Harry Partch's tuning system is an important contribution to tuning theory, and his music is original and significant. Part One of this study presents a brief biography of Partch, a discussion of his musical aesthetics (Monophony and Corporeality), and a technical summary of his tuning system. These elements are placed in historical perspective. Part Two presents a comprehensive analysis of "And on the Seventh Day Petals Fell on Petaluma," discussing the organization of formal, textural, rhythmic, linear, and tonal elements in the thirty-four "verses" of the work. Part Two concludes by showing how large-scale structure in the work is achieved through an overlay process.

In hierdie studie word die intonasie van fluitspel ondersoek met die doel om vas te stel watter faktore beïnvloed intonasie en watter metodes aangewend kan word om dit te verbeter. Intonasie is ’n besonder sensitiewe onderwerp vir enige musikant. Indien ’n musikant negatief gekritiseer word oor intonasie, word dit dikwels as ’n persoonlike aanslag ervaar. Deur die oorsprong van Westerse stemmingstelsels te ondersoek, word dit moontlik om die onderwerp van intonasie meer sensitief te benader. Hierdie bewusmaking kan moontlik nuwe insigte tot stand bring ten opsigte van die nodige aanpassings wat gemaak moet word om intonasie te verbeter tydens solo- en ensemble-spel. Verskeie faktore kan daartoe bydra dat intonasie as minder goed ervaar word. Sommige van hierdie faktore word nie noodwendig deur die uitvoerder beheer nie, maar hou verband met die fisiologie van gehoor – hoe klank waargeneem word. Die enigste manier waarop intonasie gemonitor kan word tydens ’n uitvoering, is met die menslike oor. Intonasie is direk gekoppel aan die frekwensie van ’n spesifieke toonhoogte. In die natuur bestaan daar faktore wat die waarneming van ’n frekwensie as ’n spesifieke toonhoogte kan beïnvloed, byvoorbeeld die tydsduur, intensiteit en toonkleur. Hierdie faktore word ook in hierdie studie ondersoek. Alvorens metodes ter verbetering van intonasie ondersoek kan word, moet die bou van die moderne fluit ondersoek word. Geen fluitskaal het perfekte ingeboude intonasie nie en deur bewus te wees van waar die tekortkominge voorkom, kan die uitvoerder die onderwerp van intonasie met groter omsigtigheid benader. Sodra die uitvoerder en onderwyser bewus is van watter faktore intonasie beïnvloed en wat nie deur die uitvoerder beheer word nie, kan metodes oorweeg word om faktore wat wel binne die uitvoerder se beheer is, toe te pas om die fluitspeler se intonasie te verbeter. Verskeie aspekte word bespreek, waaronder die plasing van die kurkstopper, die posisie van die kopstuk ten opsigte van die fluit, die manier waarop die fluit vasgehou word, opwarmingsmetodes en oefeninge, die metode van instemming en toonproduksie. Die toonhoogteneigings van note op die fluit word vergelyk soos dit voorkom in vyf verskillende bronne, waarna alternatiewe vingersettings voorgestel word vir pianissimo- en fortissimo-spel. Hierdie vingersettings kan handig te pas kom om die embouchure te assisteer en intonasie beter te beheer. Laastens word die verband tussen die afwykings in die fluit se intonasie, en klimaat en weerstoestande ondersoek, sodat die speler die uitwerking wat veral temperatuur op intonasie het, ook in ag kan neem. Alhoewel hierdie navorsing grootliks klem lê op fluitspelers, is die studie nie net beperk tot die fluit nie en ander instrumentaliste sal ook hierby kan baatvind. ENGLISH This study investigates the factors that influence intonation when playing the flute. Methods by which intonation may be improved are also examined. All musicians regard intonation as an extremely sensitive subject. Musicians often perceive negative criticism of intonation as a personal affront. By investigating the origin of the Western tuning systems, it becomes possible to approach the subject of intonation with more sensitivity. This awareness may establish new insights with regard to the necessary adjustments that must be made during both solo and ensemble playing. Different factors may contribute to intonation being perceived as unsatisfactory. Some of these factors are not necessarily controlled by the performer, but relate to the physiology of hearing – how sound is perceived. The only way in which intonation can be monitored during a performance, is with the human ear. Intonation is directly linked to the frequency of a specific pitch. Factors exist in nature which may influence the perception of a frequency as a specific pitch, for example duration, intensity and tone colour. These factors are also examined in this study. Before investigating methods to improve intonation, the way that the modern flute is built has to be examined. No flute scale has perfect, built-in intonation. By being aware of the shortcomings that may occur, the performer can approach the subject with greater circumspection. When the performer and the educator are aware of the factors which may influence intonation and which are not controlled by the performer, methods can be considered to apply factors that can be controlled by the performer to improve intonation. Different aspects are discussed, such as the placement of the cork stopper, the position of the head joint with regard to the flute, the way the flute is held, warm-up methods and exercises, how to tune and tone production. The pitch tendency of notes on the flute are compared as they occur in five different sources, after which alternative fingerings are suggested for pianissimo and fortissimo playing. These fingerings are useful in assisting the embouchure to maintain better control of intonation. Finally, the relation between the deviation in the flute’s intonation, and climate and weather conditions are investigated to assist the performer to take into consideration the effect that temperature has on intonation. Although this research focuses on flute players, this study is not restricted to the flute, and other instrumentalists can also benefit from it. / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Music / unrestricted

The Well Trained Algorithm is a composition that challenges prevailing conceptions of the use of AI tools in music through the reconceptualising of JukeBox, a generative AI model for music, as an instrument in its own right. Here, I am coining the term ‘instrumentisation’ to describe a methodology for applying the qualities and associations of a musical instrument to a traditionally non-musical object. To showcase this conceptual approach, this model of thinking is applied to aid in the composition of the AI-generated musical piece, The Well Trained Algorithm. Through this process of ‘instrumentisation’, musical terms such as tuning and timbre are redefined to better relate to the specific affordances of an artificially intelligent system. The composition is informed, then, by an exploration of a system's instrumental possibilities, leading to a more effective and artistic use of the technology in the creative process. The seminal works of J. S. Bach and La Monte Young, The Well Tempered Clavier and The Well Tuned Piano, respectively, provide a historical, musical, and theoretical context for the piece as well as the datasets used to fine-tune the JukeBox model. With this thesis, I ask if, through a process of ‘instrumentisation’ AI technology can be successfully reconceptualised as a musical instrument as a means to promote artistic expression.

Afin d'étudier la faisabilité de la technologie ADS (« Accelerator Driven System ») pour la transmutation des déchets hautement radiotoxiques le projet MYRRHA (« Multi-purpose hYbrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications ») a pour objectif la construction d'un démonstrateur de réacteur hybride (50 à 100 MWth). Pour cela le réacteur sous-critique nécessite un accélérateur de forte puissance délivrant un faisceau continu de protons (600 MeV, 4mA), avec une exigence de fiabilité très élevée. La solution de référence retenue pour cette machine est un accélérateur linéaire supraconducteur. Ce mémoire de thèse décrit le travail de recherche - entrepris depuis octobre 2008 à l'IPN d'Orsay - portant sur la conception et la mise au point d'un module supraconducteur et des systèmes de régulation associés à sa cavité accélératrice, pour la partie haute énergie de l’accélérateur. Dans un premier temps, le design et l’optimisation de cavités accélératrices 5-cellules (β=0,65), fonctionnant à la fréquence de 704,4 MHz, sont présentés. Ensuite, la partie expérimentale se concentre sur l’étude de fiabilité du « cryomodule » prototype accueillant une cavité elliptique 5-cellules (β=0,47). Au cours de cette étude on s’est notamment attaché à mesurer et à caractériser le comportement dynamique du système d’accord. Les problématiques de maintient du « plat de champ » dans les cavités multi-cellules « bas béta » ont aussi été mises en évidence. Enfin, une analyse sur la tolérance aux pannes de l’accélérateur linéaire a été menée. Dans ce but, une modélisation de la cavité, de sa boucle de régulation RF (radiofréquence) et de la boucle de contrôle de son système d'accord, a été développée afin d'étudier les comportements transitoires de cet ensemble. Cette étude a permis de chiffrer les besoins en puissance RF et les performances requises du système d’accord et de démontrer la faisabilité d’un réglage rapides des cavités supraconductrices afin de minimiser le nombre d’arrêts faisceau dans le linac de MYRRHA. / The MYRRHA ( Multi-purpose hYbrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications ) project aims at constructing an accelerator driven system (ADS) demonstrator (50 à 100 MWth) to explore the feasibility of nuclear waste transmutation. Such a subcritical reactor requires an extremely reliable accelerator which delivers a CW high power protons beam (600 MeV, 4 mA). The reference solution for this machine is a superconducting linear accelerator. This thesis presents the work - undertaken at IPN Orsay in October 2008 - on the study of a prototypical superconducting module and the feedback control systems of its cavity for the high energy part of the MYRRHA linac. First, the optimization and the design of 5-cell elliptical cavities (β=0,65), operating at 704.4 MHz, are presented. Then, the experimental work focuses on a reliability oriented study of the “cryomodule” which hold a prototypical 5-cell cavity (β=0,47). In this study, the dynamic behavior of the fast tuning system of the cavity was measured and qualified. The “field flatness” issue in “low beta” multi-cell cavity was also brought to light. Finally, a fault-tolerance analysis of the linac was carried out. Toward this goal, a model of the cavity, its RF feedback loop system and its tuning system feedback loop was developed. This study enabled to determine the RF power needs, the tuning system requirements and as well as to demonstrate the feasibility of fast fault-recovery scenarios to minimize the number of beam interruptions in the MYRRHA linac.