Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Instrumental/Electronic Medium
Author(s): David Neubert
Source: Perspectives of New Music, Vol. 21, No. 1/2 (Autumn, 1982 - Summer, 1983), pp. 540566
Published by: Perspectives of New Music
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/832892 .
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ELECTRONICBOWEDSTRINGWORKS:
Some Observationson Trendsand Developments
in the Instrumental/Electronic
Medium
David Neubert
ABSTRACT
In this articleelectronicstringworks are classifiedaccordingto
medium(instrument)and means (electronicprocess).Various
examplesfrom the repertoireare referredto in discussingdifferent
combinationsof instrumentsand electronicsounds.The concluding
section discussessome of the goals and future trends in this medium.
In addition,a substantiallist of bowed stringworks involving
electronicsor processesis presentedin the last section.
CATEGORIZATIONAND DISCUSSION OF WORKS
Electronicstringworks may be classifiedaccordingto the
instrumentsand the electronicprocess,in short, the mediumand the
means.In this article,only those bowed-stringinstrumentswhich fall
into the traditionalviolinfamilywill be dealt with. They are the
violin,viola, cello, and doublebass.Solo applicationsas well as string
quartets,mixed ensemblesand orchestralworks will also be discussed.
For the sake of brevity only one work from each mediumbut
541
Inorderto analyzeinstrumental
andelectronictapepieces,
severalfactorsmustbe takenintoaccount.Firstof all,the timeof
originfor the particular
pieceis importantsincethiswilldetermine
the technological
devicesavailableto the composer.Forinstance,a
a
anda real-timecomputersynthesizer
taperecorder, synthesizer,
werealldevelopedat differenttimes.Second,the composerand
natureof the workare importantsincethesewilldeterminethe
generalstyleandsyntacticalfeaturesof the work.A composerfrom
Columbia-Princeton
electronic
studio,perhapstrainedin the "classical
music"tradition,willcertainlyapproachan instrumental/tape
piece
than
a
in
trained
real-time
differently
composer
performance
practices.Of course,it maybe arguedthateachindividual
composer
hascreatedhisownstyleandeven thisstylemayvaryfrompieceto
piece.Third,thereis a big differencein the approachto an electronic
mediumandan instrumental
one. The obviousdifferenceis the sound
source:in the caseof an electroniccomposition,
thiswouldbe the
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
CONCLUSION
In listeningto and analyzingthe variousforms of electronic
bowed stringworks,it appearsthat the trend is towardsa
homogeneousblendbetween the traditionalacousticinstrumentand
the electronicmedium.This blend has been achievedby timbral
imitationbetween both mediums.This has been done by developing
new instrumentaltechniquesthat are "quasi-electronic",
using
electronictechniquesto synthesizeinstrumentalsounds,or
manipulationof instrumentalsoundselectronically,either live or in a
studio.The next step will be to includegreater flexibilityin terms of
total soundproductioncontrol by the performer.
These works shouldbe looked at not only from the listener's
but also from the composer'sand performer'sframe of
"ear-point",
mind.In discussingsome of the performancedifficultiesencountered
among variousperformingartists,the generaldifficultymentioned
about many tape works is the lack of personal-or perhaps"random"
-interaction with the accompanyingtape part. By incorporatingreal
time interactivedevices such as proximitysensors,envelope followers,
and pitch to voltage converters,the performeris allowedto take an
active role in the creative process.
One of the end resultsof electronicbowed stringworksis the
extensionof the range of traditionalinstruments.Justas Wagner
extended the range of the orchestralinstrumentsinto a virtuosic
capacity,so has the fusionof art and technology broughtabout a new
catalog of performancetechniques.Imitativeprocessesinvolvingboth
electroniceffects and stringeffects resultedin attemptsto establisha
common timbre.With the advent of computertechnology,perhaps
a perfect fusionwill somedaybe achieved.When that fusionoccurs,
the instrumental/electronicmediumwill no longer be a hybridform
- it will be a new and unifiedone.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
andPracticeof Electronic
Appleton,Jon H. and RonaldC. Perera,eds. TheDevelopment
Music.EnglewoodCliffs:Prentice-Hall,Inc. 1975.
on NotationandPerformance.
Boretz,Benjaminand EdwardT. Cone, eds. Perspectives
New York: W.W. Norton Co., 1976.
Causse, Rene and Vinko Globokar,KlausHeitz, and Max Mathews. Unite
Destinee
du sonen Temps
Electronique
et Controlable
d la Transformation
Reel,Programmable
Paris:IRCAM(Institutde Rechercheet Coordination
parL'Instrumentiste.
Acoustique/Musique).
Cope, David. New MusicNotation.Dubuque,Iowa:Kendall/HuntPublishingCo.,
1976.
Music.Toronto: University of Toronto
Cross, LowellM. A Bibliography
of Electronic
Press, 1963.
Davies, Hugh. "RepertoireInternationaldes MusiquesElectroacoustiques,"in
Electronic
MusicReview,nos. 2/3, April/July,1967.
in Music.Berkeley:University of CaliforniaPress,
Erickson,Robert. SoundStructure
1975.
Music.New York:Schirmer, 1977.
Ernst,David. TheEvolution
of Electronic
Farish,Margaret K. StringMusicin Print.New York:R.R.BowkerCo., 1973.
Music.New York:Thames and Hudson, 1979.
Griffiths,Paul.A GuidetoElectronic
deMusiqueet leurRealisation.
Paris:Libraire
Electroniques
Juster,F. PetitsInstruments
Parisiennede la Radio, 1973.
Kellogg, VirginiaKatherine.A New Repertoire:
WorksforSoloViolinand Tape.
Rochester,New York:D.M.A. DissertationEastmanSchool of Music, 1975.
andMusic.Ithaca:Cornell University Press,
Lincoln,Harry B., ed. TheComputer
1974.
Matthews,M. V. "Analysisand Synthesisof Timbres,"MusicandRoomAcoustics.
Stockholm:Royal SwedishAcademy of Music, 1975.
Music.New York:Schirmer, 1974.
Nyman, Michael.Experimental
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CATALOGS
AmericanMusic Center, Electronic
MusicSupplement
No. 4, New York: 1980.
AmericanMusic Center, Chamber
Music,Vol. 2. New York, 1978.
AmericanMusic Center, Composer/Librettist
New York: 1979.
ProgramCollection.
C. F. Peters Corporation,Contemporary
MusicCatalogue
with1976-1979Supplement.
New
York: 1979.
New
Composers RecordingsIncorporated(CRI), RecordCatalogwithSupplements.
York: 1980.
SchwannRecordCatalogs.New York, 1970-1980.
Theodore PresserCompany, StringCatalog.New York, 1978.
UniversalEdition,New Music:MusicSince1950. Vienna, 1978.
LISTOF ELECTRONICBOWEDSTRINGWORKS
The followingabbreviationsdesignatethe performingmediumandmode of modification:
O Orchestra and Tape
E Ensembleand Tape
Q String Quartet and Tape
D Duo or Trio and Tape
S Solo String Instrumentand Tape
T Tape Recorder ModificationLive or in Studio
M ModifiedElectronicallyLive or in Studio
P ProcessedCompositionby Computer Algorithms
N No Electronics,InstrumentalEffects Only
1962
1972
1952
554
Bayle,Francois
1963
1972
Torso, Op. 54
1968
1961
555
E Brown,Earle Times Five for flute, trombone, harp, violin, cello and
1963
tape
Score: UniversalEditionsUE 15385 Disc: Bodtea MusiqueLD-072
EP Brin, Herbert SonoriferousLoops for flute, trumpet, double bass,
percussionand tape (computer generated) 1964
Score: University of Illinois
EP Brun,Herbert Non-SequiturVI for flute, cello, harp, piano, two percussion
and tape (computer generated) 1966
Score: University of Illinois
SM Buchla,Donald
1980
Silicon Cello for the 300 Series ElectricMusic Box and cello
E Burge,David Aeolian Music for flute, clarinet,violin, cello, piano and tape
Score: BowdoinCollege Music Press;Brunswick,Maine
SM Cage, John FontanaMix for any instrumentand tape
Score: Peters P6712 Disc: TurnaboutTV-340465
1958
EM Crumb, George Night of the Four Moons for alto, alto flute, banjo,electric
cello, and 1 percussion 1969
Score: Peters P66462 Disc: ColumbiaM-32739
556
Custer, Arthur
S
Custer, Arthur
Disc: Serenus 12045
N.Y.
S Custer, Arthur
Disc: Serenus 12045
1969
1964-65
1977
1968
557
Erlih,Devy
1963-64
558
1966
S
Ghent, Emmanuel Divertimento for electronic violin and computer brass
1973
Score: AmericanMusic Center, N.Y. and PersimmonPress,N.Y.
S
Glasow, Glen
Disc: Desto 7144
DP Globokar,Vinko
1973
1976
DM Goethals, Lucien Cellotape for piano, cello, contact mike, and side band
modulator 1965
Disc: Ministerede L'EducationNationale et de la Culture; Bruxelles,Belgium
D Grosskopf,Erhard Dialectics for violin, viola, double bass, and tape
Score: Moeck Verlag (BelwinMills)
SM Guy, Barry
England)
S
Hannay, Roger Elegy for viola and tape
Score: Media Press 3809
DM Harbison,John BermudaTrianglefor tenor sax, amplifiedcello and electric
organ
Score: AmericanComposers Alliance (BMI) Disc: CRI 313 SD
D Healey, Derek Stinging for treble recorder, cello, harpsichord,and
1971
magnetic tape
Score: AmericanMusic Center, N.Y.
S Heller, Kenneth Labyrinthfor cello and tape
Disc: Orion ORS-7021
1969
SO Henze, Hans Werner Violin Concerto No. 2 for violin, orchestra and tape
1971
Disc: Decca Headline HEAD 5
S Heussenstamm,George
Score: SeeSaw Press,N.Y.
559
1957
ST Hodkinson,Sydney One Man's Meat for solo double bass and performerrecorded sound track 1970
Score: Merion Music; BrynMawr, PA.
O Hovhaness,Alan
orchestra and tape
Score: Peters P66322
E Hudson,Joseph
Disc: CRI 382 SD
EM Ichiyanagi,Toshi
Score: Peters P66143c
1972
560
1963
1979
1971
1974
1969
ST Lentz, Daniel ABM (Anti-BassMusic) for contrabass,actor-speaker,offstage piano, various media effects and tape
Q Lewis,Peter Tod Signs and Circuits:String Quartet No. 2 with tape
Disc: CRI 392 SD
Score: Composers FacsimileEdition,N.Y.
1969
SM Lloyd, Gerald
1963
SM Lockwood,Annea
1976
561
S Luening,Otto
Gargoyles for violin and tape
Score: Peters P66002 Disc: ColumbiaMS 6566
1964
O Luening,Otto
Synthesisfor orchestra and tape
Score: Peters P66003 Disc: CRI S-219
1962
RhapsodicVariationsfor
Maxfield,Richard
S Maxfield,Richard
1961
1962
1960
1974
1976
562
1975
1977
1980
1961
S
Oakes, Rodney Hyporchema for violin and preparedtape
Score: AmericanMusic Center, N.Y.
SM Pade, ElsaMarie
1960
1967
1979
1961
ST Peck, Russell Time Being for solo violin with tape, or three violins
Score: AmericanMusic Center, N.Y
Disc: ColumbiaMS-7265
S Perera,Ronald Reflex for viola and electronic tape
Score: E.C. Schirmerand AmericanMusic Center, N.Y.
1970
1976
1972
563
1968
1979
1967
1973
1968
1972
1968
1978
564
1964
1971
Szathmary,Z.
1973
565
1963
1957
1973
1976
1978
White, Gary
1971
O Wuorinen, Charles
tape
Score: Peters P66388
566
QP Xenakis,Yannis
DP Xenakis,Yannis
1962
1962
1974
This article was the result of a grant from the National Endowment for the
Humanities(NEH SummerSeminaron "Musicand Technology"under the direction
of Jon Appleton--Dartmouth College, 1980).