CSM 03
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Item Open Access Eric Gross: Klavierstucke III (1980-86)(Canberra School of Music, Australian National University) Composer: Eric Gross; Davies, John"Even though each of Eric Gross's Klavierstucke was composed on a quite separate occasion - the three pieces were written in 1980, 1983 and 1986 respectively - they do form a unified set, as the pieces all display similar fonnal devices ar1d stylistic characteristics. Formally, each of the Klavierstucke can be seen to be based upon the principle of variation set within contrasting sectional structures involving the development and metamorphosis of different thematic or motivic cells. Therefore, a modular or lattice-like structure is generated in which predominantly self contained musical fragments reappear in a modified, expanded or truncated form within a musical context quite different from that in which they first appeared. One may find, for example, two variants of different musical cells placed together even though the original cells appeared earlier in quite different sections of the piece. Such cells as well as wholes sections within each Klavierstuck are quite clearly defined and are frequently separated by a caesura or ritardando, or a sudden change in dynamic. The fundamental principle of variation, as a generator of musical material, is, of course, firmly rooted in the jazz tradition. Furthermore, even though each of the pieces has a clearly audible musical logic, the feeling of discontinuity caused by this mosaic variation structure tends to negate any sense of the classical notions of climax and repose. Several stylistic traits readily derivable from various jazz idioms may be seen at work in the Klavierstucke. From the softer, lyrical, jazz ballad and night club styles comes an often flexible approach to rhythm and tempo. Also common are arpeggio-derived or thick, lush and frequently dissonant chordal textures covering a large part of the piano keyboard." -- Ian ShanahamItem Open Access Eric Gross: Klavierstucke II (1980-86)(Canberra School of Music, Australian National University) Composer: Eric Gross; Davies, John"Even though each of Eric Gross's Klavierstucke was composed on a quite separate occasion - the three pieces were written in 1980, 1983 and 1986 respectively - they do form a unified set, as the pieces all display similar fonnal devices ar1d stylistic characteristics. Formally, each of the Klavierstucke can be seen to be based upon the principle of variation set within contrasting sectional structures involving the development and metamorphosis of different thematic or motivic cells. Therefore, a modular or lattice-like structure is generated in which predominantly self contained musical fragments reappear in a modified, expanded or truncated form within a musical context quite different from that in which they first appeared. One may find, for example, two variants of different musical cells placed together even though the original cells appeared earlier in quite different sections of the piece. Such cells as well as wholes sections within each Klavierstuck are quite clearly defined and are frequently separated by a caesura or ritardando, or a sudden change in dynamic. The fundamental principle of variation, as a generator of musical material, is, of course, firmly rooted in the jazz tradition. Furthermore, even though each of the pieces has a clearly audible musical logic, the feeling of discontinuity caused by this mosaic variation structure tends to negate any sense of the classical notions of climax and repose. Several stylistic traits readily derivable from various jazz idioms may be seen at work in the Klavierstucke. From the softer, lyrical, jazz ballad and night club styles comes an often flexible approach to rhythm and tempo. Also common are arpeggio-derived or thick, lush and frequently dissonant chordal textures covering a large part of the piano keyboard." -- Ian ShanahamItem Open Access Ross Edwards: Etymalong (1984)(Canberra School of Music, Australian National University, 1984) Composer: Ross Edwards; Davies, John"Etymalong for piano is part of the series of slow and static works which Ross Edwards refers to as his sacred music. Although there is an unmistakable sonic connection among these works, the series, as it leads up to Etymalong, displays an increasing compositional austerity. Edwards has written of the meaning and significance of the title: Etymalong is an Aboriginal word meaning watering place and is at the same time the name given to the mountain overlooking the village of Pearl Beach, NSW, on the edge of Brisbane Water National Park. In this once sacred place I hved with my family from 1977 to 1984 and composed, amongst other music, a series of static, evanescent works much influenced by the sounds of the natural environment. Etymalong could be termed minimalist in that it uses a quite limited number of short gestural motives which are subjected to repetitive processes and varied only by the holding of their last attack for different durations. The most prominent motivic gesture of the work, the one which dominates the opening section, is also the one where the duration of the last attack is most varied (see Figure 15). This motive is in two parts, X and Yn where X is never varied but Yn changes in duration. In this analysis n refers to the number of semi quaver units in the duration of Y. X appears sixteen times without Yn (for example, bars 5, 13, 17, 20 etc.), but when this happens, X is usually either preceded or followed (or both) by a version of X + Yn. X is also used by itself in conjunction with the related motive En and with motive C1n (both quoted later). The duration of Yn varies greatly but the most prominent value of n is 2 (a quaver). This occurs thirteen times. The following diagram lists all the values of n employed, with the corresponding number of occurrences in the work: There is no apparent pattern in this table, as there is indeed no apparent rhythmic pattern in the unfolding of the various sections involving motive X + Yn. For example, bars 2-11 may be stated as: The composer claims to be attempting to achieve an intuitive durational logic, something akin to the sonic rhythms in the natural environment. The motives themselves are inspired by the sounds of the bush, principally those of birds and insects. The melodic outline and certainly the rhythm of motive X + Yn is bird-like in character, but this motive, as well as the others in the piece, is essentially a chordal sonority. Motive X + Yn is a sonority composed mostly of superimposed dissonant intervals such as seconds, sevenths and ninths. The other motives have similar constructions11 (see Figure 16). Apart from a certain uniformity of intervallic construction, there are some obvious connections among the motives. The tones of A1 and A2 are found inverted in the right hand of En. The rhythmic gestures of X, Bn and En are related. As with motive X + Yn motives C\, C\, A2 + B0 En, Fn, and A\ are subject to durational variation by the lengthening or shortening of their final attacks (again represented by n as a multiple of a semiquaver unit), but such changes are less frequent and less varied. The motives quoted, together with their various extensions, account for all the musical material in the piece with the exception of the motive Din the first bar of the piece which is the only motive not subject to repetition. Thus it is possible, using only the letters and numbers described above, to make a diagrammatic representation of the score (Figure 17). An analysis of Figure 17 suggests that the broad structural design of the work is determined by different groupings of the basic motives within sections. Table 1 divides the work into seven sections, though other overlapping interpretations are possible. Section 1 is dominated by X and Y but involves a nine bar segment where C is included. Section 3 is a simiiar section where E is worked in instead of C. The inclusion of E with X and Y is also a feature of section 6. Apart from this, section 2, employing A, B and C is balanced by section 5 which also uses A, B and C. A similar relationship exists between sections 4 and 7 which both employ E and F, although section 7 also includes A. Although it is possible to formularise the structure of Etyma.long in even greater detail than presented here, there are aspects of the work that defy analysis. There is a strong element of surprise both in the order of appearance of the motives and in their mysteriously varying durations. In talking about another of the sacred works Edwards has suggested that for the listener the overall structure is less important than a contemplative appreciation of the individual events: ...the ideal state of mind for the listener should be one of calm intensity, with attention focused on each detail as it occurs instead of projecting the mind back and forth in search of structural associations. It is perhaps ironic, however, that in striving to create a representation of the arbitrariness of the sequence and duration of events in nature, the composer has created a form which may be seen as an innovation within a particularly Western understanding of musical structure. Certainly it is difficult for the Western listener to adopt Edwards's suggested Eastern approach because attention is easily diverted to his mastery of the craft of planned randomness. Etymalong. for solo piano, was composed in 1984 especially for the pianist Sally Mays and is dedicated to her in recognition of her longstanding championship of Australian and New Zealand composers." -- Michael HannanItem Open Access Wendy Hiscocks: Toccata (1983)(Canberra School of Music, Australian National University, 1983) Composer: Wendy Hiscocks; Davies, John"The toccata is almost exclusively a keyboard genre. From its origins in the sixteenth century it evolved during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries into a popular, virtuosic form often with contrasted freely rhapsodic and fugal sections. Classical and romantic composers generally neglected the form, preferring its more lyrical counterparts, the fantasia and prelude. The re-emergence of the toccata in the twentieth century is due in part to Debussy, whose Toccata (from Pour le piano) set the tone for later manifestations of the genre: a rapid tempo, the use of arpeggio patterns, and melodies picked out as if randomly against repeated notes and ostinato figures. Hiscocks's Toccata preserves both the impromptu and the virtuosic qualities of the genre. Rhythmically the work is free, the basic unit of a semiquaver appearing throughout in groups of irregular lengths. This apparent randomness of rhythm gives the melody an unpredictable quality in keeping with the toccata's improvisatory origins. The texture is predominantly linear and monophonic, the rapid repetition of notes around the melody conveying only an approximation of harmony. The composer neatly unifies this potentially rambling rondo structure by means of intervallic relationships. The fourths, fifths and octaves of the recurring motive are exploited also in the three contrasting episodes. Throughout the work, augmented and diminished variants of these intervals are heard, colouring the open intervals and adding vibrancy and momentum. The note B flat is a continuous reference point, against which other tones are explored. The range of possibilities is extended first in an upwards and then in a downwards direction." -- Deborah CrispItem Open Access Helen Gifford: Catalysis (1964)(Canberra School of Music, Australian National University, 1964) Composer: Helen Gifford; Davies, John"The composer says: Impetuous rushes characterise the work. These are generated by small tonal groups of notes that are brought into collision with serially organised notes, abruptly propelling the piece along, and firing a series of explosive events. This repeated tonal attack causes sudden surges of movement and changes in momentum as in catalytic action, with splintering fragments oscillating between moments of urgency and tranquillity. The work is densely packed and tightly wrought, relaxing momentarily in the central slower section. Catalysis was written for Sally Mays. I posted the score to her in England and she recorded for me on tape a performance which so completely conformed to my intentions that it almost obviated the need for further performances. The term' catalysis' is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as: '(chem.) Effect produced by a substance that without undergoing change itself aids a chemical change in other bodies'. The process of catalysis in this work is by no means obvious. Aurally it is concealed by pointillist and contrapuntal textures, and a complex language that includes chromatic and whole tone elements, treated with some reference to serial procedures as well as free variation techniques. Perhaps the catalyst is the brief whole tone motive hinted at in bar 7 and stated clearly in the bass at bar 10? Certainly this motive exists throughout as a stable entity, contrasting strongly with the chromatic material that surrounds it (see Figure 12). The substance undergoing change would appear to be the highly dissonant statement of the opening six bars. Diminished and minor intervals predominate in this material, a summary of which is given in bars 1-2 (see Figure 13). As the work progresses, a gradual infiltration of the more stable whole tone elements reconciles the more dissonant intervals. In the coda, the perfect fifth is proposed as a possible resolution of the tension; the tempo is now slow and the mood cantabile: a dramatic contrast to the aggressive tirade of the opening bars (see Figure 14). The piece is in three clear sections, with an introduction and a coda. The first section presents the first variant of the introductory material. The texture of this section is pointillistic and sparse, with mostly semiquaver movement in the two widely spaced voices, and rapid dynamic change. The second section begins with a two bar chromatic descent in which the dissonant intervals of the introduction figure prominently. A more tranquil four part counterpoint follows, in which interweaving parts prefigure the modd of the coda. The rhythmic movement has slowed down considerably voices are less widely spaced and the dynamic change is more gradual. The reappearance of the whole tone motive at the end of this section and at the beginning of the next is significant: a gradual change is being wrought in the material. The motive is heard more frequently and more clearly in this final section; the semiquaver movement of the opening returns in a less abrasive guise, and the material is made more coherent through the use of sustained notes. The transition into the coda with its ethereal trills and arpeggiated chords, hints at some magical process, suggesting perhaps the final fizzing and settling of the chemical solution. Catalysis is a finely crafted piece, developed from clearly established tonal and rhythmic resources. Gifford exploits a wide range of keyboard textures, ranging from contrapuntal procedures to the pointillistic techniques of the post-Webern school. Dynamic rhythms give the work considerable momentum, driving it forward towards its logical conclusion." -- Deborah CrispItem Open Access Eric Gross: Klavierstucke I (1980-86)(Canberra School of Music, Australian National University) Composer: Eric Gross; Davies, John"Even though each of Eric Gross's Klavierstucke was composed on a quite separate occasion - the three pieces were written in 1980, 1983 and 1986 respectively - they do form a unified set, as the pieces all display similar fonnal devices ar1d stylistic characteristics. Formally, each of the Klavierstucke can be seen to be based upon the principle of variation set within contrasting sectional structures involving the development and metamorphosis of different thematic or motivic cells. Therefore, a modular or lattice-like structure is generated in which predominantly self contained musical fragments reappear in a modified, expanded or truncated form within a musical context quite different from that in which they first appeared. One may find, for example, two variants of different musical cells placed together even though the original cells appeared earlier in quite different sections of the piece. Such cells as well as wholes sections within each Klavierstuck are quite clearly defined and are frequently separated by a caesura or ritardando, or a sudden change in dynamic. The fundamental principle of variation, as a generator of musical material, is, of course, firmly rooted in the jazz tradition. Furthermore, even though each of the pieces has a clearly audible musical logic, the feeling of discontinuity caused by this mosaic variation structure tends to negate any sense of the classical notions of climax and repose. Several stylistic traits readily derivable from various jazz idioms may be seen at work in the Klavierstucke. From the softer, lyrical, jazz ballad and night club styles comes an often flexible approach to rhythm and tempo. Also common are arpeggio-derived or thick, lush and frequently dissonant chordal textures covering a large part of the piano keyboard." -- Ian ShanahamItem Open Access Anne Boyd: Book of the Bells (1981)(Canberra School of Music, Australian National University, 1981) Composer: Anne Boyd; Davies, John"Boyd has composed only two works for solo piano: Book of the Bells and the earlier Angklung (1974). Her musical style is well suited to the instrument. The use of exotic modes in both vertical and horizontal structures, delicate ornamentation in the upper registers and the accumulation and dispersal of sonorities result in a texture that resembles the piano writing of Debus y and perhaps Messiaen, rather than the percussive style adopted by many twentieth century keyboard composers. The inspiration for both works is found in nonWestern musical traditions. Angklung refers to a type of Balinese gamelan instrument and also to the gamelan angklung, an instrumentaJ ensemble. Book of the Bells also has its origins in the music of Asia, recalling the delicate tintinnabulation of Buddhist temple bells. As inAngklung, interest is focused primarily on sonority. However the fundamental material of Book of the Bells is more wide ranging, and the resultant colours are more vibrant, less soporific than those of Angklung. Each bell is assigned certain characteristics of mode, registration, rhythm and in some cases melody or ornamentation. The first bell to be heard occupies the upper middle register of the piano. Initially just three notes, it quickly accumulates two more, adding a characteri tic minor second and minor ninth (or augmented octave) (see Figure 10). seems that Boyd's purpose is to emulate the untempered tuning of the bells. The spelling of the chord provides insight into the composer's thought processes: the D sharp and E flat are clearly not considered equivalent pitches, even though they are, of course, the same key on the piano. The first bell sound is characterised throughout by this tonal structure. For the first few minutes of the work it tolls insistently, providing a backdrop of sound for the entry of other bells. The second bell is in a lower register, and contains the interval of a major seventh or diminished octave (see Figure 10). The third bell initially occupies a similar register to the first, but is distinguished by its melodic role. Again the minor ninth is clearly heard. of extreme difficulty; however the tempo throughout is unhurried and the numerous long and tied notes allow time for the performer to leap, as it were, from bell to bell. The predetermined characteristics of each bell assist the pianist in the rapid location of chords. As the work progresses, the bells seem to develop personalities: musical dialogues ensue, and the 'characters' come and go, sometimes dramatically, sometimes imperceptibly, as if in some wordless drama. Like Angklung, Book of the Bells has a timeless, otherworld quality: gamelan performances can last for days, and the passing of time has little meaning in a Buddhist monastery. It seems as if there is no beginning and no end to this piece, as if the listener just happened by as it was going on. As new bells enter, each with its distinctive timbre, the range of sound is extended outward until by the middle of the work the whole keyboard is employed, the low sonorities adding sympathetic vibrations to the texture, the uppermost bell adding splashes of colour. The notation of the piece has by now become very complex indeed (see Figure 11), and again the Debussy/Messiaen analogy might be drawn. At first glance the appearance of the notes on the page gives the impression Book of the Bells was written as a special challenge to the virtuosity of the Australian pianist Roger Woodward and it was commissioned by him with assistance from the Music Board of the Australia Council in 1981. In fact the first performance was given in London some five years later by Sally Mays." -- Deborah Crisp