MAIN ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION FIELDWORK METHODOLOGY REFLECTIONS RESULTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IINTRODUCTION background framework contribution
At the heart of this research lies a year-long, immersive journey (see fieldwork section) across the graceful realms of folk music, deeply entwined with the cultural and spiritual ethos of two specific geographic areas: Sardinia, my native land, and Norway.
Through a multifaceted approach combining research, practical musicianship and theoretical analysis, this study delves into the esoteric aspects of music and its resonance with lands and folk traditions discerned with a contemporary lens.
The primary goal is to learn, decipher and interpret authentic rhythmic models, drawing inspiration from this immersive artistic process to support future development.
Such development entails new approaches to the source in question, which may, in the early stages, reveal hidden or unknown features that remain unelucidated to this day.
The research aims to primarily focus on three specific attributes that, in my opinion, constitute the foundation of authentic, embedded traditional music: silence, rhythmic semantics and esotericism.
1) The academic study of esotericism is a young field, and few researchers have probed the rich interface between the musical and esoteric domains. Music and esotericism are two responses to the intuition that the world holds hidden order, beauty, and power.
Those who compose, perform, and listen to music have often noted that music can be a bridge between sensory and transcendent realms.1
Following through George and Roth`s standpoint1, I come up with some questions that can definitely lead to important answers:
What is the underlying message that people aim to convey, bridging their traditional music? What constitutes the ultimate 'message' they intend to communicate to their listeners, and how can I seize that message and morph it within a contemporary context?
2) The concept of rhythmic semantics, in a general sense, refers to the way in which rhythm in music can convey meaning, emotion, or narrative, much like how words in a language express ideas. Canette`s2 research results suggest that listening to musical excerpts emphasizing different features, such as pulse and rhythms, influences semantic activation in different ways and extent.
This, I believe, certainly provides hope that the intergenerational spread of cognitive influences can lead to the emergence of new ideas and reinterpretation of the early material, ultimately paving the way for significant breakthroughs. Additionally, the progressist semantics of the avant-garde, often associated with innovation, pushing boundaries, and challenging established conventions or norms, adds a tile to the whole rhythmic mosaic.
In this research context, rhythmic semantics entail a thorough investigation of rhythm, emphasizing its role not only as a background element but as a primary means of artistic expression. Here, rhythm forms the cornerstone of my artistic pursuit.
3) To complement and sustain the two aforementioned components are the qualities of silence.3 Silence, in its essence, encompasses a broad spectrum of auditory experiences, each offering a unique set of attributes that enrich and stimulate artistic imagination.
This absence of conventional sound is not a void; instead, it serves as a canvas for a range of sonic nuances and whispered breaths that inspire creative thought and interpretation. Considering the nature of silence, individual perceptions of its essence often form subjectively, as for example: mysterious, reflective space, ethereal, a graceful featured absence.4
While silence is often used to either increase or decrease tension, in the research perspective, when combined with authentic rhythmic models and the subtle nuances within melodic narratives, I firmly believe its application can unlock novel creative opportunities.
1Leonard George and Marjorie Roth “Explorations in Music and Esotericism” 2023 - Eastman Studies in Music
2L.H. Canette, P. Lalitte, B. Tillmann & E. Bigand“Influence of Regular Rhythmic Versus Textural Sound Sequences on Semantic and Conceptual Processing” 2021 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355667384
3“Consider the qualities of silence: in presence, an open, receptive, reflective space; in absence, void.”
(Sutton, J., & De Backer, J. (2009). Music, trauma and silence: The state of the art. The arts in psychotherapy, 36(2), 75-83.)
4(Sutton, J. P. (2002). “The Pause That Follows”.. Silence, Improvised Music and Music Therapy. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 11(1), 27-38.)