On the surface the practice of African musics and dances in Sweden seems to be evidence of otherization and exoticization of African cultures. However, those Swedes of non-African background who do African musics and dances are genuinely engaged with the practice in the sense that they participate wholeheartedly and seem to both value and feel positive outcomes from their participation. This thesis explores how the body meets new ‘other’ musics and acquires new musicking practices, and how this is influenced by the body’s musical habitus as well as its own individual life experiences and emotional context. Additionally I look at the body’s role as an integral part of music, rather than as external to it. To illustrate this I use a case study of a group of Swedes on a cultural-eduational tourism trip to Ghana and my own first- hand experience with them learning choreographed dance based on traditional movements and rhythms, and Ewe polyrhythmic drumming. I show how discourses of difference resulting from historical contact, and previous individual experiences influence the encounter with new music, and how the body through social interactions perceives and acquires new musical practices, integrating them with known musical practices to form a kind of hybrid or new musical practice. / <p>Examensarbetet ingick i en Masterexamen i humaniora med inriktning musikvetenskap.</p>

Denna uppsats undersöker hur gymnasieelever på estetiska programmets spetsutbildning i musik uppfattar polyrytmiska övningar i ensemble samt eventuella samband mellan polyrytmiska övningar och pulskänsla. Syftet är att få mer kunskap om gymnasieelevers uppfattningar om polyrytmik. Denna uppsats bygger på en kvalitativ studie med inspiration av aktionsforskning och har gjorts med filmade ensembleövningar där förstaårselever på gymnasiet har fått bekanta sig med det polyrytmiska förhållandet 3:4 och därefter intervjuats enskilt. Studien har använt sig av ett fenomenografiskt teoretiskt perspektiv och visar att polyrytmik uppfattas på olika sätt, men att ett renodlat rytmiskt fokus kan stärka rytmisk förståelse, pulskänsla samt i vissa fall samspel. Den visar också i enlighet med tidigare forskning att en binär underdelning är det vanligaste sättet att uppfatta ett polyrytmiskt förhållande. Vidare forskning skulle kunna göras på referensrytmer och specifika instrumentgruppers uppfattningar om polyrytmik för att ge mer kunskap om hur pulskänsla och polyrytmik uppfattas. / This thesis investigates how polyrhythmic practice within music ensemble in cutting edge education in upper secondary school is perceived. It also investigates the connection between rhythmic stability and polyrhythmic studies. The purpose is to get more knowledge about music students’ perception of polyrythmic practice in music ensemble. The research subjects got acquainted with the polyrhythmic ratio of 3:4. The data which consisted of film and one to one interviews with two ensembles was done in a small-scale quality analysis through a fenomenographic theory method. It showed that polyrhythms are perceived in many ways, but that a rhythmic focus can enhance the understanding of complex rhythms, pulse feel and, in some cases, musical interplay. The study confirmed previous research that binary subdivision is the most common way to perceive pulse within polyrhythmic ratios. Further research could be done on reference rhythms and specific instrumentalists’ perception of polyrhythms to further investigate how the sense of pulse and polyrythmic understanding is perceived.

Leo Ornstein's most significant piano oeuvre, the Seventeen Waltzes, stand out as a unique example of a pianism as a foundation for the composer's musical thoughts. The purpose of this document is to provide musical and technical suggestions based on Ornstein's pianistic patterns, which will help pianists understand the composer's complex writing and form a coherent interpretation. The guide covers the main avant-garde musical devices used by Ornstein such as tone clusters, polymeter, and polyrhythm. A comparison process within the collection will help performers to address Ornstein's unmarked waltzes by underlining the composer's similar ideas and traits.

Le présent mémoire propose une analyse des processus de composition via la mélodie, la polytonalité et la polyrythmie à travers l’improvisation pianistique, pour finir par l’orchestration des cinq pièces musicales composées durant les deux années de la maîtrise en composition instrumentale et vocale à l’Université de Montréal, soit de septembre 2017 à avril 2019. Ces pièces sont un Sextuor, un Octuor, un Mouvement pour deux pianos et percussions, 5 Miniatures pour orchestre et Tristesse de la lune, une mélodie sur un poème de Charles Baudelaire, l’ensemble totalisant 33 minutes de musique. Nous tentons de situer dans un contexte général la place de ces processus à travers les différentes références de l’auteur pour ouvrir le champ des possibilités qu’ils amènent pour le futur. / This thesis proposes an analysis of the composition process via melody, polytonality and polyrhythm through piano improvisation, ending with the orchestration of the five musical pieces composed during the two years of the master's in instrumental and vocal composition at the University of Montreal, from September 2017 to April 2019. These pieces are a Sextet, an Octet, a Movement for two pianos and percussions, 5 Miniatures for orchestra and Tristesse de la lune, a melody on a poem by Charles Baudelaire, totaling 33 minutes of music. We try to situate in a general context the place of these processes through the different references of the author to open fields of possibilities they bring to the future.

Denna studie undersöker olika semiotiska resurser, teckensystem och tecken på lärande som visat sig i mitt övande på polyrytmik med stöd av det designteoretiska perspektivet. Övningen har haft sin utgångspunkt i två olika metodböcker; Applying Karnatic Rhythmical Techniques to Western Music av Rafael Reina (2015) och The Reference Rhythm Method av Mulle Holmqvist (2010). I Rafael Reinas bok lär författaren ut grunderna inom det indiska tala-systemet, som är en del av den sydindiska klassiska musiken. Mulle Holmqvists metod går ut på att lära sig polyrytmik genom att först lära sig en enklare rytm, som påminner om den önskade polyrytmen, för att sedan jämna ut slagen tills det uppstår en polyrytm. Genom att följa min egen lärprocess med hjälp av loggbok och videoinspelningar vid användandet av dessa metodböcker, redogörs i resultatet för hur olika semiotiska resurser kommit att visa sig och hur de i sin tur synliggjort olika tecken på lärande. Exponerandet av dessa tecken på lärande och användandet av resurser har resulterat i en ökad förståelse för hur olika metoder för polyrytmik kan användas och vilka metoder som fungerat bäst för mig. / This study examines various semiotic resources and signs of learning that have manifested themselves in my practice of polyrhythms, with the support of the design theoretical perspective. Two different method books have been used in this essay; Applying Karnatic Rhythmical Techniques to Western Music by Rafael Reina (2015) and The Reference Rhythm Method by Mulle Holmqvist (2010). Rafael Reina's book teaches the basics of the Indian tala-system, which is part of South Indian classical music. Mulle Holmqvist's method involves learning polyrhythms by first learning a simpler rhythm, which resembles the desired polyrhythm, and then level out the beats until a polyrhythm occurs. By following my own learning process with the help of a notebook and video recordings, whilst using these method books, it is shown in the results how different semiotic resources is discovered and how they affect different signs of learning. Exposing these signs of learning and the use of resources has resulted in a greater understanding of how different methods of polyrhythms can be used and which methods have worked best for me.

No description available.

This PhD consists of an artistic work (an album of music) and an exegesis. The album contains eleven works for a variety of ensembles, including an eight-piece pop fusion group, a string quartet, an eleven-piece a cappella ensemble, a five-piece contemporary classical ensemble and a six-piece percussion ensemble. Each of these works embraces a blend of African and Western techniques and aesthetics. These works are the result of a compositional praxis which is closely integrated with a theoretical framework that I develop in the exegesis. The purpose of the exegesis is to provide a framework from which to understand the compositions. Perspectives such as postcolonialism are immediately engaged because of the fact that two distinct world cultures are referenced by these compositions. Similarly, the musical aesthetics of the two source cultures are examined because I need to understand the ways that the value systems are expressed in musical terms, and how they might interact in cross-cultural composition. Examination of the literature reveals that there has been a trend in recent decades towards cultural analysis of cross-cultural music but very little work has been done on the technical analysis of such works (Utz 2003). A preliminary list of issues is developed from a survey of ten relevant composers’ works and these issues are categorised into three analytic dimensions: the contextual (cultural), aesthetic and technical. African “musics” and musical cultures are discussed with regard to issues of Western interpretation (Agawu 2003) and appropriate representation, social and cultural preferences and aesthetic values. Likewise Western musical culture is examined in order to understand its colonial impact, its stylistic consistency and ideas that have emerged about aesthetic preferences and the interpretation of meaning (Cone 1972; Kivy 2001). Four frameworks are developed to address each of these analytical dimensions. The first deals with cultural identity and the appropriation of musical ideas, the second with the sensitivity of certain materials. The third framework enables the examination of the aesthetic preferences for each of the cultures involved and the fourth framework provides a taxonomy and vocabulary of terms for use in analysis of the structural and other technical features of cross-cultural Western/African musics. These four frameworks are applied to the eleven compositions that I have completed for this project. I identify distinct approaches to appropriation, aesthetic preferences, the predominance of rhythmic structure and the performative embodiment and narrative transformational processes in my compositions. I conclude by categorising the technical and stylistic preferences embodied in my work, and identifying possible future directions for my compositions and the development of the analytical frameworks.

The Peabody Conservatory commissioned Estudios De Frontera by Alejandro Viñao in 2004. Percussionist Robert Van Sice initiated the commissioning process. Estudios De Frontera is the first composition for percussion ensemble by Viñao. Viñao's Estudios is written in two movements. The first is titled Homage to Nancarrow. As the title implies the compositional processes are directly influenced by Conlon Nancarrow. The composer states: "Homage to Nancarrow is concerned with the perceptual illusion of multiple simultaneous speeds or tempi....This movement explores the type of rhythms that create the illusion that multiple independent tempi are being heard while remaining playable by musicians." The purpose of this document is to provide a rhythmic analysis describing the techniques used by Chopin, Ligeti, and Nancarrow, and demonstrating their manifestation in the first movement of Alejandro Viñao's Estudios de Frontera. The analysis provides detailed information in regards to Nancarrow's rhythmic structures including: ostinato, hemiola, isorhythm, accelerations, and implied poly-tempo. Additionally, by seeking advice from notable performers and ensembles, the areas of greatest concern are identified, and strategies towards rehearsal and performance are recommended. The performance guide is included as an appendix to the analytic body of the paper.

Cette version du mémoire a été tronquée d'un élément protégé par le droit d'auteur, l'''Annexe 5a audio, K'viria de Riho''. Une version plus complète est disponible en ligne pour les membres de la communauté de l'Université de Montréal et peut aussi être consultée à la Bibliothèque de la Faculté de Musique de l'UdeM. / Ce mémoire porte sur la notion de fusion musicale à la multiplicité d'influences dans ma démarche en composition musicale. Je commencerai par définir le terme de fusion, les différents types de fusion musicale ainsi que leur relation à la tradition musicale d'un côté, et leur relation à une démarche contemporaine en composition musicale. Puis, j'analyserai quantité des styles et traditions qui forment la base de la littérature musicale dont je me sers dans la construction de mon langage personnel, autant du côté des démarches déjà existantes en fusion que du côtés des musiques relevant de traditions non-fusion. Celles qui m'ont le plus influencées sont la musique classique européenne et la musique classique du Moyen-Orient, puis, d'autres influences phares se trouvent dans les musiques classiques d'Inde, la musique vocale de Géorgie, la musique de gamelan Balinais, et dans le Hard Rock ainsi que le Rock Progressif. J'explorerai ensuite de manière plus concrète les modes musicaux, la mélodie et son enrichissement grâce à l'ornementation mélodique, et le rythme, dans lequel la métrique apparaît comme essentielle, et la polyrythmie comme toute aussi enrichissante. Ces trois paramètres – mode, mélodie et rythme - forment les trois grands piliers de mon langage musical. Je ferai des aller-retours entre l'apport des traditions, leur réinterprétation créative et l'expansion de leurs paramètres jusqu'à en dépasser les frontières, ce qui débouchera sur la possibilité et la volonté de la création d'un nouveau style musical en soi, qui dépasserait, peut-être, l'esthétique de la fusion. / This memoir discusses the concept of musical fusion with multiple influences in my compositional works. I will start by defining the term fusion, the different types of fusion as well as their relationship to musical tradition, on the one hand, and their relationship to a contemporary musical compositional endeavor. I will then analyse diverse musical styles and traditions that form the basis of the musical literature that I use in constructing my personal musical language, both in the branch of already existing fusion musics, and in the branch of non-fusion musics. The musics that most influenced me are european classical music and middle-eastern classical music, and then, other important ones include classical indian music, vocal georgian music, balinese gamelan music, Hard Rock and Progressive Rock. Afterwards I will explore in more concrete detail the musical modes, the melody and its complexification with the mechanisms of ornamentation, rhythm, within which time signatures appear to be an essential aspect, and polyrhythm to be it's important mechanism of complexification. These three parameters – mode, melody and rhythm – form the three great pillars of my musical language. I will go back-and-forth between the intakes from tradition, their creative reinterpretation and the expansion of their parameters, until we reach a point where we go beyond their frontier, at which point we will envision the possibility and the will to create a new musical style in itself, which, perhaps, goes beyond the esthetic of fusion.

Ce projet de recherche-création est axé sur le développement d’un outil de création sonore, qui vise à faciliter l’improvisation de musiques électroacoustiques spatialisées sur de multiples haut-parleurs. L’outil nommé Live 4 Life permet plus spécifiquement de composer des polyrythmies spatialisées, combinées à des textures enveloppantes en temps réel. Actuellement, il est particulièrement difficile de contrôler dynamiquement et simultanément de multiples sons dans l’espace, en raison en partie de la stratification du processus de composition dans plusieurs logiciels et de la complexité à spatialiser individuellement chaque événement sonore. En dotant l’improvisateur d’outils de spatialisation flexibles, celui-ci peut exploiter les dimensions spatiales tout au long du processus de création, de la composition jusqu’à la performance. L’intégration, à même l’outil Live 4 Life, des autres paramètres sonores, comme le rythme ou les vitesses de lecture, permet également de créer de nouveaux liens dans la composition de l’espace. L’outil, implémenté sur la plate-forme en source libre SuperCollider, propose une approche comprenant différentes échelles temporelles, où la spatialisation est déterminée autant au niveau local sur des événements individuels que global sur des flux sonores. Des œuvres ouvertes du point de vue spatial et temporel peuvent ainsi être réalisées à partir de multiples séquences pré-composées, qui sont organisées et modifiées en temps réel. Cet outil de performance spatiale met l’accent sur la construction et la déformation de boucles de paramètres, rythmiques ou spatiales. Il permet, en outre, de questionner le développement spatio-temporel entre les objets sonores eux-mêmes, leurs traitements ou leurs réflexions et ouvre sur des questions plus larges sur les liens qui existent entre l’espace et le temps réel. / The research/creation project is focused on the development of a spatialised sound creation tool, which aims at facilitating the improvisation of electroacoustic music on multiple loudspeakers. More specifically, this tool, which is called Live 4 Life, allows to compose spatialised polyrhythms, combined with enveloping textures in real time. Currently, it is particularly difficult to dynamically and simultaneously control multiple sounds in space, due in part to the layering of the composition process in multiple software programs and the complexity of individually spatialising each sound event. By providing the improviser with flexible spatialisation tools, it allows him to exploit spatial dimensions throughout the creative process, from composition to performance. The integration of other sound parameters, such as rhythm, spectrum or playback speeds, in a global creation tool also allows to create new links in the composition of space. The tool, implemented on the open source platform SuperCollider, offers an approach comprising different time scales, where spatialisation is determined both locally on individual events and globally on sound streams. Spatially and temporally open forms can thus be realised from multiple pre-composed sequences, which are organised and modified in real time. This spatial performance tool emphasises the construction and deformation of parameter loops, rhythmic or spatial. It also makes it possible to question the spatio-temporal development between sound objects themselves, their processing or their reflections, and opens up broader questions on the links that exist between space and real time.