure 9.11: Representation of identity relations in Region 16 204
Figure 9.12: Representation of identity relations in Region 12 205
Figure 9.13: Representation of identity relations in Region 7 206
Figure 9.14: Time plot for Region 14 207
Figure 9.15: Simultaneous part, Group I, bars 286–289 208
Figure 9.16: Simultaneous part, Group III (piano), bars 334–340 208
Figure 9.17: Group II, Region 12, featuring whole-bar tuplets and grace 216
notes (bars 122–125)