Finding Musical Structure by Jimmy Axelsson

The aim of this master’s project is to gain a better understanding of form in electroacoustic music composition, and to apply this knowledge in studio-based work as well as in compositions for acoustic instruments. The following research questions was asked: What methods and strategies are used to create form in electroacoustic music? What approaches to form can I use in my electroacoustic compositions to obtain logical and structurally coherent musical results? What approaches to form in electroacoustic music can I use in my compositions for acoustic instruments and in mixed media works? To reach the aim and answer my research questions an extensive theory chapter have been made that include theory about Macro, meso, sound object and microform, Spectromorphology, Organizing form, Algorithmic and generative processes, Moment form, and Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Section proportions. The method chapter describes how the analysis of form is made, which are based on spectromorphology. Interviews with composer of three of the analysed pieced have been conducted, and strategies employed for composing my own pieces is also presented. The result chapter include my form analysis and reflections of four electroacoustic works together with information gathered during my interviews and the five pieces that I have composed during this project, two electroacoustic pieces, two acoustic pieces for symphony orchestra and one mixed media composition for piano and tape. Those pieces are presented with analysis of form and how I have composed the pieces. In the discussion are my research question answered together with more insights and reflections that I gotten from doing this master’s project.

5.2.5 Dreams of Zapping Televisions

Dreams of Zapping Televisions is a composition for Botkyrka symfoniorkester, and has a

duration of approximately 08:30 minutes. The piece is in one movement and has an

instrumentation of 2222 4331 timpani and strings. When I composed this piece, I used

Freeform and created my analysis of form at the same time as I composed. It provided me

with a tool that made it easier to look ahead and organize my workflow. It not only saved me

time, but gave me a bird’s eye view that supported my artistic choices.

Figure 5.29: Early example of the workflow with Dreams of Zapping Televisions.

Figure 5.30: Later example of the workflow with Dreams of Zapping Televisions.

Early on in the process, I decided to use sonata form as a framework for the piece, while not

using it completely in the traditional sense, regarding harmonic structure or form. I

maintained a multiscale planning approach but focusing on a top-down strategy. I started out

by writing the themes A, B, C and D, with their immediate repeats, and when I got around

the C or D part, I started to work with how to construct the macroform.

Figure 5.31: Form of Dreams of Zapping Televisions.

So, what differs with my take on the sonata form for this piece, compared to a traditional

sonata form, is first that I don’t follow the harmonic structure associated with the sonata

form, the conflicting key signatures that in the end gets resolved in the recapitulation. I use

different tonal centers for different themes, which for me serves to generate contrast and

more interesting music, rather than creating a conflict that needs to be resolved. And in my

development section I don’t develop and elaborate the earlier material, instead I introduce51

only new material with a completely different texture of micro polyphony, making that

section a big contrast to the exposition and recapitulation.

Figure 5.32: Woodwinds and brass from the opening A Maestoso theme.

Figure 5.33: Part of the score showcasing micro polyphony texture.

The exposition in a traditional sonata is repeated without variation, apart from sometimes

having a couple of bars that change in the end of it, to lead into the development section. In

my case, I’m using both variation and cutting the exposition short. By shortening the

repeated exposition, I created an unexpected event.

With my recapitulation, I’m moving far away from what a traditional sonata is. In a traditional

sonata the mesoform would be in the same order as the exposition but harmonically

everything would be in the key signature of the sonata that is presented in the main theme.

Traditionally the conflict is resolved here, and the opening key is the winner. The conflict

reaches its climax in the development section, and is resolved when entering the

recapitulation. In the case of my composition, I do not change key for any of my themes in

the recapitulation. I create variations and change the order of the mesoform quite radically

compared to the exposition. I also modify the duration of the recapitulation, shortening it by

omitting material from the exposition. This and the changed mesoform creates a higher pace

I the recapitulation but still maintains the coherency for the entire composition.

With this composition, something that can be seen in my analysis, is how I’ve been

influenced by the electroacoustic pieces that I analyzed above. I’m using both hits and

crossfade as deliberate compositional techniques. This is not new, nor unique for orchestral

music. Particularly not the hits, a feature that derives from orchestral music from the

beginning. But to deliberately use these compositional techniques was new to me.

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