EXPRESSIVE TIMING AND DYNAMICS IN REAL AND ARTIFICIAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCES - USING AN ALGORITHM AS AN ANALYTICAL TOOL

This paper compares timing and key-velocity data collected from a skil led performance of Schubert's Gb-major Impromptu (Opus 90) with a numb er of performances generated by a version of a musical expression algo rithm proposed by Todd (1992). Regression analysis is used to demonstr ate both the shortcomings of this model as a complete explanation of m usical expression and how it might be more successfully used as a tool for analyzing data from real performances. Used in this second manner , the algorithm is shown to provide a general expressive baseline agai nst which other aspects of expression may be highlighted. It is also s uggested that such a baseline provides a method of decomposing perform ances into continuous and discrete forms of expression. It is conclude d that using algorithmic models as heuristic tools, rather than as exp lanations in themselves, may better serve our increased understanding of the flexible and multiple nature of musical expression.