Spectral Composition and

Percussion: Contemporary Concepts

of Timbre and Time
By Dr. Nicholas Papador

T
his article is an introduction to the use of selected Spectral Brian Ferneyhough and composed works for Steven Schick and several of
compositional techniques for percussion using Gerard Grisey’s Schick’s students.
“Tempus Ex Machina” and Canadian composer François Rose’s Spectralism has maintained a consistent presence in concert music and
“Points d’émergence” as models of repertoire for chamber has continued to evolve over the past thirty years. This is notable in that
and solo percussion. For those familiar with Spectralism, the common the music marks a cognizant departure from academic trends in postwar
surface perception of this music is that it utilizes orchestrations and composition and yet exhibits an uncompromising aesthetic that one would
vertical harmonies based upon concepts of the harmonic overtone series. not describe as “accessible” like a neo-tonal or minimalist score. Certainly,
Given this assumption, the primary question this article addresses is the the fact that spectral music is based upon natural acoustic phenomenon
following: How are the compositional concepts of Spectralism used in lends the movement a degree of intrigue and credibility. More importantly,
percussion, particularly unpitched instruments? however, Spectralism has thrived as an ideal because of its flexibility
and lack of strict dogma in regard to technique. Even the founders of
A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF SPECTRAL COMPOSITION the movement regard the music as an aesthetic rather than a style with a
Spectral music is a set of musical ideals and compositional practices wide range of techniques. Spectral composition innovator Tristan Murail
that seek to bring timbre to the forefront of composition. Its language often describes the music simply as “sound evolving in time.” Any composition
centers on orchestrations of harmonic series partials as its pitch material that showcases timbre as a primary structural feature may be viewed on
(rather than tonal or atonal pitch collections) that are, in turn, varied some level as a Spectralist work. That said, unpitched solo and ensemble
and transformed throughout the composition. By creating instrumental percussion music undeniably have a place in Spectral music.
scoring combinations built on specified pitch frequencies, spectral textures
“melt together,” sounding more like new instrumental timbres composite SPECTRAL PERCUSSION AND “HARMONICITY” IN UNPITCHED
rather than a vertical sonority/harmony. INSTRUMENTS
Originators of this genre performed computer-based analyses, such as In Spectral music the concept of harmony is related to the organization
the Fast Fourier transform, on sound sources to see a visual spectrogram of of timbre rather than that of chordal pitch sonorities. Unpitched materials
harmonic frequencies that define their timbres. For example, performing then, as a timbre, must conceptually have a basis in this music. Musical
a spectrogram on a single trombone pitch will show which frequencies figures in Spectral music whose orchestrations contain pitch partials of
are present in the trombone’s sound, defining its timbre. An analysis of the harmonic series are said to show “harmonicity” by replicating this
a bass clarinet playing the same pitch in the same octave will yield the naturally occurring acoustical phenomenon. Harmonicity should not be
same fundamental, but a different collection of partials that distinguish its confused with a tonic or consonance due to the fact that higher partials,
timbre from that of the trombone. The composer could then base a work when played with the fundamental, can produce dissonant intervals.
around a source spectrogram by orchestrating the frequency profile (often Moreover, true harmonic series partials contain microtonal pitch material.
to the nearest available microtone) followed by transformations of timbre We can see from spectrograph analyses that “unpitched” percussion
profiles and interconnections between new timbres. instruments, in fact, do not lack pitch. The opposite is true: Their sounds
Twentieth Century composers, such as Messiaen, Stockhausen, Varèse, contain too many pitch frequencies to audibly discern the fundamental.
and Xenakis, orchestrated in a manner that is considered by some to be Joshua Fineberg’s article “Guide to the Basic Concepts and Techniques of
“proto-Spectralist.” The first codified and concentrated use of this musical Spectral Music” includes a spectrograph of a cowbell whose fundamental
philosophy and technology took place in France during the early 1970s pitch is B4 (see Figure 1), but the pitch is obscured by a plethora of pitch
at Paris’ Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique frequencies that are not members of the harmonic series or that are in
(IRCAM). Tristan Murail and Gérard Grisey are the canonical names in displaced octaves that disrupt the order of the overtone series partials.
this movement, but other composers studying throughout Europe were This principle is called inharmonicity. Inharmonicity is not an undesirable
also breaking musical ground in this idiom, including the late Quebecois state, and this concept should not be thought of as a tonal versus atonal
composer Claude Vivier, who symbolically links Spectralism as a French- dichotomy. Instruments such as the triangle and cymbals require
Canadian expression. This influence is, as a general observation, a key trait inharmonicity. If these instruments contain too few overtones and too
that distinguishes much Canadian composition as stylistically different clear a fundamental, they will sound undesirable in an orchestral setting
from that of its United States neighbors, whose post-Schoenbergian when they clash against the predominant harmony.
developments in the academy defined a broad basis in compositional
pedagogy. François Rose studied composition with both Grisey and HARMONICITY IN ROSE’S “POINTS D’ÉMERGENCE”
Murail, but some of his compositional sensibilities were also informed by The percussion scoring in François Rose’s multiple percussion work
his work at the University of California–San Diego, where he worked with “Points d’émergence” consists of three woods, three drums, and three

PERCUSSIVE NOTES 46 MARCH 2016

View the score and listen to “Points d’émergence” in the online edition of this issue at
AUDIO/
www.pas.org/publications/latest-issues/percussivenotes.aspx
SCORE

metals or “bell” instruments. The performer determines the actual Figure 2: Sample Setup for Points d’émergence
instruments, but Rose stipulates that each family of instruments should
have the same pitch content. Finding like-pitched groups of instruments
for the piece is not an easy task. Most conventional wood (woodblocks and
temple blocks) and metal instruments (cowbells and brake drums) have
higher fundamental pitches than our highest pitched drums (bongos or
high tom-toms). Performers of this piece often have to build at least one
family of instruments to heed Rose’s nomenclature. The author’s choice
of instruments are three almglocken (resonant tuned cowbells), a Latin
Percussion practice conga, two bongos, and one-foot by four-foot oak
planks tuned to the pitches C4, D4, and F-sharp 4 (see Figure 2). David
Shively, who premiered the work, performs on three fabricated tuned
aluminum bar metals (like those commonly used as Xenakis’ Sixxen
in the “Métaux” movement of “Pléiades”); conga and two bongos; and
three tuned samatras of purple heart wood tuned to a different pitch set
altogether.
While these percussion instruments in an orchestral sense are said to
be unpitched, Rose knows that one can hear a general fundamental pitch
in drums, wood, and metal percussion instruments. It is the concept of aesthetically and logistically important to the performer, are to a great
“relative inharmonicity” that is at play in Rose’s “Points d’émergence.” extent irrelevant to the piece. What is pleasing to the ear is not necessarily
The composer scored the metals, woods, and skins to have the same pitch the sonority of the three pitches selected but the timbre shifts present
set. The set is determined by the performer, but the pitch choices, while within a tightly woven polyphony between the timbre groups.
What makes hearing the same fundamental pitches across the
Figure 1 percussion instruments theoretically interesting is their varying levels
of harmonicity inherent in each instrument group. For example, the
almglocken, as tuned percussion instruments in the author’s setup,
not only have the most harmonicity, but also have a complex overtone
profile that prevents them from sounding precisely “in tune.” Moreover,
the almglocken have the longest decay rate. Some “noise” frequencies
are present in the striking of the instrument (known as the “attack
transient” in Spectralist terminology), which decay immediately, while
other frequencies remain as the instrument rings. One can hear a
reasonably clear fundamental in the bongos and conga, but the decay rate
of the “pitch” is faster than the almglocken. The oak planks (samatras)
have a short decay and a less clear fundamental pitch due to allegedly
having more inharmonic spectral frequencies. In the author’s choice of
instruments then, there is a progression from the metals, to skins, to
woods—from more to less harmonicity.
Rose, in his score nomenclature, seems aware of the decay properties
of the instrumentation. In the score he suggests some possible muting for
the metals (bells) to make the decay rates more equal. He also suggests
placing a tam-tam near the setup to elicit sympathetic resonance from
the woods to artificially lengthen the decay rate. By calling indeterminate
metals “bells” he is also suggesting that they are generally the instruments
exhibiting the most harmonicity or discernable pitch. Performers
experimenting with this principle in their setup design could use marimba
bars as woods and traditional cowbells as metals if they wished to realize
the piece with a different contrapuntal interaction between relative
harmonic and inharmonic timbres. “Points d’émergence” could certainly
succeed as a solo percussion work on its rhythmic writing alone with a
freely tuned setup between timbres, but from a spectralist perspective,
experiencing levels of harmonicity between like-pitched, but varied
timbral surfaces, is paramount to the work.

OTHER COMPONENTS OF PITCH IN SPECTRAL MUSIC

One concept worth mentioning in regards to Spectral Music is

PERCUSSIVE NOTES 47 MARCH 2016

Combination Tones. These resulting tones are sympathetic sounds or These temporal movements are described below, but also summarized in
overtones present when two tones are played simultaneously. “Summation Table 1.
tones” are resultant notes of two frequencies being added together. For Periodic structures are the most orderly and the most predictable. Most
example if A4 (A = 440 or 440Hz) and E5 (659.26Hz) are added together, conventional music we hear falls into this category. In this state, there
you get 1099.26Hz, which corresponds to a note just flat of C-sharp 6 is an audible hierarchy of pulses (i.e., harmonic rhythm) in consistent
(1108.73Hz). A justly tuned perfect-fifth interval would likely produce tempi. Grisey believed that episodes of periodicity were essential to
a purer major-tenth interval as a combination tone. Another concept allow temporal repose in the music’s overall trajectory. What he felt was
is “Difference Tones,” where two frequencies are subtracted from one limiting about post-Webern serial ideals was the fact that the absence of
another. Using the same pitches, E5 (659.26Hz) minus A4 (440Hz) is periodicity, in both rhythm and pitch, was alarming and too unpredictable.
equal to 219.26Hz, which is a pitch very slightly below A3. These pitch While these textures may have a successful general effect to the listener,
concepts may be employed by the composer melodically, harmonically, the actual intentions of the music are not necessarily disseminated past the
or as an element of orchestration. Composers may round microtones to composer, conductor, or performers.
the nearest half step, while others may ask for microtonal notes in their Continuous-dynamic temporal structures, on the surface, suggest
score or electronic sound texture. These combination tones may naturally continuous accelerations or decelerations of durations due to shifts of
sound sympathetically when two pitches are played simultaneously, or the tempi or different durations within a static tempo. Grisey is primarily
composer may determine combination tones of two pitches and add them referring to relationships reflected in the lengths of phrases, or musical
to the orchestration to simulate this acoustical phenomenon. events, rather than local note values. For example, an opening phrase of 8
measures could be followed by phrases of 6, 4, and 2 measures respectively,
SPECTRALISM AND MACRO-RHYTHM: AUDIBLE FORMAL showing a gradual “acceleration” of time. These arithmetical and geometric
ORGANIZATION THROUGH TEMPORAL STRUCTURES accelerations are considered to be of average predictability. Used locally
It is clear that spectral procedures have some basis in the timbral within a composition these structures can be effective. George Antheil’s
organization of “Points d’émergence,” but it is arguable that the audibility 1950s revision of “Ballet Méchanique” contains some moments of building
of temporal and rhythmic structure is the work’s most noticeable temporal tension by creating an acceleration of time by subtracting pulses
compositional strength. Temporal and rhythmic structure is another in the same tempo. One measure of 4/4 is followed by one of 7/8, then 6/8,
musical component that one does not initially associate with Spectralism, and so on. There is no change in tempo during this phrase, but a sensation
a compositional philosophy that on the surface is concerned primarily of temporal acceleration is created.
with issues of pitch frequencies combined to form timbre based sonorities. To avoid a point of predictability or even boredom of a set algorithmic
Gérard Grisey’s Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music method for accelerating or decelerating structures, Grisey is a proponent
lecture turned article, “Tempus ex Machina: A Composer’s Reflections of composing discontinuous-dynamic structures. For example, rather
on Musical Time,” has served, to some extent, as a manifesto on temporal than accelerating at a set rate or formula, events could move forward
proportions and procedures in spectral music. The article is aesthetically with elisions or discontinuous jumps forward or backward in tempo
bold in that it questions the audibility and, by extension, the validity of or rhythmic density. Another means of discontinuous accelerations or
formal procedures such as Fibonacci and Golden Mean proportions as decelerations is to use statistical proportions in a work of increasing speed
well as symmetrical and palindromic rhythmic structures. His criticism or frequency of events.
of these devices is simple: If listeners cannot hear these principles in the Grisey’s motivation in this argument is not only to create works that are
music, or retain in their memory the musical events that shape these temporally audible, but also because he likens discontinuous dynamics to
formal proportions, then the formal design is essentially a self indulgent a spectrum with the absence of certain frequencies. In this way, Grisey is
exercise on the part of the composer. At best, these formal structures describing time and rhythmic structures as analogous to the frequency
are tools for composing that should not warrant any special merit, spectrums that define the basic premise of Spectral composition. Some
because to Grisey, the music should not require a score to appreciate the composers in the medium even use their tempi/metronome markings as
compositional architecture. “Avatars” of modern music such as Boulez a means of time-based consonance and dissonance. Rose uses 72 bpm
and Bartók were, for the first time, not beyond reproach in regards to their and 96 bpm as his periodic/stable tempi in “Points d’émergence,” while
formal methods. other tempi are present in changing or instable rhythmic episodes. Grisey
Grisey’s goal in this assessment was not a call for formal simplicity might consider these tempo markings to serve as time “frequencies.”
or accessibility, but to outline a number of temporal criteria that could Discontinuous dynamics help unify the tenets of timbre and rhythm in
maintain a level of complexity and yet be audible conceptually to the Spectralist thought.
listener. He goes on to discuss a basic listening rubric of larger temporal Other temporal structures include Smooth structures that entail large
structures and their relative level of predictability to the listener. Rather structural units of rhythmic silence or sustained textures that do not have
than referring to dualities such as short/long or binary/ternary, Grisey uses a true sense of temporal motion. Certain types of ambient music would
principles of Information Theory as a model for time structures in sound. qualify in this category. Finally, there are Statistical structures, which refer
to total serialism or other discontinuous structures that have a limited or
Table 1: Temporal Structures in Music As Defined By Gérard Grisey zero predictability on the part of the listener.

TEMPORALITY AND FORM IN “TEMPUS EX MACHINA”

Gérard Grisey’s “Tempus ex Machina” (1979) for percussionist sextet
serves as a treatise composition in applying his notion of form and time
in Spectral music. The work is approximately twenty minutes in duration,
and the first major section (roughly the first nine minutes) clearly utilizes
concepts of acceleration and deceleration in musical time.
In order for the musical material to be easily coherent and recognizable
to the listener, Grisey uses a very limited language in the beginning of the
piece: pulsing drums and rhythmic interjections on wood instruments.
Table 2 illustrates the levels of acceleration present in the music. The
timings in the table correspond to the Ensemble S recording of the
work found on the album Gérard Grisey Solo pour deux (Kairos CD

PERCUSSIVE NOTES 48 MARCH 2016

0012502KAI). The events are recognizable enough that a score is not Table 3: Deceleration of Time in the Closing Events of Gérard
necessary to hear the entrances, just as Grisey attests. The players enter one Grisey’s Tempus Ex Machina, part 1
by one with their drum pulses and wood instrument interjections. Looking
at the right column of Table 2, one can see that the opening solo is about
2:38 in duration before player 2 enters. This duet lasts for about 1:18 before
the next player enters. Each subsequent phrase is incrementally shorter in
duration, which in Grisey’s estimation, creates a sense of acceleration as
the events occur in quicker succession.
Table 2: Temporal Acceleration and Climax in part 1 of Gérard
Grisey’s Tempus Ex Machina

minutes derived of conceptually simple slowing gestures. The lowering

tessitura of the drums and woods also contributes greatly to the effect, but
it is clear that the composer has successfully put his concepts of musical
time in to practice in a nine-minute sequence of music.
Grisey’s later work “Le Noir de l’Etoile” (1990) has received more
recent publicity and performances with its enhanced theatricality, site
Adding to the sense of acceleration is that the entrances of each player specific performance venues, use of live electronics, and astronomical
become faster in tempi. Player one begins the work playing at quarter note programmatic content. It should be noted, however, that the first section of
= 45, player two begins playing at quarter note = 60, and each subsequent this work is taken verbatim from “Tempus ex Machina.”
entrance is faster in tempo. The music becomes faster at some level over
the course of the section, and it certainly becomes increasingly dense and TEMPORALITY AND FORM IN “POINTS D’ÉMERGENCE”
rhythmically complex. François Rose’s “Points d’émergence,” composed in 1996, is organized
Grisey’s acceleration requires that all six players perform at independent in seven distinct, large sections. Each section is clearly audible to the
tempi for approximately six and a half minutes before arriving at a unison listener due to a clear change in instrumentation or behaviorism in a
texture in a unified tempo. This is challenging from a performance particular family of instruments. More importantly, each section of the
practice perspective. The players must operate in a chamber setting, each piece explores a different aspect of temporality. While there are high points
reading from a score to stay coordinated, or the players would require of rhythmic density and dynamics within each section, Rose, like Grisey,
technological aid from synchronized click tracks. On the other hand, in concerned with exploring different temporal designs as well as distinct
Grisey’s notation allows the performers to play natural quarter-note pulses instrumentation to make each formal section reasonably apparent to the
and not rely on polyrhythmic notations that do not reflect the composer’s listener without any prior knowledge of the work or access to a score. This
goals. Grisey is able to elicit a sense of dramatic build that retains musical article discusses only the discontinuous dynamic structure of the first major
momentum for over six minutes using a very limited collection of section of the piece after a brief discussion of the piece’s opening gesture.
compositional materials. The form and temporal design of the remainder of the piece is outlined in
The climax of the section occurs shortly before the seven-minute mark Table 4. The timings in Tables 4 and 5 correspond to the author’s recording
when the players achieve a periodic time state (a groove, if you will, on of the work on his album Points of Departure (Centrediscs CMCCD
drums and woods) in unison that continues to build in volume. Just after 20715), which can be heard at http://www.nicholaspapador.com/?page_
the seven-minute mark, the texture elicits a sense of slowing down by id=10.
adding a sixteenth note to each subsequent measure. The 2/4 measure is On the surface, Measure 0 of the piece foreshadows the climactic
followed by a 9/16 measure, then a 5/8 measure, an 11/16 measure, and conclusion of the piece and begins the work with a gesture of maximum
so on. The energy created by the downbeats slows progressively each density. More importantly, each voice in this measure is playing the main
measure. thematic motive that will develop in the first section and serve as the inner
Rehearsal numbers 16–22 bring about a deeper structural level of fabric for the remainder of the work. This theme is deliberately simple (a
deceleration that brings the first part of “Tempus ex Machina” to a close, low pitch, two medium pitches, and a high pitch within or between the
as shown in Table 3. This section consists of ten pulsing drum gestures metal, skin, and wood instrument groups) so that it can remain audible in
that slow down until the next gesture begins. Decelerating pulses is what is each section of the piece even in the most rhythmically complex passages.
happening at the surface level. More importantly, each successive musical This measure also, by illustrating the maximum density in scoring and by
gesture is longer in duration as well, making this deceleration occur at sharing the same main thematic motive within the voices in close canon,
the temporal phrase level as well. The first gesture is just three seconds, allows the three instrument families to melt together and sound as one
and each group of attacks becomes gradually longer until the close of timbre. The main motive is ever present in this measure, occurring six
the section. The tenth gesture is the longest pulse deceleration lasting 21 times across the three instrument families, and yet the listener will not
seconds. audibly recognize it until the end of Section I. With this in mind, however,
Simply slowing pulses is an effective rhythmic technique, but will not Rose has succeeded, in the Spectral sense, in melding the theme and
usually prove to be musically engaging unless other musical ideas are at timbres into a single musical entity. Moreover, with the double-stop attacks
play. In this case, Grisey creates temporal deceleration of almost two full happening in such short succession, one will hear a reasonably complete

PERCUSSIVE NOTES 49 MARCH 2016

Table 4: Formal Diagram of Points d’émergence could be made that the sudden jump to 90 beats per minute, between
phrases of 60 and 68 bpm respectively, creates a different sense of pulse
acceleration. The last phrase of the section is also longer by the previous
one by about ten seconds. This can be explained by the fact that the bells
and membranophones begin playing the main motive in unison and in
regular eighth-note pulses in beat 2 of measure 78 to culminate the first
section of the piece. Measures 78 (beat 2) through 85, then, are climactic
cadencial material and not part of the temporal acceleration. The markings
in parenthesis in Table 5 show that phrase seven is indeed a consistent part
of the accelerating process.
Figure 3: Discontinuous-dynamic Acceleration in Section I of Points
d’émergence

Table 5: Fran�ois Rose: Points d’émergence: Discontinuous

Dynamic Acceleration in Section I

When describing his own writing, Rose uses terminology referring to

how the listener hears the tempi in the piece without referring to their
note values or contrapuntal concepts. In this first section, the bells and
membranes are described as “dilated” or slow time. They are in rhythmic
unison throughout the section, but an investigation of the voicing reveals
a number of unequal rhythmic cycles and an organic set of canons. For
example, in measures 1–4 the bells are playing an ascending three-note
cycle, while the drums are playing a five-note cycle. This interplay develops
in an organic fashion as the section accelerates and culminates in measure
79, where both voices join together in unison revealing the main theme
composite of the percussion instrumentation’s full frequency spectrum or to the listener. The wood instruments are in “compressed” or fast time
high point of inharmonicity. and also contribute to organically developing the main motive while also
One technical observation should be mentioned here: While a serving as a melodic voice above the other voices.
percussionist will most likely perform the work with four mallets The overall speed of the “dilated” bells and drums also accelerates
throughout, Rose composes only double stops. Three or four instruments on a more audible surface level along with the phrase structure. These
are never scored simultaneously, and while this frequency composite instruments do not merely pulse in time with the given tempo, but make
could conceivably be fuller, the contrapuntal nature of the theme would be small local accelerations, delayed/syncopated pulses, and hemiolas
absent. In any case, the instruments do not then, in reality, melt literally against the tempo, which often prepare metric modulations to subsequent
into a single timbre, so this limitation serves as an asymptote to the phases at a new tempo. The concurrent accelerations in both phrase
theoretical concept for the work’s moment of complete inharmonicity. event durations, as well as the contrapuntal pulses in the bells and drums,
Section I (measures 1–85) features the bells and drums in continuous create a remarkable trajectory that is both compositionally intricate
rhythmic unison with various melodic relationships between the pitches and dramatically effective. The section has a feeling of constant, gradual
in these two groups. The woods develop in density over the course of the acceleration that remains coherent and interesting for over three minutes.
section and are heard as primarily melodic in nature. In terms of temporal Section II of the work is clearly revealed to the listener with its scoring
design, for the opening of the piece, Rose has faithfully realized Grisey’s of drums only and its use of the main motive, which was the developed
notion of a discontinuous dynamic acceleration. The section is divided outcome of the discontinuous dynamic acceleration.
into seven phrase events clearly designated by different tempo markings.
The acceleration is not a surface procedure where each phrase increases in ASSESSING “POINTS D’ÉMERGENCE’S” EMINENCE IN
tempo. In fact, the phrases tend to oscillate between fast and slow tempi. PERCUSSION REPERTOIRE
The acceleration is a function of each successive phrase event being shorter “Points d’émergence” is a prime example of what multi-percussion
in duration. virtuoso Steven Schick calls a “second wave” work of the solo percussion
As one can see by looking at Table 5 and Figure 3, the events do repertoire: a score that consciously employs a small instrument setup of
become generally shorter over time to create a temporal acceleration; limited sound sources rather than a large setup with a full inventory of
but as a discontinuous dynamic structure there are some inconsistencies. instruments. On the surface, this seems to be antithetical to the Spectralist
Phrase number four is slightly longer than phrase three, but the argument notion of timbre-defined music, but again, compositional formalism in

PERCUSSIVE NOTES 50 MARCH 2016

Spectralism consists of acoustical and musical ideas that are meant to dynamic, discontinuous dynamic, statistical, and smooth) and are seeking
be conceptually audible without the use of a score. Arguably, by using to establish these as a naturally occurring acoustical foundation by finding
this small setup and producing a 15-minute piece based almost entirely continuity in cultures throughout the world.
on a single motive/timbre melody, “Points d’émergence” allows ample Seminal spectral works for percussion such as Grisey’s “Tempus ex
time for the listener to take in some of these concepts on a sensory level Machina,” and as a solo work through Rose’s “Points d’émergence,” are,
as early as the first hearing. While “Points d’émergence” is certainly a in some cases, establishing time structures as an analogous rhythmic
complex score, the concepts of motive, temporal structures, and blending equivalent to the harmonic series. Rose uses tempo markings as an
of timbre are more audible to the untrained ear than that of the serial or analogous time equivalent to measured pitch frequencies. Unpitched
chance formal proportions in “first wave” percussion solo repertoire such percussion as a medium, on the surface, appears not to have much in
as Stockhausen’s “No. 9 Zyklus,” Wuorinen’s “Jannisary Music,” or Cage’s common with the early spectral analyses and orchestral compositions
“27’10.554” for a Percussionist.” in the medium. However, through the applications of these temporal
While a substantial composition and arguably the preeminent example structures, Spectralism has unified issues of timbre and time as a
of a Spectral work for solo percussion, “Points d’émergence” has received compositional identity with percussion as an integral participant.
relatively few performances. The score is readily available for free loan
through the Canadian Music Centre, but percussionists often seek RECOMMENDED LISTENING
repertoire solely from commercial percussion-specific publishers or Gérard Grisey: “Le Noir de l’étoile” (1989–1990); “Les espace acoustiques,” an
publishing houses that hold the most canonical names in classical music umbrella title encompassing a series of his major works such as “Périodes”
composition. While only a small handful of players have presented this (1974) and “Partiels” (1975); “Tempus ex Machina” (1979), “Stele” (1995).
piece, there is no doubt that, with patronage of performances from visible Tristan Murail: “Gondwana” (1980); “Time and Again” (1985); “Winter Fragments”
percussion soloists, “Points d’émergence” will have an eventual place in (2000).
this pantheon of masterful “second wave” percussion repertoire. Claude Vivier: “Cinq chansons” (1980); “Lonely Child” (1980), “Et je reverrai cette
“Points d’émergence” is not Rose’s only percussion work and certainly ville étrange” (1981), “Pulau Dewata” (1981).
not the only example of overtly Spectralist music for solo percussion or
percussion ensemble. He composed “A Day at the Sea” (1999) for Patti BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cudd. The piece is scored for speaking percussionist using e.e. cummings’ Fineberg, Joshua. “Guide to the Basic Concepts and Techniques of Spectral Music.”
poem of the same name. The setup of this piece is quite similar to “Points Contemporary Music Review Vol. 19, Part 2 (2000), pp. 81–113.
d’émergence,” but with only two pitches per instrument family. Rose’s first _______. “Spectral Music.” Contemporary Music Review Vol. 19, Part 2 (2000), pp.
percussion work, “Passages nuageux” for percussion trio, was written for 1–5.
Steven Schick. Griffiths, Paul. Modern Music and After (3rd Edition). New York: Oxford University
Press, 2010, pp. 339–347.
SPECTRALISM AND MUSICAL GLOBALISM Grisey, Gérard. “Did You Say Spectral?” Contemporary Music Review Vol. 19, Part 3
François Rose, now a “Pacific Rim” composer on faculty at the (2000), pp. 1–3.
University of the Pacific in California, was interested in the classical music _______. Grisey: Solo pour deux / Anubis-Nout / Stele / Charme / Tempus ex
of South India and the soloistic sound of the mridangam when composing Machina. Kairos 12502, 2008 compact disc.
the expanding and contracting phrase densities in “Points d’émergence.” _______. Tempus ex Machina. Milan: Casa Ricordi, 1979.
However, he does not use this influence on any explicit level; there are _______. “Tempus ex Machina: A Composer’s Reflection on Musical Time.”
no quotations or borrowing of South Indian rhythmic patterns. This is Contemporary Music Review 2 (1987), 241–277.
the opposite claim made in the score of Xenakis’s “Rebonds,” where the Harvey, Jonathan. “Spectralism.” Contemporary Music Review Vol. 19, Part 3
program note claims there is “no folkloric contamination” when ties to (2000), pp. 11–14.
African and African-derived music are more noticeable than indicated. Rose, François. “Introduction to the Organization of French Spectral Music.”
Rose’s deeper influence is the rate in which time events move and progress Perspectives of New Music 34:2 (summer, 1996), pp. 6–39.
in these non-Western classical structures, just as Grisey asserts of a _______. Points d’émergence. Toronto: Canadian Music Centre, 1996.
spectral concept for musical form. _______. Analytical notes and correspondence with the composer.
It is a distinct possibility that Spectral composers are looking to other Schick, Steven. The Percussionist’s Art: Same Bed, Different Dreams. Rochester, NY:
world cultures to find temporal structures and a macro-rhythmic kinship University of Rochester Press, 2006.
with music that elicits larger temporal sensations without the academic Xenakis, Iannis. Rebonds. Paris: Editions Salabert, 1987.
machinations and theory of advanced contemporary classical scores.
Shortly before the time of this writing, Rose completed a sabbatical to Nicholas Papador is a percussionist and composer based in Windsor,
study the traditional music of Japan, sharing an affinity with both Kaija Ontario, who specializes in contemporary music. He is a founding
Saariaho, who composed the Spectral associated work “Six Japanese member of Noiseborder Ensemble (multimedia collective) and Marassa
Gardens” for percussion and electronics. In Kabuki theater, when Duo (Afro-Caribbean folkloric influence chamber music). Papador has
one listens to the gradually accelerating high pitched wood sounds in performed at the Transplanted Roots Percussion Research Symposium
conjunction with narrative climaxes drama, this seemingly simple musical at McGill, Puerto Rico Conservatory International Percussion Festivals,
texture becomes exhilarating and engaging in a manner not dissimilar to the Open Ears Festival of New Music’s Environmental Rhythms, and has
the works analyzed in this article. While Grisey asserted that his concepts been featured four times at PASIC. Papador can be heard on numerous CD
of musical time were linear and of a Western aesthetic, Claude Vivier’s recordings, including his 2015 solo recording Points of Departure released
organization of the musical phrase proved to favor ritualism over the by Centrediscs, as well as Matthew Barney’s 2014 film River of
dramatic and exhibited a distinct Eastern sense of pacing and sensibility. Fundament. An Associate Composer with the Canadian Music Centre, his
compositions have been published by Keyboard Percussion Publications,
CONCLUSION Alfred Publications, Studio 4 Music, House Panther Press, and Bachovich
Spectral composers, at the core, appear to be establishing aesthetics Music. Papador has received grants from the Ontario Arts Council,
by harnessing naturally occurring acoustical phenomenon. In the area Canada Council for the Arts, Social Sciences Humanities Research
of pitch, composers use the harmonic series as a measure of the sonic Council, and Canada Foundation for Innovation. Papador is president
structures harmonicity or inharmonicity. In the area of rhythm, it seems of the Ontario PAS Chapter and Associate Professor of Music at the
that composers have identified temporal structures (periodic, continuous University of Windsor. PN

PERCUSSIVE NOTES 51 MARCH 2016