MUS 179-Thinking Music I

Do. Dr. Tolga Tzn Room: E2-311

Course content
This course will concentrate on the texts that illustrate conceptual ramewor!s
correspon"ing to the music o the past as well as to the music o the 21st centur#. The
ocus will $e on "e%eloping an anal#tical approach towar"s the topics o each class
through critical rea"ing& class "iscussion& an" wee!l# assignments. The texts will co%er a
$roa" range o topics rom music histor#& musicolog#& music theor#& as well as cultural
stu"ies& critical theor# an" sociolog#. The plan is to com$ine important anal#tical texts
rom the musical an" sociological realms with historical "ocuments to help stu"ents
esta$lish lin!s $etween socio-economic con"itions& philosophical concerns& the aesthetic
spectrum an" musical realities.
Requirements and Grading
Participation !"#$%
This is a "iscussion oriente" class' thereore participation is essential. (articipation reers
to acti%e engagement to class "iscussions on a regular $asis an" acti%e engagement
reers to how oten an" meaningull# #ou as! an" answer )uestions an" how well #ou
contri$ute to class "iscussions. To $e a$le to "o this #ou are expecte" to arri%e on time&
ha%ing rea" the assigne" rea"ing an" prepare" or "iscussion. *oming into class late&
lea%ing the room or "oing wor! or other courses "uring class etc. will negati%el# aect
#our participation gra"e.
Response Papers !"#$%
Each wee! #ou are expecte" to su$mit response papers. +n #our response papers& #ou
must ela$orate on the main points o the pre%ious wee!,s rea"ing material an" class
"iscussion an" inclu"e a critical comment o #ours. -ou ma# criticise the author,s points
with experience an" insight o #our own or challenge the %ali"it# o the argument& or #ou
ma# ocus on the "iscussion an" comment on the points #ou agree or "isagree& or a
)uestion that stimulates thin!ing. (lease remem$er that response papers will $e
accepte" on Tues"a#s an" onl# in class. .ate su$missions %ia email or ater class will not
$e accepte".
Course Grade

The course gra"e consists o the ollowing components:
Response papers /01
(articipation /01

2tten"ance is o$ligator#. + #ou miss / classes #our inal gra"e will $e 3.
P& agi ari sm and 'cademi c (i shonest):

P&agiarism is academic *raud consisting o* cop)ing *rom +ooks or ,ourna&s- dup&icating
the .ork o* *e&&o. students- and cop)ing or do.n&oading materia&s *rom the internet in
order to present them as original academic .ork/ 0e ma) re1ie. this in c&ass ear&) in
the semester/ I* )ou sti&& *ee& unsure o* .hat constitutes p&agiarism or academic
dishonest)- p&ease speak to the instructor a+out it +e*ore the *irst assignment/

P&agiarism or academic dishonest) o* an) kind and e2tent .i&& ha1e resu&ts that reach
*rom an 3 *or the assignment to an 3 *or the course or discip&inar) action/ (iscip&inar)
action means that the student is re*erred to the (iscip&inar) Committee/ The pena&t)
decided upon +) the Committee ma) &ead to the dismissa& o* the student *rom the
uni1ersit)/$
Thinking Music I
Reading Te2ts% The ollowing articles are rom Audio culture : Readings in Modern Music
e"ite" $# *hristoph *ox an" Daniel 4arner. *ontinuum: 200/.
0445 1
5 6oise an" (olitics7 8ac)ues 2ttali
3rom 6acques 'tta&i- 7oise% The Po&itica& 4conom) o* Music- trans/ 8rian Massumi Minneapo&is%
Uni1ersit) o* Minnesota Press- 199!$/
During the 19:0,s& economic theorist 8ac)ues 2ttali ;19<3-= was >pecial *ounselor to 3rench (resi"ent 3rancois
?itteran". @e su$se)uentl# hea"e" the European Aan! or Reconstruction an" De%elopment an" is currentl#
contri$uting e"itor to Foreign Policy magazine. 4ith the pu$lication o Noise in 19BB& 2ttali )uic!l# $ecame one
o Europe,s lea"ing philosophers o music. 3or 2ttali& music& li!e economics an" politics& is un"amentall# a
matter o organizing "issonance an" su$%ersion C in a wor" 5noise: -et 2ttali argues that& an all-$ut-
immaterial orce& music mo%es aster than economics an" politics an"& hence& preigures new social relations.
0445 :
5 The 2rt o 6oises: 3uturist ?aniesto7 .uigi Russolo
3rom ;uigi Russo&o- The 'rt o* 7oises- trans/ 8arc&a) 8ro.n 7e. <ork% Pendragon% 199=$/
.uigi Russolo ;1::/-19<B= was a prominent painter in the +talian 3uturist mo%ement. -et he is $est !nown or
The Art of Noises& among the most important an" inluential texts in 20th centur# musical aesthetics. 4ritten in
1913 as a letter to his rien"& the 3uturist composer 3rancesco Aalilla (ratella& this maniesto s!etches RussoloDs
ra"ical alternati%e to the classical musical tra"ition. Drawing inspiration rom the ur$an an" in"ustrial
soun"scape& Russolo argues that tra"itional orchestral instruments an" composition are no longer capa$le o
capturing the spirit o mo"ern lie with its energ#& spee"& an" noise. 2 #ear ater composing this letter& Russolo
intro"uce" his intonat.umo:i ;5noise instrumentsDD= in a series o concerts hel" in .on"on.
6one o RussoloDs music remains' an" the +htongwumori were "estro#e" in a ire "uring 4orl" 4ar ++. -et since
the 4ar& RussoloDs maniesto has $ecome increasingl# important inspiring a host o musicians an" composers&
among them musi)ue concrete pioneers (ierre >chaeer an" (ierre @enri& 19:0s "ance-pop o$it The 2rt o
6oise& 5in"ustrialDD $an"s such as Einstrzen"e 6eu$auten an" Test Dept.& turnta$list D8 >poo!#& an" soun"
artist 3rancisco .opez.
0445 >
5The .i$eration o >oun"7 E"gar" EarFse
3rom Contemporar) Composers on Contemporar) Music- 42panded 4dition- ed/ 4&&iott Sch.art? and
8arne) Chi&ds 7e. <ork% (a Capo- 1999$/
Aorn in 3rance& E"gar" EarFse ;1::3-19G/= emigrate" to the Hnite" >tates in 191/. .i!e Russolo& he calle" or
a new concept o music an" new musical instruments. -et& where Russolo was inspire" $# the concrete noises
o e%er#"a# lie& EarFseDs new musical %ision was spar!e" $# metaphors "rawn rom chemistr#& astronom#&
cartograph#& an" geolog#. Descri$ing himsel as DDa wor!er in rh#thms& re)uencies& an" intensities&DD EarFse
re"eine" music as DDorganize" soun"sDD si"estepping the con%entional "istinction $etween DDmusicDD an" DDnoise.DD
EarFseDs music ocuses on the matter o soun"-on tim$re& texture& an" musical space& elements that woul"
$ecome increasingl# important in later electronic an" 2m$ient music. EarFseDs "escription o music as DDthe
mo%ement o soun"-masses& o shiting planesDD an" DD$eams o soun"DD aptl# "escri$es not onl# his own music
$ut a goo" "eal o mo"ern experimental music as well& rom ?usica Elettronica Ei%aDs li%e electronic music to
?erz$owDs noise composition an" contemporar# (ower$oo! music.
0445 @
5 The ?usic o the En%ironment7 R. ?urra# >chaer
3rom The Tuning of the World/ 7e. <ork% '&*red '/ 5nop*- 1977/ Reprinted as The Soundscape: Our
Sonic Environment and The Tuning of the World/ Rochester- AT% (estin) 8ooks- 199@/
*ana"ian composer an" theorist R.?urra# >chaer ;1933-= came to prominence in the earl# 19B0s with a series
o writings on en%iromental soun" an" noise pollution. @e oere" prescriptions or a new !in" o listening to the
worl" 5soun"scape7& a term >chaer coine". >chaer also oun"e" the 4orl" >oun"scape (roIect& which "rew
attention to the sonic en%ironment through location recor"ings an" en%ironmental a"%ocac#.
0445 !
5 The (rospects o Recor"ing7 Jlenn Joul"
3rom The G&enn Gou&d Reader ed/ Tim Page 7e. <ork% '&*red '/ 5nop*- 199@$/
Jlenn Joul" ;1932-19:2= was among the lea"ing classical pianists o the
20th centur#. 2 chil" pro"ig#& he perorme" with the Toronto >#mphon# at the age o 1G an"& at 22& he signe"
a recor"ing contract with *olum$ia ?aster- wor!s. .ater that #ear ;19//=& he ma"e a recor"ing o AachDs
Jol"$erg Eariations that )uic!l# $ecame an international $estseller. K%er the next "eca"e& Joul" toure"
Europe& the >o%iet Hnion& an" the Hnite" >tates& perorming with the worl"Ds greatest orchestras. Then& in
19G<& he a$ruptl# announce" his retirement rom pu$lic perormance. Joul"Ds with"rawal rom the stage was
prompte" in part $# his eeling that pu$lic perormance was "emeaning& an" in part $# his "esire to "e"icate
more o his time to writing an" pro"ucing ra"io "ocumentaries. -et& it was also "ri%en $# his %iew that the li%e
concert ha" $een eclipse" $# au"io recor"ing& which coul" pro"uce perect& i"eal perormances that highlighte"
the wor! itsel rather than the perormer an" his or her %irtuosit#. +n this 19GG essa#& Joul" explores the %ast
changes in musical ontolog#& phenomenolog#& pro"uction& an" listening $rought a$out $# au"io recor"ing.
0445 =
5 The (olitics o @earing7 @ans Eisler an" Theo"or 2"orno
3rom Theodor 'dorno and Banns 4is&er- Composing *or the 3i&ms 7e. <ork% C2*ord Uni1ersit)
Press- 19@7$/
Theo"or 2"orno ;1903-19G9= was among the most important an" inluential Jerman philosophers o the 20th
centur#. 2 oun"ing mem$er o the 3ran!urt >chool or >ocial Research& 2"ornoDs wor! oers a consistent
criti)ue o contemporar# culture an" societ# aime" at resisting its i"eolog# an" "eep irrationalit#. 4ith the rise
o @itler& 2"orns an" man# o his 3ran!urt >chool colleagues were exile" in the Hnite" >tates. 2"orno oun"
himsel in the peculiar position o li%ing in @oll#woo"& the heart o what he calle" 5the culture in"ustr#DD which
he came to see as a orm o nearl# totalitarian social control. ?usic igures centrall# in 2"ornoDs writing& an"
a%ant-gar"e music ser%es as one o the ew orces o resistance lo DDthe culture in"ustr#.7 2n accomplishe"
pianist& 2"orno stu"ie" composition with 2l$an Aerg an" was a lielong a"%ocate or >choen$ergDs music.
@ans Eisler ;1:9:-19G2= stu"ie" with 2rnol" >choen$erg& $ut later reIecte" contemporar# classical music as
elitist& turning instea" to the composition o populist wor!erDs songs& oten with l#rics penne" $# Aertolt Arecht.
.i!e 2"orno& Eisler le" @itlerDs Jerman# an" lan"e" in @oll#woo". During his ten #ears there& he compose"
scores or se%eral maIor ilms. +n 19<B& Eisler $ecame the irst @oll#woo" artist to $e calle" $eore ?c*arth#Ds
*ommittee on non-2merican 2cti%ities. @e was su$se)uentl# "eporte" an" spent the rest o his lie in East
Jerman#& whose national anthem he compose".
*omposing or the 3ims was irst pu$lishe" in 19<B un"er EislerDs name alone& "ue to 2"ornoDs ear o political
reprisal. The $oo! argues that& in the cinema& soun" an" music shoul" pla# a critical role in relationship to
image an" action. +n this short excerpt& the authors relect on the prooun" "ierences $etween au"itor# an"
%isual perception an" soun" a note o caution a$out the politics o hearing an" listening.
0445 7
5 The >tu"io as *ompositional Tool7 Arian Eno
This artic&e *irst appeared- in t.o pads- in (o.n 8eat !"- no/ 7 6uI) 199>$ and !"- no/9 'ugust
199>$- edited +) Bo.ard Mande&/
Arian Eno ;19<:- = is a !e# igure in the shit rom DDcomposerDD an" DDmusician7 to Lpro"ucer7. Drawing lessons
rom a genealog# o %isionar# pro"ucers-(hil >pector& 8oe ?ee!& Jeorge ?artin& Teo ?acero& Arian 4ilson& .ee
D>cratchD (arr#& an" others- Eno was struc! earl# on $# the extraor"inar# creati%e potential o the recor"ing
stu"io& its a$ilit# to construct new sonic worl"s. @ere& he oers a $rie histor# o the Lstu"io as instrumentL
an" me"itates on the wa#s in which this instrument has shape" mo"ern music an" sonic cognition.
0445 9
5 The (oetics o the Kpen 4or!7 Hm$erto Eco
3rom Um+erto 4co- The Cpen 0ork- trans/ 'nna Cancogni Cam+ridge- M'% Bar1ard Uni1ersit)
Press- 1999$/
Hm$erto Eco ;1932- = is one o EuropeDs lea"ing intellectuals. Traine" in me"ie%al philosoph# an" aesthetics&
Eco went on to $ecome an inluential cultural critic an" theorist& pu$lishing $oo!s on literar# interpretation&
linguistics& semiotic theor#& an" pop culture. +n the mi"-19/0s& while wor!ing as cultural "irector at R2+& ltal#Ds
state ra"io-tele%ision networ!& Eco encountere" the composer .uciano Aerio& who ha" recentl# esta$lishe" an
electronic music stu"io upstairs rom EcoDs oice. AerioDs in"eterminate compositions prompte" Eco to thin!
a$out the histor# an" theor# o what Eco woul" term 5the open wor!DD' wor!s o art that call upon perormers&
rea"ers& %iewers& or listeners to complete or to realize them. 2ccor"ing to
Eco& wor!s o art relect the intellectual worl"%iews o their time' an" 7in"eterminateDD composition represents in
music the post-theological& open-en"e" uni%erse o Einstein& @eisen$erg& an" Aohr. The ollowing essa# was
written in 19/9& in the earl# "a#s o in"eterminate composition. The much more ra"icall# open compositions o
8ohn *age& *hristian 4ol& Roman @au$enstoc!-Ramati& *ornelius *ar"ew. Earle Arown& an" others woul"
push EcoDs argument e%en urther.
0445 9
5 *omposition as (rocess: +n"eterminac#7 8ohn *age
3rom Si&ence% ;ectures and 0ritings +) 6ohn Cage Bano1er- 7B% Uni1ersit) Press o* 7e.
4ng&andD0es&e)an Uni1ersit) Press- 19=1$/
+n the late 19<0,s& 8ohn *age ;1912-1992= "isco%ere" Men Au""hism& which prooun"l# inluence" his aesthetic
worl"%iew.@is Men practice spar!e" a philosophical commitment to 5nonintention7& the airmation o lie as it is
rather than the "esire to impro%e upon it. +n the wa!e o this realization& *age "e%elope" a range o techni)ues
that woul" allow him to relin)uish control o%er his compositions an" to place himsel in the role o listener an"
"isco%erer rather than that o creator. +n the 19/0s& he intro"uce" DDin"eterminac#DD an" DDgraphic notationDD into
contemporar# musical practice& using coin tosses& the + *hing& star maps& an" other "e%ices to ma!e
compositional choices an" to spar! perormers to ma!e choices o their own.
*age s amous 5silentDD piece <D33D ;19/2= aime" at allowing au"ience to experience non-intentional soun" as
musical. 6on-intention was also ostere" $# the techni)ue o DDsimultaneit#&DD which calle" or se%eral
compositions to $e perorme" at once& pro"ucing unexpecte" sonic conIunctions.
+n this essa#& cage criticizes in"eterminate compositionsCsuch as his own Music of Changes ;19/1=& compose"
$# the tossing o coinsCthat are 5in"eterminate with respect to their compositionDD $ut DD"eterminate with
respect to their perormance.7 >uch compositions "o not allow the same ree"om to the perormer that the#
allow to the composer. @ence& *age a%ors a more ra"ical in"eterminac#: compositions that are DDin"eterminate
with respect to their perormancesDD
This article is a text o a lecture "eli%ere" in 19/:& a #ear $eore the pu$lication o Eco,s essa#. .i!e Eco& *age
$egins with the example o >toc!hausen,s Klavierstck XI. Aut *age goes on to airm a conception o the
musical wor! that is more ra"icall# 5open7 than Eco,s& a conception o the musical wor! that woul" lea" the wa#
rom 5in"eterminate7 to 5experimental7 composition: compositions that are not objects $ut rocesses. This
lecture was irst pu$lishe" in *age,s collection !ilence& where it appeare" in extremel# small t#pe an" was
preace" $# this note: 5The excessi%el# small t#pe in the ollowing pages is an attempt to emphasize the
intentionall# pontiical character o this lecture.7
0445 1"
5 The 2esthetics o 3ailure: N(ost-Digital, Ten"encies in *ontemporar# *omputer ?usic7
Oim *ascone
3rom Computer Music 6ourna& :@- no/ @ 0inter :"""$/
*omposer Oim *ascone ;19//- = is !nown or his 5microsoun"DD compositions& music that explores the textural
"etails o "igital soun" an" that exists at the intersection o classic electronic music& soun" art an" post-
Techno. +n the 19:0s& *ascone wor!e" as a music e"itor or ilm "irector Da%i" .#nch an" oun"e" >ilent
Recor"s& which eature" 2m$ient recor"ings $# *asconeDs own @ea%enl# ?usic *orporation ;name" ater an
experimental composition $# Arian Eno an" Ro$ert 3ripp=. +n the mi"-1990s& *ascone $ecame a soun" "esigner
or pop pro"ucer Thomas Dol$# an"& later& "e%elope" soun" sotware or computer games. +n 2000& *ascone
orme" the 2nechoic ?e"ia la$el to release his own compositions. +n this article& he explores the aesthetics o
what he calls 5post-"igitalDD music& which exploits the precariousness o the "igital signal an" cele$rates the
sonic eects o "igital glitches& $ugs& an" errors.
0445 11
5 3ree +mpro%isation7 Dere! Aaile#
3rom (erek 8ai&e)- Impro1isation% Its 7ature and Practice in Music 7e. <ork% (a Capo-199:$/
Juitarist Dere! Aaile# ;1930- = is among the oun"ers o DDree impro%isationDD& a musical practice lin!e" to& $ut
genealogicall# an" conicall# "istinct rom DDree Iazz7. Kn the one han"& as Aaile# conten"s here& 5ree
impro%isationDD is the worl"Ds ol"est orm o music-ma!ing& pre"ating Iazz& the mo"ernist a%ant-gar"e& an"
experimental music $# millenia. Kn the other han"& he ac!nowle"ges that DDree impro%isationDD also names a
musical practice that emerge" in Aritain an" Europe in the earl# 19G0s inspire" $# Iazz an" ree Iazz& an" also
$# 2rnol" >choen$ergDs atonal music& 2nton 4e$ernDs serial compositions& the in"eterminate an" experimental
wor! o composers such as Earle Arown an" 8ohn *age& an" other sources. 4here 5ree IazzDD pla#ers ten" to
airm their ties to Iazz an" to 2rican-2merican heritage& 5ree impro%isersDD generall# resist explicit connections
to 5i"iomaticDD musical tra"itions& Iazz inclu"e".
3or more than our "eca"es& Aaile# has $een one o the lea"ing practitioners o 5ree impro%isation.7 @e has
perorme" in an astonishing %ariet# o contexts& rom impro%isations with 2rican& Arazilian& an" Aurmese
percussionists an" sessions with $uto an" tap "ancers to recor"ings with Aritish "rum DnD $ass pro"ucers an"
8apanese noise musicians. +n 19B0 Aaile# oun"e" the +ncus recor" la$el to "ocument perormances o DDree
impro%isationDD' an"& rom 19BB through the earl# 1990,s& he hoste" *ompan# 4ee!& an annual gathering that
$rought together impro%isers o al1 stripes or what were oten irst-time encounters. The ollowing excerpts
are ta!en rom Aaile#Ds !e# $oo!& I"rovisation# Its Nature an$ Practice in Music& which originate" as a series
o tele%ision inter%iews with impro%ising musicians. @ere&
Aaile# an" his compatriots oer an account o the emergence o ree impro%isation an" a "escription o its
characteristic musical strategies.
0445 1: To $e announce"
0445 1> To $e announce"
0445 1@ To $e announce"