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ACOUSMATIC

Deve essere tenuto lontano da fonti di luce

(1985-86) electroacoustic music [9’ 11”]

Premiered at Teatro Comunale di Bologna, 1987

This composition utilizes a lexicon of few simple elements (lexes) subordinated to compositional laws which do not reduce themselves to cumulative associations. They give to the whole characteristic features which are different from those of the single elements.

A first set of rules is given by a well-defined ordering of low-level parameters, those which give rise to complex tones: number of partials, entry delay, relative durations, amplitude and spectral envelopes, attack rate, slow amplitude and frequency modulations, etc.

At higher level there is a timbre space built on two dimensions which control the harmonicity of the complexes: compression-stretching and shifting. These determine one of the cues investigated by Stephen McAdams in his study on Auditory Images.

The formal rules are first used for the organization of the single sounds in rhythmic structures and then for the arrangements of these structures to form the composition’s whole.

A fundamental feature of a structure as organization of meaningful parts is self-regulation. The structure controls and adjusts itself becoming a natural phenomenon. Rhythm reaches self-regulation by simple means such as symmetry and repetition. From these considerations comes the use of simple and regular rhythmic structures with a deep repetition character. The timbre space above mentioned enhances and more often alters this self-regulation when rhythmic organization and timbral organization are in conflict.

Isolated concrete sounds represents the relation between synthetic and real worlds.

I wish to thank Graziano Tisato of Centro  di Sonologia Computazionale – University of Padova, where the work was realized.