Structure and Randomness in Iannis Xenakis' Analogique A
Location
King Building 341
Document Type
Presentation
Start Date
4-28-2017 3:00 PM
End Date
4-28-2017 4:20 PM
Abstract
The music of late twentieth century composer Iannis Xenakis is often difficult to analyze because it makes use of complex computer-aided composition techniques, often involving randomness. While conventional set-theoretic approaches yield fruitful analysis, computational musicology, or treating music as data and using statistical methods to find trends, is really the analytical counterpart to computer-aided composition necessary to dig deeper into pieces like Xenakis’. In this paper, I apply data visualization and clustering techniques to Xenakis’ Analogique A and follow the same steps he used to create the piece, except in reverse. I then perform close readings of passages that the computational techniques struggle with, applying conventional set theory and Xenakis’ own sieve theory to dig deeper. Finally, I attempt to determine, using these results, where Xenakis followed his stated methods and where he made decisions based on his own aesthetic opinions instead.
Keywords:
music theory, twentieth century music, stochastic music, computer music
Recommended Citation
Goree, Sam, "Structure and Randomness in Iannis Xenakis' Analogique A" (04/28/17). Senior Symposium. 22.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/seniorsymp/2017/presentations/22
Major
Musical Studies; Computer Science
Advisor(s)
Jan Miyake, Music Theory
Project Mentor(s)
Benjamin Geyer, Music Theory
April 2017
Structure and Randomness in Iannis Xenakis' Analogique A
King Building 341
The music of late twentieth century composer Iannis Xenakis is often difficult to analyze because it makes use of complex computer-aided composition techniques, often involving randomness. While conventional set-theoretic approaches yield fruitful analysis, computational musicology, or treating music as data and using statistical methods to find trends, is really the analytical counterpart to computer-aided composition necessary to dig deeper into pieces like Xenakis’. In this paper, I apply data visualization and clustering techniques to Xenakis’ Analogique A and follow the same steps he used to create the piece, except in reverse. I then perform close readings of passages that the computational techniques struggle with, applying conventional set theory and Xenakis’ own sieve theory to dig deeper. Finally, I attempt to determine, using these results, where Xenakis followed his stated methods and where he made decisions based on his own aesthetic opinions instead.
Notes
Musical Studies Capstone Panel
Session II, Panel 9 - Musical | Genres
Moderator: Ben Geyer, Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Theory