Lecture 3 part 1

1
Lecture 3 part 1

• 1. To outline the development of Modernist
  generation of 50/60s composers Boulez, Cage,
  Stockhausen up to the 70s.
• 2. Discussion of their careers from 70s onwards
  and how they fared in the last decades of the
  20th century with the death of modernism.
• 3. Emergence of Gaicinto Scelsi and his
  compositional approach.

2
Messiaen to Boulez

• 1. Mode de Valeurs et dIntensities for piano of
  1949 had shown a possible way forward for a new
  post generation of students at the Paris
  Conservatoire that include both Boulez and
  Stockhausen.
• His application of the serial principle of Webern
  in particular to rhythm pointed towards
  hyper-serialism.
• Messiaen did not apply the serial principle to
  attacks as rigidly. The result was that each
  note had its own pitch within a given register,
  its own rhythm, its own dynamic and type of
  attack.

3
Boulez

• Boulez the first to approach true Hyper-Serialism
  in his Second Piano Sonata 1948 and Structures.
• The result is uncompromising athematic and
  ametric. Small rhythmic figures and combined and
  developed continually.
• Produces a pointilliste surface. But is this
  composition? Is the organisation of sound
  elements recognisable? Is it really performable?
• From this extreme position composed moved away
  from true hyper-serialism.

4
Le Marteau sans Maitre

• The Hammer without a Master, published 1954.
  Instrumentation connects with Schoenbergs
  Pierrot Lunaire (1912), Debussys Sonata for
  flute, viola and harp (1915) but Boulez also uses
  lots of percussion. Principle of keeping timbres
  distinct.
• The nine short movements are organised around the
  sung (contralto) movements (3, 5, 6 and 9), which
  use short poems by Rene Clar as preludes and
  commentaries on the poems. The instrumentation
  is similarly organised and normally only a
  maximum of 4 instruments play at once. The
  thematic material is similarly thought out for
  balance across the movements.
• The resulting texture is much more varied, and
  melodic material more sustained.

5
Cage in the 50s and 60s

• Early student experiences with Schoenberg and
  interest in Eastern philosophy and Gamelan music.
  
• Early works for percussion ensembles, voice, and
  development of the prepared piano leading to
  Sonata and Interludes 1946-8. 16 short sonatas
  with four interludes.
• Sounds and timbre developed by improvising at
  keyboard to create permanent emotions like in
  Indian music (shell collections). The layout
  of the pieces are very structured with repeated
  sections aiming at symmetry and balance.

6
1951 the turning point

• From 1951 onwards (Music of Changes) Cage moved
  towards chance processes so that the sounds would
  be an end in themselves instead of using sounds
  to project feelings and ideas of the composer.
• The sounds no longer to communicate anything but
  themselves. Should not be cluttered up with
  meanings of the composer or listener.

7
Cage again

• Re-definition of what the composer was for now
  to set up processes to allow sound to emerge a
  a humble catalyst will-lessness developed out
  of studies in Zen Buddhism.
• New roles for performer and for notation.
• Irony that total freedom and total serialism were
  contemporaries were at the opposite extremes
  yet in some cases sounded remarkably similar!
• But some cross-over in that Boulez started to
  include some chance elements into his works.

8
Stockhausen

• Most clearly associated in the 1950s with advent
  of electronic music.
• Musique concrete of Pierre Schaeffer
• Studio fur Elektronische Musik, Westdeuscher
  Rundfunk, Cologne.
• Early work in electronic studios showed what was
  possible and opened up a new field of composition
  without performers.

9
Individuality work as research

• Each work tends to explore a new technique of
  composition each work is autonomous and bears
  little relationship to the preceding or following
  composition.
• Kontra-Punkte Klavierstucke I-IV Studien I and
  II Klavierstucke V-X Zeitmasse Gesang der
  Junglinge Klavierstuck Xi Gruppen Zyklus
  Refrain Kontakte Carre
• Individuality of each work is pronounced.
• Interest in Timbre and sound in space and in
  electronic music and traditional sounds, live
  electronics.
• 60s works include Hymnen Telemusik and
  Stimmung.

10
Boulez post 1970

• Plethera of activities conducting, IRCAM,
  consultant, recording projects. Composition on
  the back burner concept of work in progress
  and works being withdrawn and reshaped.
  Fragmentation of career as a composer.

11
Cage

• Died in 199? A figure of huge acclaim though
  few of his works regularly performed (save the
  early and mid career works like Sonatas and
  Interludes).
• Connection with other arts particularly dance
  of huge importance his ideas on creativity
  taken up across the arts.
• Continued to write and publicise his ideas on
  music and creativity up to his death.
• Since his death some attempts to revive larger
  scale works .

12
Stockhausen

• Some regard him as near mad. Has stated that he
  thinks he come from another planet!
• Continues to composer and maintains an ensemble
  but to most he is a burnt out ghost of his former
  self.
• No longer commands huge respect and international
  interest for his projects though he still does
  them. E.g. Hellicoper piece.