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PRACTICAL SPECTRALISM: A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF THE SPECTRAL TECHNIQUES IN THE DAMAGES OF GRAVITY BY DAVID LITKE by ERIK MICHAEL FORST (Under the Direction of Timothy K. Adams, Jr.) ABSTRACT Spectral music is a school of compositional thought developed in France in the late 1960s in which composers utilize computer analyses of source sounds to derive pitch, melody, harmony, rhythm, form, and other compositional elements. By its very nature, spectral music as a genre is difficult to define and is often a difficult undertaking for performers. The purpose of this document is to provide performers of spectral music an analytical guide by which to demystify some of the more technical aspects of the genre and thereby aid them in providing more accurate representations of these compositions. By using an entirely new composition, I intend to show how the techniques commonly found in spectral compositions have simultaneously remained consistent over the past four decades as well as changed significantly through the evolution of compositional philosophies and computer technology. INDEX WORDS: Spectral Music, Spectralism, David Litke, Gerard Grisey, Tristan Murail, Percussion

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Page 1: PRACTICAL SPECTRALISM: A PERFORMANCE … WORDS: Spectral Music, Spectralism, David Litke, Gerard Grisey, Tristan Murail, Percussion . PRACTICAL SPECTRALISM: A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

PRACTICAL SPECTRALISM: A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF THE SPECTRAL

TECHNIQUES IN THE DAMAGES OF GRAVITY BY DAVID LITKE

by

ERIK MICHAEL FORST

(Under the Direction of Timothy K. Adams, Jr.)

ABSTRACT

Spectral music is a school of compositional thought developed in France in the late 1960s

in which composers utilize computer analyses of source sounds to derive pitch, melody,

harmony, rhythm, form, and other compositional elements. By its very nature, spectral music as

a genre is difficult to define and is often a difficult undertaking for performers. The purpose of

this document is to provide performers of spectral music an analytical guide by which to

demystify some of the more technical aspects of the genre and thereby aid them in providing

more accurate representations of these compositions. By using an entirely new composition, I

intend to show how the techniques commonly found in spectral compositions have

simultaneously remained consistent over the past four decades as well as changed significantly

through the evolution of compositional philosophies and computer technology.

INDEX WORDS: Spectral Music, Spectralism, David Litke, Gerard Grisey, Tristan Murail,

Percussion

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PRACTICAL SPECTRALISM: A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF THE SPECTRAL

TECHNIQUES IN THE DAMAGES OF GRAVITY BY DAVID LITKE

by

ERIK MICHAEL FORST

BMUS, The University of Georgia, 2003

MM, The University of Kansas, 2005

A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial

Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

ATHENS, GEORGIA

2015

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© 2015

Erik Michael Forst

All Rights Reserved

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PRACTICAL SPECTRALISM: A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF THE SPECTRAL

TECHNIQUES IN THE DAMAGES OF GRAVITY BY DAVID LITKE

by

ERIK MICHAEL FORST

Major Professor: Timothy K. Adams, Jr Committee: Adrian Childs Michael Robinson Electronic Version Approved: Julie Coffield Interim Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2015

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would first like to thank David Litke for his tireless work and dedication to this project.

Your talents and assistance have been an immeasurable help to me as I have worked through this

project, and I quite literally could not have done it without you.

I would like to thank Professor Timothy Adams for his guidance and support over the

past five years. Thank you for always pushing me in a new direction.

I would like to thank Drs. Adrian Childs and Michael Robinson for their efforts in

helping me craft this document.

I would like to thank the members of the quartet who helped me premier this work:

Allison Blumenthal, Richard Blumenthal, and Nathaniel Lee. Your commitment has helped to

make this project a reality.

Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Mandy, and my children, Phoebe and Elijah, without

whose love and endless support this project would not have been possible.

All musical examples provided are used by permission of the composer.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv

CHAPTER

1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1

Genesis of the Project .............................................................................................. 2

Background of the Composition .............................................................................. 3

2 SPECTRAL MUSIC: AN OVERVIEW ....................................................................... 6

History ..................................................................................................................... 6

Common Spectral Compositional Techniques ...................................................... 10

3 THE DAMAGES OF GRAVITY: A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF SPECTRAL

TECHNIQUES ...................................................................................................... 20

Background and Large-Scale Elements ................................................................. 20

Empathy ................................................................................................................. 23

Deformation ........................................................................................................... 29

Transformation ...................................................................................................... 35

Reparation .............................................................................................................. 41

4 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................... 45

REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................. 47

APPENDIX

A LECTURE SCRIPT ..................................................................................................... 49

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Spectral music is a school of compositional thought and techniques that, by its very

nature, is difficult to define. Since its inception in the late 1960s, composers who based their

compositions on spectral analysis of source sounds have continually shied away from attaching

an all-encompassing label of “genre” or “style” to their works, allowing for their compositions to

evolve freely out of the source material. Joshua Fineberg noted the amorphous nature of spectral

music when he stated that “the most pertinent remark for understanding its meaning was made

by Tristan Murail when he referred to spectral composition as an attitude towards music and

composition, rather than a set of techniques.”1 Gerard Grisey, one of the progenitors of spectral

music, further reinforced this point when he stated, “The spectral adventure…is not a closed

technique but an attitude.”2

Despite spectral music’s resistance to definition, further analysis brings to light certain

elements that are common across most, if not all, the spectralist oeuvre, including the central

belief that music is sound evolving within time.3 Indeed, sound is central to the spectralist, and

the idea of sound as an object composed of many different parts rather than a singular entity

plays a pivotal role in most spectral compositions.4 Advances in sound analysis technology

1 Fineberg, Joshua. “Spectral Music.” Contemporary Music Review 19, part 2 (2000): 2

2 Grisey, Gérard. “Did You Say Spectral?” trans. Joshua Fineberg. Contemporary Music Review 19, part 3 (2000):3

3 Fineberg, “Spectral Music,” 2 4 Moscovich, Viviana. “French Spectral Music: An Introduction.” Tempo, New Series No. 200 (April, 1997): 21

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allowed composers to see a continuous sound broken down into its component partials, and the

data from such analyses began to be used to inform all aspects of a composition, including form,

pitch content, rhythm, and timbral choices. As a result, certain compositional techniques, such

as instrumental synthesis, began to see common use among the many practitioners of spectral

composition. This technique, as well as the vast array of other approaches, can pose a daunting,

task for any performer to who is not versed in the language of spectralism.

It is the primary goal of this discourse to provide performers of spectral music an

analytical guide by which to demystify some of the more technical aspects of the genre so as to

aid in providing more accurate representations of these compositions. By using an entirely new

composition, I intend to show how the techniques commonly found in spectral compositions

have simultaneously remained consistent over the past four decades as well as changed

significantly through the evolution of compositional philosophies and technology. The result

will provide performers with both a classification system for various spectralist techniques, as

well as a suitable guide by which musicians can more accurately represent those techniques. It is

my hope that by providing this analysis, potential performers of this music may find it to be more

accessible than it initially seems.

Genesis of the Project

In the fall of 2012, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a lecture given by composer

David Litke as part of a seminar class in which I was enrolled that focused primarily on 20th

century French compositional techniques. Litke’s lecture centered on a compositional idiom

known as spectral music, a term given to a school of compositional thought and techniques that

gained popularity in France in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Litke’s lecture dealt not only with

the theories and attitudes behind Spectral composition, but also the technology available to

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composers to obtain a spectral analysis and to utilize the information in their compositions.

Toward the end of the lecture, Litke presented the class with an example from one of his

own compositions, entitled “Elucide,” which was composed as part of his doctoral thesis at the

University of British Columbia. In this piece, Litke employed a technique common among many

spectral composers known as “instrumental synthesis,” in which a given sound--in this case, a

struck Tibetan prayer bowl--was broken down into its resonant frequencies, and those

frequencies were reassigned to the different members of the ensemble in an attempt to recreate

the source sound. I was immediately fascinated with the result of this technique, and it was then

that I decided to contact Litke regarding a commission that would serve as the basis of my own

doctoral capstone project. The composer promptly agreed, and the project moved forward.

Background of the Composition

The foundation for this document centers on Litke’s new work, entitled The Damages of

Gravity, scored for two pianos, two percussionists, and live electronic processing, and composed

specifically for this project. For inspiration, the composer has drawn upon an installation entitled

“Straight” by controversial Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. This installation, completed in 2012, was

built out of nearly 150 tons of twisted rebar that the artist pulled from the rubble of various

schoolhouses in Sichuan Province (China) that collapsed and killed nearly 5000 schoolchildren

during the powerful earthquake of 2008. Ai’s initial impetus for the installation was to call

attention to the sub-par construction practices Ai and his investigative group found at the

collapsed buildings, which he believed might have led to the extremely high number of fatalities

associated with this event. Ai and his team then spent 3-½ years straightening the rebar by hand

in an effort to return them to their original state. He then arranged the rebar in a flowing and

wavelike landscape that serves both as a reminder to the government of the damage that such

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shoddy construction practices can cause and as a memorial to the over 5000 schoolchildren and

teachers that lost their lives.5

From the earliest inception of the work, it was clear that Litke had a firm idea of the role

that spectral analysis and compositional techniques would play in this commission. In one of our

earliest email correspondences, Litke outlined an overview of the compositional processes that

would be realized in The Damages of Gravity:

Spectral analysis data will inform the pre-compositional process, and spectral

manipulation techniques will be performed using Max-MSP based processing, weaving

the piece's timbral structures and pitch material together. As well, the piece will exploit

the rhythmic abilities of the ensemble, drawing parallels between the degrees of

harmonicity and degrees of rhythmic regularity. The addition of real-time electroacoustic

projection to the ensemble will aim to facilitate the perceptibility of relationships between

the musical text and the instruments' timbral structures.6

As he began to apply the above compositional processes to the Ai Weiwei installation, Litke

found himself drawn to four philosophical elements he felt were central to “Straight” and are

most thoroughly expressed using Spectral techniques:

1. Empathy-which Litke identifies as a “strong motivational force behind

the Ai Weiwei work… ‘Straight’ is a way of dealing with the tragedy,

5 “Wenchuan Rebar.” YouTube Video, posted by “Ai Weiwei”, June 5, 2013. Accessed February 2, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2_t8VeJBE0

6 David Litke, e-mail message to author, January 23, 2013

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working through a long, arduous process to try to repair the emotional

damage.”7

2. Deformation-the warping and bending of the original rebar serving as

the guide for compositional deformation through spectral means.

3. Transformation-the attempts to repair the damage being represented as

a process of musical change towards a resolution.

4. Reparation-the final resolution, in which the straightened fragments of

rebar are finally placed into a unified whole.8

It is important here to note that while the listener may be tempted to divine a programmatic

element to the piece based on the above elements, these concepts merely serve as a philosophical

starting point from which Litke begins to apply spectral techniques, each concept being

represented by a different spectral compositional approach.

7 David Litke, e-mail message to author, January 27, 2015 8 Ibid.

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CHAPTER 2

SPECTRAL MUSIC: AN OVERVIEW

History of Spectral Music

A focused performance analysis of the spectral characteristics of Litke’s work will be

enhanced by an initial discussion of the genesis of the style and its progenitors to provide a point

of reference in terms of compositional characteristics and technological advances. While the

spectral music movement began in earnest in France in the 1960s, its roots trace back many years

beforehand. As Julian Anderson states, “The origins of spectral music are so diverse and

numerous that no single survey can pretend to be exhaustive.”9 Indeed, numerous composers

have expressed, either through composition or in prose, a fascination with the harmonic spectrum

and the psychoacoustic effects it has on the listener. In his article “A Provisional History of

Spectral Music,” Anderson points to several composers whose early works with acoustical

phenomena either directly or indirectly influenced the works of the later spectralists. Harry

Partch and Paul Hindemith both devised compositional systems derived from the overtone series

in an attempt to provide a natural foundation for their compositions.10 Cowell went so far as to

devise a rhythmic language that was based on superimposed polyrhythms based on the

proportions of the harmonic spectra,11 an idea which will feature prominently in The Damages of

Gravity Anderson goes on to list composers such as Edgard Varese, Karlheinz Stockhausen,

9 Anderson, Julian. “A Provisional History of Spectral Music.” Contemporary Music Review Vol. 19, part 2 (2000): 8 10 Ibid. 11 Ibid.

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and even Claude Debussy as further “pre-spectral” composers whose influences can be seen in

the output of spectral composers.12

Of all the composers listed above, it was perhaps Olivier Messiaen who had the deepest

influence on the spectral movement. Profoundly fascinated with timbre and the harmonic series,

Messiaen’s experiments with re-orchestrating non-harmonic percussive resonances using

harmonic instruments (i.e. the low end of the piano) are direct precursors to the “instrumental

synthesis” techniques of later spectral composers.13 Anderson goes on to connect Messiaen’s

Couleurs de la Cité Céleste, in which the composer attempts to distort the sound and resonance

of trombone pedal tones by adding to it three-part clarinet chords in the upper tessitura, to the

seminal spectral work Partiels, in which Grisey simulates the entire trombone spectrum using an

instrumental ensemble, adding that it illustrates the “extent [to which] French spectralists

emanated very directly from certain aspects of Messiaen’s thought.”14 It is therefore not

surprising to find that the two main progenitors of the spectralist movement, Gerard Grisey and

Tristan Murail, were both composition students of Messiaen and cite him as a main influence in

their works.

While the aforementioned composers may have based their compositional systems on a

theoretical view of the harmonic spectrum, it was not until the 1970s that technological advances

in sound analysis and synthesis allowed composers to take a complete look at the vast amount of

data the harmonic spectrum provided and employ it in their compositions. Beginning in France

in the mid-1970s, the spectral music movement originated in reaction to what was deemed a

creative impasse in the field of contemporary music, specifically the “total serialism” being

12 Anderson, Julian. “A Provisional History of Spectral Music.” 10. 13 Ibid. 14 Ibid, 11

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employed by Pierre Boulez and his contemporaries, which Grisey claimed “neutralizes the

parameter of pitch.”15 A group of young composers, many of them students of Messiaen and led

by Gérard Grisey and Tristan Murail, began to experiment with a compositional philosophy that

involved using detailed computer analyses of sounds to derive pitch material, rhythmic material,

and new possibilities for timbral combinations and formal structures. This approach to

composition intentionally allows for a wide variety of interpretations, leading composers largely

to shun the idea of assigning an all-encompassing “genre” to their music. As Murail states, “I

think that it is chiefly an attitude towards musical and sonic phenomena, although it entails a few

techniques, of course. We were trying to find a way out of the structuralist contradiction. At the

same time, we did not want to be completely intuitive like the aleatoric composers…”16 This

attitude, coupled with the rapidly changing technological landscape of the 1970s, led to an

outpouring of what would eventually be known as “spectral music.”

One of the main analytical tools that became available to the composers of this era and

allowed for a more complete look at the harmonic spectrum is known as a Fast Fourier

Transform, or FFT. Building off of Joseph Fourier’s theorem that a complex waveform can be

expressed as a series of sinusoids of varying amplitudes and phases, an FFT is a spectrograph

that breaks down any sound into its component partials, giving the frequency, amplitude, and

phase data for each.17 According to Litke, FFT analyses are particularly interesting to composers

of spectral music due to the psychoacoustic implications inherent in the way the FFT depicts a

sound:

15 Grisey, “ Did You Say Spectral?” 1 16 Smith, Ronald Bruce and Tristan Murail. “An Interview With Tristan Murail.” Computer Music Journal 24, No. 1 (Spring, 2000):12

17 Litke, David. “Elucide.” DMA Diss., University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Can.) April, 2008. Used with permission of author. 5, footnote

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Just as an FFT divides a signal into narrow frequency bands, the ear senses sound

using an array of hair cells. Owing to this physiological mechanism, our

perceptual images of sounds tend to align intuitively with the graphic

representations of FFT data; with careful attention and practice, the ear can

differentiate individual partials of many stable timbres in much the same way that

the FFT divides a signal into component sine waves.18

Figure 2.1-Fast Fourier Transform of Mdl_B3

Figure 2.1 is an FFT analysis of a synthesized metal plate sound that serves as one of the main

foundations for The Damages of Gravity. The narrow bands represent the various partials found

18 Litke, “Elucide,” 5-6.

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within the sound, the darkness of each band indicating the amplitude (volume) for each partial,

and the length of each band representing the duration of each partial. This visual analysis of a

sound provides spectral composers with an enormous amount of data upon which a composition

can be built, and it has led to composers developing numerous techniques for applying said data

in their compositions.

Common Spectral Compositional Techniques

As stated above, advances in FFT sound analysis technology combined with an

overarching “sound-first” philosophy led composers of the spectral school to develop a

dauntingly vast array of compositional techniques and devices. However, a performance guide

to some of the more common techniques associated with spectral music can more effectively

focus on four techniques found both in the historical works of spectral composers and The

Damages of Gravity. These techniques are as follows:

1. Instrumental Synthesis--the reconstruction of analyzed sound by acoustic

instruments

2. Pitch Derivation-- the use of FFT analysis to derive melodic and harmonic

content

3. Transformation--the act of moving from one spectrum to another, quite often

by means of pitch, often through modulatory means or by a process known as

“interpolation”

4. Rhythmic derivation--the use of FFT analysis to derive rhythmic and/or

metrical content

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It is important to remember that the above-mentioned techniques are a mere sampling of the total

amount of techniques available to spectral composers. However, they represent some of the

more common ways composers, including Grisey, Murail, and Litke, make use of spectral data to

craft their compositions.

Instrumental Synthesis

One of the hallmarks of spectral composition is quite possibly its most easily identifiable

compositional device, known as instrumental synthesis. Simply put, instrumental synthesis

involves using FFT data of an analyzed sound to find its component partials, then orchestrating

those partials in a given ensemble in an attempt to recreate the sound. Using the concept of

additive synthesis19 as a guiding principle, the composer examines an FFT of a given sound,

discovers the resonant frequencies, then reassigns those frequencies to instruments they feel best

represent the correct frequency, amplitude, and period of the analyzed sound. While

theoretically a simple concept, instrumental synthesis is mathematically challenging for the

composer, as complex sounds most often do not fit into the frequency envelopes generated by the

tonal system upon which our instruments are based, thereby often requiring the use of quarter

tones and pitch shading to approximate the desired frequency. However, it is generally not the

composer’s intention to recreate the source sound exactly, but rather to use that sound to generate

new timbral possibilities in the ensemble based upon the sound. As Joshua Fineberg notes, “the

sounds created in this way keep something of the coherence and quality that comes from the

model while adding numerous dimensions of instrumental and timbral richness and variety.”20

19 According to Fineberg’s appendix, additive synthesis builds upon Fourier’s Theorem, applying the principle thatif a sound can be broken down into its component sine waves, those waves can be combined to recreate the original sound. 20 Fineberg, Joshua. “Guide to the Basic Concepts and Techniques of Spectral Music.” Contemporary Music Review 19, part 2 (2000): 85

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Each instrument comes with its own sound spectrum, and as such they embellish and enrich the

modeled sound; thus, new timbres and orchestrations are discovered.21

While the concept of approximating a sound with an orchestra or small ensemble is

certainly not a compositional technique that is unique to spectral composers, the incorporation of

sound analysis technology has afforded the spectralist the opportunity to represent source sounds

more closely than ever before. Early pre-spectral attempts by composers such as Jolivet and

Messiaen are notable in their accuracy without the use of this technology;22 however, sound

analysis techniques allowed composers such as Grisey to approximate their source sounds to an

even finer degree. In “Partiels,” the third movement in the seminal spectral work Les espaces

acoustiques, Grisey’s analyzed source sound, a trombone low E2 (82.4 hz) played forte, is scored

out for and synthesized by 18 musicians. Of note here is the degree of exactness with which

Grisey attempts to synthesize the sound; the opening attack is played by repeated notes on the

bass and an initial attack by the trombone that fades quickly to niente, while the rest of the

ensemble simulates the resonance of the source sound. The result is a striking and haunting

effect that is widely regarded as the prototypical example of instrumental synthesis.23

Litke has also made wide use of instrumental synthesis in his works. In “Elucide”, his

chamber work that formed the basis for his doctoral thesis, Litke draws on a variety of spectrally

analyzed sounds as a means of deriving new timbre possibilities. One such example is the

aforementioned struck Tibetan prayer bowl, whose FFT data is shown in Figure 2.2:

21 Fineberg, “Guide to the Basic Concepts and Techniques of Spectral Music,” 8522 Jolivet approximates the sound of a Bali gong to an exacting degree in “The Bali Princess” from his piano suiteMana; Messiaen’s attempts to recreate metallic percussion sounds in Couleurs de la Cité Céleste and his various birdsong pieces are also notable here. 23 Arrell, Christopher. “The Music of Sound: An Analysis of ‘Partiels’ by Gérard Grisey.” (lecture, IstanbulSpectral Musics Conference). Ed. Robert Reigle and Paul Whitehead. Issu, 2013: 318-333. Accessed January 21, 2015 http://issuu.com/chrisarrell/docs/arrellpartielsanalysis 320

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Figure 2.2-FFT of struck prayer bowl in “Elucide”

Using FFT data, Litke is able to derive the strongest partials of the source sound, shown in the

above analysis by the darker horizontal lines, as well as amplitude and length for each. Using

this data, Litke then attempts to recreate this sound using a complex series of strings harmonics

and piano dynamics, as shown in Example 2.1. As stated before, the intent here is not

necessarily to synthesize the sound completely, but rather to explore new timbral possibilities

while staying true to the original sound. There are multiple examples of instrumental synthesis

throughout “Elucide”, including reconstructions of various piano chords and a particularly

noticeable synthesis of an analyzed low E1 from a double bass.

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Ex. 2.1-Instrumental synthesis of prayer bowl in “Elucide”

Pitch Derivation

Perhaps the most common way spectral composers make use of FFT data is to derive

pitch material from an analyzed sound and applying it either harmonically or melodically to a

composition. Simply put, the composer uses the FFT and various algorithms to ascertain the

most important frequencies of a particular sound and employs those frequencies to form the basis

of the melodic and harmonic content of a piece or section of a piece. In terms of harmony,

Joshua Fineberg suggests that as composers begin to build orchestral structures based on

instrumental synthesis, a “powerful ambiguity” begins to develop between what the listener

perceives as harmony as opposed to timbre.24 Instead, Fineberg suggests that it is “often more

relevant to combine the two concepts into the more general concept of a harmony/timbre.”25 In

essence, as a composer moves from one spectrum to another, the listener perceives

simultaneously a change in the harmonic content (based on the content of the new spectrum), and

24 Fineberg, “Guide to the Basic Concepts and Techniques of Spectral Music,” 9825 Ibid, 98-99

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a change in timbre (based on the instrumental synthesis of the new spectrum), blurring the lines

between the two. Often, this involves moving from an area of harmonicity, or spectrum based on

the harmonic series (or a pitched sound), to an area of inharmonicity, or a spectrum based on a

non-harmonic series (non-pitched sound). The manner in which the change between spectra

occurs will be explored in the next section; however, it is important here to understand the notion

that, for the spectral composer, harmony and timbre are quite often regarded as being one and the

same, and both are derived from spectral analysis.

In addition to using spectral analysis to derive harmonic/timbral content, spectral

composers will also use spectra to derive pitch content that can be applied melodically.

Referring to spectra-based acoustic models as “reservoirs,” Fineberg notes that the pitches

derived from these models are quite often used as modes, by which the composer will generate

melodic lines.26 Spectral composers maintain a wide variety of opinions related to melody and its

function in spectral music; subsequently, there are numerous methods by which the spectral

composer will apply these reservoirs in a melodic fashion. Some composers, such as Grisey, will

often place their focus more on the unfolding of transformations between spectra, in which case

the “melody” is the harmonic motion, as is the case in “Partiels.” Other composers will

sometimes use these reservoirs to generate busier surface activity on top of slow-moving

harmonic/timbral motion,27 an example of which can be seen both in the rapidly descending

woodwind and piano lines of Murail’s Winter Fragments and in several of the piano passages in

The Damages of Gravity, both of which take place over longer harmonic and timbral

transformations. It is important to understand that there is no unified approach to melodic

26 Fineberg, “Guide to the Basic Concepts and Techniques of Spectral Music,” 99 27 Ibid, 99

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treatment in the spectral world, outside of the fact that melodic material is often derived from the

spectral analysis of source sounds.

Transformation

The concept of transformation is an important one in the spectral world, and it plays a

central role in both the early works of the style as well as in The Damages of Gravity. In spectral

music, transformation generally refers to the act of moving from one spectrum to another,

thereby giving a spectral work a sense of formal process. One common process of

transformation is moving from an area harmonicity, or stability, to an area of inharmonicity, or

instability.28 This process and its reverse are seen in many of the early works of the spectral

movement, and it is central to Litke’s work. Murail’s Gondwana presents a large-scale

transformation, via ring modulation, from an orchestrally synthesized inharmonic bell to an

orchestrally synthesized harmonic brass sound.29In Partiels, Grisey formal process is based on

the “tripartite respiratory rhythm of inhalation, exhalation, and repose.”30 Whereas sections of

repose are harmonic, sections of inhalation gradually move toward inharmonicity, and

exhalations gradually transform back to harmonicity31. As we will see in The Damages of

Gravity, the idea of transformation from areas of instability to more stable areas is central to

Litke’s compositional process. However, Litke’s approach to transformation is unique, applying

techniques that are both common spectral devices, such as interpolation, as well as devices of his

own invention, many of which are either extensions of spectral composition or lie completely

outside of it.

28 Fineberg, “Guide to the Basic Concepts and Techniques of Spectral Music,” 108 29 Ibid. 30 Arrell, Christopher. “The Music of Sound: An Analysis of ‘Partiels’ by Gérard Grisey.” 320 31 Ibid.

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While there are many transformational devices available to the spectral composer, the

process of interpolation is common both in Litke’s work and in the works of past composers.

Interpolation can be used in almost any aspect of music, but Litke most commonly makes use of

the technique using pitches as a way of getting from one harmonic area to another. The

composer maps out a beginning chord and an ending chord, most often derived from spectral

analysis, then plots out the intermediate chords that occur as each voice in the chord moves

toward the terminal area. A simple reduction of this process is seen in Example 2.2:

Ex. 2.2-simple interpolation reduction

As the data derived from spectral analysis is quite large, the above process tends to occur on a

much larger scale. Example 2.3 is taken from Litke’s notes from The Damages of Gravity, and

represents one of several interpolations found in the piece:

Ex. 2.3- interpolation process realized in The Damages of Gravity

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Each of the arpeggiated chords consists of ten voices, each moving from a spectrally analyzed

chord rooted in D4 to a final chord, a spectrally analyzed chord rooted in A-flat. The five

interpolated chords represent the composer’s process for getting from the first chord to the last,

each voice moving equally on its way to the destination, making frequent use of microtones

along the way. Through interpolation, we begin to understand that, for the spectral composer,

the process of transforming one spectrum to another is as important and quite often more

important that the instrumental synthesis of those spectra. As Fineberg notes, “the true interest is

not the beginning or the end, but the discoveries that are made along the way.”32

Rhythmic Derivation

Lost in some of the more novel ideals of pitch and harmony that grew out of the spectral

movement is the composer’s treatment of rhythm and duration. For many composers, the study

of duration and its relationship with the spectrum held a fascination that led to the creation of a

great many spectral works. Gerard Grisey was particularly interested in time, duration, and

rhythm, calling time “the very object of form.”33 It was Grisey’s goal to blur the lines between

rhythm and duration and in doing so separate rhythm from the rhythms of spoken language.34

Grisey often explored the relationship between different time scales, often superimposing longer,

more dilated time scales upon the harmonic motion of the background spectra with short, quick

melodic gestures, the proportions of the rhythmic values between the two quite often determined

by the proportions of harmonics arrived at by spectral analysis.35 This approach to rhythm and

duration can be seen in two of Grisey’s most notable works that dealt specifically with time,

Vortex temporum and Tempus ex machina. This approach to duration can also be seen in The

32 Fineberg, “Guide to the Basic Concepts and Techniques of Spectral Music,” 108 33 Grisey, “Did You Say Spectral?” 2 34 Ibid. 35 David Litke, e-mail message to author, January 25, 2015

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Damages of Gravity, which is replete with quick rhythmic gestures on top of slower harmonic

motion. Indeed, Litke cites a performance of Tempus ex machina he attended as a student as

being highly influential in his approach to rhythm and time, saying “it definitely made an

impression on me.”36Another way Litke derives rhythmic content from spectral analysis in

Damages is by using the ratios found between partials in the harmonic series to determine metric

modulation and polyrhythmic material. In the next chapter, we will explore several of these

ratios, both on the macro level with large-scale metric modulations, as well as on the micro level,

with small polyrhythmic groups performed both by one player and by several.

36 David Litke, e-mail message to author, January 25, 2015

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CHAPTER 3

THE DAMAGES OF GRAVITY: A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF SPECTRAL

TECHNIQUES

Background and Large-Scale Elements

As stated in Chapter 1, the primary focus of this document centers on David Litke’s new

work The Damages of Gravity, scored for two pianos, two percussionists, and live electronics.

Through a detailed analysis of the spectral techniques found within this new work, my goal is to

highlight both the techniques that are common to most spectral works as well as techniques that

are unique to the composer. Throughout the analytical process, particular attention will be paid

to the ramifications that the spectral techniques found in Damages have for the performing

musician. In doing so, it is my hope to provide an analytical framework that will offer insight

into the creative structures behind the work in order to provide a suitable starting point for future

performers of this and other works by Litke and other composers in the spectral vein.

One of the overarching themes found in Damages is the constant struggle between

degrees of inharmonicity and harmonicity, represented by the two source sounds analyzed for

this piece, five synthetically modeled metallic plate sounds (inharmonic spectrum) and two piano

chords that were freely composed (harmonic spectrum). According to Litke’s notes, the piece

deals mainly with interactions between the natural world, represented by the inharmonic

spectrum of the metal plate, and human intention, represented by the harmonic structures created

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by the piano chords.37 In choosing to base his composition on the spectral materials provided by

these sources, Litke states that he was often confronted by the aforementioned struggle between

the natural world and human intention, saying:

Taking spectral information as primary material, I am confronted with a sonic

phenomenon as it appears; in composing with this data, I need to make decisions

about how faithful I will be to the original material--sometimes I embellish and

modify the material liberally, sometimes I adhere quite strictly to the source

data.38

This dichotomy and the composer’s struggle with it permeate the entire composition and form

the foundation for the work’s harmonic content and formal processes. As it relates to the piece

by Ai Weiwei, this struggle is meant to symbolize the artist coming to terms with the devastating

effects of an earthquake, a natural occurrence, and the failure of the human structures designed to

be protective.

A significant facet to Damages is the source of the inharmonic, or natural, sound. As

stated above, this spectrum is represented by a metal plate sound that was synthetically modeled

using Modalys, a computerized synthetic sound-manufacturing environment used by composers

at the Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music, or IRCAM.39 Rather than

record the sound of a struck metal plate, Litke physically modeled the sound by entering

information into Modalys, which then processed the data and created the sound. Litke created

37 David Litke, e-mail message to author, January 14, 2015 38 Litke e-mail message to author, January 14, 2015 39 “Modalys: Creating Virtual Instruments and Sounds Using Physical Descriptions.” IRCAM Forumnet. Accessed February 16, 2015, http://forumnet.ircam.fr/product/modalys/

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five of these sounds, which were then spectrally analyzed using an FFT, the data derived from

the FFT providing the basis for the inharmonic aspects to the piece. As seen in Example 3.1,

each chord is labeled with the Mdl_ prefix, followed by the name of the pitch that serves as the

fundamental for each plate sound:

Ex. 3.1- Mdl_B3, Mdl_Bflat3, Mdl_D4, Mdl_Aflat3, Mdl_Csharp3

In using a physically modeled sound as the foundation for the natural, or inharmonic, aspects of

the piece, Litke adds a new dimension in his philosophical approach to the composition, asking,

“…can these sounds represent ‘nature’? Do human things stand in contrast to nature, or are

humans and their technologies part of nature?”40 The harmonic elements of the piece are derived

from two piano chords that were freely composed, labeled PnoChordBflat and PnoChordAflat,

respectively. These chords were then recorded and analyzed spectrally to derive pitch content,

the results shown in Example 3.2.

As stated in Chapter 1, Litke’s compositional process for The Damages of Gravity was

driven by four philosophical concepts to which spectral techniques were applied: empathy,

deformation, transformation, and reparation. As such, these four concepts will form the

backbone of the following analysis. Basing the analysis around these four concepts clarifies how

40 David Litke, e-mail message to author, January 14, 2015

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Litke makes use of traditional spectral compositional techniques as well as expands the spectral

repertoire based on newer thought processes and technology, thereby demonstrating the

versatility and ever-evolving nature of spectral music.

Ex. 3.2- PnoChordBflat and PnoChordAflat

Empathy

Litke’s early research into the original Ai Weiwei work led him to the conclusion that

one of the primary emotional catalysts for the work was a strong sense of empathy Ai had for the

children who lost their lives in the earthquake. Indeed, Litke sees the rebar as a metaphor for the

lost children, believing them to be “taking on the identity of the children…since the children

cannot be re-animated, Ai works to repair the damaged rebar as best he can…”41 The notion of

objects taking on the identities of other objects as a representation of empathy plays a central role

in The Damages of Gravity and is made manifest both by means of traditional instrumental

synthesis and by using live electro-acoustic manipulation to change the characteristic sound of

one instrument into another.

41 David Litke, e-mail message to author January 27, 2015

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Instrumental Synthesis

There are multiple instances of instrumental synthesis found throughout Damages, most

of which are found in the pianos and are generally used to synthesize the various metal plate

sounds created in Modalys. As many of the later occurrences are tied to compositional gestures

that will be explored later, we will focus our attention here on two unique appearances of the

technique, the first of which can be seen in Example 3.3, the piano 1 part in measure 55:

Ex. 3.3- instrumental synthesis in Piano 1, m.55

While the melodic material to this point in the piece has been based on pitches derived from the

various metal plate spectra, the block chord on the downbeat in this measure is the first attempt

Litke makes at synthesizing the metal plate sound, Mdl_B3 in this case. In order to clearly

imitate the sound of the metal plate, the pianist is required to perform this chord with a clear and

sharp attack, followed by strict adherence to the notated decay.

Not long thereafter, we are presented a second, slightly embellished, instance of

instrumental synthesis of the Mdl_B3 spectrum in m. 69, this time the block chord instigating an

almost canon-like gesture between both pianos, shown in Example 3.5:

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Ex. 3.5- Piano 1 and 2, m. 69

Notable in both of the above examples is the inclusion of C sharp, a pitch not found in the

content of the original spectrum, but freely composed into the content of these chords in order to

add a degree of harmonicity. The inclusion of a pitch not found in the original spectrum

underscores Litke’s aforementioned struggle in deciding how faithful he would remain to the

original spectra. Including the C sharp here represents a human element being added to the

natural, inharmonic world upon which the first section of this work is based.

Of particular interest to the performer here is the manner in which the above instance of

instrumental synthesis is notated. In the above passages, Litke notates the instrumental synthesis

as a block chord followed by a series of climbing triplet figures without note heads. This is

Litke’s notation for what he terms a “dynamic roll,” in which the pianist is required to repeat the

notated chord using the given rhythmic figure, starting with the louder notes on the bottom of the

chord and gradually shifting pressure so that the higher notes are the loudest voices by the end of

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the figure.42 This technique “represents an area of transition between a cohesive spectral

reconstruction and clear differentiation of spectral components.”43 In other words, the

introduction of this technique allows the listener to hear the individual partials without

necessarily losing the perception of the spectrum as a whole. Litke further elaborates on this

technique, saying:

Additionally, it is my perception that the dynamic roll helps to disassociate the

stable partials from the sound of the attacks. Since these attacks remain relatively

constant while the ringing strings change, I find that these two aspects of the

sound divide into two separate perceptual streams.44

Therefore, it is not the composer’s intent in these instances that the performer attempt to re-

create the sound of the metal plate verbatim, but to emphasize the separate component partials of

the modeled spectrum, while allowing each separate attack to simulate the initial articulation of

the source metal plate.

It is incumbent on the performer to ensure that all partials are allowed to speak clearly at

the appropriate time inside each of the dynamic roll figures. As most of the figures are five- or

six-note chords attached to five-or six-note rhythmic figures, the simplest way to achieve this

technique is to plan out how strong each note of the chord should be with regards to its relative

position in the rhythmic figure. Using the chord in m. 59 as an example, the performer would

start with the low B being the strongest, the c# on the second note of the sextuplet, the F sharp on

42 Litke, David. The Damages of Gravity. Musical score. January, 2015. Used with permission of author. Footnote, page 14

43 David Litke, e-mail message to author September 14, 2014 44 Ibid.

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the third, and so on. The result is a type of “sonic wave” that begins in the lowest register of the

chord and flows to the upper register. Whereas the upper notes are virtually silent at the

beginning of the figure, the lower notes almost disappear by the end of it. In order to synthesize

what Litke describes as the second perceptual stream, or the attack of the metal plate, the

performer is required to consistently put a sharp front to each of the partials as they are being

emphasized. The use of the dynamic roll technique accompanies many of the instances of

instrumental synthesis throughout Damages, especially in the first section of the piece.

Empathic Electro-acoustic Techniques

While Litke’s various attempts at instrumental synthesis are notable in their frequency

and their use of the dynamic roll as an extended technique, the fact that the piano is both a fixed-

pitch and fixed-timbre instrument ultimately places limits on the instrument’s ability to

accurately synthesize the metal plate spectra. As the instrument operates exclusively on the

traditional twelve-tone tempered scale model, the instrument is incapable of performing pitches

that require quartertones, as many of the partials of the Modalys plates require. As well, the fact

that the instrument basically retains the same timbre throughout its range does not allow it the

ability to fully explore new timbral possibilities through instrumental synthesis. In order to

circumvent these issues, Litke turns to more modern electro-acoustic techniques to fully explore

the empathic nature of the Ai’s work.

From our earliest conversations regarding this commission, Litke expressed an interest in

attaching small contact microphones to various percussion instruments that would send data

through various computer programs that would then alter the characteristic sound of that

instrument. Using programs such as MAX and Supercollider, Likte is able to process the natural

sound of an instrument in order to add a variety of effects and nuances that result in a variety of

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electro-acoustic combinations. As we will see, these combinations are used in a variety of ways

throughout the work; however, we will focus our attention here on the ways Litke uses these

programs to allow acoustic instruments to take on the characteristics of the metal plate spectra.

The earliest and most striking examples of acoustic instruments portraying empathy

through electro-acoustic manipulation occur in the opening gesture of the piece. Here,

Percussion 1 performs a steady stream of 32nd notes on a wooden plank of indeterminate size and

thickness, achieving two different pitches from the plank along the way. As the opening unfolds,

a contact microphone attached to the plank picks up the vibrations and send them to a computer,

which then processes the sound via Supercollider. The result of this processing is a gradual

transformation of the wooden plank sound into the sound of a Modalys plate spectrum, in this

case Mdl_B3. This process culminates in m. 7 with the percussionists striking an actual metal

plate and the combined wooden plank/Modalys plate sound “disintegrating” both the spectrum

and the steady pulse stream established at the beginning of the piece, shown in Example 3.6:

Ex. 3.6- Percussion 1, m. 7, wooden plank (top system) and metal plate (bottom system)

For the performer, this electro-acoustic manipulation provides some unique challenges.

For instance, the size and type of wood chosen for the piece requires careful consideration. As

stated above, the dimensions of the plank are not specified, but it is imperative that the piece be

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wide enough to facilitate two different playing areas, as well as thin enough to allow for two

separate pitches to be obtained. The wood must also be dense enough to have a sufficient

amount of resonance, both for the resonant stroke notated by the composer and to allow for the

full amount of vibration to be processed by the contact microphones. Correct mallet choice is

also an important consideration. The mallet should be articulate enough to allow for the

separation of the faster notes to be audible, but not so articulate that it overpowers the resonance

of the plank and the microphones. Therefore, a hard rubber or soft plastic mallet is warranted in

this instance. Careful placement of the contact microphones is also required, as it needs to be

close enough to the resonant area of the plank to pick up the maximum vibration, but not so close

so that the performer is impeded from striking the desired resonant area.

Deformation

Another philosophical concept Litke drew from Ai’s work is the concept of deformation.

This concept stands at the inception of Straight, as the need to straighten deformed rebar forms

the basis by which Ai creates his installation. Litke’s desire to accurately portray this concept is

seen in a variety of techniques, both acoustic and electronic, throughout The Damages of

Gravity. As we will see, Litke applies these techniques to the spectral content and the rhythmic

content of the piece. Original spectra are warped, fragmented, and twisted by means of

electronic processing, and steady rhythms often disintegrate into arrhythmic figures.

Conceptually, Litke states that these deformations represent the damage caused to the rebar by

the Sichuan earthquake.

Electro-Acoustic Spectral Deformation

One of the more recognizable acoustic treatments of spectral deformation can be seen in

example 7, the canon-like passage in the pianos at m.69. Of particular interest here are the two

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sets of boxed quintuplet figures that immediately follow the aforementioned dynamic rolls in this

measure. Litke’s note at the bottom of the score clearly indicates how these figures, whose pitch

content is derived from the Mdl_B3 spectrum, are to be performed, saying “play boxed gesture

as written, then extend for indicated duration using the same pitches in random order and with

slightly varying rhythm.”45 The goal here is for the pianos to sonically represent a deformation

or disintegration of the Mdl_B3 metal plate spectrum introduced via the dynamic roll technique

at the beginning of the measure. In order to realize the disintegrating effect of these figures,

Litke layers in an electronic effect he terms “B3 stochastic texture”, which consists of

randomized pitched piano-like sounds that are also based on the B3 spectrum and that gradually

decay through the end of the measure. When added to the randomized boxed figures in the

pianos, the effect is a striking disintegration of the original Mdl_B3 metal plate spectrum.

Another, more prolonged instance of compositional disintegration can be seen in the

passage beginning at m. 98, seen in example 3.7. This passage begins with two identical

instances of instrumental synthesis of the Mdl_B3 plate spectrum, with Piano 2 entering a 16th

note after Piano 1. Almost immediately, there is a return to the decaying boxed figures

previously heard in m. 69, composed upon a bed of stochastic electronic sounds generated by the

computer and again based upon the same B3 plate spectrum. However, these disintegrations are

interrupted by notated rhythmic figures, each figure disintegrating via the boxed-figure notation

once stated. The passage concludes with Piano 1 articulating a descending sextuplet figure that

culminates in another instance of instrumental synthesis, this time of the PnoChordBflat

spectrum. As it constitutes the first transition to another spectrum, this passage also plays an

important role in the overall form of the piece, and we will return to it in a later section. For the

45 Litke, The Damages of Gravity, 16

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purposes of this discussion, however, it is important to note the manner in which Litke achieves a

deforming effect. In disintegrating spectra by arrhythmic deceleration embellished with

computer-generated stochastic effects, Litke ensures that the listener is able to perceive the

intended spectral deformation.

Ex. 3.7-Pianos 1 and 2, mm. 98-103.

Another manner in which Litke deforms spectra is through an electronic technique known

as granular synthesis. Simply put, Litke takes a grain, or small section, of a sound—in this case,

the Mdl_B3 spectrum—and rapidly speeds it up to the point that it is perceived as a rapid stream

of notes. “By shortening sound grains, a spectrum transforms from a clear timbre to being a

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‘colored’ percussive click.”46 There are several instances of granular synthesis being applied in

various ways throughout the piece. In terms of spectral deformation, the most prominent

example occurs in the passage in the pianos beginning in m. 82, when an extended passage of

rapid rhythmic figures, whose pitches are derived from the B3 spectrum, culminates in yet

another iteration of the dynamic roll instrumental synthesis moment, this time embellished with a

granular synthesis “filter” sweep whose pitches ascend just as Piano 2 begins to accent the higher

partials of the chord. The effect of this technique being applied here is to blur the lines between

the piano sound and the granular synthesis to create the impression that the piano has actually

deformed into the metal plate spectrum.

Rhythmic Deformations

In addition to the above spectral distortions, Litke also employs various compositional

devices meant to deform the rhythmic and pulse elements of the piece. In an email dated

September 14, 2014, Litke describes how areas of rhythmic stability in the percussion parts,

which are accompanied by areas whose harmonic and melodic content are derived from the

various metal plate spectra, are meant to represent the rigidity and solidity of the metal rebar.47

“Over the course of the piece, these stable structures are manipulated, deforming and bending

like the rebar in ‘Straight’ as materials are passed from player to player.”48

One such way these rhythmic deformations are achieved is through unmetered

accelerando and decelerando figures that are interjected into steady pulse streams in the

percussion parts. Instances of this can be seen in the opening Percussion 1 statement at mm. 7

and 11, where the steady feel of 32nd notes on the wooden plank is interrupted first in m. 7 by an

46 David Litke, e-mail message to author September 14, 201447 David Litke, e-mail message to author September 14, 2014 48 Ibid.

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accelerando, then in m. 11 by a decelerando figure, presented in an almost palindromic manner

to the figure at m. 7. Each of the figures in example 3.8 are initiated by a strike on a metal plate:

Ex. 3.8: Rhythmic deformations in the opening percussion gesture, measures 1 and 11.

The accelerando effect is generated again in m.23, this time in both percussion parts, and this

time in a more random fashion. As seen in Example 3.9, the percussionist is instructed to let the

stick bounce freely on the head to generate the accelerando, while the other hand scrapes the

head to create an effect Litke terms a “microsound.”49 Litke uses these accelerando and

decelerando effects at various times throughout the piece, many of which are accompanied by

various electro-acoustic effects, such as granular synthesis. However, in order to be able to

begin and end these figures accurately as they are notated, it is necessary for the performer to

mentally maintain a sense of pulse throughout these figures, even as the figures require they be

played out of time. This pulse maintenance will allow the percussionists to be able to move in

and out of time freely and without sacrificing the overall tempo. However, maintaining a steady

pulse becomes difficult in a piece such as Damages, as the constantly shifting times signatures

and metric modulations tend to create precision issues in an ensemble devoid of a conductor,

especially when dealing with arrhythmic figures. For many of these figures, the performer is

49 Litke, Damages of Gravity, 5

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able to latch on to a more solid rhythmic figure to find release points, such as in m. 23, when the

dotted 16th note figures in the piano can serve as a guide for the percussionist, and in m. 55,

where the entrance of the glockenspiel F sharp roll in the Percussion 2 part serves as the release

point for the decelerando in Percussion 1. However, these guideposts are simply not present in

other areas of the piece, where these figures often stand alone with no rhythmic support. In order

to combat this issue and others, Litke has supplied the performers with a virtual conductor

program he wrote using the program MAX, to be displayed on iPad tablets for each performer.

This virtual conductor serves both as a click track and a measure counter for the performer,

providing such information as time signature, subdivision, tempo, and measure number. This

program allows performers to navigate many of these arrhythmic figures in a much more stable

and confident manner.

Ex. 3.9-randomized rhythmic deformation, followed by microsound

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depress silently,hold sostenuto pedal pizz. with plectrum

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pulse read piano

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Transformation

As we saw in Chapter 2, the concept of transformation is a central idea to the spectral

composer, and we find Litke showing a particular affinity for it in The Damages of Gravity,

saying it “represents attempts to repair damage from a tragedy, searching for ways to connect

fragments, working with the damaged material in an arduous process to try to find a

resolution.”50 On a small scale, many of the empathic elements detailed in chapter 3.2 can as

well be considered transformational, especially the obvious transformation of the wooden plank

into the metal plate spectrum via electronic processing. As we will see in this chapter, however,

transformation plays a much larger role throughout this work, both in terms of formal processes

and the metric content of the piece.

Interpolation

As stated before, the form of The Damages of Gravity consists of the tension created by

sections of inharmonicity, represented by metal plate spectra, being interspersed with sections of

harmonicity, represented by two piano chords. The final harmonic goal of the piece is a pure C

sharp harmonic spectrum that allows for the piece to release the tension created by the previous

sections. However, the transformative element presents itself in how each section becomes the

next section. In the case of Damages, transformation is achieved mainly through the process of

interpolation.

There are four main areas of interpolation in the piece, the first of which presents itself in

m. 98, as seen in Example 3.7. As has been established, this passage in the pianos represents a

transformation from the inharmonic Mdl_B3 spectrum to the harmonic PnoChordBflat spectrum

that arrives at the block chord instrumental synthesis moment in m. 103. This transformation is

50 David Litke, e-mail message to author January 14, 2015

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36

achieved through interpolation, which manifests itself in the notated rhythmic events that occur

throughout the passage. Each new event represents harmonic motion whose intention it is to

eventually arrive at PnoChordBflat. This is a four-chord interpolation that begins with the initial

deformation of the Mdl_B3 spectrum in Piano 2. During this disintegration, Piano 1 presents the

first interpolated chord, which is also followed by a boxed-figure deformation. Piano 2 follows

suit with a second interpolation in m. 100, again followed by disintegration. The third

interpolated chord arrives two measures later in the form of boxed figures in both pianos,

followed by Piano 1 articulating the fourth chord as a sextuplet figure that descends to the final

instrumental synthesis of PnoChordBflat in both pianos as block chords in m. 103.

This type of interpolation is typical in many spectral works, and it happens three more

times throughout Damages. Beginning in m. 224, Mdl_D4 interpolates to PnoChordAflat, which

arrives in m. 237, the interpolations visible in the block chord statements that are followed by

rhythmic fragments. Almost immediately, the PnoChordAflat begins to interpolate towards

Mdl_Csharp3, which arrives at m. 270 in the form of a type of recapitulation of the opening

percussion wooden plank motive. From m. 270, we begin a long process of interpolation to the

final Csharp harmonic series, which finally arrives at m.321, the final goal of true harmonicity

being achieved and the tension of the previous sections released in the form of a pure harmonic

spectrum not based on a spectrally analyzed sound. While this compositional process does not

necessarily provide any specific technical challenges to the performers, being aware of the

harmonic language behind these sections encourages the performers to give each passage a sense

of direction, encouraging them to accentuate the progress towards each new harmonic area.

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Metric Transformation

Another layer in which Litke applies transformational techniques is in the metric and

rhythmic structures of the piece. While many spectral composers attempt to craft this layer of

their works on a direct relationship between rhythmic proportions and the proportions of partials

found in a spectrum, Litke says his treatment of meter and rhythm exists on a more symbolic

level, saying:

Since pitch and rhythm are perceived so differently, and since reproducing highly

complex pulse rate relationships is impractical for performers and quickly

becomes unintelligible for listeners, I chose not to engage in any literal rhythmic

representations of spectral frequency relationships.51

Instead, Litke focuses his attention on three simple pulse relationships in a 3:4:5 relationship.

This ratio forms the metric backbone of the entire work and is loosely based on the ratio of the

third, fourth, and fifth partials of the harmonic series.52 Litke’s use of this relationship is evident

at the micro level in his use of polyrhythmic figures and at the macro level in his use of metric

modulation.

Litke’s use of polyrhythms is evident throughout the entirety of Damages, and it presents

one of the more difficult technical challenges for the percussionists. The first incarnation of this

device, as seen in Example 3.10, is also one of the most challenging:

51 David Litke, e-mail message to author, September 14, 2014 52 Ibid.

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Ex. 3.10-polyrhythmic percussion passage, mm 28-29

In this passage, Percussion 1 is required to perform a rapid five-note figure in the right hand

above a 4:5 rhythm in the left hand. This is immediately followed by a four-against-three figure,

then by a three-against-two pattern, superimposed on top of a quintuplet figure in Percussion 2.

Example 3.11, which occurs three measures later, presents the performer with several more

polyrhythmic figures, including 5:4, 5:3, 3:2, and 4:3:2. These figures serve two conceptual

purposes in Damages. First, the intent here is to represent damage to the steady pulse stream of

the introduction, allowing for a sense of deformation from the stability generated in that

section.53 Second, the introduction of these figures lays the groundwork for the eventual metric

modulations that take place later in the piece, introducing rhythmic elements that may seem out

of place in one meter but become the pulse in another.

On a larger level, the aforementioned 3:4:5 ratio also serves as the basis for the series of

metric modulations found throughout the piece. Litke’s framework for these modulations was

informed by Figure 3.1, a tempo matrix given to me by the composer at one of our earliest

53 David Litke, e-mail message to author, September 14, 2014

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39

meetings regarding this commission. The first section of the piece contains various metric

modulations not associated with this matrix, but that were drawn upon from polyrhythmic

material stated in the percussion parts. For instance, a 16th note triplet at the end of m. 19

becomes the 16th note for the next two bars, followed by a quick return back to the original meter

and tempo. This is done in order to symbolize the deformation of the initial pulse stream.

However, observance of the large-scale harmonic form of the piece illustrates Litke’s use of the

matrix.

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Figure 3.1-Tempo matrix used to determine metric modulations

One of the first instrumental synthesis moments is found in Piano 1 at m. 55, seen earlier

in example 3.3. Here is where our first ratio-based modulation occurs. Whereas the overall

tempo of the beginning section was 8th note=120, the piece lands in the first harmonic area of the

piece at m. 55, where the 8th note=160, a 3:4 relationship with the opening tempo. In measure

90, when the harmonic area begins to destabilize as we prepare for the first interpolation, the 8th

note now equals 128, a 5:4 relationship from the previous tempo. The next tempo, 8th note

equals 102.4, arrives in full when the harmonic area has shifted into the Mdl_D4 spectrum at m.

147. When the next interpolation begins in m. 224, Litke skips a step and moves directly to 8th

note=61.4, but the motion has increased to quarter= 81.9 by the time PnoChordAflat arrives in

m. 240. Finally, the recap of the opening material in m. 273 is begun at 8th note=136.5, after

which begins the gradual process of working its way through a series of metric modulations

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designed to slow the metric motion down during the descent towards the final harmonic area, the

C sharp harmonic spectrum.

The rhythmic and metrical content of the piece provide an array of challenges for the

performer. When dealing with the small polyrhythmic figures, it is imperative that the performer

pays particular attention to the composite rhythm formed by combining the two rhythms, while

allowing for each rhythmic part to be perceived as two separate units by the listener. This is

especially important in the opening section of the piece, where a clear perception of the pulse

stream will allow for the deforming effect caused by the polyrhythmic figure to be more clearly

perceived. The various metric modulations also present various issues of interpretation,

especially when dealing with the level of exactitude with which many of these tempos must be

performed. In this respect, the virtual conductor program provided by the composer will

alleviate many of these issues and allow for all performers to consistently interpret these

complex modulations.

Reparation

Reparation is the final philosophical concept to be explored here, and it symbolizes the

ultimate goal of both “Straight” and The Damages of Gravity: to repair the damage done to the

deformed media (rebar, harmony, meter, etc.) and in doing so, achieve a level of catharsis and

closure to the event. Whereas Ai’s attempt at reparation involves creating a flowing landscape of

straightened rebar, Litke’s attempt can be seen as an attempt to repair fragmented spectra and

pulses and in an overall motion towards harmonicity and rhythmic clarity at the end of the piece.

Reparation of Fragmented Spectra

One of the more striking areas of the piece is the section that begins in m. 147 and is

based on the Mdl_D4 metal plate spectrum. This section alternates between rhythmic fragments

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in the percussion parts and melodic areas in the pianos, and it is the piano sections in which

fragmented spectra begin to be repaired. Beginning in m. 166, both pianos begin their passage

with an Mdl_D4 instrumental synthesis moment, which is then quickly fragmented into quick

rhythmic gestures that are thrown between the two pianos. These gestures eventually lead back

into a culminating restatement of the original D4 spectrum, repairing the damage done to the

spectra and articulated by dynamic roll, as seen in Example 3.12:

Ex. 3.12-mm. 166-169

This statement only explores the upper partials of the D4 spectrum; however, as the section

progresses, the above gesture is stated four more times, each repetition beginning with a block

chord that fragments and returns with a dynamic roll. However, as the section progresses, each

iteration gets progressively longer and explores more of the lower partials of the D4 spectrum.

The culmination of these gestures begins at m. 213 with a series of dynamic rolls between the

pianos that finally present the entirety of the D4 spectrum and gradually fragment via boxed

figures, the attempt at reparation here seemingly thwarted as the repaired D4 spectrum finally

collapses and disintegrates.

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The final harmonic reparation in the piece can be seen in the final move to the C sharp

harmonic spectrum in m. 345. Litke describes the move towards harmonicity as being akin to

Ai’s struggle with the rebar. “Having exhausted attempts to find resolution through rational

means, letting go of human intention allows the material to fall into harmonic vibration.”54

Whereas the section at m. 146 represents constantly frustrated human attempts at repairing the

damages done by natural means, allowing the piece to gradually descend towards a natural C

sharp harmonic spectrum presents the listener with a sense of resolution to the tension created by

such attempts. In this way, Litke is able to fully portray the end result of Ai’s work.

Reparation of Fragmented Rhythms

Litke also attempts to repair the damage done to the rhythmic layers of the piece as well.

As stated above, the section at m. 146 presents various fragmented rhythmic percussion figures

interspersed with the fragmented D4 spectrum. However, with the return of the opening

percussion material at m. 270, Litke introduces a new technique meant to represent rhythmic

reparation. Once again beginning with a series of 32nd notes on the wooden plank, Litke

introduces the rhythmic fragmentation from the opening of the piece. However, instead of

warping the pulse stream into something unrecognizable, as was the case in the opening of the

piece, Example 3.13 shows that Litke allows each of these figures to fall into the pulse stream,

allowing the listener to perceive that the stream is being repaired, rather than damaged. This

example shows that the end result is a deformed stream becoming more rhythmic, in opposition

to the opening gesture. Quite often in this section, Litke notates this technique in the percussion

parts, with one percussionist falling into the rhythm performed by the other. The intent here is

for Percussion 2 to continue the steady stream of 32nd notes, while Percussion 1 starts the figure

54 David Litke, e-mail message to author, January 14, 2015

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slowly and out of time, gradually falling into the stream established by Percussion 2. Again, the

intent is to represent the reparation of the pulse stream, performed in parallel to the reparation of

the harmonic motion caused by the move towards the C sharp harmonic spectrum. As the ends

of each of these figures must be precisely aligned, proper communication between the

percussionists is imperative in all instances of these gestures.

Ex. 3.13-Rhythmic reparation, m. 289

.

Pno 1

Pno 2

Perc 1

Perc 2

&15

&

&15

?

38

38

38

38

38

38

38

38

38

77

38 @£X X X

[

X#

X X ®

Xb

X X X£

1032 X X X X X# XkX 58

38 X># X ® 1032 58

38 1032 58

38 1032 58

38 X X X X X X X X X X X X X1032 X X X X X X X X X 58 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X®[

X X X X ®[

X X X X ®[

X X X X ®[

X X X ® ®[

X X ® ®XJ XJ XJ XJ XJXJ38 a a D1032 D58 D

38 X X X X X X X X a 1032 58

38 1032 X58 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

38 1032 58

288

5e = 109.2

Edge Center

Toms

r = r

O

*

* Perc. 1 accelerates to match the pulse played by Perc. 2 - the duration of this measure may be adjusted to accomodate a smooth transition

- Roto toms- Toms *

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CHAPTER 4

CONCLUSION

The preceding discussion of spectral compositional techniques and the subsequent

analysis of The Damages of Gravity was designed to serve two purposes. First, in analyzing

David Litke’s newest spectral composition, I have endeavored to show the commonalities

present between a new spectral work and the works of the earliest spectral composers, as well as

the compositional flexibility today’s spectral composers exhibit both through expanded acoustic

techniques and improved technological resources. Litke’s use of techniques such as instrumental

synthesis and interpolation, coupled with pitch and rhythmic derivations, are common among

most spectral composers and can be seen in the earliest works of Gerard Grisey and Tristan

Murail. However, Litke’s use of techniques such as the dynamic roll and various instances of

electro-acoustic manipulation are poignant examples of a modern spectral composer building on

the techniques of the past and expanding them to include new possibilities of sound, rhythm, and

timbre. In analyzing this new work, I have shown the ever-evolving nature of spectral music as

the purveyors of the idiom strive to find new ways to employ spectral analysis data.

Second, through discussion of common compositional techniques and through an analysis

of The Damages of Gravity, I have attempted to provide performers of spectral music a

framework to aid in understanding this music and thus to assist future performances. The

amorphous nature of spectral music coupled with the contrasting philosophies of the many

practitioners of the style make interpreting this music a challenging enterprise for even the most

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skilled performer. By discussing the various common techniques and newer advances, and by

offering various performances suggestions, I have given performers a starting point from which

their own interpretations of this music can proceed. In doing so, it is my sincere hope, in some

small part, to expand access to spectral music so that more performances of this beautiful and

challenging music may take place.

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REFERENCES

Anderson, Julian. “A Provisional History of Spectral Music.” Contemporary Music Review

Vol. 19, part 2 (2000): 7-22.

Anderson, Julian and Tristan Murail. “In Harmony. Julian Anderson Introduces the

Music and Ideas of Tristan Murail.” The Musical Times 134, no. 1804

(Jun. 1993): 321-323.

Arrell, Christopher. “The Music of Sound: An Analysis of ‘Partiels’ by Gérard Grisey.”

(lecture, Istanbul Spectral Musics Conference). Ed. Robert Reigle and Paul Whitehead.

Issu, 2013: 318-333. Accessed January 21, 2015

http://issuu.com/chrisarrell/docs/arrellpartielsanalysis .

Castanet, P. A. “Gérard Grisey and the Foliation of Time.” trans. Joshua Fineberg,

Contemporary Music Review 19, part 3 (2000): 29-40.

Fineberg, Joshua. “Bibliography.” Contemporary Music Review 19, part 3 (2000):

111-117.

Fineberg, Joshua. “Guide to the Basic Concepts and Techniques of Spectral Music.”

Contemporary Music Review 19, part 2 (2000): 81-113.

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Fineberg, Joshua. “Spectral Music.” Contemporary Music Review 19, part 2 (2000):

1-5.

Grisey, Gérard. “Did You Say Spectral?” trans. Joshua Fineberg. Contemporary Music

Review 19, part 3 (2000): 1-3.

Harvey, Jonathan. “Spectralism.” Contemporary Music Review 19, part 3 (2000):

11-14.

Litke, David. The Damages of Gravity. Musical score. January, 2015. Used with permission

of author.

Litke, David. “Elucide.” DMA Diss., University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Can.)

April, 2008. Used with permission of author.

Moscovich, Viviana. “French Spectral Music: An Introduction.” Tempo, New Series

No. 200 (April, 1997): 21-27.

Smith, Ronald Bruce and Tristan Murail. “An Interview With Tristan Murail.”

Computer Music Journal 24, No. 1 (Spring, 2000): 11-19.

“Wenchuan Rebar.” YouTube Video, posted by “Ai Weiwei”, June 5, 2013. Accessed February

2, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2_t8VeJBE0

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APPENDIX:

LECTURE SCRIPT

Part I- Initial Performance of The Damages of Gravity

Part II-Lecture:

Welcome, and thank you for joining me this afternoon. The piece you’ve just heard is entitled

The Damages of Gravity by David Litke, and it represents the culmination of a project that has

been over three years in the making. In the fall of 2012, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a

lecture given by composer David Litke as part of a seminar class in which I was enrolled that

focused primarily on 20th Century French compositional techniques. Litke’s lecture centered on

a compositional idiom known as spectral music, a term given to a school of compositional

thought and techniques that gained popularity in France in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Litke’s lecture dealt not only with the theories and attitudes behind the spectral school, but also

the technology available to composers to both obtain a spectral analysis and to utilize the

information in their compositions. Toward the end of the lecture, Litke presented the class with

an example from one of his own compositions, entitled “Elucide”, which was composed as part

of his Doctoral thesis at the University of British Columbia. In this piece, Litke employed a

technique common among many Spectral composers known as “instrumental synthesis”, in

which a given sound--in this case, a struck Tibetan prayer bowl--was broken down into its

resonant frequencies, and those frequencies were reassigned to the different members of the

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ensemble in an attempt to recreate the source sound. The result of this technique was a sound

that simultaneously bore a striking resemblance to the original prayer bowl and expanded the

timbral language of the ensemble. It was then that I decided to contact Litke regarding a

commission that would serve as the basis of my own Doctoral Capstone project.

Spectral music is an idiom that is both highly complex and remarkably subtle. It is one

that is heavily reliant on technology, both in the pre-compositional phase and, as is the case in

this piece, in real-time performance. As you can see, it is also an idiom that requires a dizzying

array of instrumental techniques and sounds. The score itself often requires the performer to be

keenly aware of the composers intentions and objectives in order to provide an accurate

representation, and as the musicians on stage can attest, learning the music itself can be an

extremely daunting task. As a result, performances of this music have heretofore been limited to

a relatively small number of dedicated ensembles throughout the world.

The primary goal of this project is to provide performers of spectral music an analytical

guide by which to demystify some of the more technical aspects of the genre so as to aid in

providing more accurate representations of these compositions. By using an entirely new

composition, I intend to show how several techniques commonly found in spectral compositions

have both remained consistent over the past four decades as well as changed significantly

through the evolution of compositional philosophies and technology. Doing so will provide

performers with both a preliminary classification system for various spectralist techniques, as

well as a suitable guide by which musicians can more accurately represent those techniques. It is

my hope that by providing this analysis, potential performers of this music may find it to be more

accessible than it may initially seem on the surface.

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Before beginning an analysis of the spectral techniques found in “The Damages of

Gravity”, it is important to provide a short historical background on the spectral music

movement. Spectral music is a school of compositional thought and techniques that, by its very

nature, is difficult to define. Beginning in France in the late 1960s, the spectral music movement

originated in reaction to what was deemed a creative impasse in the field of contemporary music,

specifically the “total serialism” being employed by Pierre Boulez and his contemporaries. A

group of young composers, many of them students of Olivier Messiaen and led by Gérard Grisey

and Tristan Murail, began to experiment with a compositional philosophy that was based upon

the notion that any given sound is actually made up of a series of separate frequencies, or partials

that, when taken as a whole, comprise what we call a “spectrum”. In a musical sense, these

spectra roughly align themselves with what we would call “the overtone series”; however, most

sounds do not fit neatly into that envelope. With the advent of more advanced sound analysis

technology in the 1960s, composers were able to more accurately observe these spectra and use

them to derive pitch material, rhythmic material, and new possibilities for timbral combinations

and formal structures. Philosophically, spectralists were interested in new approaches to timbre

and time, and the science of listener perception, or psychoacoustics, held a profound fascination

to composers. This approach to composition intentionally allows for a wide variety of

interpretations, leading composers to largely shun the idea of assigning the all-encompassing

moniker of “genre” to their music. Instead, many spectral composers, such as Tristan Murail,

tend to refer to spectral music as more of an attitude towards music, rather than a hard-and-fast

set of compositional rules.

One of the main catalysts for the spectral music movement was the advent of

computerized sound analysis technology in the 1960s. One such tool that became available to

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the composers of this era and allowed for a more complete look at the harmonic spectrum is

known as a Fast Fourier Transform, or FFT. Based on 19th century French mathematician Joseph

Fourier’s theorem that a complex waveform can be expressed as a series of sinusoids of varying

amplitudes and phases, an FFT is a spectrograph that breaks down any sound into its component

partials, giving the frequency, amplitude, and phase data for each. Over the years, spectral

composers have used the Fast Fourier Transform to obtain spectral data from a wide variety of

natural and synthesized sounds. The spectral composer takes the data generated from these

analyses and uses it to inform all aspects of the compositional process, including melody,

harmony, form, and rhythm. Here you can see one such FFT that Litke used in “The Damages of

Gravity”, an analysis of a synthesized metal plate sound:

Slide 2-FFT of Mdl_B3, play sound file

The narrow bands represent the various partials found within the source sound; the placement on

the graph relates to the frequency of the partial, the darkness of each band indicating the

amplitude (volume) for each partial, and the length of each band representing the phase

(duration) of each partial. This visual analysis of a sound provides spectral composers with an

enormous amount of data upon which a composition can be built, and it has led to composers

developing numerous techniques for applying said data in their compositions.

Now that we have established a suitable definition of the principles and philosophies of

spectral music, we are now free to take a closer look at “The Damages of Gravity” and see how

David Litke applies some of the more common spectral compositional techniques, as well as

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stays true to one of the founding principles of spectral music, that it be an ever-evolving

compositional style.

For inspiration, the composer has drawn upon an art installation entitled “Straight” by

controversial Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.

Slide 3-5-pictures of the installation

This installation, completed in 2012, was built out of nearly 150 tons of twisted rebar that the

artist pulled from the rubble of various schoolhouses in Sichuan Province (China) that collapsed

and killed nearly 5000 schoolchildren during the powerful earthquake of 2008. Ai’s initial

impetus for the installation was to call attention to the sub-par construction practices Ai and his

investigative group found at the collapsed buildings, which he believed might have led to the

extremely high number of fatalities associated with this event. Ai and his team spent 3 ½ years

straightening the rebar by hand in an effort to return them to their original state. He then

arranged the rebar in a flowing and wavelike landscape that serves both as a reminder to the

government of the damage that such shoddy construction practices can cause and as a memorial

to the over 5000 schoolchildren and teachers that lost their lives.

Using “Straight” as his inspiration, Litke outlined four philosophical elements he felt

were central to the installation and are most thoroughly expressed musically through Spectral

techniques:

1. Empathy-which Litke identifies as a “strong motivational force behind

the Ai Weiwei work… ‘Straight’ is a way of dealing with the tragedy,

working through a long, arduous process to try to repair the emotional

damage”.

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2. Deformation-the warping and bending of the original rebar serving as

the guide for compositional deformation through Spectral means.

3. Transformation-the attempts to repair the damage being represented as

a process of musical change towards a resolution.

4. Reparation-the final resolution, in which the straightened fragments of

rebar are finally placed into a unified whole.

Litke utilizes several spectral techniques in order to realize these elements, many of

which are common to most spectral composers, such as instrumental synthesis, interpolation, and

the various metrical devices that are employed throughout the piece. However, there are several

compositional elements present in this work that either are unique to Litke or are a result of the

continued evolution of spectral thought and technology. Understanding these techniques and

their role in the overall tapestry of this and other spectral works is crucial for both performers of

this music and audience members.

Litke’s early research into the original Ai Weiwei work led him to the conclusion that

one of the primary emotional catalysts for the work was a strong sense of empathy Ai had for the

children who lost their lives in the earthquake. In order to accurately express the empathy

present in Ai Weiwei’s installation, Litke turns to one of the hallmarks of spectralism and quite

possibly its most easily identifiable compositional device, instrumental synthesis. Simply put,

instrumental synthesis involves using FFT data of an analyzed sound to find its component

partials, then orchestrating those partials in a given ensemble in an attempt to recreate the sound.

This technique is common across most of the spectralist output, with one of the earliest examples

being found in Gerard Grisey’s “Partiels”, the third movement in the seminal spectral work Les

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espaces acoustiques, in which the composer analyzed a low E2 trombone note, then re-

orchestrated the component partials into a large, 18 person ensemble. Over the years, spectral

composers have used instrumental synthesis as a compositional technique to explore new and

unique timbral possibilities. Litke himself has used the technique to synthesize several source

sounds, including the aforementioned Tibetan prayer bowl, various gongs, and, as is the case in

“The Damages of Gravity”, metal plate sounds and freely composed piano chords. His use of the

technique here is directly related to the sense of empathy drawn from “Straight”. Litke sees the

rebar as a metaphor for the lost children, believing them to be taking on the identity of the

children. The notion of objects taking on the identities of other objects as a representation of

empathy plays a central role in The Damages of Gravity and is made manifest both by means of

traditional instrumental synthesis and by using live electro-acoustic manipulation to change the

characteristic sound of one instrument into another.

There are multiple instances of instrumental synthesis found throughout Damages, most

of which are found in the pianos attempting to synthesize metal plate sounds. However, rather

than record the sound of a struck metal plate, Litke physically modeled the sound by entering

information into Modalys, a computerized synthetic sound-manufacturing environment. In other

words, the sounds you about to hear are not actual metal plates, but the sound of a computer

program interpreting data entered by Litke, resulting in synthesized metal plate sounds:

Play 5 plate sounds

Each of these sounds were then spectrally analyzed using an FFT, the data derived from the FFT

providing the basis for the inharmonic aspects to the piece, as seen here:

Slide 6, play audio

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Instances of instrumental synthesis of metal plate sounds appear as piano block chords

throughout the piece, as we can see here at m. 55, one of the earliest examples:

slide 7, Piano 1 play 55

In order to clearly imitate the sound of the metal plate, the pianist is required to perform this

chord with a clear and sharp attack, followed by strict adherence to the notated decay.

A different iteration of instrumental synthesis can be seen in measure 59, where Litke

applies a rather unique treatment to the block chord:

Slide 8, Piano 1 performs 58-59.

Litke notates the instrumental synthesis as a block chord followed by a series of climbing triplet

figures without note heads. This is Litke’s notation for what he terms a “dynamic roll”, in which

the pianist is required to repeat the notated chord using the given rhythmic figure, starting with

the louder notes on the bottom of the chord and gradually shifting pressure so that the higher

notes are the loudest voices by the end of the figure. According to Litke, the introduction of this

technique allows the listener to hear the individual partials without necessarily losing the

perception of the spectrum as a whole. This technique presents interesting challenges for the

performer, as each note of the chord must be given its full volume at the appropriate time in the

figure.

Litke also employs various non-traditional techniques for portraying empathy. From our

earliest conversations regarding this commission, Litke expressed an interest in attaching small

contact microphones to various percussion instruments that would send data through various

computer programs that would then alter the characteristic sound of that instrument. It may be

difficult to see from the audience, but many of the instruments on stage have these microphones

attached to them, including the wooden plank, metal plate, glass milk bottles, and various other

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instruments. Using computer programs such as MAX and Supercollider, Likte is able to process

the natural sound of an instrument in order to add a variety of effects and nuances that result in a

variety of electro-acoustic combinations. With regards to empathy, the most recognizable

instance of this can be seen in the first twelve measures of the piece, in which a wooden plank

sound is gradually changed to take on the characteristics of one of the metal plate spectra:

Play opening gesture

The concept of deformation stands at the inception of Straight, as the need to straighten

deformed rebar forms the basis by which Ai creates his installation. Litke’s desire to accurately

portray this concept is seen in a variety of techniques, both acoustic and electronic, throughout

The Damages of Gravity. Original spectra are warped, fragmented, and twisted by means of

electronic processing, and steady rhythms often disintegrate into arrhythmic figures.

Conceptually, Litke states that these deformations represent the damage caused to the rebar by

the Sichuan earthquake.

One of the more recognizable acoustic treatments of spectral deformation can be seen in

the canon-like passage in the pianos at m.69. Of particular interest here are the two sets of boxed

quintuplet figures that immediately follow the aforementioned dynamic rolls in this measure.

slide 9

Litke’s note at the bottom of the score clearly indicates how these figures, whose pitch content is

derived from the metal plate spectrum based on B3, are to be performed, saying “play boxed

gesture as written, then extend for indicated duration using the same pitches in random order and

with slightly varying rhythm.”55 The goal here is for the pianos to sonically represent a

deformation or disintegration of the metal plate spectrum introduced via the dynamic roll

55 Litke, The Damages of Gravity, pg 16-bottom

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technique at the beginning of the measure. In order to fully realize the disintegrating effect of

these figures, Litke layers in an electronic effect he terms “B3 stochastic texture”, which consists

of randomized pitched piano-like sounds that are also based on the B3 spectrum and that

gradually decay through the end of the measure. When added to the randomized boxed figures

in the pianos, the effect is a striking disintegration of the original B3 metal plate spectrum.

Perform m. 69

Another manner in which Litke deforms spectra is through an electronic technique known as

granular synthesis. Simply put, Litke takes a grain, or small section of a sound—in this case, the

metal plate spectrum—and rapidly speeds it up to the point where it is perceived as a rapid

stream of notes. By shortening sound grains, a spectrum transforms into percussive click. There

are several instances of granular synthesis being applied in various ways throughout the piece.

In terms of spectral deformation, one of the most prominent example occurs in the passage in the

pianos beginning in m. 82, when an extended passage of rapid rhythmic figures, whose pitches

are derived from the B3 spectrum, culminates in yet another iteration of the dynamic roll

instrumental synthesis moment, this time embellished with a granular synthesis “filter” sweep

whose pitches ascend just as Piano 2 begins to accent the higher partials of the chord.

Play m. 86-87, with grn filter sweep

The effect of this technique being applied here is to blur the lines between the piano sound and

the granular synthesis to create the impression that the piano has actually deformed into the

metal plate spectrum.

Litke also employs various compositional devices meant to deform the rhythmic and

pulse elements of the piece. One such way these rhythmic deformations are achieved is through

unmetered accelerando and decelerando figures that are interjected into steady pulse streams in

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the percussion parts. Instances of this can be seen throughout the first section of the work,

especially in the opening Percussion 1 statement at mm. 7 and 11, where the steady feel of 32nd

notes on the wooden plank is interrupted first in m. 7 by an accelerando, then in m. 11 by a

decelerando figure, presented in an almost palindromic manner to the figure at m. 7. Each of

these figures is initiated by a strike on a metal plate.

Slide 10

Transformation is another key goal in spectral music, and it is central to “The Damages

of Gravity.” Often, this involves moving from an area of harmonicity, or spectrum based on the

harmonic series (or a pitched sound), to an area of inharmonicity, or a spectrum based on a non-

pitched sound (non-harmonic spectra). In this piece, the areas of inharmonicity are represented

by the metal plate spectra, and the areas of harmonicity are represented by freely-composed

piano chords. One way in which composer transforms one spectrum to another is by a technique

known as interpolation. The composer maps out a beginning chord and an ending chord, derived

from spectral analysis, then plots out the intermediate chords that occur as each voice in the

chord moves toward the terminal area in equal steps. A simple reduction of this process is seen

here:

Show basic Interpolation-Off PPT

As the data derived from spectral analysis is quite large, the process tends to occur on a much

larger scale. The following example is taken from Litke’s notes from “The Damages of

Gravity”, and represents one of several interpolations found in the piece:

D4-Ab interpolation

This particular interpolation, one of four throughout the piece, represents a transformation of the

inharmonic metal plate spectrum rooted in D4 to an area of harmonicity, a piano chord spectrum

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rooted in Ab3. The block chords in the pianos and marimba represent the motion from one

spectrum to another, which culminates at m. 240 with the arrival of the Ab3 spectrum.

Play m. 224-240

Another layer in which Litke applies transformational techniques is in the metric and

rhythmic structures of the piece. Litke focuses his attention on three simple pulse relationships

in a 3:4:5 relationship. This ratio forms the entire metric backbone of the entire work and is

loosely based on the ratio of the third, fourth, and fifth partials of the harmonic series. Litke’s

use of this relationship is evident at the micro level in his use of polyrhythmic figures and at the

macro level in his use of metric modulation.

Litke’s use of polyrhythms is evident throughout the entirety of Damages, and it presents

one of the more difficult technical challenges for the percussionists. The first incarnation of this

device is also one of the most challenging, found in mm. 28-29, where the tempo is 8th note=102

Slide 13

The intent here is to represent damage to the steady pulse stream of the introduction, allowing for

a sense of deformation from the stability generated in that section.

On a larger level, the aforementioned 3:4:5 ratio also serves as the basis for the series of

metric modulations found throughout the piece. Litke’s framework for these modulations was

informed by the following matrix, given to me by the composer at one of our earliest meetings

regarding this commission:

Slide 14

There are several metric modulations throughout the piece, the first of which occurs in m. 20,

when the 16th note triplet of the previous measure becomes the 16th note for two measures, before

modulating back to the original tempo.

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Major areas of metric modulation, those which result in larger sections of new meters, often

coincide with the areas of harmonic change arrived at by interpolation, and both of which outline

the large-scale form of the piece.

Reparation is the final philosophical concept to be explored here, and it symbolizes the

ultimate goal of both “Straight” and The Damages of Gravity: to repair the damage done to the

deformed media (rebar, harmony, meter, etc.) and in doing so, achieve a level of catharsis and

closure to the event. Litke achieves this goal through two different spectral techniques.

First, Litke attempts to repair damage to fragmented spectra by putting them back together. This

is evident in the second section of the piece, where we see a series of figures that begin as

instrumental synthesis block chords, which disintegrate quickly before being reassembled via

dynamic roll:

all play m. 166-169

This type of event occurs four more times throughout this section, as the piano’s attempts at

reparation continually alternate with steady percussion interjections. Each time, the

fragmentation becomes more elaborate and the reparation becomes more unstable, until finally,

at m.211, the entire fabric of the piece disintegrates into a series of dynamic rolls.

Pianos play mm. 211-218

The last, and only successful attempt at reparation occurs in the last section of the piece,

beginning in m. 273, in which Litke moves from an area of inharmonicity, a metal plate

spectrum based in C#, to a natural C# harmonic spectrum, one that is not arrived at by spectral

analysis. According to Litke, this move to a natural spectrum represents the letting go of human

intention and allowing the work to resolve by natural means, much in the same way Ai Weiwei

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found resolution through his finished installation. This harmonic reparation is mirrored in the

percussion parts, which attempt to repair the damage done to the piece is by repairing the

fragmented pulse streams from the beginning of the work. Once again beginning with a series

of 32nd notes on the wooden plank, Litke introduces the rhythmic fragmentation from the opening

of the piece. However, instead of warping the pulse stream into something unrecognizable, as

was the case in the opening of the piece, here Litke allows each of these figures to fall into the

pulse stream, allowing the listener to perceive that the stream is being repaired, rather than

damaged. The intent here is for one percussionist to continue the steady stream of 32nd notes,

while the other starts the figure slowly and out of time, gradually falling into the stream

established by Percussion 2. The end result is a deformed stream becoming more rhythmic, in

opposition to the opening gesture, in which the intent was to deform the stream, rather than

repair it.

This is done in parallel to the reparation of the harmonic motion, which is caused by the move

towards the C# harmonic spectrum.

In conclusion, spectral music, while a varied style of composition that allows for various

interpretations and techniques, consists of many techniques that apply to both older and newer

compositions in the style. In analyzing David Litke’s new work, “The Damages of Gravity”, I

have endeavored to show the flexibility of the style and help simplify some of the more complex

elements for the performer so as to provide for a more accurate and informed performance of this

and other spectral works. If in doing so, performers feel these types of compositions are even the

slightest bit more accessible, then this project can be considered a success. Before closing with

another performance of The Damages of Gravity, I would like to offer the composer, David

Litke, my deepest and most heartfelt gratitude for his hard work and dedication to this project,

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and I would also like to thank the musicians in the ensemble who have dedicated so much of

their time and efforts to making this project a reality: Nathaniel Lee, Richard Blumenthal and

Allison Blumenthal.