During orchestral performance, conductors play a role in which they provide their interpretations of the musical composition, communicating these interpretational intentions via their body movement. Pedagogical sources propose movement emblems for stock actions by which a conductor may deliver compositional and interpretational features in conducting practise. This thesis reports a mixed-methods study which provides empirical observations on the kinematic features evident in conducting practise, and which aims to explore the connection between such movements with compositional features and conductors’ interpretative intentions. Six conductors’ interpretational intentions were collected in interviews, and their conducting movements were recorded using a Qualisys motion capture system, while they worked on excerpts of repertoire by Mozart, Dvořák, and Bartók with a small string ensemble. In the interviews, conductors reported their general thoughts and beliefs about conducting. They were also prompted to identify the compositional events which they sought to highlight in their conducting, and to describe the conducting strategies they intended to use to highlight these musical events. The resulting qualitative data were thematically analysed. The conductor-identified compositional features were also used to guide kinematic investigations, using an innovative analysis method original to this project, Deviation Point Analysis (DPA). Conductors’ movements are described using four dependent variables of baton tip (movement distance, speed, acceleration, and jerk). Results are reported for two-way repeated measures ANOVAs (repertoire x trial), and for t-tests revealing significant differences between cross-correlation coefficients for within-conductor trial pairs and between-conductor trial pairs. Further examination of the data using DPA serves to distinguish time-points with observable kinematic deviations from the conducting trials. These kinematic deviations were compared with conductors’ stated intentions. Prominent clusters of kinematic deviations were seen to be associated with key musical events which conductors intended to emphasize temporal, melodic, dynamic, and instrumental aspects. Minor clusters of kinematic deviations were seen to be connected with interpretational intentions in a less stable manner, some occurring remotely from the conductor-identified locations. DPA method and findings are fully reported. The implications, advantages and limitations of this novel analysis approach are also discussed.

No description available.

Os layouts gerados por técnicas de projeção multidimensional podem ser a base para diferentes metáforas de visualização que são aplicáveis a diversos tipos de dados. Existe muito interesse em investigar metáforas alternativas à comumente usada, nuvem de pontos usada para exibir layouts gerados por projeções multidimensionais. Neste trabalho, foi estudado este problema, com foco no domínio da visualização de músicas. Existem muitas dimensões envolvidas na percepção e manipulação de músicas e portanto é difícil encontrar um modelo computacional intuitivo para representá-las. Nosso objetivo neste trabalho foi investigar as representações visuais capazes de transmitir a estrutura de uma música, assim como exibir uma coleção de músicas de modo a ressaltar as similaridades. A solução proposta consiste em uma representação icônica de músicas individuais, que é associada ao posicionamento espacial dos grupos ou coleções de músicas gerado por uma técnica de projeção multidimensional que reflete suas similaridades estruturais. Tanto a projeção quanto o ícone requerem um vetor de características para representar a música. As características são extraídas a partir de arquivos MIDI, já que a própria natureza das descrições MIDI permite a identificação das estruturas musicais relevantes. Estas características proporcionam a entrada tanto para a comparação de dissimilaridades quanto para a construção do ícone da música. Os posicionamentos espaciais são obtidos usando a técnica de projeção multidimensional Least Square Projection (LSP), e as similaridades são calculadas usando a distância Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). O ícone fornece um resumo visual das repetições de acordes em uma música em particular. Nessa dissertação são descritos os processos de geração destas representações visuais, além de descrever um sistema que implementa esses recursos e ilustrar como eles podem apoiar algumas tarefas exploratórias das coleções de músicas, identificando possíveis cenários de uso / The layouts generated by multidimensional projection techniques can be the basis for different visualization metaphors that are applicable to various data types. There is much interest in investigating alternatives to the point cloud metaphor commonly used to present projection layouts. In this work, we investigated this problem, targeting the domain of music visualization. There are many dimensions involved in the perception and manipulation of music and therefore it is difficult to find an intuitive computer model to represent music. Our goal in this work was to investigate visual representations capable of conveying the musical structure of a song, as well as displaying a collection of songs so as to highlight their similarities. The proposed solution consists of an iconic representation for individual songs, that is associated with the spatial positioning of groups or collections of songs generated by a multidimensional projection technique that reflects their structural similarity. Both the projection and the icon require a feature vector representation of the music. The features are extracted from MIDI files, as the nature of the MIDI descriptions allows the identification of the relevant musical structures. These features provide the input for both the dissimilarity comparison and for constructing the music icon. The spatial layout is computed with the Least Square Projection (LSP) technique, and similarities are computed using the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) distance. The icon provides a visual summary of the chord repetitions in a particular song. We describe the process of generating these visual representations, describe a system that implements such funcionalities and illustrate how they can support some exploratory tasks on music collections, identifying possible usage scenarios

Os layouts gerados por técnicas de projeção multidimensional podem ser a base para diferentes metáforas de visualização que são aplicáveis a diversos tipos de dados. Existe muito interesse em investigar metáforas alternativas à comumente usada, nuvem de pontos usada para exibir layouts gerados por projeções multidimensionais. Neste trabalho, foi estudado este problema, com foco no domínio da visualização de músicas. Existem muitas dimensões envolvidas na percepção e manipulação de músicas e portanto é difícil encontrar um modelo computacional intuitivo para representá-las. Nosso objetivo neste trabalho foi investigar as representações visuais capazes de transmitir a estrutura de uma música, assim como exibir uma coleção de músicas de modo a ressaltar as similaridades. A solução proposta consiste em uma representação icônica de músicas individuais, que é associada ao posicionamento espacial dos grupos ou coleções de músicas gerado por uma técnica de projeção multidimensional que reflete suas similaridades estruturais. Tanto a projeção quanto o ícone requerem um vetor de características para representar a música. As características são extraídas a partir de arquivos MIDI, já que a própria natureza das descrições MIDI permite a identificação das estruturas musicais relevantes. Estas características proporcionam a entrada tanto para a comparação de dissimilaridades quanto para a construção do ícone da música. Os posicionamentos espaciais são obtidos usando a técnica de projeção multidimensional Least Square Projection (LSP), e as similaridades são calculadas usando a distância Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). O ícone fornece um resumo visual das repetições de acordes em uma música em particular. Nessa dissertação são descritos os processos de geração destas representações visuais, além de descrever um sistema que implementa esses recursos e ilustrar como eles podem apoiar algumas tarefas exploratórias das coleções de músicas, identificando possíveis cenários de uso / The layouts generated by multidimensional projection techniques can be the basis for different visualization metaphors that are applicable to various data types. There is much interest in investigating alternatives to the point cloud metaphor commonly used to present projection layouts. In this work, we investigated this problem, targeting the domain of music visualization. There are many dimensions involved in the perception and manipulation of music and therefore it is difficult to find an intuitive computer model to represent music. Our goal in this work was to investigate visual representations capable of conveying the musical structure of a song, as well as displaying a collection of songs so as to highlight their similarities. The proposed solution consists of an iconic representation for individual songs, that is associated with the spatial positioning of groups or collections of songs generated by a multidimensional projection technique that reflects their structural similarity. Both the projection and the icon require a feature vector representation of the music. The features are extracted from MIDI files, as the nature of the MIDI descriptions allows the identification of the relevant musical structures. These features provide the input for both the dissimilarity comparison and for constructing the music icon. The spatial layout is computed with the Least Square Projection (LSP) technique, and similarities are computed using the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) distance. The icon provides a visual summary of the chord repetitions in a particular song. We describe the process of generating these visual representations, describe a system that implements such funcionalities and illustrate how they can support some exploratory tasks on music collections, identifying possible usage scenarios

<p>Psychology of music has shown renewed interest in how music expresses emotion to listeners. However, there is an obvious lack of research on how interactions between musical factors such as harmony, rhythm, melodic contour, loudness, and articulation may affect perceived emotion. From previous literature on music analysis and music cognition there is evidence that tonality may be activated and affected by rhythm and melody. These ideas generated hypotheses regarding melodic organization and performance, for instance, (a) certain notes in a melodic structure have expressive potentials due to their place in the key/chord, (b) these notes could be activated by accents in the melodic structure and/or in live music performance. In Study I, a simple tune was systematically manipulated with regard to harmonic progression, rhythm and melodic contour. Listener ratings of the resulting versions showed that perceived structure (instability, complexity, tension) and emotion (sadness, anger, expressivity) could be partly interpreted as resulting from accent structures and stress on certain notes. In Study II, musicians were asked to perform some of the above-mentioned versions so as to express happiness, sadness, tenderness and anger. The performers used loudness and articulation to compensate for lack of adequate inherent expression in melodies. They also highlighted certain notes of relevance for the emotional meaning by means of stress in articulation, loudness and timing. In Study III, simple three-note sequences were manipulated with regard to melodic, metric and rhythmic accents as well as (computer-) performed accents (loudness, articulation and timing) on certain target notes. Listening tests showed that accent on a tense note enhanced perceived anger. A note essential for the identity of major mode affected perception of happiness, whereas a note essential for minor mode affected perception of sadness. The results in this thesis have implications for a dynamic view of melodic organization and performance.</p>

Psychology of music has shown renewed interest in how music expresses emotion to listeners. However, there is an obvious lack of research on how interactions between musical factors such as harmony, rhythm, melodic contour, loudness, and articulation may affect perceived emotion. From previous literature on music analysis and music cognition there is evidence that tonality may be activated and affected by rhythm and melody. These ideas generated hypotheses regarding melodic organization and performance, for instance, (a) certain notes in a melodic structure have expressive potentials due to their place in the key/chord, (b) these notes could be activated by accents in the melodic structure and/or in live music performance. In Study I, a simple tune was systematically manipulated with regard to harmonic progression, rhythm and melodic contour. Listener ratings of the resulting versions showed that perceived structure (instability, complexity, tension) and emotion (sadness, anger, expressivity) could be partly interpreted as resulting from accent structures and stress on certain notes. In Study II, musicians were asked to perform some of the above-mentioned versions so as to express happiness, sadness, tenderness and anger. The performers used loudness and articulation to compensate for lack of adequate inherent expression in melodies. They also highlighted certain notes of relevance for the emotional meaning by means of stress in articulation, loudness and timing. In Study III, simple three-note sequences were manipulated with regard to melodic, metric and rhythmic accents as well as (computer-) performed accents (loudness, articulation and timing) on certain target notes. Listening tests showed that accent on a tense note enhanced perceived anger. A note essential for the identity of major mode affected perception of happiness, whereas a note essential for minor mode affected perception of sadness. The results in this thesis have implications for a dynamic view of melodic organization and performance.

Este memorial apresenta uma reflexão sobre as principais motivações que nortearam um conjunto de cinco obras: Cores; Orbitais; Ar: em movimento, em profundidade; Feixe de luz, desolado e turvo, no anoitecer; Ressonâncias Temporais, mostrando como as motivações se desenvolveram a partir do referencial teórico e como elas foram transformadas e realizadas no contexto de cada obra. Essas motivações se constituem pela forma em evolução; pela harmonia que evoca regiões com pólos e regiões modulatórias; e pelo grupo de personagens. A forma em evolução é criada a partir do modelo visual de uma bromélia e de algumas obras de Salvatore Sciarrino; a harmonia é organizada através de campos harmônicos construídos a partir da proposta de estrutura estática e dinâmica de Boulez, e também através de cadeias desenvolvidas a partir de obras de György Ligeti e Henry Cowell; e o conceito de Elliott Carter para o grupo de personagens é realizado por um caminho técnico particular. As duas primeiras motivações são comuns a todas as obras do portfólio de composições, enquanto o grupo de personagens é comum às três últimas obras. / This work presents a discussion on the motivations that guided the composition of a set of five pieces: Colors; Orbitals; Air: in movement, in depth; A ray of light, desolated and muddy, in the sunset; Temporal Ressonances. It shows how the motivations were developed from theoretical references and how they were transformed by and applied to each new piece context. These motivations are: (1) form in evolution; (2) specific use of harmony to evoke harmonic regions with centers and modulatory harmonic regions; and (3) character-groups. Form in evolution is modeled on the visual model of a bromelia and also on some of Salvatore Sciarrino's pieces; harmony is organized through harmonic fields derived from pierre Boulez's concept of dynamic/static structures; it is also organized in chains that take the works of György Ligeti and Henry Cowell as examples; finally, Elliott Carter's concept of character-groups is put to a particular use in this set of compositions. The first two motivations are found in all five pieces discussed here, while the character-groups are found in the last three pieces.

Este memorial apresenta uma reflexão sobre as principais motivações que nortearam um conjunto de cinco obras: Cores; Orbitais; Ar: em movimento, em profundidade; Feixe de luz, desolado e turvo, no anoitecer; Ressonâncias Temporais, mostrando como as motivações se desenvolveram a partir do referencial teórico e como elas foram transformadas e realizadas no contexto de cada obra. Essas motivações se constituem pela forma em evolução; pela harmonia que evoca regiões com pólos e regiões modulatórias; e pelo grupo de personagens. A forma em evolução é criada a partir do modelo visual de uma bromélia e de algumas obras de Salvatore Sciarrino; a harmonia é organizada através de campos harmônicos construídos a partir da proposta de estrutura estática e dinâmica de Boulez, e também através de cadeias desenvolvidas a partir de obras de György Ligeti e Henry Cowell; e o conceito de Elliott Carter para o grupo de personagens é realizado por um caminho técnico particular. As duas primeiras motivações são comuns a todas as obras do portfólio de composições, enquanto o grupo de personagens é comum às três últimas obras. / This work presents a discussion on the motivations that guided the composition of a set of five pieces: Colors; Orbitals; Air: in movement, in depth; A ray of light, desolated and muddy, in the sunset; Temporal Ressonances. It shows how the motivations were developed from theoretical references and how they were transformed by and applied to each new piece context. These motivations are: (1) form in evolution; (2) specific use of harmony to evoke harmonic regions with centers and modulatory harmonic regions; and (3) character-groups. Form in evolution is modeled on the visual model of a bromelia and also on some of Salvatore Sciarrino's pieces; harmony is organized through harmonic fields derived from pierre Boulez's concept of dynamic/static structures; it is also organized in chains that take the works of György Ligeti and Henry Cowell as examples; finally, Elliott Carter's concept of character-groups is put to a particular use in this set of compositions. The first two motivations are found in all five pieces discussed here, while the character-groups are found in the last three pieces.

Este memorial apresenta uma reflexão sobre as principais motivações que nortearam um conjunto de cinco obras: Cores; Orbitais; Ar: em movimento, em profundidade; Feixe de luz, desolado e turvo, no anoitecer; Ressonâncias Temporais, mostrando como as motivações se desenvolveram a partir do referencial teórico e como elas foram transformadas e realizadas no contexto de cada obra. Essas motivações se constituem pela forma em evolução; pela harmonia que evoca regiões com pólos e regiões modulatórias; e pelo grupo de personagens. A forma em evolução é criada a partir do modelo visual de uma bromélia e de algumas obras de Salvatore Sciarrino; a harmonia é organizada através de campos harmônicos construídos a partir da proposta de estrutura estática e dinâmica de Boulez, e também através de cadeias desenvolvidas a partir de obras de György Ligeti e Henry Cowell; e o conceito de Elliott Carter para o grupo de personagens é realizado por um caminho técnico particular. As duas primeiras motivações são comuns a todas as obras do portfólio de composições, enquanto o grupo de personagens é comum às três últimas obras. / This work presents a discussion on the motivations that guided the composition of a set of five pieces: Colors; Orbitals; Air: in movement, in depth; A ray of light, desolated and muddy, in the sunset; Temporal Ressonances. It shows how the motivations were developed from theoretical references and how they were transformed by and applied to each new piece context. These motivations are: (1) form in evolution; (2) specific use of harmony to evoke harmonic regions with centers and modulatory harmonic regions; and (3) character-groups. Form in evolution is modeled on the visual model of a bromelia and also on some of Salvatore Sciarrino's pieces; harmony is organized through harmonic fields derived from pierre Boulez's concept of dynamic/static structures; it is also organized in chains that take the works of György Ligeti and Henry Cowell as examples; finally, Elliott Carter's concept of character-groups is put to a particular use in this set of compositions. The first two motivations are found in all five pieces discussed here, while the character-groups are found in the last three pieces.

Statement of Problem and Analytical Procedures The primary purpose of this study is to examine the song cycle An die ferne Geliebte, by Ludwig van Beethoven, in an effort to provide the performer substantive musical and poetic evaluations leading to a valid interpretation of the songs. The analysis is intended to determine the aesthetic implications of the cycle and their effect on performance.