Phenomenology As a Tool for Musical Analysis/Edgard Varese

Poem Electronique by Edgar Varese and Le Corbusier 1958

In the article, "Phenomenology as a Tool for Musical Analysis," Lawerence Ferrara breaks down the phenomenological analysis process. He begins the article by discussing "objectivity" and the separation between subject and object. Ferrara writes, "That knowledge is objective is of course a myth, whether it refers to music, the other arts, or the sciences (152)." He examines this ideology further by introducing the physical chemist and philosopher, Michael Polanyi, who believes that a scientist's personal involvement in knowledge is indispensable.

The Importance of Hearing:
Ferrera writes, "Phenomenologists presume that what one hears is affected by how one hears (153)". He strengthens this idea by introducing the "mode of orientation," which is a tactic that responds to questions "posed" by the work instead of manipulating meaning and imposing personal bias to the it's meaning.

Dr. Ferrara also explains that many phenomenologists can accept that there is syntactical and referential meanings in an artwork that must be addressed, while other phenomenologists have argued that there are "ontological" meanings in some works that, "present a historically based "world" of the composer (153)."

PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS IS GROUNDED IN REVERANCE TO THE HUMAN ELEMENT IN MUSIC Pg.153


An interesting point that Dr. Ferrara extends is that it is not definite that we can fully decipher a composer's intention as if to say intention doesn't matter, but more importantly it is possible to understand a work within the context of the composer's (ontological) world. He strengthens the "mode of orientation" by discussing symbols, the symbols as a code to understanding the composer's language; "we are metaphorically transported into the world of the composer as we attend to the work (153)."

"The great composer injects, through his manipulation of sound, the factical day-to-day world in which he exists in a new form. In remaining open to that world, the analyst does not respond to it purely and objectively but within the boundaries and limitations of his own world and culture (358)". But Dr. Ferrara goes further to say that the analyst does not respond with a dependency on the composer's world and culture but also with in the "boundaries and limitations" of his own world and tools.

The Procedure
Dr. Ferrara introduces the piece under examination (Poem Electronique) and breaks down the process of understanding the piece under a phenomenological lense.

Ferrara reacquaints the reader with the reasoning behind "open" listenings, that their purpose is to "orient" the analyst with the work so that the analyst can be as responsive as possible. The next stage for the analyst is to listen for "syntactical" meanings. One is supposed to "bracket" out formal and referential training at this point and time to allow focus on syntactical sounds. First one attempts to leave behind formal elements of training and to hear sounds as sounds as they appear, for example "word sounds." The next step within the level of syntax is to examine formal structures of the piece that support the phenomenological analysis of syntax. The next step in this procedure is to attend to semantical meanings. Ferrara supports this by adding, "Many of the important dimensions of meaning in music lie outside of the context of musical syntax (155)." The same level of attention is applied to listening for ontological meanings in the world of the composer. Finally there is a final "open" listening where the syntactical, semantic, and ontological levels of meaning may "stand out in a conceptual, contrapuntal design of meaning-dimensions (155)."

One of the most profound ideas in this process is that "In the relationship of syntax and ontological world, each carries itself further than either alone would have been able to go (155)." I like the idea that form and world need each other to create the whole meaning of a work.

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Ferrara upon describing the analytical process invites the reader into his reflections of the open listenings process of Poem Electronique, by Edgar Varese.


REACTION: OMG I LOVE BARRY MANILOW


I really feel that this article described the analytical process in a very concise and relatable manner. I feel like I can use this as a guide to further my analytical endeavors. I really enjoyed how visual Dr. Ferrara was during his "open" listenings and shared it with the reader. Also I thought that Poem Electronique was a great example of how to analyze an experimental music concrete piece while showing us how to employ our formal training to uncover the syntactical elements. I felt in a whole Dr. Ferrara's article put it all together for me.

VI. Aesthetic Perception Seeing As/The Unforgiving George Dickie

"How to Draw a Bunny," a documentary on the work and death of Ray Johnson.

In Chapter 6, George Dickie critiques the aesthetic-attitude theory of Virgil Aldrich. In the opening he discusses why he chose Aldrich's theory: It's the most recent version, it's related to Wittgenstein's philosophy, and most importantly, "...it is more concerned with the notion of aesthetic object as the proper object of appreciation and criticism than earlier attitude theories are" (136). Aldrich begs the question of which forms of art are "proper parts" of an aesthetic object. By doing so, Dickie maintains that Aldrich must state which aspects of a work of art or "nature" are aesthetic and which are not.

With us today is Mr. George Dickie.

When the work of art is looked at in a certain way, one becomes aware of the aspects that dawn in the aesthetic space of composition. These are proper parts of the work of art as an aesthetic object, and blindness to these is the sort of aspect-blindness that disqualifies one both for aesthetic perception and the assessment of the merits of the work as an aesthetic object in that view of it (137). -Virgil Aldrich

A very interesting point that Aldrich makes is that "aesthetic characteristics are objectively there to be experienced, one just has to look at them in a certain way (137)". But he didn't come up with this theory on his own, apparently his theory on aesthetic perspective was "suggested" to him by E. H. Gombrich and Wittgenstein. To further explain the changing aspects of ambiguous objects, Dickie uses an analogy of the "duck-rabbit drawing." The figure is composed of a square within a square which could be, a square suspended in a frame, a lampshade seen from above or below, looking into a tunnel, and an aerial view of a truncated pyramid (183). The figure can be a representation of the way in which one is seeing it. Or in the words of Aldrich, "... what is seen (the representation) is conditioned by what one has in mind, but that what is seen... (137).


Reaction:

Chapter VII: An Eclectic Method for Sound, Form, and Reference... Baby Steps...

Chapter Seven opens with an "insistence" to openness and requests that prejudgment be suspended in order to be open to an artwork's meaning. Ferrara writes, "The method must support moving back and forth from an orientation that permits direct questions to be asked of the work to one that allows the analyst to respond to questions posed by the work(179)." This grants the opportunity for the artwork to change perspective and to give back to the analyst.


The Eclectic Method:


Step 1: In this step we study the piece as a historical context, a music history as well as the artist's "ouevre"
This step is composed of discovering certain historical facts about the composer, the style characteristics of the period in music, and how the composer is considered significant. One is also encouraged to look at the "prominent" styles of art forms in that same period as well and also to consider the "socio-political" climate in which the composer wrote their pieces.

Step 2: Is Optional and an opportunity for "open-listenings."
Here, the analyst is oriented to the sound, structure, and intention of the composition. "He remains open to the work and may report insights into sound, syntax or reference (181)." During this step, one should not compare the work to other works and should only focus on the work under study. The main intention of step two is to bring an "orientation to openness" to the process of analysis.

Step 3: It's time to attend to Syntax. Conventional methods for analyzing music are employed and presented in a "Conventional" Manner. Also, observations from Step Two can be further analyzed to assist in the complete syntactical analysis.

Step 4: Phenomenological/sound-in-time is performed. In this step, their is a shift from Roman Numerals to literal narrative and sign language. Steps two and three are "suspended," and "...the nature of the analyst's language to a more poetic style when appropriate (182)."

Step 5: First level of referential meanings (there will be a total of three). This is the level where music is represented. During this step, the analyst implements a proper critical method for analyzing text.

Step 6: The listener or analyst considers the method in which the work conveys human feeling. In this step, "feeling itself is abstracted, that is, transformed from an actual into a "virtual" form called the musical symbol (183)." Ferrara notes that any inclination to dominate the music must be repressed so that the piece isn't taken for granted as a mere emotional release. Detachment to the emotions expressed is important in this step.

Step 7: The analyst is directed to another dimension of referential meaning, the onto-historical world of the composer (184)." Perhaps the third dimension of referential meaning?

The Animation Show, "Intermission in the Third Dimension," By Don Hertzfeldt

Now Back to Step 7: Hermeneutic analysis is performed. If the analyst is interested in Heidegger's definition of art, then they should explore the onto-historical world of the composer.

Step Eight: A Return to "open-listening." At this stage of analysis, the levels of musical significance interact in a "dynamic and polyphonic tapestry" (184). The historical, syntax, sound-in-time, representation, virtual feeling, and onto-historical world, maintain a level of autonomy but in step eight are "reunited" in an experience of multidimensional possibility.

Step Nine: Performance Time. A Performance guide is created for an overall understanding of the composition under study. My favorite point of this chapter bats for the rookie. Ferrara writes, "The listener/analyst does not have to be an accomplished performer to construct a performance guide (186)." Insight is brought to fruition as analyzing the performance can further ground analysis. The listener/analyst can make suggestions to improving technique and other approaches to the piece... creating a collaborative opportunity between the analyst and composer.

Step Ten: Meta-critique. This final step is a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the eclectic method on the outcome of analysis. This is an examination of one's own strengths and weaknesses in coming to a sound eclectic theory about a work. Step ten allows room for the listener/analyst's growth.

REACTION: Never Underestimate the Power of Fleetwood Mac to Change your mind.



When I was a senior in high school, but technically a junior, our theme song was Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop," and they played it at every pep rally and even at graduation. I hated this song almost as much as I hated high school. But here I am, six years later, just about to graduate college, when one day I just started humming this song out of the blue. It took us a whole afternoon to figure out what the song was called, we even phoned our parents. So yes, I am a converted fan of the legendary Fleetwood Mac and I don't mind admitting it. I think this loosely ties into the idea of openness and the ability for a work to change you... or did I grow up and this band finally appeals to me?

A Little Nostalgia Just for Me: