Interdisciplinary Interdisciplinary research on musical research on musical

timbretimbre Bringing together sciences, Bringing together sciences, humanities and musical humanities and musical practicepractice

Richard ParncuttRichard Parncutt

University of GrazUniversity of GrazInvited presentation at the Conference on Interdisciplinary Musicology, Montreal, Canada, March 2005

Objectives of Objectives of presentationpresentation

examine research frameworks examine research frameworks apply CIM concept to timbreapply CIM concept to timbre guide future research guide future research questions not answersquestions not answers

Structure of Structure of presentationpresentation

1.1. Definition of “musicology”Definition of “musicology”

2.2. Structure of musicologyStructure of musicology

3.3. InterdisciplinarityInterdisciplinarity

4.4. TimbreTimbre

5.5. RelevanceRelevance

6.6. CIM05CIM05

Part 1Part 1

Definition of “musicology”Definition of “musicology”

““Musicology” in theoryMusicology” in theory

(all) scholarship about (all) music(all) scholarship about (all) music cf. Grove, MGGcf. Grove, MGG

““Musicology” in practiceMusicology” in practice

music history of western cultural music history of western cultural eliteselites

sources: historical documentssources: historical documents associated methods and techniquesassociated methods and techniques tradition since 19th centurytradition since 19th century

““Musicology” journalsMusicology” journals Acta musicologicaActa musicologica Archiv für MusikwissenschaftArchiv für Musikwissenschaft Current MusicologyCurrent Musicology Journal of the American Musicological SocietyJournal of the American Musicological Society Journal of Musicological ResearchJournal of Musicological Research Journal of MusicologyJournal of Musicology MusikforschungMusikforschung Revue de MusicologieRevue de Musicologie Studien zur MusikwissenschaftStudien zur Musikwissenschaft

... plus many musicology journals of smaller countries... plus many musicology journals of smaller countries

Tacit assumptions of Tacit assumptions of “musicology”“musicology”

(Obviously) (more) important:(Obviously) (more) important: history history western culture and music western culture and music music of cultural elitesmusic of cultural elites

Eurocentricity? 19th-century Eurocentricity? 19th-century colonialism?colonialism?

Solutions: JournalsSolutions: Journals

Acknowledge problem in preface Acknowledge problem in preface Change name, e.g.Change name, e.g.

Western MusicWestern Music

Western Artificial MusicWestern Artificial Music

History of Notated Western MusicHistory of Notated Western Music

Change scope of journal Change scope of journal

Part 2Part 2

Structure of musicologyStructure of musicology

Repertoire-based musicologies: Repertoire-based musicologies: TrendsTrends

Source: Jonathan Stock , Current Musicology, 1998

““Musicology”Musicology” EthnomusicologyEthnomusicology““music”music” scorescore part of culturepart of culture

readershireadershipp

““musicologists”musicologists” interdisciplinaryinterdisciplinary

repertoryrepertory lostlost disappearingdisappearing

focusfocus composer, scorecomposer, score performanceperformance

conceptsconcepts individual, individual, idiosyncratic, idiosyncratic, history, history, development, development, musical autonomy, musical autonomy, formal unityformal unity

culture, typical, culture, typical, tradition, change, tradition, change, social function, cultural social function, cultural uniquenessuniqueness

authorityauthority scholarscholar informantsinformants

Tripartite model: USATripartite model: USA““musicology” / theory / musicology” / theory /

ethnomusicologyethnomusicology

Problems:Problems: ““musical sciences” are not musical sciences” are not

“musicology”“musicology” too little communication between too little communication between

musicology/theory and musicology/theory and ethnomusicologyethnomusicology

Tripartite model: Tripartite model: GermanyGermany

historicahistoricall

systematicsystematic ethno-ethno-

(tacit) (tacit) def.def.

western western cultural elitescultural elites mus mus contextscontexts

sciences, abstract, sciences, abstract, interdisciplinaryinterdisciplinary mus. phenomenamus. phenomena

non-western, non-western, non-elitenon-elite mus. mus. contextscontexts

modemodern rn

contecontentnt

analysis; analysis; periods, periods, genres; genres;

cult. stud.cult. stud.

acoustics, acoustics, psychology, psychology, sociology; aesthetics, sociology; aesthetics, philosophy, philosophy, physiology, media, physiology, media, computing...computing...

elite, popular, elite, popular, folk; folk; continents, continents, regions, regions, genres, genres, subculturessubcultures

prob-prob-lemslems

(none)(none) remainder? auxiliary?remainder? auxiliary? larger and more diverselarger and more diverse fewer professorships?fewer professorships?

(German) Tripartite model: (German) Tripartite model: ProblemsProblems

not justified:not justified: central position of history central position of history of western cultural elitesof western cultural elites

not not integrated:integrated:

musical practicemusical practice

not not classified:classified:

theory, gender, jazz/pop, theory, gender, jazz/pop, prehistoryprehistory

not enough:not enough: communication among communication among subdisciplinessubdisciplines

not unified:not unified: musicologymusicology

A personal apologyA personal apology

I love the “western bourgeous I love the “western bourgeous canon”canon”

History is History is not lessnot less important important Aim: new Aim: new balancebalance

Evolution of disciplinary Evolution of disciplinary structuresstructures

top-down attempts to categorizetop-down attempts to categorize bottom-up quasi-random expansionbottom-up quasi-random expansion

Musicology: Alternative Musicology: Alternative structure Astructure A

specificaspecifically lly musicalmusical

theory, analysis, composition, theory, analysis, composition, performanceperformance

humanitihumanitieses

history, cultural studies, history, cultural studies, philosophyphilosophy

sciencessciences acoustics, psychology, acoustics, psychology, physiology, media, computingphysiology, media, computing

mixturesmixtures sociology, anthropology, sociology, anthropology, prehistoryprehistory

practicepractice education, medicine, therapyeducation, medicine, therapy

Musicology: Alternative Musicology: Alternative structure Bstructure B

statusstatus focusfocus examplesexamplescore core ““music itself”music itself” theory, analysis, composition, theory, analysis, composition,

performanceperformancecentral central musical musical

contexts and contexts and phenomena phenomena

acoustics, anthropology, acoustics, anthropology, cult.stud., history, psychology, cult.stud., history, psychology, sociology sociology

peripheralperipheral support of core support of core and centraland central

computing, psychoacoustics, computing, psychoacoustics, philosophy, physiology, philosophy, physiology, prehistory prehistory

neighborinneighboringg

non-mus. non-mus. culture & culture & communication communication

art, literature, linguisticsart, literature, linguistics

practicalpractical individual individual needsneeds

education, therapy, medicine education, therapy, medicine

Part 3Part 3

InterdisciplinarityInterdisciplinarity

InterdisciplinarityInterdisciplinarity

boundaries of disciplines are fuzzyboundaries of disciplines are fuzzy disciplines are more or less establisheddisciplines are more or less established disciplines are more or less distantdisciplines are more or less distant not not whetherwhether ID, but ID, but how muchhow much degree of ID is a matter of opiniondegree of ID is a matter of opinion role of collaboration role of collaboration motivation, flexibility, curiosity, daringmotivation, flexibility, curiosity, daring

Interdisciplinarity within Interdisciplinarity within musicologymusicology

sciencscienceses

humanitieshumanities practicepractice

contentcontent objectobject subjectsubject actionaction

methodmethodss

empiricalempirical intersubjectivintersubjectivee

trial and errortrial and error

Interdisciplinary challenges:Interdisciplinary challenges: content and method boundariescontent and method boundaries content-method combinationscontent-method combinations

Part 4Part 4

TimbreTimbre

Philosophy of realityPhilosophy of reality

physical, experiential, abstract physical, experiential, abstract (Popper)(Popper)

equally validequally valid exist in parallelexist in parallel clearly distinguishclearly distinguish

DescriptionDescription

in humanities and sciencesin humanities and sciences in music, art, literaturein music, art, literature role of language and linguisticsrole of language and linguistics sciences: same semantic sciences: same semantic

differential can describe differential can describe completely unrelated completely unrelated multidimensional objects multidimensional objects

psychology: description of other psychology: description of other sensationssensations

Structure of timbre researchStructure of timbre research

sciencesciencess

non-biolog.non-biolog. physics, electronics, computingphysics, electronics, computing

humanhuman (neuro-) physiology, psychology(neuro-) physiology, psychology

humanhuman-ities-ities

repertoirerepertoire theory, analysis, semiotics, theory, analysis, semiotics, receptionreception

contextcontext ethnomusicology, cultural ethnomusicology, cultural studiesstudies

musicamusical l practicpracticee

structurestructure composition, improvisation, composition, improvisation, orchestration, arrangementorchestration, arrangement

soundsound voice, gesture, emotion, voice, gesture, emotion, imitation; synthesis, processing, imitation; synthesis, processing, recording, MIRrecording, MIR

Specific issues in timbre Specific issues in timbre researchresearch

brainstormingbrainstorming questions not answersquestions not answers

Nature and origins of Nature and origins of timbretimbre

Phylogenetic:Phylogenetic:

prehuman hominids prehuman hominids Ontogenetic:Ontogenetic:

everyday modern everyday modern lifelife

Evolution and ecologyinteraction between organisms and sound sources:• perceptible sound structures • affordances of sound sources

Function: source recognition

Aural sensitivityAural sensitivity

Useful sound parameters carry Useful sound parameters carry reliable information about the reliable information about the source.source.

Phase information is lost when Phase information is lost when direct and reflected sound are direct and reflected sound are superposedsuperposed

So ear is insensitive to phase So ear is insensitive to phase except inexcept in attack portion attack portion

Other senses and blendingOther senses and blending

sight (colour), smell, taste, (tactile) sight (colour), smell, taste, (tactile) feelfeel

what “goes together” or blends?what “goes together” or blends? analogies and differences between analogies and differences between

blended timbres, colors, smells etc?blended timbres, colors, smells etc?

Synaesthesia and timbreSynaesthesia and timbre

interactions between sensesinteractions between senses investigate with Stroop investigate with Stroop

paradigmparadigm nature-nurture questionnature-nurture question

Categorical perceptionCategorical perception

Two aspects:Two aspects: mapping of continuum to labelsmapping of continuum to labels better discriminability at boundariesbetter discriminability at boundaries

Interdisciplinary question:Interdisciplinary question: cultural functions and implications?cultural functions and implications?

Timbre and harmonyTimbre and harmony

What is timbre of a fused chord?What is timbre of a fused chord? timbral similarity of chordstimbral similarity of chords similarity of pitch-class setssimilarity of pitch-class sets

Visual vs. auditory Visual vs. auditory aesthetics aesthetics

CommonalitiesCommonalities scene, gestaltscene, gestalt holistic vs analyticholistic vs analytic foreground vs backgroundforeground vs background

Why so little interaction between…Why so little interaction between… IAEA vs ICMPC?IAEA vs ICMPC? schools of art and music?schools of art and music?

Timbre and the bodyTimbre and the body

physiology: skin and basilar physiology: skin and basilar membranemembrane

ethnomusicology: ritualethnomusicology: ritual culture: gender, sexuality, class, raceculture: gender, sexuality, class, race hedonism and quality of lifehedonism and quality of life

Music as a virtual personMusic as a virtual person

social functions of musicsocial functions of music philosophy: persona theoryphilosophy: persona theory music as virtual discourse or theatremusic as virtual discourse or theatre human qualities of music (Watt & Ash) human qualities of music (Watt & Ash) strong experiences; lonelinessstrong experiences; loneliness prenatal cog. representation of motherprenatal cog. representation of mother infant timbral acquisition via bodyinfant timbral acquisition via body

Timbral aestheticsTimbral aesthetics

evolutionary psychology: evolutionary psychology:

attractiveness = ability to reproduceattractiveness = ability to reproduce Is there an absolute timbral Is there an absolute timbral

aesthetic?aesthetic? Is “attractive” timbre Is “attractive” timbre

smooth, voice-like, energetic, smooth, voice-like, energetic, original?original?

History of timbral History of timbral fashionfashion

typical timbres of styles and periodstypical timbres of styles and periods sociology of musical preferencesociology of musical preference timbre and rapid music recognitiontimbre and rapid music recognition survival value: language, dialect, survival value: language, dialect,

group group timbre and personal musical identity timbre and personal musical identity

Audiation of timbreAudiation of timbre

empirical exploration? empirical exploration? accuracy, stability?accuracy, stability? behavioral, experiential, behavioral, experiential,

neurological...neurological... relation to culture and repertoirerelation to culture and repertoire

Piano “touch” and Piano “touch” and “tone”“tone”

mechanics of actionmechanics of action physical descriptions of real tonesphysical descriptions of real tones timbre perceptiontimbre perception physiology, cognition, motor controlphysiology, cognition, motor control gestural and timbral idealsgestural and timbral ideals

Part 5Part 5

RelevanceRelevance

Practical relevancePractical relevance

help performers understand help performers understand communication communication

give composers theories and tools give composers theories and tools audiology: timbre of phonemesaudiology: timbre of phonemes room acoustics: timbre of performance room acoustics: timbre of performance

spacespace artificial speech and roboticsartificial speech and robotics recordingrecording commercial, e.g. corporate identitycommercial, e.g. corporate identity

Social relevanceSocial relevance

public interestpublic interest understanding art and understanding art and

cultureculture market valuemarket value

Political relevancePolitical relevance

Do world events have timbre? Do world events have timbre?

Example: Example: Penderecki's Penderecki's Threnody for Threnody for the victims of Hiroshimathe victims of Hiroshima

Can public awareness of political Can public awareness of political issues by raised by means of timbre? issues by raised by means of timbre?

Example: Example: multimedia advertising multimedia advertising logoslogos

Part 6Part 6

CIM05CIM05

Timbre of CIM05Timbre of CIM05

diverse, open diverse, open explorative, creativeexplorative, creative risky, radicalrisky, radical constructive, criticalconstructive, critical

Success of CIM05Success of CIM05

BALANCE:BALANCE: two main disciplines of presentationtwo main disciplines of presentation sciences, humanities, practicesciences, humanities, practice history vs. other disciplineshistory vs. other disciplines western vs. non-western musicwestern vs. non-western music elite music vs. pop/folkelite music vs. pop/folk

Contribution to Contribution to musicologymusicology

unity, identityunity, identity academic qualityacademic quality relevancerelevance

Last CIMLast CIM

Tallin, Estonia 2007: Tallin, Estonia 2007: SingingSinging

??????

Next CIM(s)Next CIM(s)

order abstract book at receptionorder abstract book at reception

Thanks to:Thanks to:

Caroline TraubeCaroline Traube Serge LacasseSerge Lacasse Michel DuchesneauMichel Duchesneau

...for promoting the concept ...for promoting the concept of interdisciplinary of interdisciplinary musicologymusicology