Many of the most interesting developments in musical form over the last few decades have featured explorations in non-linear progression. Influenced in part by the implications of Relativity theory, but equally by the ease with which filmed narrative can shift us back and forth in time, composers have sought ways to manipulate notions of linear time, finding lovely juxtapositions and surprising destinations in the process.
As much as I love contemplating the multiverse, though, I can’t help wondering about the yearnings behind this way of viewing time. Is it unkind to see it as a form of denial? Viewing time as non-linear certainly doesn’t change the fact that we are all mortal, that every minute brings us one minute closer to our end. Seen from that perspective, life could hardly be more linear, more unidirectional.
Ultimately, I understand that this way of thinking is simplistic and reductive, but it nonetheless keeps me suspicious of being seduced by trends in non-linear composition. That’s not to say that there aren’t wonderful things being accomplished by composers in this vein. I suppose it’s similar to the way I view Bach or Messiaen: I don’t buy for a minute their views in the spiritual realm, but I love the music that grew out of their spirituality, and I recognize that music could not have happened in the same way if they weren’t 100% committed to their religious beliefs. Since I don’t share those beliefs, though, it would be foolish for me to try to write that kind of music, just as I can’t fully commit to the idea of writing music that is somehow non-linear, as much as I may admire the works of those who can.
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Unrelated note: anybody know of a good way to post musical examples (notes on staff, not sound files) on WordPress? When I turn them into jpegs they are too fuzzy.
This is an interesting premise. Off the bat, without being familiar with those who count themselves among nonlinear composers, and not finding satisfactory answers after conducting a search, I would say that any music is linear simply because it consists of sound moving through time, which holds true even if, to use one extreme, there is no change at all in that sound.
There were two personal experiences with how music moves through time that influenced me enormously. One was hearing the Kronos Quartet at CalArts in 1980 or 1981 play a piece by Morton Feldman that seemed more in the moment than actually moving through time.
This sensation was amplified profoundly in my mind when I heard what I believe were several Dagar brothers from India singing an ancient form of alap known as dhrupad at Washington Square Church in Manhattan in 1987. (I’ve contacted the World Music Institute about this several times, requesting them to verify who the performers were, but they never afforded me the courtesy of a response.)
What happened during that New York City performance was truly experiencing in an internal manner how music may reflect the reality of the moment, moving moment to moment, without fear for the future beyond that immediate perception, trusting that by using one’s musical reflexes to adjust to each moment, the music will achieve seamless continuity.
I find it inconceivable that Morton Feldman was not profoundly influenced by the alap form of Indian classical music. However, I’ve never come across any evidence of Feldman acknowledged this. Perhaps, similar to how Charles Ives apparently wished to conceal the influence Claude Debussy had on his work, Feldman preferred to keep the alap influence a secret. (Conlon Nancarrow too, as far as I know, never credited the influence of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie (and other related jazz artists) on his musical conception, even though it is abundantly evident in his compositions.)
If someone has definitive information about this (or is familiar with Feldman’s personal collection of recordings), it would be great to hear from them!
typo: However, I’ve never come across any evidence of Feldman acknowledging this.
Hi Lawrence, jpgs on this medium can be fuzzy, but (as I’m always explaining to readers) if one clicks on them they show up in a new window in focus. Don’t know why. Wish there were a workaround. But I’ve been living with it for a long time.
Thanks for the tip, Kyle. I will give that a try.
Have you tried experimenting with other formats? If you’re starting from Sibelius & exporting a few measures as a graphic, you are given a choice of other formats (png, eps, tiff, bmp) as well as several choices for resolution. I don’t have access to Finale anymore, but I imagine it gives similar choices. I use Blogger & it took a while before I figured out which ones work well & which don’t.
PS: I just posted a .png graphic of a measure done with Sibelius to an inactive WordPress site I have & then looked at it in preview. It came out crystal clear. Best – Steve
I did try exporting them in a variety of formats, including .png, but your success has encouraged me to try again.