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東工大クロニクル No. 424 Sep. 2007 ment of society, music has a body language, a coded “grammar” within each century, a rubato There are several ways to Paradise in baroque music is different than a rubato in Florence Sitruk romantic time. Its expression is based on the state of freedom in behaviour of the human body From 21st to 2nd of July 2007, the brilliance of which reflects the mind of the whole human indi- some 20 Tokyo Tech students made my compact vidual. Music is one of the most important seminar on the relationship between music and expressions of human mankind though it is diffi- technology which I led on the invitation of Prof. cult to prove that music is a language since its Noboru Hidano at the Center for the Study of grammar is not as obvious as it is with a spoken World Civilizations a high thinking lab. Coming language. How can a sound have a meaning to from all different sciences, as for example chem- us when it has disappeared at the moment we istry, robot science, engineering and others, some hear it? This problem - the fast phenomenon of a of my students were at the same time highly resonating sound, a musical particle, a melody trained musical people who would ask me after which is gone on the spot we hear it - makes it so classes, how I would play a harp part from difficult to speak about music in comparison to “Gianni Schicci” on the piano - which lead right the visual arts for example. into the question what a rubato is. How can one In general discussions we always experienced tell the nature of a rubato to a science student the same phenomenons, as for example the fact without using an unfulfilling dictionary explana- that - even for a musician - it is hard to think of the tion? The art of rubato is a true science itself and beginning of a piece while you are in the middle has filled the “Handwörterbuch der Musikalischen of it. Another phenomenon is that we loose the Terminologie”, a highly specialized dictionary with feeling of time while we listen to music. It is a forty-page article. The science of the rubato in almost impossible to guess which amount of time music is maybe one of the best examples to show has passed since the start of a concert even if we that music is of physical development within sit in the classical confrontal and unmovable situ- music history, and this is why I choose to quote ation of a stage and an auditorium. Our general this little example which, like many other inci- discussion led to the opinion that it is not only dences, led us to inspired and enthusiastic reflec- enthusiasm which lets us forget time, but that tions and discussions. The “body language” and music shows specific phenomenons other arts do “grammar of music” changes according to the not have. degree of individualization of human society. All It was now my aim to get a closer look at what has to do with the physical entity of music: musi- is explainable in music and what everyone cal material is orientated towards the develop- already feels while listening to music but may not ― 13 ― 東工大クロニクル No. 424 Sep. 2007 be able to discover in the written text, in the the technical term without which music would not written factura. I do not make and did not make have been understood as music. The term any differences between the essence or worth of “musike” alone does not exist, it would only be music, may it be popular or classical. Of course, I an adjective, only the full term would express am a classically trained musician who speaks what we understand by it today. about masterworks of the so called music of the “Abendland” (occident), but we did also integrate Pursuing the question further what arts and the look on popular music which often has deri- technique have in common we discovered that vations found in classical masterpieces. The phe- music is put in an emotional, unempirical sphere nomenon of techno music for example is old seen which makes it difficult to see the science behind the fact that Strawinskij has invented a new level the auditive phenomenon. This influences our lis- of rhythmical strength and power within his tening behaviour when we enjoy concerts or works already at the beginning of last century. music anywhere. Music is anywhere around us to Asked the question whether I would only listen to influence us, but we do not realize that it is made classical music, I always try to explain that once to influence us - the better a composer, the better you can swim in a sea, you want to swim in an the result. We do not hear - unless we are a pro- ocean. fessional trained musician - the compositional technique which arises from the black notes on If Johann Sebastian Bach in German language the white paper, we only experience the acoustic at his time says “we” speaking of himself, and result. In order to get closer to the structure Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart some 100 years later, behind, and without making a harmonical analy- close to the French revolution in 1789, says “I” sis, I made the class listen to a well known piece and means “I”,music has undergone one of the by Robert Schumann for piano called the first important revolutions in its expression: the Träumerei. It was fascinating to see that every- accumulation of energy, of energetic expression. one had the same shades of emotions talking The reader might now already see the link about the impression of the piece, but that every between music and science, how we slowly head- of these impressions could be intentionally creat- ed to the facts of material and society, away ed by the composer to exactly receive this result, from the cliché that music is pure emotion and none wanted to believe. Is it the piece which unexplainable. dreams or is it me, the listener who dreams in In fact, in early Greek times, at the very begin- the piece? Like in a detective study, bits of ning of a definition of music, “musike techne” proves were collected. The repeated motive meant music close to how we understand it which makes us forget how many times the piece today. The term shows that it always included started, the unclear rhythmical structure since the first beat is overshadowed by a tied chord, the stretch of intervals - all these are just few examples to show how well a good composer knows to be effective on our auditive reception in this case, to believe that the piece has a dreaming effect. Another fruitful example was the analysis of the Prélude of Love and Death of Richard Wagner’s opera Tristan and Isolde. It was, also for myself, astonishing to see that the impressions collected ― 14 ― 東工大クロニクル No. 424 Sep. 2007 of listening to the piece had no difference the class dedicated to music of the 20th century whether it was given to a class in middle Europe and of today: neither is it possible to look easily or in Japan. “into the cards” of a composer nor can one say This phenomenon does not only again show with absolute certainty what the emotional mes- Richard Wagner as a highly talented “technician” sage might be. The turning point in this develop- in his compositional capacities, but also the pre- ment of music history is 1907/08 with Arnold dominance of the music of the 19th century, the Schönberg’s 2nd string quartet in f sharp minor so-called romantic time. Not only is it difficult to which is called the beginning of atonal music. get the terminology of classical and romantic Again, my approach was sociological: as a mas- time right, but also are we not aware in our lis- ter had to understand that slavery was of passed tening habits of the predominance of this musical times, a music piece would not show hierarchies output in its energetic accumulation. The effect anymore between chords and progressions - the by it, the creation of counterworlds, as late and musical material moved towards independence of renowned musicologist H. -H. Eggebrecht calls it, each chord, or better - each sound. In order to is the music of “Triebklänge und Gegenwelten” as get rid of predetermination, John Cage’s Music of he explains it in his model of the two worlds. Our Changes set up an explosive example. The music current musical scene, as well as music business, is “composed” by tossing coins to chose the next is mostly driven by works of the 19th century, sound, rhythm, pitch, length or silence of meas- and few people know why. It is not only the ure. None of these parameters are linked to each melodies which remain in our mind - it would be other. But does our brain connect what we hear difficult to sing the beginning of this prélude - it is or do we realize that there is no immanent con- the highly developed physical side of this music nection? And why do we have difficulties listening which moves us, and which shows how much to modern music in comparison to the music of music has to do with the freedom of the human the 19th century, do we need the “feudal system” body. May a dancer back in the 18th century have in music, and maybe even in society because we danced with just his feet and arms, a dancer at cannot handle democracy (yet)? the beginning of last century would not be too far anymore in his freedom of dancing moves as a bit later disco youngsters around the world. This freedom of the body moves seem to have to do with the freedom in development of human society towards democracy in general. A difficult chapter was of course consequently ― 15 ― 東工大クロニクル No. 424 Sep. 2007 Classes were too short to give more than an Note: The author, Professor Florence Sitruk, is a impulse to think about these questions. I person- world well known harpist and adjunct professor ally tried in a harp recital I gave at the end of the at the Center for Study of World Civilizations, seminar, to show through the program the inner Tokyo Institute of Technology. She gave a link between the pieces and through this, the inner workshop titled ‘Art workshop 2007 A’ on June thought which links composers. I experienced a and July for a freshman to PhD program stu- very warm and attentive audience at Digital Hall, dents at Tokyo Tech. She also debuted at the on Tokyo Tech Campus and it added to one more concert in Japan on July 1st at the program of memory I cherish. I am thankful to Tokyo Tech Art at Tokyo Tech. Her excellent performance and its director Prof. Hidano and founder and of various pieces especially Rokudan composed motor Prof. Pulvers for their courage to believe in by Mayuzumi was enthusiastically accepted by such science-crossing seminars which were cer- the audience. (noted by Professor Noboru Hidano) tainly the normality in Renaissance humanism and which we truly lack today. It is not only a lecture offered to students of a different field, but 筆者のフローレンス シトラック教授は世界的な also enrichment to the invited professor to work ハープ奏者,又世界文明センターの特任教授で, with highly talented thinkers outside his or her 2007年6−7月に文明科目,芸術ワークショップ field. It is definitely an experience which I will 2007A を学部一年から博士後期課程学生に教授し, pass on to my harp students at the Haute Ecole また2007年7月1日の Art at Tokyo Tech で同氏の de Musique de ‘ Geneve! 日本初公演を果たし聴衆を魅了した。特に黛の作品 である六段の演奏は熱狂的な支持を得た。なお,同 (Adjunct Professor, 氏の演奏したハープは青山ハープの提供によるもの (The Center for the Study of World Civilizations, である。 Professor, (社会理工学研究科社会工学専攻 教授 The Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève) (肥田野登 記) ― 16 ―