Dissertation Index



Author: Gonzales-Lizausaba, Oswaldo

Title: A Formalized Analysis of Luciano Berio's Erdenklavier for Piano Solo: An Undulatory Approach

Institution: Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, IRCAM, CNRS (Paris)

Begun: November 1996

Completed: June 1997

Abstract:

This DEA (Master) dissertation is an analysis of Berio's Erdenklavier for Piano solo (1969) with a new analytic system called: Undulatory Analysis invented by Oswaldo Gonzalez-Lizausaba.

One of the fundamental postulates of the Undulatory Analysis (UA) is that any work of music (acoustic or electronic) is the result of a large undulatory process, that is, a metaphor or projection in a very wide range of the sound as it exists in the nature: a Soundwave. In consequence, each musical work has its Natural Undulatory Segmentation. This Natural Undulatory Segmentation conforms the Global Undulatory Movement of the piece that represents in itself its Undulatory model called: The Formal Undulation.

Another main postulate of the UA, is that any musical work is the result or projection of a unique sound called the Fundamental Wave of the piece. This Fundamental Wave is conformed by the sum of all sounds (frequencies) used in the piece, and it is the composer who positions each of this sounds at different places of the work temporal-space as a result of his or her compositional gestures (different procedures, algorithms, etc.).

The UA also reconsiders the notion of musical repetition which is reformulated as a part of the undulatory process of any musical work. Any linguistic notion of repetition is inoperative for this new analytic system. For the UA, the repetition is undulatory (acoustic) and not linguistic. This notion of repetition is supported with concepts and ideas of French philosopher Gilles Deleuze.

A full analysis of Erdenklavier is realised and two models of the piece are presented which can prove the validity of this new analytical system. This models are: The Algorithmic Model, which simulate the entire process of the composition of the piece and the second model, divided in two parts: the Formal Undulation and the Fundamental Wave of Erdenklavier.


Keywords: undulation, form, Berio, Erdenklavier

TOC:

Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
Introduction

I General Presentation of the piece
I.1. The Choice of the piece
I.2. The Fundamental Conception of the work
I.3. The Generating Idea of the work
I.4. "Difference and Repetition" in Erdenklavier

II A Formalized Undulatory Analysis of Erdenklavier
II.1. General Description of the work
II.2. The Pitch Organisation
II.2.1. The Intervals
II.3. The Series in Erdenklavier
II.3.1. The Serial treatment
II.3.2. The Paradigmatic Series
II.3.3. The Organisation of Paradigmatic Series
II.4. The Temporal Organisation
II.4.1. The Duration Series
II.4.2. The Grouping of Duration in Cells-series
II.5. The Undulatory Segmentation
II.5.1. The Total Undulatory Extension of the Work
II.5.2. The Undulatory Segments
II.5.3. The Numbering of the Undulatory Segments
II.5.4. Analysis of the Undulatory Segments
II.5.4.1. The Undulatory Segments Series
II.5.5. The Paradigmatic Undulatory Movements
II.5.6. Analysis of the Global Undulatory Analytic Movement
II.5.6.1. The Period of the Global Undulatory Analytic
Movement

II.6. The Dynamic Structure of Erdenklavier
II.7. The Sustained Notes in Erdenklavier
II.8. The Damper Pedal
II.9. The Models of Erdenklavier
II.9.1. The Algorithmic Model of Erdenklavier
II.9.2. The Formal Undulatory Model of Erdenklavier
II.9.2.1. The Formal Undulation of Erdenklavier
II.9.2.2. The Fundamental Wave of Erdenklavier

III Conclusion
IV Annexes (includes a floppy disk with some sound examples)
V Index of Terms
VI Bibliography

Contact:

Oswaldo Gonzalez-Lizausaba
33, rue de l'Ermitage
95320 Saint Leu La Foret
France
tel. (01) 30 40 71 89 - Fax (01) 34 18 08 11
e-mail: ciimc@club-internet.fr


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