An analysis of Morton Feldman's "Rothko Chapel" Dniel Pter Bir ( !!

"# $ntrod%&tion "Rothko Chapel" Morton Feldman &omposed "Rothko Chapel' as a tri(%te to his friend) the Ameri&an painter) Mark Rothko* $n !+ ) at the re,%est of the Menil Fo%ndation of -o%ston) .e/as) Rothko &reated an en0ironment in 1hi&h his 2 mon%mental paintin3s played a &entral role* .hese paintin3s a&t as o(4e&ts on 1hi&h all 0isitors to the Chapel) reli3io%s or non5reli3io%s &o%ld %se for meditation* .he life and 1ork of Morton Feldman 1as 0ery similar to that of Mark Rothko* Both 1ere of eastern 6%ropean 7e1ish herita3e8 (oth 1ere in0ol0ed in &reatin3 a ne1 form of a(stra&t art8 and (oth 1ere moti0ated to dis&o0er the mystery of per&eption 1ithin art* .he ,%alities in Feldman9s m%si& respondin3 to 7e1ish tradition &an (e %nderstood in &onne&tion to Feldman9s &on&ept of memory 1ithin his &ompositional method* .his paper 1ill e/amine this &on&ept and ho1 it relates to his &on&ept of &ompositional pro&ed%re* .hen it 1ill (e possi(le to (etter %nderstand ho1 these &on&epts relate to the Ameri&an s&hool of artists to 1hi&h Feldman (elon3ed as 1ell as to o(ser0e Feldman9s rea&tions as a 7e1ish &omposer to pro(lems of &olle&ti0e memory* Feldman9s "Rothko Chapel") altho%3h a(stra&t in its 3eneral %nfoldin3) presents the listener 1ith parti&%lar pro(lems in re3ard to semanti& %nderstandin3* .hese pro(lems &an only (e &omprehended in referen&e to Feldman9s 0ery personal 0ie1s on memory) &ompositional methods) &o3nition) and history* :pon (ein3 a(le to (etter &omprehend Feldman9s &ontemplati0e 1orld) it mi3ht (e possi(le to spe&%late as to his methods of 1orkin3 1ith &o3niti0e operations as a &ompositional tool* $t &o%ld (e then possi(le to (etter %nderstand the mystery of hearin3 Feldman9s "Rothko Chapel*'

Memory .he &on&ept of memory seems to play an almost mysti&al role in his 1ork* .he -%n3arian 1riter ;y<r3y =onrd des&ri(es memory as "a pro&ess of sele&tion from the past &om(ined 1ith a lar3e amo%nt of fantasy'*> ? Feldman's m%si& a&ts as a presentation of this sele&tion pro&ess 1ithin the (o%ndaries of his 0ery personal 1ay of 1ritin3 m%si&* .his is done parado/i&ally* Feldman's 3oal of "%nfi/in3 the so%nd elements traditionally %sed to &onstr%&t a pie&e of m%si& so that the so%nds &o%ld e/ist in themsel0es 5 not as sym(ols or memories 1hi&h 1ere memories of other m%si& to (e3in 1ith*'>@? sho1s his allian&e 1ith a parti&%lar s&hool of Ameri&an artists 1hose 3oal 1as to free art from) 1hat they sa1 as &onfinin3) histori&al (o%ndaries of 6%ropean art in order to &reate a more a%tonomo%s art mo0ement*

Ca3e's 1ish of "3ettin3 rid of the 3l%e so that the so%nds 1o%ld (e themsel0es' 1as also shared (y Feldman* -e also (elie0ed in presentin3 "the so%nds themsel0es' >A? 1ithin his o1n spe&ial &onte/t of memory) "As if almost to erase in one's memory 1hat happened (efore*'>2? Bike the de&ayin3 1orld of Cam%el Be&kett) Feldman's m%si& presents %s 1ith a temporary) dyin3 1orld* ".his e/presses 1here the so%nd e/ists in o%r hearin3) lea0in3 %s rather than &omin3 to1ard %s*' >D? -is m%si& presents the listener 1ith a pro&ess of dis&ontin%ity) as so%nds (e&ome pro3ressi0ely a(sent* .hese "remnants and shapes that &an (arely (e heard at a distan&e)' >E? as des&ri(ed (y Feldman's tea&her Ctephan Folpe) 1ere (ro%3ht into a &onte/t thro%3h Feldman's &ompositional te&hni,%e) 1hi&h Folpe la(eled "ne3ation*'>+? .his introd%&ed a pro&ed%re of takin3 a1ay m%si&al material in the &o%rse of a pie&e instead of (%ildin3 %pon already presented m%si&al material in order that the pie&e) instead of de0elopin3 to a &lima/) &o%ld) as Feldman himself stated) "die a nat%ral death* $t dies of old a3e*'>"? .his pro&ess of ne3ation &an only (e %nderstood 1ithin the &onte/t of Feldman's &ompositional pra/is* Feldman often stressed the importan&e of the "performan&e' >!? aspe&t 1ithin &omposin3* .o a 3reat de3ree these performan&es are also memory performan&es 1ithin Feldman's &ompositional %ndertakin3* Besides per&ei0in3 memory 1ithin the &onte/t of repetition and 0ariation) one is sim%ltaneo%sly re3ardin3 Feldman's o1n &ompositional per&eption* .his per&eption presents itself in the &onte/t of Feldman9s o1n memory performan&e* (.he listener9s memory performan&e happens 1ithin the perimeters of Feldman's memory performan&e#* Be&a%se these perspe&ti0es o0erlap) the listener is left 1ith an %n&ertainty in re3ard to the (orders of &omposition and per&eption) &reatin3 an area of per&epti0e am(i3%ity* $n order to determine ho1 these le0els of memory per&eption o&&%r) it is ne&essary to first define Feldman's &ompositional method and the &ate3ories %sed in this method* $t may (e then possi(le to %nderstand the role memory plays in these &ompositional methods and 1hat an effe&t these methods ha0e on the listener re&eption of the 3eneral &ompositional pro&ess* Definin3 "Chan3e" and "Reiteration" FeldmanGs le&t%res and 1ritin3s allo1 for a 3lan&e into his &ompositional method and m%si&al thinkin3* Feldman 3enerally a0oids any attempt to present a %nified theory of his m%si&al thinkin3 and &ompositional prod%&tion (&ontrastin3 him 0ery m%&h to the efforts of his &ollea3%es of his 3eneration#* $nstead he e/presses himself in a =oan5like manner) often speakin3 in terms of &omparison rather than makin3 his point dire&tly* By doin3 this Feldman often &ontradi&ts himself* -o1e0er) these &ontradi&tions often ha0e an almost .alm%di& ,%ality to them) ena(lin3 one to find (etter methods to e/amine FeldmanHs &ompositional pro&esses* $n his !"2 le&t%re at the .heater am .%rm in Frankf%rt Feldman stated) 'Io% &an do t1o thin3s 1ith m%si&) yo% &o%ld (e in0ol0ed 1ith 0ariation) 1hi&h in simple terms means only to 0ary it) or yo% &o%ld (e in repetition* Reiterati0e* Fhat my 1ork is) is a synthesis (et1een 0ariation and repetition* -o1e0er) $ mi3ht repeat thin3s that) as it's 3oin3 aro%nd) is 0aryin3 itself on one aspe&t* Jr $ &o%ld 0ary repetition* B%t a3ain it's a performan&e* $ see it as $'m doin3 it*' > K?.his statement &o%ld (e 0ie1ed presentin3 an e/pli&it position in re3ard to his &ate3ori&al methods* B%t later in the same le&t%re he says) 'Another) $ don't like 0ariation* $ prefer translation* $ think the (est e/ample in the past ten years that 3ot me into this is (y meetin3 Be&kett and tryin3 to see ho1 he 1orks* -e 1o%ld 1rite somethin3 in Fren&h) the ne/t senten&e in 6n3lish* .hen he takes the 6n3lish and he translates into Fren&h that has nothin3 to do 1ith the Fren&h senten&e and (a&k and forth* And 1hen $ 3ot this poem from him $'m readin3 it and it9s the same) doesn't so%nd the same

(%t it9s the same*'> ? $n his !"2 Darmstadt le&t%re) "$'m 1orkin3 1ith t1o aspe&ts 1hi&h $ feel are &hara&teristi& of the t1entieth &ent%ry* Jne is &han3e) 0ariation* $ prefer the 1ord &han3e* .he other is reiteration* Co $'m in0ol0ed 1ith (oth* $ don't make a synthesis) (%t they are 3oin3 on all at the same time* And it's not a &al&%lated diale&ti& (e&a%se $ ha0e to 1at&h it 1hen it happens*'> @? Lie1in3 these statements) the ,%estion remains) keepin3 Feldman's 1orks in mind) as to 1here the tr%th lies 1ithin or (et1een these statements* .here(y it is ne&essary to define not only Feldman's methodolo3i&al &ate3ories) (%t also his methods of (l%rrin3 these &ate3ories* Be&a%se of Feldman's %ni,%e) personal) performan&e oriented 1ay of 1orkin3) m%&h of the analysis m%st endea0or not only to &onsider Feldman's &ompositional de&ision makin3 pro&ess) (%t also to spe&%late in to the dialo3%e (et1een his per&eption 1hile &omposin3 and the listener's per&eption 1hile listenin3*

Analysis of "Rothko Chapel" $nstr%ments and $nstr%mentation :pon (e3innin3 to determine Feldman's methods of %sin3 0ariation and repetition as a primary (asis for his &ompositional %ndertakin3) one m%st &onsider his fanati& o(session 1ith instr%ments) instr%mentation) and &olor* $n the same !"2 Frankf%rt le&t%re Feldman states) '=no1 thy instr%mentM Io% &an't or&hestrate %nless yo% kno1 thy instr%mentM Fho 1as the ;reek that said thatN =no1 thy instr%mentM =no1 thyselfM Fho 1as that ;reekN Co&rates) AristotleN =no1 thyselfN Co%nds like Co&rates* $ think it 1as Co&rates* $ think Fran&is of Assisi 1o%ld tell yo% to kno1 someone else> A?*' Feldman's &on&ept of the final sonoro%s ,%ality of the instr%ments (ein3 the most important &riteria for the m%si&al statement) as opposed to m%si&al &onstr%&tion) is important to &onsider* $n the same le&t%re he de&lares) 'Material* And instr%ment is material) yo% see* Fe ha0e (een 0ery distant from material* 6spe&ially 1ith the yo%n3er people* .hey listen to early C&hoen(er3 and Fe(ern and they think it's fantasti& &olor8 e0erythin3* B%t it has nothin3 to do 1ith &olor) really* $t had to do 1ith ideas* Co) $ feel that one of the pro(lems 1ith m%si& is that it ne0er had its Matisse* .hey ne0er had its Matisse* .hey had 3reat artists* $ mean to %se &olor ri3ht and 1onderf%l doesn't mean yo% ha0e a feelin3 for &olor) really* Io% ha0e an intelle&t%al ri3htness for &olor) not a nat%ral ri3htness for &olor***$ think m%si& is open to &olor* And 1hen $ talk a(o%t &olor $ don't mean the en0ironment* $ don't mean noise* $ mean instr%ments to3ether* $t's fantasti&* Io% &an e0en 3et the feelin3) the instr%ment doesn't ha0e any ideas*> 2?" Rothko Chapel's s&orin3 for per&%ssion) &elesta) 0iola) &hor%s) and soprano solo is %sed as a sonoro%s (asis for 1orkin3 1ith so%nds in s%&h a 1ay as to &hallen3e primarily the per&eption of m%si&al e0ents and not the ideas (ehind the m%si&al e0ents* Pertainin3 to the (orders of this s&orin3) Feldman often %ses the follo1in3 instr%ments and instr%mental &om(inationsO .impani and Bass dr%m Liola solo Liola) &elesta and Li(raphone Chor%s and Chimes Chor%s 1ith .impani and Bass dr%m .hese instr%mental &om(inations are %sed to present the listener 1ith m%si&al o(4e&ts and their "remnants' and their 0ario%s de3rees of &han3e and reiteration in inter0alli&) fi3%rati0e and d%rational &onte/ts* $n order to

%nderstand ho1 Feldman's 3oal to &hallen3e per&eption is a&hie0ed) it is first ne&essary to define &ertain str%&t%ral &ate3ories) 1hi&h allo1s one to then spe&%late on Feldman's &ompositional pra&ti&e of mo0in3 "(et1een' these &ate3ories* Methods of :sin3 $nter0alli& Chan3e and Reiteration in "Rothko Chapel" $n the same Frankf%rt le&t%re Feldman states) ":s%ally my pie&es (e3in may(e on the tenth (ar) kind of 3ettin3 into it*'> D? Jn &ommen&in3 analysis of "Rothko Chapel') it is possi(le to see) 1ith this statement in mind) that this aspe&t of mo0in3 into the pie&e e/ists in order to approa&h Feldman's 3oal of hearin3 "the so%nds themsel0es'* Considerin3 this statement alon3side his statements &on&ernin3 instr%mentation) it is e0ident that 1ithin his reiteratin3 and &han3in3 inter0alli& str%&t%res &ertain m%si&al o(4e&ts o&&%r* .hese o(4e&ts a&t as a point of &larity 3i0in3 the listener a sort of &o3niti0e sta(ility* Fithin the frame1ork of the &ompositional "performan&e") this &ompositional de0i&e is %sed in order to (l%r &o3nition of these o(4e&ts in the &o%rse of the pie&e* .he fi0e note &hord in meas%re ele0en) played (y the 0iola) &elesta and 0i(raphone) is repeated ei3ht times in 0ario%s &onte/ts in the &o%rse of the pie&e (6/ample P #* .he &hord is made %p of a modal tone set %sin3 the fi0e notes f )35flat) a5flat) a5sharp) and (* $n his e/planatory notes Feldman 1rote) "Certain inter0als ha0e the rin3 of the syna3o3%e*" > E? .hese modal referen&es are parti&%larly e0ident in "Rothko Chapel*" As one e/amines the inter0alli& str%&t%re of the follo1in3 &hords played (y the 0iola) &elesta and 0i(raphone) one noti&es that most of these &hords &onsist of D notes (o&&asionally &ontainin3 E notes# and in&orporate modal tone sets 1hi&h are employed thro%3ho%t the 1ork in different forms* ;enerally one &an speak a(o%t fi0e &ate3ories re3ardin3 Feldman's %se of inter0alli& &onstr%&tionO *reiterated inter0alli& str%&t%res @*inter0alli& 0ariation A*inter0alli& asso&iation 2*pit&h asso&iation D*inter0al reinterpretation .hese &ate3ories &an only (e (ased and de&iphered 0ie1in3 the statement of Feldman &on&ernin3 his method of 1orkin3* "$ 1ork 1ith the pen and that's a 0ery interestin3 phenomena (e&a%se 1hen $ 1ork 1ith the pen e0erythin3 is &rossed o%t* ($n# some pa3es there is nothin3 &rossed and %s%ally those pa3es 1hen there is somethin3 in a &ontin%ity) yo% see many times $ make my &ontin%ity later) 1hi&h essentially is the 1ay .olstoy 1orked* $ don't ne&essarily 1ork in a &ontin%ity*"> +? Feldman 1as also a fanati&al &opyist and he often e/pressed ho1 important this &opyin3 1as for his &ompositional pro&ed%re* .hese methods of 1orkin3 also play a lar3e role in Feldman's de&ision makin3 in relation to &han3e and reiteration and are to (e &onsidered in the pro&eedin3 of the analysis* Comparin3 the &hord and its atta&hment in meas%res 5 @ to the ne/t &om(ination of the same instr%ments in meas%re @+5@! one &an see that there is an e/a&t repetition of pit&h &omponents (6/*@#* .his repetition is) of &o%rse) 0aried in re3ard to d%ration (.he aspe&t of d%rational 0ariation 1ill (e dis&%ssed) d%e to its importan&e) separately#* Pit&h referen&es to these &hords are fo%nd in an intermissionary appearan&e (y the 0i(raphone and 0iola in meas%res A QAA(6/*A#* .he ne/t &hord e/ample %sin3 the same instr%mental &om(ination is fo%nd in meas%re 2@* .his &hord is also (%ilt on a modal &ell and th%s sho1s similarity to the pre0io%s

&hordal %nits in meas%res and @+* $n all three of these &hord5models) &ertain fi3%ral atta&hments follo1 these &hords* .hese atta&hments (rin3 referen&es to pre0io%s fi3%ral material and also a&t as o(4e&ts to (e later "ne3ated"* Bike1ise this &hord from meas%re 2@ is repeated in meas%re 2E(6/*2#* At this point in the pie&e the follo1in3 o(ser0ations &an (e made a(o%t the inter0alli& relationships 1ithin these three instr%ments* $n the openin3 se&tion one &an see that an atmosphere of 0ariational sta(ility is a&hie0ed 1ithin the inter0alli&R instr%mentational &onte/tO Chord no* and atta&hment no* (m* Q @#(6/* # Chord no* and atta&hment no* (m*@EQ@+#(6/*@# $ntermission (pit&h relations to &hord no* and atta&hment no* #(6/*A#(m*A 5AA# Chord no*@ and attat&hment no* @(m*2@Q2A*#(6/*2# Chord no*@ (m*2E#(6/*D# As the pie&e &ontin%es these fi3%ral atta&hments are s%(se,%ently ne3ated) releasin3 the &hordal formations from their o(4e&t5like ,%ality and mo0in3 them into a domain of "remnant"5like e/isten&e* .hese "remnants" are s%(se,%ently (ro%3ht in to a pro&ess of 0ariation) presentin3 another le0el of alienation from their ori3inal presen&e* Feldman des&ri(ed this pro&ess in a !+E dis&%ssion 1ith Falter Simmerman) "A&t%ally) no1 $ 4%st try to repeat the same &hord* $'m reiteratin3 the same &hord in in0ersions* $ en4oyed that 0ery m%&h to keep the in0ersions ali0e in a sense 1here e0erythin3 &han3es and nothin3 &han3es* A&t%ally (efore $ 1anted my &hords in a sense to (e 0ery different) as if to erase in one's memory 1hat happened (efore* .hat's the 1ay $ 1o%ld keep the time s%spended*** (y erasin3 the referen&es and 1here they &ame from* Io% 1ere 0ery fresh in to the moment and yo% didn't related and no1 $ 'm doin3 the same thin3 1ith this relation* And $ find it also 0ery mysterio%s*" > "? $n meas%re EE &hord no* is repeated fi0e times e/a&tly and a si/th time 1ith a 0ariation of atta&hment one (6/*D# $n the ne/t D meas%res a 0ariation of &hord no* @ is e/a&tly repeated in re3ard to pit&h &ontent in 1hi&h the &elesta notes are transposed %p an o&ta0e and the 0i(raphone is plays an added minor se&ond (lo1est t1o notes of the modal tone set#* .his) in its si/ note form) presents a &hord formation 1ith a similar ran3e to that of &hord no* presentin3 an e/ample of inter0alli& asso&iation (6/*E#* .he in&reasin3 homo3eneity of the m%si&al material's ran3e 1ithin this modalRinter0alli& stasis 3i0es the listener a point of depart%re in 1hi&h to later noti&e the s%(tle differen&es of &han3in3 inter0alli& &hord str%&t%res 1ithin Feldman's instr%mental (o%ndaries* Amon3st this inter0alli& 0ariation Feldman seems to %tiliTe the asso&iation of pit&hes as a str%&t%ral element ad4a&ent to the inter0alli& &onte/t* $n meas%re EA) the a5flat of the 0iola is presented first on its o1n) in the same 1ay as in the follo1in3 &hords namely) as a harmoni& (6/* D#* $n meas%re !D Feldman presents the listener 1ith another modal &hord) this time made %p of three notes* Jne o(ser0es that these three notes are related to &hords no* and no*@ in re3ard to their instr%mentation and ran3e* .his similarity or repetition of &olor is then &arried a step f%rther t1o meas%res later in meas%re !+ as Feldman redistri(%tes some of these notes) &han3in3 their ran3e and instr%mentation in order to &reate a ne1 &hordal formation* $n meas%re K a 0ariation of this &hord appears 1ith a harmoni& eQflat instead of the pre0io%s dQflat* $nstead of %sin3 the same pit&hes) as 1ith &hord no* in meas%re EA) Feldman &reates a ne1 &hord (Both e/amples &reate &hords o%t of an e/tended D note modal &ells#* .his e/ample of note asso&iation thro%3h the %se of tim(re also allo1s one to hear (oth the pit&hes and inter0als in a ne1 &onte/t (y sho1in3 their 0%lnera(ility in re3ard to their

pit&h and inter0al relations* At the same time an asso&iation to pre0io%s pro&ed%res of o&ta0isation as in meas%res 2E and +!) is made as the &elesta pit&hes are transposed an o&ta0e do1n1ard (6/*+#* .hese 0ario%s methods &annot (e taken at fa&e 0al%e (%t rather (e &onsidered as parts of Feldman's 3eneral 1ay of 1orkin3* Feldman 1as 0ery m%&h &on&erned 1ith the pro(lem of &on&entration 1ithin the &ompositional pro&ess* $n his !+E &on0ersation 1ith Falter Simmerman Feldman e/pressed this) "My pie&es are to some de3ree a performan&e* $'m hi3hly &on&entrated 1hen $ 1ork* $n fa&t $ fo%nd 1ays to arri0e at &on&entration* Jne of the most important 1ays is that $ 1rite in ink* Co if $ (e3in to 1ork and $ see that $ am &rossin3 o%t time $ realiTe in a sense that $ tho%3ht $ 1as &on&entrated) (%t in fa&t $ 1asn't &on&entrated* Co the 1ritin3 in ink is an inner parameter to ho1 &on&entrated $ really am* And then $ 3o ahead and 1rite the pie&e) a3ain %sin3 the ink as a parameter* And if $ see that $'m &rossin3 o%t $ 4%st lea0e the pie&e and 3o to it another time* Co to me that &on&entration is more important than someone else's pit&h or3aniTation or 1hat e0er &on&ept%al attit%de they ha0e a(o%t the pie&e* .hat's a 0ery %nderlyin3 all5important approa&h*" > !? Altho%3h the aspe&t of &on&entration 1as of &entral importan&e for Feldman) he nonetheless attempted to de0ise methods to 1ork 1ith sonoro%s material in a non5&onstr%&tionist manner* $n re3ard to inter0als) Feldman 1as interested in findin3 te&hni,%es in order to "3o a(o%t and %se harmony* Uot 1ith its f%n&tion) (%t 1ith the fa&t that it's 3one*">@K? $n his !"2 Frankf%rt le&t%re Feldman de&lares) "$nstead of fi3%rin3 o%t a series $ do my series %nderneath on the m%si& paper8 (e&a%se $ don't 1ork in a &ontin%ity* .he &ontin%ity &omes later* $n other 1ords $'m not in0ol0ed 1ith linear information* And so 0ery ,%i&k) $ see possi(ilities in ne1 thin3s* $ &o%ld assem(le) 1here all of a s%dden as if $ 1as in0ol0ed 1ith 0is%al &ontin%ity of 1hat is that* $ ha0e it all* Alles T%sammen* And not only am $ fi3htin3 1ith the o0ertone series) (%t $'m also fi3htin3) not tonality) $ prefer Ctra0insky's 1ord polarity* And it seems as if it's the most nat%ral thin3 in the 1orld*">@ ? Chords for Choir Feldman (elon3ed to a 3ro%p of Ameri&an &omposers 1hose 1ork 1as dire&ted to1ards &reatin3 an alternati0e to dode&aphoni& and serial m%si&* B%t %pon (e3innin3 to analyTe the first entran&e of the &horal &hords in meas%res @!5A one &an o(ser0e a stati& &hromati&ism8 &reatin3 a similar atmosphere to that of Fe(ern's m%si&* B%t %nlike Fe(ern's %se of &ells 1ithin a stri&t t1el0e5tone system) Feldman (%ilds his &hords o%t of 3ro1in3 and shrinkin3 &hromati& %nits* .he n%m(er of notes in these %nits has 0ery m%&h to do 1ith Feldman's o1n per&eption and memory and his formal approa&h of addition and ne3ation of &hords and notes* .he first phrase is (%ilt %pon nine notes of the &hromati& s&ale (or a &l%ster of fi0e notes and a modal %nit of fo%r notes#* Come of these notes are s%&&essi0ely repeated in the ne/t &hords* Jthers reo&&%r in another o&ta0e* .heir main &hara&teristi& is that of a stasis a&hie0ed thro%3h a 3eneral tone set homo3eneity (6/*"#* Jne &an 3enerally speak of three 1ays in 1hi&h Feldman deri0es the pit&h material for &hoirO # Phrase &onstr%&tion (3enerally formin3 the phrase o%t of sets of pit&h5&omponents#* @# $solation of &hords e/tra&ted from phrases) re0ealin3 o(4e&t5like &onte/ts* A# Presentin3 solitary pit&hes de0elopin3 to (e &hords and &hords s%ddenly de0elopin3 (a&k to solitary pit&hes or to phrases of solitary pit&hes* .he harmoni& &ontent of the &horal entran&e in meas%re @! is repeated e/a&tly in meas%re E!* J%t of the same tone set of nine notes &omes the

ne/t phrase of three instead of fo%r &hords (the first &hord is a(sent from the phrase#(6/*"#* $n a third phrase in meas%res "25!A ei3ht &hords are &reated 1ith an ele0en5note tone set and it is apparent that a 0ariation of the inter0alsR pit&hes of the pre0io%s phrase is de0ised (6/*!#* Bet1een these phrases Feldman tends to present isolated &hords* Come of these &hords are reiterated &hords from pre0io%s se&tions that a&hie0e an a%tonomo%s ,%ality in re3ard to their phrase &onte/t* $n this isolation) these "remnants" of phrases &an then (e heard as sonoro%s o(4e&ts* $n meas%res A25A" Feldman &ontrasts t1o pre0io%sly heard &hords 1ith a ne1 &hord made %p of a sin3le o&ta0e* .he ela(oration of this ne1 &hord happens in meas%res 2+ to E@ 1here Feldman &onstr%&ts and dismantles e/istin3 inter0al str%&t%res* .he s%dden inter0alli& dissimilarity in meas%res D" to E@ 1ithin the &horal &hords is still retained as part of a %nified se&tion thro%3h Feldman's s%(tle %se of the (ass dr%m (this instr%ment's tim(re is e/tremely similar to that of the timpani#(e/ K#* .his ela(oration is reintrod%&ed in a similar 1ay in meas%res AD5 E!* .he de0elopment from sin3le notes to &hords is this time 4%/taposed to a timpani ostinato* $n meas%re +K this de0elopment is (ro%3ht to a &lose thro%3h a 0ariation of a &hord %sed as an endin3 &hord in three pre0io%s phrases (6/* #* $n meas%re !+ Feldman o0erlaps t1o phrases 1ith t1o di0ided &hoir 3ro%ps* Chords from pre0io%s phrases are &om(ined) on&e a3ain 1ith similar &hords or 0ariations of pre0io%s &hords* -ere the analyti&al pro(lem) in &onne&tion to these &hords) is to define 1here a &hord 0ariation o&&%rs and 1here a ne1 &hord str%&t%re appears* .he ass%mption &o%ld (e made that the se&ond &hord in meas%re !+ is) o(ser0in3 the &ontin%ation of the phrase) a 0ariant of the se&ond &hord in meas%re "E(6/* @#* Many of these m%si&al pro&esses ha0e to do 1ith Feldman's o1n memory operations) 1hi&h also affe&t the listener's re&eption of his %se of inter0als) (l%rrin3 the differen&e (et1een reiteration and 0ariation of these &horal &hords and phrases* $nter0al Ctr%&t%res in Fi3%ral Phrases Amon3 these m%si&al o(4e&ts and "remnants" Feldman presents the listener 1ith e/tended fi3%ral information played (y the 0iola and solo soprano* .hese fi3%ral phrases &onstit%te in&reasin3 and de&reasin3 n%m(ers of pit&h &omponents deri0ed from 3ro1in3 and diminishin3 pit&h sets* .hese pit&h &omponents are 3rad%ally &om(ined 1ith ne1 pit&h &omponents or are "ne3ated" as Feldman sim%ltaneo%sly redefines inter0al relationships* .he 0iola's first phrase in meas%res A5 A is made %p of t1el0e pit&h &omponents de0ised o%t of a tone set of ei3ht notes* .he ne/t phrase in meas%re E demonstrates a 0ariation of these pit&h &omponents in 1hi&h the t1el0e notes (ei3ht (ein3 identi&al to those in the pre0io%s phrase# are &omposed o%t of a pit&h set of ten notes* $n meas%re AA a (rief reiteration of three of these notes o&&%rs (6/*e A#* $n the &ontin%in3 phrases) Feldman red%&es the n%m(er of pit&h &omponents and their tone sets* Uonetheless a &ontin%ity of pit&h material is a&hie0ed (y means of reiteration of pre0io%s pit&hes or 3ro%ps of pit&hes as in meas%res A") 22) and in the fi3%ral e/tensions in meas%re +E* (6/* 2# At the same time) these pit&hes ill%strate an %nfi/ed ,%ality as Feldman reiterates and redefines inter0al str%&t%res (y means of 0ariation thro%3h in0ersion* $n his !"2 Darmstadt le&t%re Feldman e/pressed his tho%3hts &on&ernin3 inter0als) "Fhen yo%'re 1orkin3 1ith a minor @nd as lon3 as $ ha0e (een) it's 0ery 1ide* $ hear a minor @nd like a minor Ard almost* $t9s 0ery) 0ery 1ide* Co that per&eption of hearin3 is a 0ery interestin3 thin3* Be&a%se

&on&ept%ally yo% are not hearin3 it) (%t per&ept%ally) yo% mi3ht (e a(le to hear it*">@@? .his statement demonstrates) on&e a3ain) Feldman's 1ish to stret&h &ate3ori&al (o%ndaries in a per&ept%al &onte/t in relation to memory* $n meas%res A"5A! an inter0alli& repetition of a minor !th o&&%rs that is later reiterated in its transposed minor @nd in0ersion in meas%res !5 @K* .his inter0al relationship is then isolated) &reatin3 a ne1 phrase in meas%res @D5 @E(6/* D#* .his appli&ation of in0ersions is &ontin%ed thro%3ho%t the 1ork) as in meas%res + 5 +2 in 1here) amon3st the phrasal settin3) the repeatin3 mo0ement (et1een f and e prod%&e a minor +th* .his inter0al mo0ement is then repeated in a transposed form 1ithin the same phrase in meas%res +E5 ++ (6/* E#* An additional inter0alli& 0ariation is introd%&ed in meas%re @D+5@D!) e/hi(ited as an isolated minor !th pattern* $n meas%res @ED5@+@ an e/a&t inter0al repetition of meas%re + o&&%rs (efore ret%rnin3 to an isolated minor +th pattern in meas%re @!!5AK (6/* +#* $t is in this part that the soprano solo (e3ins employin3 stati& fi3%ral material &onstr%&ted from fi0e pit&h &omponents* .he immo(ile ,%ality of the instr%mental fi3%res in this se&tion is stren3thened (y its %se of reiteration of fi/ed pit&h &omponents (0iola piTT*) soprano) timpani and &hoir (ass# or (y the reiteration of the same inter0al str%&t%res and their in0ersions (0iola ar&o#* $t is pre&isely in this se&tion 1here the mystery of Feldman's inter0alli& %sa3e &omes to li3ht* .he three5note fi3%re of the 0iola in meas%re @D2) follo1ed (y the timpani's t1o5note tremolo) is repeated in a form of inter0alli& 0ariation in meas%re @+2 and on&e a3ain in meas%re @!K* D%e to the "to%&h' of this se&tion) as 1ell as the ran3e of the 0iola and the &om(ination 1ith the timpani inter0als) an atmosphere of inter0alli& homo3eneity is realiTed* .he phrase in meas%re @+2 so%nds as tho%3h it sho%ld (e an e/a&t in0ersion* Feldman handles the inter0alli& str%&t%res per&ept%ally) distortin3 the &ate3ori&al str%&t%re of the m%si&al e0ent (6/* "#*

D%rational Chan3e and Reiteration "$f my approa&h seems more dida&ti& no1 spendin3 many ho%rs 1orkin3 o%t strate3ies that only apply to a fe1 moments of m%si&) it is (e&a%se the patterns that interest me are (oth &on&rete and ephemeral) makin3 notation diffi&%lt* $f notated e/a&tly they are too stiff* $f 3i0en the sli3htest notational lee1ay they are too loose* .ho%3h these patterns e/ist in rhythmi& shapes arti&%lated (y instr%mental so%nd they are also in part notational ima3es that do make a dire&t impa&t on the ear as 1e listen* A t%m(lin3 of sorts happens in midair (et1een their translation from the pa3e and their e/e&%tion* .o a 3reat de3ree) this t%m(lin3 o&&%rs in all m%si& (%t (e&omes more &ompo%nded in mine sin&e there is no rhythmi& style) a ,%ality often &r%&ial to the performers %nderstandin3 of ho1 and 1hat to do* $ fo%nd this 4%st as tr%e in my m%si& of the fifties 1here rhythm 1as not notated) (%t left to the performer'*@A Feldman th%s %ses d%ration also 1ithin the 3eneral &onte/t of &han3e and repetition of m%si&al e0ents in order to sho1 the fra3ility) the %natta&hed ,%ality of his "remnants*" Fithin the 3eneral slo1ness of Feldman's m%si&) the 0ariation of d%ration tends to (l%r any feelin3 of rhythmi& &onsisten&y* $n his !+E &on0ersation 1ith Falter Simmerman Feldman stated) "Co) the reason my m%si& is notated is $ 1anted to keep &ontrol of the silen&e) yo% see* A&t%ally 1hen yo% hear it) yo% ha0e no idea rhythmi&ally ho1 &ompli&ated that is on paper* $t's floatin3* Jn paper it looks as tho%3h it 1ere rhythm* $t's not* $t's d%ration*' Altho%3h passa3es do o&&%r in 1hi&h a rhythmi& p%lse is esta(lished) (the

",%asi5-e(rai& melody" at the end of the pie&e is a tr%e e/&eption in Feldman's m%si&# in most instan&es they are heard after periods of &han3in3 d%rational 0al%es) for&in3 the listener to ,%estion the sta(ility of these e/a&t d%rations* Feldman's 3eneral te&hni,%e is %sed in order to ,%estion the per&eption of d%ration* $n Rothko Chapel he 3i0es the 0iola a role of presentin3 the listener 1ith fi3%ral information* .he fi3%re of the 0iola in meas%res 5 @ is then repeated in a shortened 0ariation form in meas%res @+5@"* Altho%3h the o(4e&ti0e time differen&e of the @ phrases is ER") this differen&e is &o3niti0ely re3istered as sli3htly faster d%e to the symmetry of rhythmi& proportions (et1een &ertain notes of (oth phrases 1ithin an o(4e&ti0ely asymmetri& phrase &onstellation (6/* #* .he ne3ation of this fi3%re is (ro%3ht thro%3h se0eral 0ariations) (%t thro%3ho%t the 1ork it is presented a3ain in its ori3inal form in re3ard to pit&h &omponents (%t 1ith sli3ht 0ariations of d%ration* $n meas%res ++5+" this same pro&ed%re is repeated (%t yet another 0ariation s&heme of d%rational asymmetry is presented in meas%re !! and 5 @ (6/* D# .his method of presentin3 symmetri& proportions in 0ario%s asymmetri& &onstellations &an also (e o(ser0ed in meas%re 2@ and 2E 1ith &hord no*@ (6/* 2#* 6/a&t Repetition of Patterns .hese se&tions of d%rational 0ariation are often pro&eeded or follo1ed (y se&tions 1here e/a&t repetition o&&%rs* Parado/i&ally these se&tions do not really allo1 for a sta(ile ,%ality in the pie&e (%t instead &reate an atmosphere in 1hi&h the a1areness of the moment &omes to li3ht* Feldman sho1s in his s%(tle 1ay that the same d%ration is not the same d%ration* .his artifi&ially &reated &o3niti0e s%spi&ion) in re3ard to symmetry and asymmetry) allo1s the listener to more intensely e/amine the o(4e&ts and "remnants' presented* $n meas%res EE5++ &hord no* is repeated D times* .he se&ond &hord sho1s a &han3ed d%rational relationship to the first &hord (%t from meas%re E!5+2 an e/a&t d%rational repetition of this &hord o&&%rs in the fore3ro%nd (eside the &horal phrase 0ariations* .he 3eneral d%rational &hara&ter of this se&tion) in spite of o&&asional symmetri& appli&ation) e/hi(its a 3eneral ,%ality of asymmetry of d%rational 0al%es* (6/* D# .his se&tion is then 4%/taposed (y the presentation of &hord no @* in meas%res +!5!@* .his se&tion presents the listener 1ith an e/ample of symmetry of d%rational 0al%es ($t is interestin3 to o(ser0e that this symmetry is (roken at the se&tion's end in meas%re !A#* B%t e0en in this se&tion of symmetry an atmosphere of d%rational insta(ility pre0ails) &reated (y the s%(tle 0ariations of d%ration presented earlier 1ith &hord no* * .his &reates a state of attention in 1hi&h to 4%d3e repetition (6/* E#* .hese methods of d%rational %sa3e are also to (e 0ie1ed 1ithin the realm of 1hat Feldman des&ri(ed as 1hen a "t%m(lin3 of sorts happens in midair (et1een their translation from the pa3e and their e/e&%tion*">@A? .his interpreti0e infl%en&e also adds to the %nsta(le ,%ality of Feldman's d%rations* .hese se&tions of e/a&t d%rational repetitions are often &reated o%t of the "remnants' of Feldman's "ne3ation" of m%si&al material* .he t1o note fi3%re of the 0iola) appearin3 in meas%re !+) is red%&ed in meas%res K and KA in order to &reate a solitary &hord 1ith the &elesta* .his is &om(ined 1ith a ne3ated 0ariation of atta&hment no* and is follo1ed (y the solitary note of the &horal Bass d5flat (6/* +#* .his te&hni,%e of red%&tion helps the listener to (etter in0esti3ate these so%nds in their isolation) (y takin3 them o%t of their pre0io%s &onte/ts*

"Jpen" D%ration .he stationary) a(stra&t se&tion for &hor%s and &himes) 1hi&h starts in meas%re@ ) presents an additional ,%ality of Feldman's %tiliTation of d%ration in 1hi&h) d%e to its e/tremely stati& ,%ality) the sense of m%si&al time as a f%n&tion of rhythmi& proportion almost &eases to e/ist* Feldman e/pressed in his e/planatory notes that "$ felt that the m%si& &alled for a series of hi3hly &ontrastin3 mer3in3 se&tions* $ en0isioned an immo(ile pro&ess not %nlike the frieTes on ;reek temples*">@2? Altho%3h the indi0id%al notes of the &hor%s are repeated in a 1ay of d%rational 0ariation the 3eneral ,%ality of the se&tion is similar to a (l%r of &olor in the &enter of Rothko's paintin3s* Feldman ins%res the &onstant e/isten&e of all &horal notes 1ithin the &onte/t of e0er5&han3in3 0al%es* .he &himes) playin3 0ariations of pit&h material first introd%&ed (y the 0i(raphone and &elesta) seem to take on an almost rit%alisti& f%n&tion and) in a sense) attempt to sho1 the "remnants' of these pit&hes o%tside the &onte/t of their m%si&al mo0ement (6/*@D#* Motori& Repetition of Patterns Ctartin3 in meas%re AD) an e/ample of e/a&t repetition of patterns o&&%rs* B%t %nlike pre0io%s se&tions) this repetition takes on a ne1 ,%ality) a motori& ,%ality* .he pit&h material of the timpani ori3inates from the (e3innin3 (Meas%res 5+# and is presented as a one meas%re pattern AA times* .hese patterns s%ddenly display a &ontin%in3) motori& mo0ement and are &o%pled (y the mo0ement of &horal notes) sometimes (e&omin3 &hords and sometimes mo0in3 (a&k to sin3le notes or to sin3le line phrases) and are later 4oined (y the repetiti0e pattern of the 0iola* D%e to the len3th of this se&tion) an atmosphere of relati0e repetiti0e se&%rity is a&hie0ed* .he mo0ement takes on the role of an independent mo(ile5like o(4e&t (et1een the (orders of the d%rationally fra3ile 1orld of the se&tions s%rro%ndin3 it (6/* #* $t also a&ts a preparatory de0i&e for the ",%asi5-e(rai& melody'>@D?and its a&&ompaniment in the last se&tion of the pie&e startin3 in meas%re A 2* .he modal ,%ality and the instr%mentation (1ith the &elesta later do%(lin3 the 0i(raphone an o&ta0e hi3her# sho1 a stron3 affiliation (in spite of the &itation ,%ality of the "melody'# to the &hords played (y this instr%mental &om(ination thro%3ho%t the pie&e* .his presents a d%alism (et1een free d%rational material (the pre0io%s &hordal "remnants'# and more fi/ed or motori& d%rational material (the more o(4e&t5like "melody'# &reatin3 a relationship (et1een m%si&al o(4e&ts and m%si&al "remnants"(6/* @@#* Aspe&ts of M%si&al Cemanti&s -istory and .rans&enden&e Feldman e/pressed in his !"2 Frankf%rt le&t%re "may(e its (e&a%se $'m 7e1ish* A&t%ally) the Christian point of 0ie1 is that there 1as ;od and then the 1orld and the 7e1ish point of 0ie1 is almost as if there 1as the %ni0erse in order to ha0e a ;od* $t's a little differen&e* $n other 1ords $'m not &reatin3 m%si&) it's already there) and $ ha0e this &on0ersation 1ith my material) yo% see*'>@E? $n this sense one &an see that the m%si& %sed in "Rothko Chapel' is "already there'* Altho%3h this pre&l%des a histori&al semanti&) this 1o%ld seem to 1ork a3ainst Feldman's 3oal of to "erase in one's memory 1hat happened (efore*'>@+? $n his e/planatory notes Feldman states) "to a lar3e de3ree) my &hoi&e of instr%ments (in terms of for&es %sed) (alan&es and tim(re# 1as

affe&ted (y the spa&es of the &hapel as 1ell as the paintin3s (Rothko's paintin3s#* Rothko's ima3ery 3oes ri3ht to the ed3e of his &an0as) and $ 1anted the same affe&t 1ith the m%si& 5 that it sho%ld permeate the 1hole o&ta3onal 5 shaped room and not (e heard from a &ertain distan&e*'>@"? .he "trans&endental e/perien&e' of Rothko's paintin3s is (ased on "mysti&al a&tion*'>@!? and has to do 1ith the per&eption of spa&e8 the &olors seemin3 to (e &omin3 at the 0ie1er* .his e/perien&e remains a(stra&t) makin3 no attempt to manifest the 0ie1er 1ith a representation or sym(olism (ehind this per&eption* Rothko9s' "trans&endental e/perien&e' manifests ,%alities of 7e1ish trans&endentalism) in 1hi&h a ;od is not allo1ed to (e 0is%ally represented* .his is akin to Feldman's 1ish that "so%nds sho%ld (reathe***not to (e %sed for the 0ested interest of an idea*' and that "m%si& sho%ld ha0e no 0ested interests) that yo% sho%ldn't kno1 ho1 it's made) that yo% sho%ldn't kno1 if there's a system) that yo% sho%ldn't kno1 anythin3 a(o%t it***e/&ept that it's some kind of life for&e that to some de3ree really &han3es yo%r life***if yo%'re into it*'>AK? $n the same year of "Rothko Chapel'9s &reation Feldman stated) "$ do not identify 1ith) say Festern &i0iliTation m%si&* $n other 1ordsO 1hen Ba&h 3i0es %s a diminished fo%rth) $ &an not respond that the diminished fo%rth means J ;od* $ &an not respond to that diminished fo%rth as a sym(ol* B%t 1hat my m%si& is mo%rnin38 $ 4%st don't kno1 1hat to say*'>A ? B%t "Rothko Chapel" demonstrates &ontradi&tory pro(lems 1ithin this 1orld of meanin3less a(stra&tion* $n his e/planatory notes Feldman admits that) "there are a fe1 personal referen&es in "Rothko Chapel'* .he soprano melody) for e/ample) 1as 1ritten on the day of Ctra0insky's f%neral ser0i&e in Ue1 Iork* .he ,%asi5-e(rai& melody at the end 1as 1ritten 1hen $ 1as fifteen*">A@? $t is pre&isely this se&tion of the ",%asi5-e(rai& melody" in 1hi&h diffi&%lt ,%estions in re3ard to Feldman's m%si&al semanti&s appear* .he diatoni& melody) altho%3h forei3n in &omparison to the rest of the pie&e's m%si&al material) does) (y 1ay of its instr%mentational %sa3e of 0iola) &elesta) and 0i(raphone) re&all modal referen&es to pre0io%s &hords and fi3%res of this instr%mental &om(ination 1hi&h 1ere 3rad%ally "ne3ated' in the &o%rse of the pie&e* .he fi/ed diatoni& str%&t%re of the melody also makes referen&e to the fi/ed pit&h &omponents of the soprano solo (1ho does not sin3 a te/t# in the 'moti0i& interl%de for soprano) 0iola and timpani*'>AA? .hese pre0io%s referen&es remain a(stra&t in &omparison to the more o(4e&t5like "melody*' B%t it is pre&isely thro%3h the %se of these referen&es that Feldman &an pla&e this melody o%tside its more a(stra&t m%si&al &onte/t) allo1in3 the "melody' to (e heard as an o(4e&t forei3n to the pie&e* Cim%ltaneo%sly) this sonoro%s material of the "melody' is heard as related to the pre0io%s) more a(stra&t sonoro%s material of the &hords for 0iola) &elesta) and 0i(raphone* $n this 1ay) the "so%nds themsel0es' and their &onte/t are presented in re3ard to their m%si&al semanti&* .he "melody' is s%(se,%ently s%rro%nded (y &hords deri0ed from the "stationary 'a(stra&t' se&tion for &hor%s and &himes)">A2? sho1in3 that e0en after this semanti& res%r3en&e takes pla&e) the m%si&al o(4e&t is to (e finally s%rro%nded (y isolated) &hordal "remnants*' > ? >@? >A? >2? >D? =onrad) ;y<r3y O $nter0ie1 in "=%lt%rTeit") A5CA.) De&* Feldman) Morton O 6ssays)(Be3inner press# p*2! Ca3e) 7ohn O Cilen&e) p*+ Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press !"D# p* "! ) !OKK

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>+? Folpe) Ctephan O "Jn Ue1 (and not so ne1# m%si& in Ameri&a" trans* A%stin Clarkson) 7o%rnal of M%si& theory @") no* (Cprin3 !"2# O @D >"? >!? > K? > ? Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press !"D# !"D# !"D# !"D# !"D# !"D# !"D# !"D# !"D# !"D# !"D# !"D# p* "! p* p* p* E! E! +!

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>@K? A@ MetT3er) -einT5=la%s) Riehn) Reiner O M%sik5=oTepte 2"R2! Morton Feldman) (Lerla3.e/t %nd =ritik ;m(-# p* 2K >@ ? >@@? >@A? >@2? >@D? >@E? >@+? >@"? >@!? >AK? >A ? >A@? Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press !"D# p* A@ !"D# p* !@ !"D# p* A@ !"D# p* 2 !"D# p* 2 !"D# p* 22 !"D# p*@AK !"D# p* 2 !""# p* DE

J9Doherty) Brian O =%nst in Amerika) (Belser Lerla3 Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press Feldman) Morton O 6ssays) (Be3inner Press !"D# !"D#

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