On Triadic Memories

Morton Feldman (January 12, 1926 September 3, 1987) wa born !n "ew #or$ %!ty
!nto a &am!ly o& 'u!an(Jew!) !mm!*rant &rom +!e,- Feldman be*an tudy!n* mu!. at an
early a*e, ta$!n* p!ano leon w!t) )! !ntru.tor /era Maur!na 0re (a woman Feldman o&ten
re&erred to t)rou*)out )! l!&e, and e,en .ompoed t)e p!e.e Madame Press Died Last Week at
Ninety)- 1pon *raduat!n* )!*) .)ool, Feldman be*an ta$!n* pr!,ate .ompo!t!on leon, &!rt
w!t) 2all!n*&ord '!e**er (one o& t)e &!rt 3mer!.an .ompoer to e4plore twel,e(tone
te.)n!5ue), and mot notably w!t) t)e 6erman .ompoer, Ste&an 2olpe- 2)!le Feldman
.erta!nly tud!ed alon*!de ome o& t)e br!*)tet o& )! t!me, per)ap )! mot !n&luent!al mu!.al
tud!e be*an a&ter )a,!n* be&r!ended t)e .ompoer, Jo)n %a*e, a&ter a per&orman.e o& 2ebern7
Op-21 !n early 1989- Feldman7 relat!on)!p w!t) %a*e .ult!,ated Feldman7 !nteret !n
alternat!,e notat!on, and non(tandard mu!.al ytem, u.) a, Feldman7 !mplementat!on o&
*r!d ytem, and t)e ue o& .)an.e operat!on- Feldman7 pra.t!.e o& alternat!,e notat!on and
!ndeterm!na.y pre,a!led a t)e dom!nant mean to a.)!e,!n* )! aet)et!. unt!l 1979- From 1979
and on, Feldman pro.eeded to .ompoe u!n* more trad!t!onal notat!onal te.)n!5ue, !n order to
a.)!e,e pe.!&!. onorou, and r)yt)m!., e,ent w!t)!n )! wor$- Triadic Memories, ! a
.ompo!t!on w!t)!n t)! era o& Feldman7 pra.t!.e-
:n 1981, near t)e end o& )! l!&e, Morton Feldman .ompoed Triadic Memories, &or olo
p!ano- Triadic Memories, e4tend!n* more t)an 1199 meaure (w!t) a lar*e port!on o& t)em
!nd!.ated to be repeated), lat!n* o,er two )our !n len*t)
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, ! an e4plorat!on o& t)e l!m!t o& t)e
l!tener7 .o*n!t!,e ab!l!ty !n t)e per.ept!on o& &orm, and a well, ! an attempt to .reate a on!.
en,!ronment !n w)!.) t)e l!tener ! able to per.e!,e ound in itself, rat)er t)an )ow a part!.ular
ound is in relation to anot)er ound, or )ow !t &un.t!on w!t)!n a part!.ular .ompo!t!onal
1
Some re.ord!n* ,ary, ee!n* a t)ere ! no tempo !nd!.at!on !n t)e .ore-
.)ema- ;)e ent!re p!e.e, .onta!n!n* a only two !ntan.e o& dynam!. !nd!.at!on (pianississimo
and pianissississimo), alon* w!t) a .omplete la.$ o& alter!n* art!.ulat!on, &urt)er add to t)e
e*al!tar!an ethos o& Feldman7 aet)et!., treat!n* ea.) on!. e,ent, parado4!.ally, w!t) *reat .are,
and a ene o& !mpart!al!ty-
<One .)ord m!*)t be repeated t)ree t!me, anot)er, e,en or e!*)t depend!n* on )ow lon* :
&elt !t )ould *o on- =u!te oon !nto a new .)ord : would &or*et t)e re!terated .)ord be&ore !t- :
t)en re.ontru.ted t)e ent!re e.t!on> rearran*!n* !t earl!er pro*re!on and .)an*!n* t)e
number o& t!me a part!.ular .)ord wa repeated- ;)! way o& wor$!n* wa a .on.!ou attempt
at ?&ormal!@!n*7 a d!or!entat!on o& memory- %)ord are )eard repeated w!t)out any d!.ern!ble
pattern- :n t)! re*ular!ty (t)ou*) t)ere are l!*)t *radat!on o& tempo) t)ere ! a u**et!on t)at
w)at we )ear ! &un.t!onal and d!re.t!onal, but we oon real!@e t)at t)! ! an !llu!onA a b!t l!$e
wal$!n* t)e treet o& Berl!n w)ere all t)e bu!ld!n* loo$ al!$e, e,en !& t)ey?re not-C
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Feldman7 body o& wor$ (!n.lud!n* Triadic Memories) ! almot e4.lu!,ely !ntereted !n
t)e e4plorat!on o& <&ree!n* oundC, a!med at tr!pp!n* ound away &rom a .erta!n <.ompo!t!onal
r)etor!.C- ;)! not!on o& <&ree!n* oundC enta!l a rat)er !nteret!n* .ond!t!on> !& tonal tru.ture,
!nter,all!. relat!on)!p, e4tra(mu!.al !dea, et.-, are not to be .on!dered a !mportant, t)en
w)at ! le&t &or t)e l!tener to .on!der w)!le l!ten!n*D Feldman7 de!re to a.)!e,e a tate o&
l!ten!n* !n w)!.) one .an e4per!en.e ound in themselves, ! rat)er ,a*ue w!t)out &urt)er
e4plorat!on- 2)at doe !t mean to do u.) a t)!n*D 2)at 5ual!t!e are to be per.e!,edD :& one !
to .on!der a ound, !mple, or .omple4, purely on !t own (t)! ! to ay w!t)out .ompar!n*
anot)er ound .om!n* be&ore or a&ter !t), )ow mu.) .an one ay about !t p)enomenolo*!.allyD
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Morton Feldman, E%r!ppled SymmetryE, Res (3utumn 1981)
One may de.r!be a ound a be!n* loud, 5u!et, <)!*)C, <lowC, <dar$C, <br!*)tC, et.-, or
per)ap a ound e4)!b!t all o& t)ee 5ual!t!e *!,en a part!.ular en,elope- :n any !ntan.e, !& one
! to de.r!be a !n*le ound, w!t)out t)e a.t o& relat!n* !t to anot)er, one ! only le&t w!t)
de.r!b!n* t)e ound !n term o& ,olume, t!mbre, or per)ap )ow e!t)er o& t)ee 5ual!t!e
tran&orm o,er t!me due to !t a.out!. propert!e
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- :& t)! .ond!t!on ! !n &a.t true, w)en
Feldman pea$ o& <&ree!n* oundC, )e !, !n &a.t, pea$!n* o& .reat!n* a on!. en,!ronment !n
w)!.) t)e l!tener ! !n,!ted to per.e!,e ound purely &or t)e!r a.out!. propert!e (t!mbre and
,olume)- ;)ou*) !t m!*)t be po!ble t)at Feldman e4tend t)! not!on to .olle.t!on o& p!t.)e
!n t)e &orm o& .)ord- Jut !n t)e ame way t)at a !n*le tone .onta!n a .omple4 et o& on!.
!n&ormat!on, o do .)ord, but mu.) *reater !n ma*n!tude- :n t)e mot !deal ene, !t appear t)at
Feldman de!re to be able .reate a on!. en,!ronment !n w)!.) one .ould )ear a .(natural,
&ollowed by e(natural, and &ollowed by *(natural, w!t)out ne.ear!ly undertand!n* t)e t)ree
e,ent a an arpe**!ated .(maFor tr!.)ord- ;)! eem to be !n.red!bly d!&&!.ult to a.)!e,e !& a
.ompo!t!on .onta!n ound t)at )a,e bot) ante.edent and .one5uent ound e,ent- : !t e,en
po!ble to erae t)ee eem!n*ly $nee(Fer$ relat!on t)at a l!tener7 m!nd w!ll .reate upon
)ear!n* more t)an one oundD :n .onFun.t!on w!t) t)! !ue, Feldman eem .on.erned w!t) t)e
.ond!t!on o& )ow we temporally e4per!en.e ound e,ent- <2e do not )ear w)at we )earG only
w)at we remember-C
H
%onte4t and mean!n* o& ound w!t)!n a .ompo!t!on !n)erently rely
upon t)e l!tener7 memory- Feldman !, per)ap, able to a.)!e,e a ene o& e4per!en.!n* ound
in themselves w!t)!n Triadic Memories by attempt!n* to pu) t)e l!tener7 memory to t)e po!nt
d!mantl!n* !t-
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One may add en,elope a a t)!rd 5ual!ty, but ee!n* a a ound7 t!mbre enta!l a part!.ular
en,elope, : &eel !t would be redundant to tate !t abo,e-
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Morton Feldman, 6!,e My 'e*ard to I!*)t) Street> %olle.ted 2r!t!n* o& Morton Feldman,
Id!ted by B- J- Fr!edman, I4a.t %)an*e, 2999)
E;)e 5uet!on o& .ale, &or me, pre.lude any .on.ept o& ymmetry or aymmetry &rom
a&&e.t!n* t)e e,entual len*t) o& my mu!.- 3 a .ompoer : am !n,ol,ed w!t) t)e .ontrad!.t!on !n
not )a,!n* t)e um o& t)e part e5ual t)e w)ole- ;)e .ale o& w)at ! a.tually be!n* repreented,
w)et)er !t be o& t)e w)ole or o& t)e part, ! a p)enomenon unto !tel&- ;)e re.!pro.!ty !n)erent !n
.ale, !n &a.t, )a made me real!@e t)at mu!.al &orm and related pro.ee are eent!ally only
met)od o& arran*!n* mater!al and er,e no ot)er &un.t!on t)an to a!d oneK memory-C
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Triadic Memories, be!n* o,er two )our !n durat!on, .erta!nly pu)e t)e l!tener to )! or
)er l!m!t !n t)e per.ept!on o& mu!.al &orm- :n order to truly )ear a ound in itself, !t may be t)e
.ae t)at one7 memory o& pr!or ound mut be &or*otten- ;)! !, per)ap, w)at Feldman wa
!n,et!*at!n* w!t) Triadic Memories. <2)at 2etern mu!.al &orm )a,e be.ome ! a parap)rae
o& memory- But memory .ould operate ot)erw!e a well-C
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:& t)ere ! to be more t)an one ound
e,ent w!t)!n a .ompo!t!on, and t)e a!m ! to ma$e ea.) e,ent non(re&erent!al, el&(.onta!ned, t)e
ole obFe.t o& attent!on, t)e .ompoer mut &!nd a met)od o& d!or!ent!n* t)e memory o& pr!or
e,ent !n order to a.)!e,e t)! a!m- :n .onFun.t!on w!t) a uper(e4tended &orm, t)at parado4!.ally
.reate a ene o& &ormlene, Feldman ! able to d!or!ent t)e memory o& ante.edent on!.
e,ent by ,ar!ou ubtle .)an*e !n r)yt)m, p!t.), and re*!ter-
Triadic Memories ! a truly remar$able e4ample o& )ow a Feldman wa able to ob.ure
any ene o& &un.t!onal!ty, w)!le ut!l!@!n* an e4treme mater!al e.onomy amon*t t)e p!t.)
mater!al- For a ,ery lar*e port!on o& Triadic Memories, Feldman .reate a ound world
.ompr!ed ent!rely o& m!nor(e.ond and au*mented(&ourt), and pla.e t)ee p!t.)e amon*t
ubtly .)an*!n* r)yt)m-
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Morton Feldman, E%r!ppled SymmetryE, Res (3utumn 1981)
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Morton Feldman, E%r!ppled SymmetryE, Res (3utumn 1981)
figre !" &!rt !4 bar o& Triadic Memories, 1981-
One )ould note Feldman7 employment o& lar*e re*!ter d!tan.e between t)e le&t and
r!*)t )and t)rou*)out t)e be*!nn!n* o& Triadic Memories- By pla.!n* a lar*e d!tan.e !n re*!ter
between t)e le&t and r!*)t )and, !nter,all!. .ontent ! ob.ured between t)e p!t.)e- One may be
!n.l!ned to try and !mpoe ome $!nd o& &un.t!onal tru.ture upon )ear!n* t)ee !nter,all!.
mo,ement (e4> <0er)ap t)e mot!on by tr!tone u**et &!,e o& &!,eDC), )owe,er Feldman ne,er
uppl!e any ort o& .on,ent!onal <anwerCA one ! e4pe.ted to <)andleC ea.) on!. e,ent a a
un!5ue ent!ty- :ntead, Feldman pro,!de tranpo!t!on o& t)e open!n* p!t.)e, alter!n* t)e
!nter,al !n t)e r!*)t )and (m!nor(e.ond be.ome m!nor(t)!rd), w)!le alter!n* lo.at!on !n re*!ter
and r)yt)m- Feldman7 melod!. mot!on doe not &ollow any ort o& pred!.table .ompo!t!onal
.)ema- Feldman rat)er .ontru.t )! melod!. .ontent !ntu!t!,ely- :t ! urpr!!n* )ow Feldaman
! able to a.)!e,e u.) a tron* ene o& .ont!nu!ty w)!le u..e&ully d!or!ent!n* t)e l!tener7
memory o& ante.edent e,ent-
figre #" meaure 19(2H o& Triadic Memories, 1981-
:t ! !mportant to note Feldman7 ubtle )!&t !n r)yt)m, a een !n t)e le&t )and (figre #)- ;)ee
m!nor ,ar!at!on !n r)yt)m .reate a ene ta!, yet at t)e ame t!me, o&&er enou*) ,ar!at!on
allow!n* t)e l!tener to .ontantly )!&t )! or )er attent!on toward t)e preent-
3mon*t t)e teady tream o& note t)rou*)out Triadic Memories, meaure n!nety(e!*)t
)ow t)e &!rt !terat!on o& a notated ret !n t)e .ore- Jowe,er, t)! meaure o& ret, a well a
all ot)er !terat!on o& notated ret w!t)!n t)e .ore, doe not produ.e a moment o& !len.e-
;)rou*)out t)e ent!re p!e.e, t)e per&ormer ! !ntru.ted to )a,e t)e pedal )al& depreed,
produ.!n* &a!nt reonan.e-
figre $" meaure 92(98 o& Triadic Memories, 1981
E3lo, !len.e ! my ubt!tute &or .ounterpo!nt- :t7 not)!n* a*a!nt omet)!n*- ;)e
de*ree o& not)!n* a*a!nt omet)!n*- :t7 a real t)!n*, !t7 a breat)!n* t)!n*-E
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3bo,e t)ere )a,e a &ew pro,!ded e4ample o& )ow Feldman employed ,ar!ou
te.)n!5ue !n attempt to a.)!e,e a tate !n w)!.) a l!tener ! able to per.e!,e
ound in themselves, and )ow per.ept!on o& &orm be.ome d!or!ented t)rou*)out
Triadic Memories. :t ! 5u!te !nteret!n* )ow Feldman7 aet)et!.al !nteret appear
to )a,e .ommonal!t!e w!t) t)oe )eld by many o& t)e Fren.) pe.tral!t .ompoer
(mot notably t)e emp)a! on t!mbre), and )ow d!&&erent !n approa.) t)e two were-
:n many way, !t appear t)at mu.) o& Feldman7 !nteret !n a.out!. per.ept!on,
ma!nly !n re*ard to &orm, and t)e not!on o& per.e!,!n* ound in themselves, .ould
be &urt)er reear.)ed w!t) ,ar!ou 5uant!tat!,e e4per!ment-
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Morton Feldman, <;)e Future o& Lo.al Mu!.,C 198H