The McGill Association of Student Composers (MASC) invites students, faculty and the general public to our Forum on Contemporary Music. Presentations will be given by composer Sean Clarke (D.Mus, University of Montreal) and theorist Jacob Wiens (M.A. Candidate, McGill). This event is also part of the 2015-16 Doctoral Colloquium Lecture Series.
Sean Clarke, Formal function and phrase structure in contemporary music
This presentation proposes a theory of formal function and phrase structure in contemporary music that can be used as both an analytical tool and applied compositionally. The theory builds on Christopher Hasty’s concept of durational projections and William Caplin’s theory of formal function. Building on Caplin’s categories, I identify four parameters that affect the degree of tight-knit vs. loose organization in Boulez’s post-tonal language: motivic uniformity, functional efficiency, the structure of durational projections (following Hasty), and harmonic complexity. I then present three of my own compositions in which I apply similar ideas: Lucretia Overture for orchestra; 5 Impromptus for trio; and Scarlet Crimson Carmine for eleven strings.
Jacob Wiens, Liminality as a Vantage for Analysis: The Play of Spectral Techniques and Afrological Improvisation in the Music of Steve Lehman
American composer and saxophonist Steve Lehman has garnered considerable critical acclaim for his blend of spectral techniques and Afrological improvisation. In his dissertation, Lehman claims that liminality constitutes the most significant link between spectral techniques and Afrological improvisation. I contend that this notion misidentifies the function of liminality in Afrological improvisation and engenders a false sense of compatibility between these two musical practices. Drawing on the research of George Lewis, Vijay Iyer, and Gérard Grisey, I will argue that a consideration of their differences is essential for a productive interpretation of Lehman’s music, an interpretation that defines spectral music and Afrological improvisation as two distinct entities. The potential of this liminal analytical perspective will be demonstrated through an analysis of Lehman’s use of spectral scales as a basis for improvisation in the piece “No Neighborhood Rough Enough.”
