Racial characteristics as the force of promoting avant-garde music : Musical languages of the early of 20th century and the 1960s

2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 11610051
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 美学(含芸術諸学)
• Research Institution: Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music
• Principal Investigator: NARAZAKI Yoko Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, Department of Music, Associate Professor, 音楽学部, 助教授 (50254264)
• Project Period (FY): 1999 – 2000
• Keywords: avant-garde music / racial characteristics / serialism / tone cluster / musical language

Research Abstract

In this study, I considerd that composers, who were concerned in the twentieth-century's avant-garde technique of serialism and tone cluster, have different ways to those techniques from each others. The historical view of the process from the satulation of serialism, into which each parameter of pitch, duration, dynamics, and timbre is organized in a digital way, to tone cluster applies to only German and Austrian composers. The tone cluster of Ligeti, who declared the process from the satulation of serialism to tone cluster, is achieved not from serial manipulation but from the gradual accumulation of semitones. Through the technique of tone cluster Penderecki and Gorecki intend for the sonority itself, which is accumulated of semitones, rather than the process of piling semitones. Messiaen, who went no further than suggesting total serialism, manipulated parameters, which were subdivided chromatically, not as structural means but as the means of making elaborated sound gesture possible. Berio concerns with extensive change of sound for the distribution of subdivided parameters than the structure. Comprehensive manipulation of each parameter of Ferneyhough leads to control strictly performers intention of changing sound.