Interdisciplinary research on musical timbre Bringing together sciences, humanities and musical practice Richard Parncutt University of Graz Invited presentation at the Conference on Interdisciplinary Musicology, Montreal, Canada, March 2005

Objectives of presentation examine research frameworks examine research frameworks apply CIM concept to timbre apply CIM concept to timbre guide future research guide future research questions not answers questions not answers

Structure of presentation 1. Definition of “musicology” 2. Structure of musicology 3. Interdisciplinarity 4. Timbre 5. Relevance 6. CIM05

Part 1 Definition of “musicology”

“Musicology” in theory (all) scholarship about (all) music (all) scholarship about (all) music cf. Grove, MGG cf. Grove, MGG

“Musicology” in practice music history of western cultural elites music history of western cultural elites sources: historical documents sources: historical documents associated methods and techniques associated methods and techniques tradition since 19th century tradition since 19th century

“Musicology” journals Acta musicologica Acta musicologica Archiv für Musikwissenschaft Archiv für Musikwissenschaft Current Musicology Current Musicology Journal of the American Musicological Society Journal of the American Musicological Society Journal of Musicological Research Journal of Musicological Research Journal of Musicology Journal of Musicology Musikforschung Musikforschung Revue de Musicologie Revue de Musicologie Studien zur Musikwissenschaft Studien zur Musikwissenschaft... plus many musicology journals of smaller countries

Tacit assumptions of “musicology” (Obviously) (more) important: history history western culture and music western culture and music music of cultural elites music of cultural elites Eurocentricity? 19th-century colonialism?

Solutions: Journals Acknowledge problem in preface Acknowledge problem in preface Change name, e.g. Change name, e.g. Western Music Western Artificial Music History of Notated Western Music Change scope of journal Change scope of journal

Part 2 Structure of musicology

Repertoire-based musicologies: Trends Source: Jonathan Stock, Current Musicology, 1998 “Musicology”Ethnomusicology “music”score part of culture readership“musicologists”interdisciplinary repertorylostdisappearing focus composer, score performance concepts individual, idiosyncratic, history, development, musical autonomy, formal unity culture, typical, tradition, change, social function, cultural uniqueness authorityscholarinformants

Tripartite model: USA “musicology” / theory / ethnomusicology Problems: “musical sciences” are not “musicology” “musical sciences” are not “musicology” too little communication between musicology/theory and ethnomusicology too little communication between musicology/theory and ethnomusicology

Tripartite model: Germany historicalsystematicethno- (tacit) def. western cultural elites western cultural elites mus contexts mus contexts sciences, abstract, interdisciplinary sciences, abstract, interdisciplinary mus. phenomena mus. phenomena non-western, non-elite non-western, non-elite mus. contexts mus. contexts modern content analysis; periods, genres; cult. stud. acoustics, psychology, sociology; aesthetics, philosophy, physiology, media, computing... elite, popular, folk; continents, regions, genres, subcultures prob- lems (none) remainder? auxiliary? remainder? auxiliary? larger and more diverse larger and more diverse fewer professorships? fewer professorships?

(German) Tripartite model: Problems not justified: central position of history of western cultural elites not integrated: musical practice not classified: theory, gender, jazz/pop, prehistory not enough: communication among subdisciplines not unified: musicology

A personal apology I love the “western bourgeous canon” I love the “western bourgeous canon” History is not less important History is not less important Aim: new balance Aim: new balance

Evolution of disciplinary structures top-down attempts to categorize top-down attempts to categorize bottom-up quasi-random expansion bottom-up quasi-random expansion

Musicology: Alternative structure A specifically musical theory, analysis, composition, performance humanities history, cultural studies, philosophy sciences acoustics, psychology, physiology, media, computing mixtures sociology, anthropology, prehistory practice education, medicine, therapy

Musicology: Alternative structure B statusfocusexamples  core “music itself” theory, analysis, composition, performance  central musical contexts and phenomena acoustics, anthropology, cult.stud., history, psychology, sociology peripheral support of core and central  computing, psychoacoustics, philosophy, physiology, prehistory neighboring non-mus. culture & communication art, literature, linguistics practical individual needs  education, therapy, medicine

Part 3 Interdisciplinarity

Interdisciplinarity boundaries of disciplines are fuzzy boundaries of disciplines are fuzzy disciplines are more or less established disciplines are more or less established disciplines are more or less distant disciplines are more or less distant not whether ID, but how much not whether ID, but how much degree of ID is a matter of opinion degree of ID is a matter of opinion role of collaboration role of collaboration motivation, flexibility, curiosity, daring motivation, flexibility, curiosity, daring

Interdisciplinarity within musicology scienceshumanitiespractice contentobjectsubjectaction methodsempiricalintersubjective trial and error Interdisciplinary challenges: content and method boundaries content and method boundaries content-method combinations content-method combinations

Part 4 Timbre

Philosophy of reality physical, experiential, abstract (Popper) physical, experiential, abstract (Popper) equally valid equally valid exist in parallel exist in parallel clearly distinguish clearly distinguish

Description in humanities and sciences in humanities and sciences in music, art, literature in music, art, literature role of language and linguistics role of language and linguistics sciences: same semantic differential can describe completely unrelated multidimensional objects sciences: same semantic differential can describe completely unrelated multidimensional objects psychology: description of other sensations psychology: description of other sensations

Structure of timbre research sciencesnon-biolog. physics, electronics, computing human (neuro-) physiology, psychology human- ities repertoire theory, analysis, semiotics, reception context ethnomusicology, cultural studies musical practice structure composition, improvisation, orchestration, arrangement sound voice, gesture, emotion, imitation; synthesis, processing, recording, MIR

Specific issues in timbre research brainstorming brainstorming questions not answers questions not answers

Nature and origins of timbre Phylogenetic: prehuman hominids Ontogenetic: everyday modern life Evolution and ecology interaction between organisms and sound sources: perceptible sound structures affordances of sound sources Function: source recognition

Aural sensitivity Useful sound parameters carry reliable information about the source. Useful sound parameters carry reliable information about the source. Phase information is lost when direct and reflected sound are superposed Phase information is lost when direct and reflected sound are superposed So ear is insensitive to phase except in attack portion So ear is insensitive to phase except in attack portion

Other senses and blending sight (colour), smell, taste, (tactile) feel sight (colour), smell, taste, (tactile) feel what “goes together” or blends? what “goes together” or blends? analogies and differences between blended timbres, colors, smells etc? analogies and differences between blended timbres, colors, smells etc?

Synaesthesia and timbre interactions between senses interactions between senses investigate with Stroop paradigm investigate with Stroop paradigm nature-nurture question nature-nurture question

Categorical perception Two aspects: mapping of continuum to labels mapping of continuum to labels better discriminability at boundaries better discriminability at boundaries Interdisciplinary question: cultural functions and implications? cultural functions and implications?

Timbre and harmony What is timbre of a fused chord? timbral similarity of chords timbral similarity of chords similarity of pitch-class sets similarity of pitch-class sets

Visual vs. auditory aesthetics Commonalities scene, gestalt scene, gestalt holistic vs analytic holistic vs analytic foreground vs background foreground vs background Why so little interaction between… IAEA vs ICMPC? IAEA vs ICMPC? schools of art and music? schools of art and music?

Timbre and the body physiology: skin and basilar membrane physiology: skin and basilar membrane ethnomusicology: ritual ethnomusicology: ritual culture: gender, sexuality, class, race culture: gender, sexuality, class, race hedonism and quality of life hedonism and quality of life

Music as a virtual person social functions of music social functions of music philosophy: persona theory philosophy: persona theory music as virtual discourse or theatre music as virtual discourse or theatre human qualities of music (Watt & Ash) human qualities of music (Watt & Ash) strong experiences; loneliness strong experiences; loneliness prenatal cog. representation of mother prenatal cog. representation of mother infant timbral acquisition via body infant timbral acquisition via body

Timbral aesthetics evolutionary psychology: evolutionary psychology: attractiveness = ability to reproduce Is there an absolute timbral aesthetic? Is there an absolute timbral aesthetic? Is “attractive” timbre Is “attractive” timbre smooth, voice-like, energetic, original?

History of timbral fashion typical timbres of styles and periods typical timbres of styles and periods sociology of musical preference sociology of musical preference timbre and rapid music recognition timbre and rapid music recognition survival value: language, dialect, group survival value: language, dialect, group timbre and personal musical identity timbre and personal musical identity

Audiation of timbre empirical exploration? empirical exploration? accuracy, stability? accuracy, stability? behavioral, experiential, neurological... behavioral, experiential, neurological... relation to culture and repertoire relation to culture and repertoire

Piano “touch” and “tone” mechanics of action mechanics of action physical descriptions of real tones physical descriptions of real tones timbre perception timbre perception physiology, cognition, motor control physiology, cognition, motor control gestural and timbral ideals gestural and timbral ideals

Part 5 Relevance

Practical relevance help performers understand communication help performers understand communication give composers theories and tools give composers theories and tools audiology: timbre of phonemes audiology: timbre of phonemes room acoustics: timbre of performance space room acoustics: timbre of performance space artificial speech and robotics artificial speech and robotics recording recording commercial, e.g. corporate identity commercial, e.g. corporate identity

Social relevance public interest public interest understanding art and culture understanding art and culture market value market value

Political relevance Do world events have timbre? Do world events have timbre? Example: Penderecki's Threnody for the victims of Hiroshima Can public awareness of political issues by raised by means of timbre? Can public awareness of political issues by raised by means of timbre? Example: multimedia advertising logos

Part 6 CIM05

Timbre of CIM05 diverse, open diverse, open explorative, creative explorative, creative risky, radical risky, radical constructive, critical constructive, critical

Success of CIM05 BALANCE: two main disciplines of presentation two main disciplines of presentation sciences, humanities, practice sciences, humanities, practice history vs. other disciplines history vs. other disciplines western vs. non-western music western vs. non-western music elite music vs. pop/folk elite music vs. pop/folk

Contribution to musicology unity, identity unity, identity academic quality academic quality relevance relevance

Last CIM Tallin, Estonia 2007: Singing Tallin, Estonia 2007: Singing ??? ??? Next CIM(s) order abstract book at reception

Thanks to: Caroline Traube Caroline Traube Serge Lacasse Serge Lacasse Michel Duchesneau Michel Duchesneau...for promoting the concept of interdisciplinary musicology