Dissertation Index



Author: Syroyid Syroyid, Bohdan

Title: Analysis of Silences in Music: Theoretical Perspectives, Analytical Examples from Twentieth-Century Music, and In-Depth Case Study of Webern’s Op. 27/iii


Institution: KU Leuven

Begun: January 2017

Completed: July 2020

Abstract:

Silences have recurrently been a concern for whoever wrote about music. Despite the large amount of musicological literature available on the topic, much of the treatment that silences have received in the past is rather philosophical or speculative: Does silence exist? Is silence music? Many musicological discussions sprung out as a reaction to John Cage’s provocative and controversial composition 4’33”. Acknowledging the inexistence of an absolute absence of sounds does not eradicate the concept of musical silence. The presence of notated silences can be traced back to Ancient Greek music extending down to present day. These silences are an integral part of a musical composition, but only occasionally they receive some sort of analytical discussion. Are silences susceptible to a deeper musical analysis? What constructive functions do silences display in a music composition? How do silences interact with surrounding musical elements?


Answering these questions is a major concern for supporting the musicality of silence. The original contribution to knowledge that this dissertation offers is a unification of theoretical perspectives under a common framework with the purpose of suggesting a method for the musical analysis of notated acoustic silences. This method provides a foundation for musicologists interested in conducting further research on the silence usage of various composers. Equally, the theory itself is susceptible to further expansion with the creation of new categories or with a rearrangement of existing ones. The proposed method has the potential of stimulating a creative implementation by composers involved in experiments with silences. For performers, analyzing musical silences can lead to an increase in aural awareness, a deeper appreciation of the musical value of silences, as well as a better-informed performance practice.


Ten theoretical perspectives for the analysis of musical silences are retrieved, summarized, and discussed. This literature review is illustrative of the diversity of possible interpretations on the functions of silence, but it should not be regarded as representative of all the available writings on the topic. The extensibility of these theoretical approaches to twentieth-century music is defended by means of several original analytical examples. Most of these theoretical approaches grant relatively little importance to acoustic silences since these approaches strongly rely on the examination of sheet music (notated silence). Furthermore, a wide range of terms has been encountered for addressing relatively similar categories without reaching a consensus between the authors that were surveyed.
The issue of terminology is tackled with the proposition of an original method for the analysis of silences. This method aims to unify the formerly described perspectives in three stages: identification, description, and analysis. Identification is conducted on both sheet music and audio recordings, with the display of waveforms or spectrograms. In the second stage, notated acoustic silences are compared in terms of length. Also, some specific categories are drawn for describing the timbre and the dynamics in acoustic silences. The final stage, analysis, offers ten pathways for assessing the constructive functions of silence. These functions comprise the interaction of silence with rhythm, dynamics, pitch, timbre, texture, form, expectations, continuity, evocations, and the phenomenon of tension-repose.



The analysis of Webern’s Piano Variations, Op. 27/iii reveals how silences are deeply organized in this piece. There is a progressive increase in the frequency of rests towards Variation IV, the climax of the movement. Rhythmic ambiguity as well as the emergence of patterns is triggered through the presence of notated silences. Pitch classes are also assembled through varied types of symmetrical structures. However, in many cases, notated silences are filled by the resonance of the sustain pedal or by the prolongation of preceding sounds. In some cases, this is done to increase the amount of accumulated tension before releasing it by means of a longer silence. Significant levels of discrepancy in the lengths of silences have been registered between the notated and acoustic forms. A particularly remarkable expansion of acoustic durations can be found in the anticlimactic silence that separates the last two variations.


Silences also define two contrasting textures (fragmented versus continuous) which progressively evolve across the movement reaching a synthesis in Variation V. As a comparative analysis of five recordings reveals, these paths are convoluted by the addition and subtraction of silences for expressive purposes. Some of the notated silences can be interpreted as textural fragmentation or omission. In addition, silences contribute to formal segmentation, acting as joints between the Theme and the ensuing variations. Repeatedly, silences are used to contradict the expectations of hearing a regular predictable pattern leaning towards a state of continuous textural development. These numerous changes invoke a highly unstable condition. Silences also prove to be a powerful device for molding the flow of tension-repose. Likewise, silences drive a fervent juxtaposition of contrasting emotional states in Webern’s Op. 27.


Keywords: Musical Silence, Functions of Silence in Music, Categories and Types of Silence, Silence Studies, Music Analysis, Analysis of Silence, Anton Webern

TOC:

ABSTRACT p.I
SAMENVATTING p.V
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IX
NOTES ON TERMINOLOGY p.XI
TABLE OF CONTENTS p.XV
LIST OF FIGURES p.XIX
LIST OF TABLES p.XXIII


INTRODUCTION p.1
Problematic Definition: What is Silence? p.2
Justification: Why Studying Silences in Music is Relevant? p.12
Formulating Hypotheses p.30
Research Goals and Research Questions p.31
Methodological Steps p.33


CHAPTER 1 THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES p.47
1.1 Riemann’s Theory of Rests (1884–1919) p.50
1.2 Braman’s Typology of Self-Assertive Silences (1956) p.65
1.3 Lissa’s Aesthetic Functions of Silence (1964) p.79
1.4 Clifton’s Categories of Silence (1976) p.85
1.5 Dougherty’s Significance of Silence (1979) p.96
1.6 Gaudibert’s Categories of Musical Silence (1995) p.106
1.7 Littlefield’s Framing Silences (1996) p.115
1.8 Alepin’s Classification of Silences (2001) p.124
1.9 Margulis’s Functions of Silence (2007) p.139
1.10 Lo’s Functional Types of Silence (2015) p.150
1.11 Closing Considerations p.161



CHAPTER 2 METHOD FOR THE ANALYSIS OF SILENCES p.167
2.1 Identification of Silences p.169
2.1.1 Identification of Notated Silences (NS) p.169
2.1.2 Identificacion of Acoustic Silences (AS) p.174
2.1.3.A Brief Note on Notated Acoustic Silences (NAS) p.181
2.2. Description of Silences p.182
2.2.1 Temporal Description (NS) p.182
2.2.2 Temporal Description (AS) p.185
2.2.3 Temporal Description (NAS) p.186
2.2.4 Dynamic Description (AS) p.187
2.2.5 Spectral Description (AS) p.188
2.2.6 A Technical Note on Spectrograms p.191
2.3 Analysis of Silences p.196
2.3.1 Rhythmic Functions p.197
2.3.2 Dynamic Functions p.200
2.3.3 Pitch-related Functions p.203
2.3.4 Timbrical Functions p.206
2.3.5 Textural Functions p.209
2.3.6 Formal Functions p.213
2.3.7 Expectative Functions p.216
2.3.8 Continuity-related Functions p.219
2.3.9 Evocative Functions p.221
2.3.10 Tensional Functions p.224
2.4 Closing Considerations p.228



CHAPTER 3 WEBERN’S PIANO VARIATIONS, OP. 27/III p.235
3.1 Background: Opus 27 p.247
3.1.1 Brief Overview of Existing Analyses p.252
3.1.2 Possible Influences on the Usage of Silence p.262
3.1.3 A Note on Metronome Numbers p.270
3.2. Brief Overview of Usage of Silence in the Third Movement p.273
3.2.1 Rhythmic Ambiguity Triggered by Notated Silences p.276
3.2.2 Hard-edged Silences, Echo Silences, and Sfumato Silences p.279
3.2.3 The Impact of Rests on Pitch Class Grouping p.281
3.2.4 Detached Articulations: Nano-silences or Sustained Sound? p.284
3.2.5 Texture Affected by Silence: Fragmentation p.288
3.2.6 Silences and Formal Segmentation p.290
3.2.7 Examples of Silences that Contradict Expectations p.294
3.2.8 Continuity within Fragmentation p.295
3.2.9 “The Music of a Madman”: Listening to Silences p.297
3.2.10 Implication of Silences in Climax and Anticlimax p.299
3.3 Analysis of Silences in the Theme (mm. 1–12) p.302
3.3.1 Identification and Description of NAS p.303
3.3.2 Rhythmic Implications of Silences p.307
3.3.3 Dynamics Surrounding NAS p.310
3.3.4 Pitch Changes Surrounding NAS p.313
3.3.5 Timbrical Changes Induced by Silences p.315
3.3.6 Textural Changes in Relation to NAS p.320
3.3.7 Formal Implications of Silences p.321
3.3.8 Anticipation, Expectations, and Resolution in Silences p.324
3.3.9 Silences and Continuity p.328
3.3.10 Evocation Through Silences p.331
3.3.11 States of Tension-Repose in Silences p.333
3.4 Variation V (mm. 56–66) p.335
3.4.1 Identification and Description of NAS p.336
3.4.2 Rhythmic Implications of Silences p.341
3.4.3 Dynamics Surrounding NAS p.345
3.4.4 Pitch Changes Surrounding NAS p.350
3.4.5 Timbrical Changes Induced by Silences p.352
3.4.6 Textural Changes in Relation to NAS p.354
3.4.7 Formal Implications of Silences p.357
3.4.8 Anticipation, Expectations, and Resolution in Silences p.360
3.4.9 Silences and Continuity p.362
3.4.10 Evocation Through Silences p.364
3.4.11 States of Tension-Repose in Silences p.366
3.5 Closing Considerations p.368



CONCLUSIONS p.373
Limitations p.386
Recommendations p.388
Further Work p.390



REFERENCES p.397
ANNEX A DEFINITIONS OF SILENCE p.429
ANNEX B NOTATED SILENCES p.431
ANNEX C RHYTHMIC DEVICES WITH SILENCES p.433
ANNEX D ANNOTATED SCORE OF WEBERN’S OP. 27/III p.439
ANNEX E TEMPO AND DYNAMIC PLOTS FOR OP. 27/III p.447


Contact:

bohdan.syroyid@uclm.es
syroyid@uri.edu


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