Von: Kevin Austin
Datum: Thu, 9 Jun 2016
Betreff: [cec-c] Alice Shields writes on: STRUCTURAL AND PLAYBACK ISSUES
IN CURRENT ELECTROACOUSTIC MUSIC
http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/structural-and-playback-issues-in-current-electroacoustic-music/
STRUCTURAL AND PLAYBACK ISSUES IN CURRENT ELECTROACOUSTIC MUSIC
BY ALICE SHIELDS
ON JUNE 9, 2016
I’ve composed works using electroacoustic technologies since 1963, and I
want to share with you over the next several weeks some of my thoughts
about the current state of the medium. Since I am trained as a Western
classical composer, my comments will be from that perspective.
1. Structural Issues in Current Electroacoustic Music
The first subject about which I’d like to share my thoughts with you is
the issue of structure in current electroacoustic music. I serve on the
board of The Association for the Promotion of New Music (APNM). We at
APNM will soon be issuing a call for composers to submit their work for
an electroacoustic concert in Spring 2017. We intend to award the
performances to electroacoustic compositions of structural clarity and
elegance.
Why electroacoustic music focusing on structural clarity? Because, in
our opinion, many current electroacoustic works are weakened by not
having clear structure. Even if some may be promising in other ways, we
believe many current electroacoustic works suffer from an overall
sameness of events throughout the duration of the piece.
MANY CURRENT ELECTROACOUSTIC WORKS ARE WEAKENED BY NOT HAVING CLEAR
STRUCTURE.
If what I am describing is true, then why is this happening, and why
now? In the following I’ll consider a number of possible reasons. I’ll
start with some thoughts about what might be the smallest structural
unit in music, and I will focus most of this discussion on structural
issues involving timbre.