Statistical analysis of written and performed music. A study of compositional principles and problems of coordination and expression in "punctual" serial music
D. Moelants, Statistical analysis of written and performed music. A study of compositional principles and problems of coordination and expression in "punctual" serial music, J NEW M RES, 29(1), 2000, pp. 37-60
In this paper, statistical techniques like correlation and analysis of vari
ance are applied to the analysis of musical scores and performances. As an
illustration of the possibilities of these techniques in music analysis, on
e of the first examples of rationally constructed punctual serial music, Ka
rel Goeyvaerts' "No. 1" was analyzed. This led to interesting new insights
in the construction of the score. In addition, three expert performances of
the piece were analyzed. In these some strategies of expressive timing not
related to structural aspects were found as well as considerable problems
of coordination between the performers. This gives rise to questions about
music cognition, music critics and aesthetics.