b. Growth Processes

The passage from 5’29–9’18 features two growth processes that push the music forward. At 5’29, periodic, noise-based harmonic iterations recur (5’29, 5’37, 5’45, 5’51, 5’57, 6’04, 6’11, 6’19, 6’27, 6’35, 6’41, 6’48), gradually emerging to form marker

relationships with those at 3’11; this emergence function contrasts with their earlier terminative role (audio ex. 4_8, 5’29–7’45; iterations occur in the audio ex. at 0’00, 0’08,

0’16, 0’22, 0’29, 0’35, 0’42, 0’50, 0’58, 1’06, 1’12, 1’19). The long-timescale growth process is outlined by the concurrent spectral accumulation in the inharmonic graduated

continuants, which increase in intensity through a series of dynamic and spectral peaks, climaxing at 7’28. This process also features recurrent attack, damped-resonance decays (temporal relationships and structural functions are detailed in Table 12)

coincident with each accumulative peak, along with assorted noise-based, iterative identities alluding to similar material occurring earlier in the work.

Time Key features: attack, damped-resonance decays

6’17 (0’48) • instigate new spectral components in inharmonic graduated continuants

• (anacrusis in preceding sporadic iterative, noise-based materials, reminiscent of those at 1’04–2’00)

6’52 (1’23) • instigate new spectral components in inharmonic graduated continuants

• (anacrusis in preceding sporadic iterative, noise-based materials)

• marker relationship with instance at 6’17; marks 2^nd accumulative peak 7’13 (1’44) • instigate new spectral components in inharmonic graduated continuants

• (anacrusis in preceding sporadic iterative, noise-based materials)

• marker relationship with preceding instances; marks 3^rd accumulative peak

• instigate medium–high register pitched and noise-based iteratives 7’28 (1’59) • instigate new spectral components in inharmonic graduated continuants

• marker relationship with preceding instances; marks 4^th accumulative peak

• instigate medium–high register noise-based iteratives

Table 12: Key features of attack, damped-resonance decay identities in Fouram.

A new growth process begins at 8’09. Harmonic/noise-based sporadic iterative material begins to emerge from the decaying inharmonic graduated continuants (audio ex. 4_9, 8’05–9’20). By 8’33 (0’24) a ‘chordal’ harmonic spectrum is apparent,

complemented by similarly harmonic, lower-register graduated continuants, and certain partials correspond between the decaying inharmonic and emergent harmonic spectra, creating a commonality that eases the sectional transition. ¹⁰⁶

From 8’39 (0’34), a variety of gestural, noise-based, iterative identities (some harmonic, some more inharmonic) recur in proximate space, gradually dominating the acousmatic image, building to the climax of the work at 9’15 (1’10). The gestural material recalls that from 1’04–2’31, creating a sectional marker relationship with that earlier part of the work. However, these identities now appear in a different context;

they emerge to become the focus of attention, dominating a more harmonic image devoid of cyclical material and consisting of graduated continuants and more gestural noise-based identities. Reinforcement and spectromorphological variation are evident within this passage, and many of the spectromorphologies correspond enough to suggest a similar

106 A potential generic, harmonic, spectral correspondence exists between the current harmonic material and the harmonic attack-decays from 2’31.

provenance, even if the specific source and cause are not identified. Furthermore, they build towards and then define the termination of the passage, which suggests the expulsion of accumulated energy by 9’18.

9.1.3. Reflection

A variety of recurrent phenomena have been illuminated, operating over different timescales. Lower-level relationships based on repetition and variation contribute to longer passages, developing into significant sectional identities. As has already been observed in the discussions of Novars and Penmon Point, the structural functions of recurrent identities often change, and the manner in which recurrences occur influences what is accumulated in memory. In Fouram, the inharmonic graduated continuants illustrate this point, but the same might be said of the iterative identities in proximate space.

While different kinds of spectromorphological correspondence are often evident, identities and identity types rarely recur in similar contexts over longer timescales.

Indeed, the slightly evolutionary nature of the work means that recurrent settings or sections are infrequent, with the exception of the inharmonic graduated continuants at 4’20 and 9’18. They are notable because they provide a rare instance of such level spectromorphological correspondence and recurrence. Accordingly, the higher-level structure might be best regarded in terms of morphological characteristics, such as: calm; rhythmic; active; calm2; active 2; calm 3. While these distinctions are founded on considerable generalisations, they do account for the overall musical flow.

However, the often gradual transitions between these states makes it difficult to define precisely where one ends and the other begins, making a structural description in conventional terms (A B C A etc.) unsatisfactory. This piece may be more appropriately considered in terms of the identities that refer back to similar instances despite their subtle changes and differing contexts, evoking the ‘feel’ of earlier occurrences through

“resonating reminiscences,” to borrow the phrase of McAdams, Vines et al. (2004, 299).

The resulting networks of correspondence allow certain identities or identity types to come to the fore, contributing to the accumulation of form in terms of the sound materials that are significant and therefore held in consciousness.

9.2. 10_35_70

10_35_70 (2007) is a stereo acousmatic work, and the second composed for the

compositional portfolio. The motivation for this piece came from contemplating how the experience of time passing can change significantly throughout life. For example, this might depend on the particular stage in life one finds oneself at; as a child, years often seemed to pass slowly, but as an adult they seem to unfold with increasing speed. From a different perspective, bodily actions seem more dynamic and faster during childhood and teenage years, yet this dynamism gradually diminishes as one’s agility and speed of movement reduces. There is a bodily ‘slowing down’ despite the more general experience of time passing more quickly. My general interest in time passing led to a concept for musical structure that concerned changing temporal experience, initially conveying fast-paced activity, and ending up in a more general sense of calm and stillness. ¹⁰⁷ A further intention was to reflect this notion of

progression in other musical aspects—in spectral terms, moving from noise, through inharmonicity, to harmonicity and eventually single pitches; in morphological terms, moving from short, densely occurring iterations to more slowly evolving material.

The initial plan was to compose a series of sub-sections featuring a recurrent and accumulative sequence of specific sound material-types and transitions: noise; noise to inharmonic; noise to inharmonic to harmonic; and noise to inharmonic to harmonic to distinct pitches. This recurrent, accumulative process would be founded on types of

107 As mentioned in 7.3.1.b, Snyder has suggested that the speed at which time is perceived to pass is related to familiarity with, and density of, sound events (2000, 213–215). Pasoulas explores timescales specifically in electroacoustic music, proposing a ‘Time Influencing Set’ of factors that produce certain results in the psychological experience of time (2010, 30-69). These factors include: the surrounding environment; temporal syntax (local and high-level time structures); temporal associations, semantic content, and source bonding; listening experiences, psychological states and emotional responses.

sounds and more generalised activities rather than just specific recurrent identities.

Simultaneously, a general morphological progression would begin with iterative material, progressing through more gestural morphologies, and concluding with slowly-evolving graduated continuants by the end of the work. While this plan was initially adhered to (and some aspects of this design are present in the final

composition), the constraints were subsequently relaxed to incorporate intuitive compositional decisions. This was because some passages in the mid-point of the work appeared to require sound materials that did not fit with the proposed approach, yet their inclusion served the music effectively at that moment.

A further aim was to explore aspects of correspondence based upon a limited selection of source materials. Many of the sound transformations focused on developing families of sounds displaying correspondences of spectral or

morphological inclination, which, in turn, would facilitate a variety of more covert correspondences.

9.2.1. Overview

In broad terms, the sound world of 10_35_70 moves from active noise-based material to calmer harmonic material in a series of transitions, which define the higher-level sectional divisions. (Sectional distinctions are indicated by different background shadings on Figure 20.)¹⁰⁸ While sections do not recur over longer timescales, certain individual identities and more covert correspondences are used to refer to earlier settings and passages, evoking a sense of the earlier material and drawing attention to the degree of change undergone. Accordingly, this work is founded upon webs of correspondence, whether similar or covert.

108 The transitions between the final three sections are in fact gradual; the sectional shadings change at the mid-point of each transition.

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