Journal articles on the topic 'Moody Chorale'

ABSTRACT In 1841, Sophocles's Antigone was performed at the Prussian court theater with staging by Ludwig Tieck and music by Felix Mendelssohn. Commissioned by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, this production aimed to re-create aspects of Greek tragedy by, among other things, using J. J. Donner's 1839 metrical translation and having an all-male chorus sing the odes. Mendelssohn initially experimented with imitating the purported sound of ancient music by composing primarily unison choral recitative and limiting the accompaniment to flutes, tubas, and harps; but he quickly abandoned this approach in favor of a more traditional one. Yet despite his overall adherence to modern convention, he did employ several strategies to evoke ancient Greek practice and thus to meet the unique demands of the Prussian court production. Highlighting important distinctions between verse-types in the original poetry, Mendelssohn retained a vestige of his initial approach by composing unison choral recitative to indicate the presence of anapestic verse while turning to melodrama for the lyric verse of the play's two main characters. In addition, he reproduced the poetic meter by shaping the rhythm of the vocal line to reflect both the accentual pattern of Donner's translation and, in some cases, the long and short syllables of Sophocles's Greek verse. Owing largely to the irregular line lengths characteristic of Donner's text, the music is marked by conspicuously asymmetrical phrases, which serve to defamiliarize the otherwise straightforward choral styles being employed to convey the various moods of Sophocles's choruses. In the opening chorus, Mendelssohn alludes to the familiar sound of a Mäännerchor accompanied by a wind band, thereby suggesting the ode's celebratory and martial associations while recalling his own Festgesang written for the 1840 Leipzig festival commemorating the 400th anniversary of Gutenberg's printing press. The listener is thus presented with a thoroughly recognizable musical idiom and yet simultaneously distanced from it in a way that underscores the historical remoteness of ancient Greek tragedy.

The article analyses the features of the crowd scenes’ structure in the operetta “O olmasyn, bu olsun” (1910) by the outstanding composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli (1885–1948), who founded the Azerbaijani professional composer school at the beginning of the 20th century. In this operetta rich in comic imagery, the composer’s style is reflected in choral scenes influenced by harmonious recitatives and musical patterns and analyzed as a philosophical sphere of reflection of events in the comical plane. He also interprets the development of the operetta genre as a genre of contemporary music in the professional traditions of Western European music in Azerbaijan, as well as the features of intonation that are relevant in Azerbaijani folk music in terms of its structure and thematic focus. The purpose of the research is to analyze the modal features of the operetta “O olmasyn, bu olsun”. For this, the variety of characters available in the work, the line of development of these characters as an issue to study the compatibility of the inner world of characters, given both emotionally and comically, come to the fore. It is also noteworthy that the comparison of moods and intonations in the events taking place in the crowd scenes is naturally reflected here. The research methodology draws attention to the comparative and historical analysis of music theory and history of music, axiological and cultural approaches. Here, the principle of using texts in musical scenes reflects the originality of the composer’s style. Our analysis made it important to consider the research of various researchers who adhere to the principle of secularism. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that for the first time in U. Hajibeyli's operetta “O olmasyn, bu olsun”, an extensive analysis of fret features in crowd scenes with different editions was carried out. The emergence of these features also serves as an example for musicians and composers working in the field of musical composition. Conclusions. The analysis of the modal intonations’ features of crowd scenes in the operetta by U. Hajibeyli “O olmasyn, boolsun” shows the clarity of the intonation principles in Azerbaijani folk music from the point of view of the correspondence of images. This aspect also shaped the composer’s intonation concept. Musical materials suitable for the composer’s comedy scene explain the different situations of the protagonist. The article draws attention to the combination of images and choral performance used in public scenes, for example, the combination of mood and intonation. The use of historical, musical theory, composition, modal intonation features on the public stage is more consistent with the fret concept created by the composer U. Hajibeyli.

The organization, composition, financial condition and activities of the John Damascus’s singing brotherhood are considered. The relevance of the study is associated with the need to revive spiritual and moral values in modern Russian society. The novelty of the esearch lies in the fact that for the first time, according to the chronicle of the church press, the functioning of the brotherhood was reconstructed, the choir of which consisted of representatives of the city clergy, and the conductors were professional musicians. The author notes that, despite the increase in the number of performers in peacetime, the unstable composition of the choir did not allow them to achieve high performing skills. It is shown that the brotherhood performed organizational, missionary, spiritual, educational, charitable functions. It is proved that the work of the brotherhood contributed to the activation of concert and choral activities in the city, helped to preserve the ancient singing tradition, on the one hand, and introduced the audience to modern sacred music on the other hand. It is emphasized that in the conditions of the expansion of secularization at the beginning of the 20th century, charitable spiritual concerts organized by the brotherhood helped to maintain, strengthen and develop religious and moral feelings, thoughts, moods in listeners. It is concluded that the deteriorating living conditions during the war years, and then revolutionary events stopped the functioning of the organization.

Средневековые покаянные стихи - вид ранней русской поэтической лирики, тесно связанный с кругом богослужебных текстов. Поэтика стихов стремится к личному тону высказывания. В музыкально-стилевом отношении покаянные стихи принадлежат знаменному пению - они записывались в певческих рукописях, чаще всего подборкой на 8 гласов невменной нотацией с применением гласовых попевок знаменного распева. В 1987 году композитор Альфред Шнитке написал хоровой концертный цикл под названием «Стихи покаянные» на тексты опубликованных стихов по рукописи XVI века. В своей музыке автор пользуется тезаурусом техник XX века: заостренная хроматизмами и четвертитоновостью звуковысотность, диссонантная вертикаль, приемы сонористической фактуры. Тем не менее в композиционном решении одних и тех же стихов, в знаменной и композиторской версии, несмотря на многовековое расстояние, обнаруживаются и совпадения. Они детерминированы энергетикой молитвенного покаянного слова и конструктивными принципами организации поэтического текста. Номера хорового цикла выстраиваются в единое покаянное песнопение «высшего порядка». В интонации каяния особое место обретает и авторский голос. Покаяние как константа христианского самосознания является в конечном счете определяющей для музыкальной интерпретации данных текстов, сближая мышление средневекового распевщика и композитора конца XX века. Medieval repentance poems are a form of early Russian poetic lyrics, closely connected with the circle of liturgical texts. That poetry strives to a private discourse. In the musical and stylistic sense, repentance poems belong to the znamenny monody-they were recorded in singing manuscripts, most often by use of 8 modes with krukovaya (neume) notation. In 1987, composer Alfred Schnittke wrote a choral concert cycle entitled “Stikhi pokayannye” on the texts of published poems from a 16 -century manuscript. The author uses the thesaurus of 20 -century techniques in his music: chromatic and quarter-tone soundness, a dissonant vertical, techniques of sonoristic texture. Nevertheless, there are also coincidences in the compositional solution of the same verses, in the znamenny chant and composer version, despite a distance of several centuries. They are determined by the energy of the prayer of repentance and the constructive principles of the organization of the poetic text. The choral cycle numbers are lined up in a single repentance chant of the “highest order”. The author's voice also takes on a special place in the intonation of repentance. Repentance as a constant of Christian self-consciousness is ultimately decisive for the musical interpretation of these texts, bringing the thinking of a medieval chanter and composer of the late 20 century closer together. Repentance as a constant of Christian self-consciousness is decisive for the musical interpretation of these texts, bringing together the thinking of the medieval composer and composer of the late 20 century.

Music, like language, is a uniquely human experience, ubiquitous across human cultures and across the human life span.Musical capacity appears early in evolution and it seems to be innate to most of the human population. Neurobiological studies of music perception and music performance profoundly affect the brain, in an acute and chronic way, by modulating networks involved in cognition, sensation, emotion, reward, and movement corresponding to the empirical findings why people listen to music: pleasure, self-awareness, social relatedness, and arousal and mood regulation.Most intriguing is “salutogenic” effect of musical activities, such as instrumental and choral “musicking” (particularly in non-professional musicians), both on the individual level and in populations. Musical training can promote the development of non-musical skills as diverse as language development, attention, visuospatial perception, and executive functions.Music is also a prophylactic resource, it improves the bonding of mother and child. There is a wide range of therapeutic domains and disorders where musical interventions improve the outcome. As an example, familiar music has an exceptional ability to elicit memories, movements, motivation and positive emotions from adults affected by dementia.Considering that one of the most important problems in biomedicine is “understanding what is to be human” then “music should be an essential part of this pursuit” – of an understanding of the whole person. Despite evidence of significant effects of music on health and well-being - music is not well present in current re-humanization of medicine

Depression in older adults is prevalent and often undiagnosed and untreated.This study sought to assess if participation in a music therapy choir intervention could reduce depressive symptoms and improve quality of life and cognitive functioning in older adults. In this mixed method study, 40 participants were assessed pre- and post-intervention for depressive symptoms (Cornell Scale), quality of life (Cornell Brown) and cognitive functioning (Mini Mental State Examination). The treatment group (n=20) actively participated in a music-therapist led choir for 12 weeks, while the control group (n=20) received standard daily care. Mean depressive symptoms in the music therapy group were reduced by 54% (p=0.004), mean quality of life score improved by 57% (p= 0.0004) and there was a statistically significant increase in cognitive functioning (p= 0.011). Results from self-administered questionnaires highlighted perceived benefits of the intervention. 67% (n=17) reported improved mood, while 40% reported physical gains. Other themes included increased social interaction and memory improvement. The results of this controlled study indicate that the intervention significantly reduced depressive symptoms, improved quality of life and increased cognitive functioning.Keywords: music therapy, choir, singing, depression, quality of life, older adults, cognitive functionSpanishDepresión en adultos es muy común y , a menudo, no se diagnostica ni se trata. Este estudio intenta evaluar si la participación en intervención coral de Musicoterápia reduciría síntomas depresivos, aumentaria calidad de vida y habilidades cognitivas en personas de edad avanzada. En este método mixto de investigación, síntomas depresivos (Cornell Scale),calidad de vida (Cornell Brown) y hablilidad cognitiva (Mini Mental State Examination) fueron evaluados antes y despues de la intervención,(N=40). El grupo de intervención (20) participó activamente por 12 semanas en un coro dirigido por un musicoterapeuta, mientras el grupo control (20) recibió tratamiento estandar diario.La media de síntomas depresivos en el grupo de intervención se redujo un 50% (p=0.004), calidad de vida mejoró un 57% (p= 0.0004), y se encontró un incremento estatísticamente significativo en habilidades cognitivas (p= 0.011). Los resultados de los cuestionarios auto-administrados señalaron beneficios percibidos en el grupo intervencion: 67% (n=17) reportaron un aumento en el espíritu, mientras que un 40% reportó mejoria física. Otros temas incluyen aumento en interacción social y mejora en la memoria. Estos resultados indican que la intervención redujo significativamente símtomas depresivos, mejoró la calidad de vida e incrementó habilidades cognitivas.French Utilisation d’une chorale de musicothérapie pour réduire la dépression et améliorer la qualité de vie chez la personnea âgée – Etude randomisée contrôlée (ERC) Résumé La dépression chez la personne âgée est courante et souvent non diagnostiquée et non traitée. Cette étude a cherché à évaluer si la participation à une chorale en atelier de musicothérapie pouvait réduire les symptomes de dépression et améliorer la qualité de vie et les fonctions cognitives de la personne âgée. Dans cette méthode de recherche mixte, 40 participants ont été évalués, avant et après l’intervention, sur les symptomes dépressifs (Cornell Scale), la qualité de vie (Cornell Brown) et les fonctions cognitives (MMS). Le groupe de traitement (n=20) a participé activement à l’atelier chorale de musicothérapie pendant 12 semaines, tandis que le groupe controle (n=20) a reçu les soins quotidiens habituels. Les symptomes dépressifs dans le groupe de musicothérapie ont été réduits de 54 % (p=0.004), les résultats de la qualité de vie ont été améliorés de 57 % (p=0.0004) et il y a eu une augmentation statistique significative des fonctions cognitives (p=0.011). Les résultats d’un questionnaire auto-aministré ont souligné les bénéfices perçus de l’intervention. 60 % (n=17) ont déclaré une amélioration de leur humeur, tandis que 40 % ont déclaré des bénéfices physiques.Les résultats de cette étude controllée indiquent que l’intervention en musicothérapie réduit significativement les symptomes dépressifs, améliorent la qualité de vie et augmentent les capacités cognitives.Mots clés : musicothérapie, chorale, chant, dépresion, qualité de vie, personne âgée, fonctions cognitives.GermanMusiktherapeutischer Chorgesang, um bei älteren Erwachsenen Depression zu verringern und Lebensqualität zu erhöhen: eine randomisierte kontrollierte Studie (RCT)Abstract:Depression bei älteren Erwachsenen ist weit verbreitet, oft nicht diagnostiziert und nicht behandelt. Diese Studie versucht einzuschätzen, in wie weitdie Teilnahme an einem musiktherapeutischen geführten Chor depressive Symptome reduzieren sowie Lebensqualität und kognitives Funktionieren bei älteren Erwachsenen verbessern kann. In dieser mixed-method Studie wurden prä- und post-Interventionen zu Depressiven Symptomen (Cornell Scale), Lebensqualität (Cornell Brown) und Kognitives Funktionieren bei 40 Teilnehmern eingeschätzt. Die Probanden (n=20) beteiligten sich aktiv in dem musiktherapeutisch geleiteten Chor über einen Zeitraum von 12 Wochen, während die Kontrollgruppe die tägliche Standardversorgung erhielten. Das Mittel der depressiven Symptome in der MT Gruppe wurde um 54 % reduziert (p=0.004), das der Lebensqualität erhöhte sich um 57% (p=0.0004), außerdem fand sich ein statistisch signifikanter Anstieg bei den kognitiven Funktionen (p=0.011).Die Ergebnisse von selbst-beurteilten Fragebögen betonen den Gewinn durch die Intervention. 60 % (n=17) berichteten über verbesserte Stimmung, 40 % berichteten über physische Verbesserungen. Andere Themen beinhalteten soziale Interaktion und Verbesserung des Gedächtnisses. Die Ergebnisse dieser kontrollierten Studie zeigen, dass die Intervention die depressiven Symptome signifikant reduziert, die Lebensqualität erhöht und die kognitiven Funktionen verbessert. Japanese音楽療法クワイアを使った高齢者のうつ軽減とQOLの向上 — 無作為コントロール治験 Bill Ahessy *1*1 アイルランド、ダブリン、Meath Community Unit 所属【要旨】高齢者のうつ症状は広く認められているが、診断未確定で治療を受けていないことが頻繁である。この研究は、高齢者の音楽療法クワイアへの参加が、うつ症状の軽減、そしてQOLと認知機能を向上できるかを評価するために行われた。これは混合法研究で、40人の参加者は、介入前後に、うつ症状(Cornell Scale)、QOL (Cornell Brown)、認知機能 (MMSE) を評価された。処置グループ (n=20) は音楽療法士のリードするクワイアに12週間能動的に参加した一方、対照グループ (n=20) は通常のケアを受けた。音楽療法グループの平均的なうつ症状は54%減少 (p=0.004) し、QOLのスコアは57% 向上 (p= 0.0004) 、認知機能においては統計学的に有意な向上 (p= 0.011) があった。自己記入質問書の結果は介入の恩恵を認識していることが強調していた。60% (n=17) は気分が向上したと報告し、40% は身体的な向上を報告した。他の主題は社会的相互作用の増加と記憶向上を含んでいた。このコントロール治験の結果は介入が有意にうつ症状を軽減し、QOLを向上し、認知機能を向上させることが示唆している。【キーワード】音楽療法、クワイア、歌唱、うつ、QOL、高齢者、認知機能Chinese憂鬱在老年族群中相當普遍，但常常未得到診斷與治療。本研究旨在評估透過音樂治療合唱團的介入是否可減少老年人的憂鬱症狀，提升生活品質及認知功能。在這個混合方法研究中，40位參與者被測驗介入前及介入後的憂鬱症狀(康乃爾憂鬱量表)、生活品質(Cornell Brown)及認知功能(簡易心智量表MMSE)。治療組(n=20)積極參與了為期12週，由音樂治療師帶領的合唱團，同時對照組(n=20)則接受標準日常照護。音樂治療組的憂鬱症狀平均數減少達54%(p=0.004)，生活品質平均分數進步57%(p=0.0004)，並在認知功能方面達到統計上的顯著進步(p=0.011)。結果顯示從參與者的自陳問卷中特別突顯出接受處遇的好處。60%(n=17)的參與者認為情緒獲得改善，40%則認為得到身體上的益處。其他主題則包括增進社會互動及改善記憶力。此對照研究的結果顯示出音樂治療介入顯著降低了憂鬱症狀，增進生活品質及認知功能。

Statement of the problem. Today national musicology is beginning to actively show interest in the study of Western European medieval monody. However, there is still no scientific information about the unique personality of the Middle Ages – Hildegard of Bingen and her musical creativity – in particular about the liturgical drama «Ordo virtutum», although there are some musicology methods for analyzing this music. The relevance of this study is due to the filling of this gap. Taking in account that a musical work of the 11–12th centuries is usually considered only within the context of the “historical style”, it seems interesting to have the opposite approach – to identify the characteristic features of authorship in the work of a medieval composer, whose music is becoming more and more popular in the world concert repertoire. The purpose of the article is to consider the work of Hildegard of Bingen in the aspect of the phenomenon of the author’s style and to identify the invariant features of the individual style model. The liturgical drama “Ordo Virtutum” (“Series of Virtues”) of 1150 by Hildegard of Bingen was chosen as the material for the study, in which several types of art – music, literature and theater are combined, and which is the earliest survived sample of this genre. The “libretto” of the drama is written by Hildegard own and fixed in the so-called “Rizenkodeks” – the majestic manuscript book of 25 pounds, which stored in Wiesbaden Landesbibliothek. The author of this study used the following research methods: historical and contextual due to the need to identify the specifics of creative thinking of Hildegard of Bingen in the context of the theory and practice of the liturgical monody of her time; intonation-dramaturgical analysis aimed at a holistic comprehension of the musical content as such, which is guided by the search for unifying patterns of the intonation plan, and the text-musical semantic analysis of the holy chants fot covering the synergistic aspect of understanding style. Results of the study. Theological themes were the main issues of Hildegard’s life, because from the age of eight she lived and studied in a Benedictine monastery, and later founded her own monastery in Rupertsberg. So, the work of Hildegard of Bingen, along with the music of such well-known, but much younger than her, contemporaries, masters of polyphony, like Leonin and Perotin, provides a unique opportunity to trace the peculiarities of the manifestation of authorship in the monody of the 12th century. The Gregorian chant became a genre that fully embodies the aspirations of the church. However, from the 11th century onwards, secular elements were gradually introduced into church music: from Easter or Christmas tropes, which contained intonations of folk songs, to theatrical episodes based on Scriptures, or “actions” called liturgical drama. The musical drama “Ordo Virtutum” (“A Series of Virtues”) was created to consecrate the Hildegard Convent in Rupertsberg and is impressive primarily because it is the first fully preserved, not fragmentary, liturgical drama. Unlike traditional liturgical drama, the work also surprises with its unusualness and multidimensionality. The text of the drama is related to the themes, characters and prophetic visions presented in one of the main theological works of Hildegard – “Scivias”. As for music, it is a monody, which, thanks to its innovations, significantly expands the tonal and intonational boundaries of music of that time. “Ordo Virtutum” is a Christian philosophical parable dedicated to the struggle for the human soul between the sixteen Virtues (Faith, Hope, Love, Humility, Docility, Innocence, Modesty, Divine Love, Divine Knowledge, Prudence, Patience, Chastity etc.) and the devil. This is the story of a “prodigal daughter” tempted by the devil, who gradually repented and returned with joy to the bosom of the Church. The manuscript of the drama is not divided into actions, but modern editions divide the work into six parts: the prologue, four scenes and the finale. There are a total of 82 different melodies, 80 of which are performed by women. The presence of a large number of female roles (as evidenced by the mostly high register of singing) indicates that the drama “Ordo Virtutum” was composed and performed for the first time in a nunnery. A peculiar struggle takes place between the features of the traditional Gregorian genre, secular influences and signs of Hildegard’s own style of singing, which leads to their synthesis in her compositional work and the opening of new musical horizons. The content of her songs is based on spiritual and cultural context, on the one hand, and personal and psychological attitudes, on the other. Hildegard’s monody is individual in relation to the models of Gregorian chants described in the scientific literature and is unorthodox. Following the text, the melody is divided into lines, which are combined into structural constructions of a higher level – stanzas. The structural and semantic unity of the whole is achieved due to the commonality of melodic motives, and the structure of lines and stanzas is determined by the motive formula. The presence of the above-mentioned integrating principle together with the multiplicity of its incarnations within the unique author’s individuality makes it possible to assert that Hildegard of Bingen’s music is a systemic phenomenon and demonstrates its own compositional style, like the music of Leonin or Perotin. On the example of the analysis of the musical characteristics of different heroes of the work, we see that the liturgical drama “Ordo Virtutum” is not just a collection of typified chorales, as it may seem at first glance. We have before us a real composer opus, endowed with its own unique authorial style, which is “lighting” through each element of this harmonious systemic compositional and semantic integrity. Conclusions. The liturgical drama of Hildegard of Bingen, in fact, was the first, which means that it is advisable to talk about the “phenomenon of a musical work” (the term of N. Gerasimova-Persidskaya), which is inevitably associated with authorship. It was also revealed that the characteristic features that add originality to the musical writing of St. Hildegard are the construction of special short intonational-motive formulas, as well as the frequent use of melismas and musical figures of ascending leaps, extended to an octave. The interaction of these and other qualities forms the uniquely individual author’s style of Hildegard of Bingen, the phenomenon of which lies in his exceptional integrity.

<p>Repertuar muzyki bożonarodzeniowej z lat 1945-2005 ugruntowanej na rodzimej tradycji kolędowej przedstawia się jako dość obszerna część twórczości polskich kompozytorów. Jest to zjawisko zróżnicowane, obejmujące różne sposoby traktowania materiału kolędowego, rozmaite rozwiązania z zakresu formy, techniki kompozytorskiej, wielorakie rodzaje składów wykonawczych i różnorodne odcienie ekspresji dźwiękowej. Znajdujemy tu m.in.: częste nawiązania do polskiej muzyki ludowej, stylizacje historyzujące, język romantyczny i neoromantyczny, archaizacje, emanacje nowego języka dźwiękowego (sonorystyka, punktualizm, aleatoryzm, nowoczesna harmonika, technika repetytywna, klastery). W grupie opracowań kolęd (część I: <em>Opracowania kolęd</em>) kompozytorzy najczęściej wykorzystują powszechnie znane kolędy i pastorałki. W wypadku opracowań na chór <em>a cappella</em> i opracowań wokalno-instrumentalnych inspiracja płynie zarówno z tekstu słownego, jak i z melodii opracowanej kolędy (np. przez eksponowanie jej motywów w strukturze głosów kontrapunktujących). Wśród stosowanych technik kompozytorskich dominują środki konwencjonalne, nawiązujące stylistycznie do muzyki epoki romantyzmu lub wcześniejszych epok. Sporadycznie tylko tradycyjnej melodii kolędowej towarzyszą współczesny język harmoniczny i nowe środki wyrazu. W opracowaniach pastorałek często dochodzi do głosu stylizacja polskiego folkloru muzycznego – w melodyce (np. użycie skal charakterystycznych dla muzyki niektórych regionów Polski), rytmice (wykorzystywanie rytmów tanecznych), harmonice i fakturze (puste kwinty, dźwięki burdonowe). Szczególnie często twórcy nawiązują do muzyki Podhala. Instrumentalne opracowania mają natomiast z reguły charakter użytkowy – służą do gry w kościele, celom dydaktycznym, muzykowaniu domowemu. Grupa kompozycji (część II: <em>Kompozycje</em>), które odwołują się do rodzimej tradycji kolędowo-pastorałkowej, dystansując się jednocześnie od praktyki opracowań, aranżacji itp., jest dużo bardziej zróżnicowana, zarówno pod względem tekstowym, jak i muzycznym. W utworach wokalnych i wokalno-instrumentalnych uderza rozległość warstwy literackiej, obejmującej teksty z dawnych epok, XIX w., poezję współczesną, twórczość ludową, teksty łacińskie. W ślad za tym idzie daleko posunięta różnorodność środków i technik kompozytorskich, konwencji stylistycznych i typów ekspresji. Z jednej strony pojawiają się archaizacje – nawiązania do organum, chorału gregoriańskiego, rytmiki i harmoniki modalnej, dawnych form, z drugiej – ludowe stylizacje, neobarok, kompozycje romantyzujące, dzieła oparte na współczesnym języku dźwiękowym. Równie wielką rozmaitość zauważamy w sposobach traktowania tradycyjnego materiału kolędowego, począwszy od nasycenia nim struktury motywicznej kompozycji (materiał tematyczny, imitacje, snucie motywiczne), po okazjonalne cytaty, a nawet takie sytuacje, gdzie nowo skomponowana muzyka unika cytatu, a mimo to – w różny sposób – przywołuje kolędowo-pastorałkowy nastrój. Podobnie rzecz ma się z kompozycjami instrumentalnymi. Są pośród nich takie, w których melodia kolędy staje się czynnikiem konstrukcyjnym, na drugim zaś biegunie sytuują się utwory, w którym cytat z kolędy pojawia się okazjonalnie, pełniąc rolę symbolu.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Christmas Carol as a Source of Inspiration in the Works of Polish Composers in 1945-2005</strong></p>SUMMARY<p>The repertoire of Christmas music from 1945-2005, consolidated on the native Christmas carol tradition, can be perceived as a vast part of the works of Polish composers. It is a diverse phenomenon, comprising various ways of treatment of the Christmas carol material, various solutions in the form, composer’s technique, various kinds of the artist forces, and various shadows of sound expression. We may fi nd here inter alia: frequent references to Polish folk music, historicizing stylizations, Romantic and neo-Romantic language, archaizations, emanations of a new sound language (sonorism, punctualism, aleatorism, modern harmonica, repetitive technique, clusters). In the group of adaptations of carols (Part I – Adaptation of Carols) the composers frequently make use of commonly known carols and pastorals. In the case of adaptations for a choir a cappella and vocal-instrumental adaptations, the inspiration stems from both the verbal text and melody of the adapted carol e.g. by emphasizing its motifs in the structure of counterpoint voices). Among applied composer’s techniques, conventional means dominate which stylistically refer to the music of Romantic or previous epochs. Only sporadically the traditional carol melody is accompanied by modern harmonic language and new means of expression. In the adaptation of pastorals the stylization of Polish musical folklore is very often heard – in the melody pattern (e.g. the use of scales characteristic of the music of some regions in Poland), in rhythmicity (the use of dancing rhythms), in harmony and texture (empty fi fths, bourdon sounds). The composers particularly frequently refer to the music of the Podhale region. Instrumental adaptations are usually of practical character – they serve to be played in church, for didactic purposes, to play music at home. The group of compositions (Part II – Compositions) which refers to the native carol-pastoral tradition, while at same time distancing itself from the practice of arrangements etc., is far more diverse both as far as the text and melody is concerned. In vocal and vocal-instrumental works the vastness of the literary layer is striking; it comprises the texts from old epochs, 19th century, modern poetry, folk works, and Latin texts. This is followed by a variety of means and composer’s techniques, stylistic conventions, and types of expression. On the one hand, there are archaizations – references to the organum, Gregorian chorale, rhythmicity and modal harmony of old forms, on the other hand – folk stylizations, neo-Baroque, romanticizing compositions, work based on modern sound language. We may also perceive a great variety in the way of treating traditional carol, material from fi lling with it the motif structure of the composition (thematic material, imitation, motif repetitions) to occasional citations, and even to such situations where newly composed music avoids a citation, nevertheless it refers to the carol-pastoral mood). The same applies to the instrumental compositions. There are compositions in which the melody of a carol is a constructive factor; at the opposite end there are musical pieces in which the citation from a carol appears occasionally, playing the role of a symbol.</p>

Ch.-M. Widor (1844–1937) inscribed his name in the history of French music primarily as an author of organ works (10 Organ Symphonies, 1872–1900, in particular). But other genre branches of his creativity (symphonic, chamber-instrumental, chamber-vocal, operatic, choral) remains less famous for wide public. This quite vast layer is mostly not studied in musical science. However, at the recent time the interest is somewhat growing both among musicologists (A. Thomson, E. Krivitskaya, M. R. Bundy), and among the performers, which confi rms the relevance of this article. The objectives of this study are to consider compositions by Ch.-M. Widor (Piano Concerto No.1, Fantasy, Piano Concerto No.2) both in terms of features of individual creator style and context of concert branch history in France. Information about works is supplemented by the analysis of the basic musical text parameters. Ch.-M. Widor graduated the Brussels Conservatory, where he was studied from 1859 to 1863 – in classes of organ (J.-N. Lemmens) and composition (F.-J. Fetis). At 1860s, the young man was visiting Paris. Soon he was acquainted with C. Saint-Saens, which infl uenced Ch.-M. Widor not only in terms of his executive career turn, but also was etalon of instrumental writing. It seems that the writing of instrumental Concertos for violin (ор. 26, 1877), cello (ор. 41, 1877), and piano (ор. 39, 1876) in many ways is owed by C.Saint-Saens and the impulse to French music of the 1870s given by him. Piano Concerto No.1 f-moll by Ch.-M.Widor was well appreciated by the contemporaries of the composer. In fi rst movement (Allegro con fuoco) the active narrative is combining with predominantly lyrical mood. It passes in constant pulsation without any whimsical tempo deviations, as well as without cadenza using. Contemplative and philosophical meditations are concentrated at the second movement (Andante religioso). The exposition of ideas is embodied in oppositions of characters, concentrated and depth in front of light and joyous. By the way, a little similar can be found in Andante sostenuto quasi adagio of Piano Concerto No.1 (published in 1875) by C. Saint-Saens. The cycle is crowned with a lively scherzo fi nal with elegant dotted rhythm using. On the whole we can say that the Piano Сoncerto No.1 by Ch.-M. Widor purposefully continues the traditions of C. Saint-Saens. This is noticeable in the clarity of the structure, emphatic melody, and also in some specifi c features – the avoidance of long-term solo cadenzas and the absence of expanded orchestra tutti’s, as well as the laconicism of development section at the fi rst movement. Echoes of F. Liszt and C. Franck can be heard in Fantasy As-dur op. 62 for piano and orchestra (1889, dedicated to I. Philipp). Ch.-M. Widor shows interest in this genre type as many other French authors at 1880–1890s. In work there are many counterpoint and variation elements, which is due to author’s mastery of organ-polifonic writing. In our opinion, eclectic combinations of the main subject in the spirit of F. Liszt – R. Wagner with oriental saucy theme at the end of composition are quite in the style of C. Saint-Saens. Piano Concerto No.2 c-moll (1905) is standing out with its clear attachment to the late-romantic line. It is somewhat out of the general context of genre existence in France, especially when comparing with signifi cantly more traditional Piano Concertos by B. Godard (No.2, 1894), C. Saint-Saens (No.5, 1896), T. Dubois (No.2, 1897), A. Gedalge (1899), J. Massenet (1902). This manifests itself in appeal to fateful gloomy spirit, abundance of dark paints in the sound, the complication of the tonal-harmonic language, increased expressivity, psychologization. Here are found more fi ne-tooth application of timbre orchestral potential (in comparison with the Piano Concerto No.1), as well as increasing of orchestra importance upon the whole. This is paradoxical, but its performing tradition has developed not in the best way, so that nowadays this remarkable work is very rarely heard at concert halls. In our time, the author’s creativity is a real terra incognita that encompasses a lot of hidden masterpieces. Results of the research bring to light that examined works by composer are outstanding illustrations of French romantic music. Ch.-M. Widor is an example of original talent that continues the late Romanticism line in France at the end of 19th and fi rst third of the 20th century, together with other authors – L. Vierne, V. d’Indy, A. Magnard, F. Schmitt. His works for piano and orchestra quite deserve to become on a par with recognized masterpieces, included in the concert repertoire of pianists and orchestras by different countries of the world. The perspectives of the further research are defi ned in more detailed analytical labors, including the extension of analysis over Violin Concerto op. 26 and Cello Concerto op. 41 by author. The learning of these works will allow to complement the history of the concert genre of French Romanticism with new details, that will enable to see the evidence of succession and the vitality of traditions.

Background. Lesia Dychko (born in 1939) is one of the innovators in Ukrainian music of the second half of the 20th century. Among many composers, she is distinguished by the attraction to the music associated with the word. Despite the prevalence of the choral genre in her oeuvre, she pays a lot of attention also to opuses for the solo voice with the instrumental accompaniment. In the fi eld of chamber vocal music, there are characteristic signs of the composer’s style, the richness of the harmonic language, and the author’s fi ligree work with the poetic word. Such features of the L. Dychko’s creative personality are refl ected in the works of many researchers. However, currently there are no studies that addresses the principles of the embodiment of the poetic text. This reveals the relevance of the proposed topic. The purpose of the article is to identify the way in which the semantic and structural properties of P. Tychyna’s poems are refl ected in the song cycle “Enharmonic” by L. Dychko. The following methods have been used to solve the research tasks: historical, genrestyle, structural-functional and comparative. Results. Most of L. Dychko’s chamber vocal cycles for the voice and piano show the composer’s attraction to the heritage of Ukrainian poets, such as P. Grabowsky, V. Kolomiets, I. Franko, and P. Tychyna. The appeal to Tychyna’s poems is indicative of the composer’s aesthetic preference. The reason for the choice was the innovative nature of the poet’s works, which are inherent in poly-rhythm, poly-meter of the poetical lines, musicality of the content and structure, a combination of folklore samples and advanced techniques, and the rich world of images. All these signs already appeared in the fi rst book of P. Tychyna – “The Sun Clarinets” (1918). Its pages are fi lled with sophisticated landscapes, made with bright colours, radiating goodness and humanism. The poems of the collection are endowed with special musicality, numerous sound images, which resulted in the name of many compositions. In particular, the name of the poetic cycle selected by L. Dychko – “Enharmonic” – causes some musical association. It consists of four compositions. Their names describe the state of nature and target the perception of poems – “The Fog”, “The Sun”, “The Wind”, and “The Rain”. The fi gurative and semantic series of each of them is constructed so that their textual basis is a kind of “semantic enharmony” to the title. “Semantic enharmony” means the difference between the text and its name (or other text) by the meaning, but their similarity according to the meaning. To refl ect the rich fi gurative content of the works by P. Tychyna, L. Dychko uses the mixed technique. The synthesis of distant stylistic devices is inherent in all the semantic-structural levels of the romance “Enharmonic”. The proof of this is that the composer gives each composition of the cycle an additional genre designation that has a purely instrumental nature: “The Fantasy” (No. 1), “The Prelude” (No. 2), “The Pastoral” (No. 3), and “The Scherzo” (No. 4). In view of this, in the opus by L. Dychko two kinds of a cyclical composition are combined – vocal and instrumental. When joining poetic and musical rhythms, the composer usually relies on two different principles of the poetic text vocalization, which allows a subtle reproduction of all moods and emotional changes in the verses. In “The Fog” there is the recitation and counter-rhythm, in “The Wind” and “The Rain” the metric and accent increase. Only in “The Sun” metric scheme of the poetic source is retained almost completely. In the domain of the vocal melody, the author combines both the diatonic nature of the short songs with a specifi c modal colouration and chromatic feature and sharp tonal transitions. For example, in “The Fog” there is a gradual complication of melodies: from the Phrygian and Dorian modes with a limited interval to freely interpreted 12-tone space. In “The Wind”, the voice part can be divided into two types according to intonation features which are instrumental and recitativerecitational with song traits. A large mix of different techniques is also announced in the piano part. There is a harmony of classical-romantic type here, impressionistic linearity, and modern sonorous means. Such a variety of different types of the composition and principles of organization of the vertical helps L. Dych ko to convey the range of feelings of Tychyna’s poetry as accurately as possible. Such synthesis of the means of musical expression does not deprive the vocal cycle of integrity, which manifests itself both on the intonation level and on larger levels such as in the structure and principles of the approach to the embodiment of verses. In most cases, the composer limits the interval composition of the vocal melodies of romances, selecting those moves that would refl ect the semantics of the poetic primary sources most clearly. The basis consists of second, third, fourth, and fi fth intonations, and other moves are less common and serve to enhance the expression of the phrase. The unifying factor for all the works of the “Enharmonic” appears to be also the functional purpose of the piano part. It acts as an equal member of the vocal-piano duo and contributes to the implementation of the multilayer semantics of Tychyna’s poetry and its symbolic content. Some regularity also appears in the structure of romances, since “The Fog”, “The Wind” and “The Rain” have similar principles of construction. They are characterized by an improvisational character, a free expansion of the form with a change in the musical content of the sections, the variety of textual types and the culmination at the point of the golden section. “The Sun” is the exception. Its form has features of the couplet-variation structure, since the musical elements from the fi rst stanza are repeated at the beginning of the second, although their elevation is changing. Conclusions. In the embodiment of the symbolic poetry by P. Tychyna, L. Dychko shows an active author’s position, refl ects her vision of its content, emphasizing the important fi gurative and semantic-image units. An important role in this is played by the piano part, which serves as a vivid underline for the main images of the original sources, a kind of “enharmony” of their names. The foregoing confi rms that at the early stage of creativity L. Dychko had already proved herself as an initiative inventor; by combining various stylistic and style techniques, she found the musical equivalent of the content of the poems, revealed their subtext and embodied her own impressions of the perception of P. Tychyna’s poetry.

In this text, intertextuality and stylization are discussed in the context of Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas Brasileiras No 1. The cycle of Bachianas represents an homage to J. S. Bach, a stylization of Brazilian popular and folkloric music and Neoclassic elements. From a description of the work by the composer, three main matters are discussed: a. Tonality: classic harmonic atmosphere; b. Spiritualizing Bach’s processes – Topics and learned style: chorale; Fugue d’école; polyphonic melody; and c. Typical Brazilian mood, as shown in the subtitle of each movement, Embolada, Modinha, and Conversa. Issues related to Neoclassicism are discussed according to Hyde’s perspective of anachronistic imitations. In this sense, Villa-Lobos cycle of Bachianas represent a reverential-ecletic type of Neoclassic work. Finally, intertextuality in general is addressed in relation to stylization, to Villa-Lobos theoretical background, and to the autonomy of the work.

The article focuses on the necessity of introducing innovative approaches, methods, forms and means of training using informational and musical computer technologies into the educational process. The analysis of the main researches and publications on the given problem was made and the positive influence of training motivation on the quality of the professional training of future teachers of musical art is highlighted. It is shown that the use of modern computer technologies, synthesizer, multimedia and special musical software contribute to activation of future music teachers in the study of the discipline «Choir conducting». The article deals with the interdisciplinary connections of choral conducting with informational computer technologies, analysis of the concepts of «note editor», «note-program», «Musical Instruments Digital Interface (MIDI)», «music computer technologies». In choir art motivation is a cognitive interest of students to the specialty of music teacher as the organizer and leader of the choir, promotes the desire to actively study and improve themselves, to seek new ways for self-realization. An important internal factor is the personal mood of students for a qualitative result in training, self-improvement of methodological competence, improvement of pedagogical skills and purposefulness for further musical and pedagogical activity. Also effective is the application of innovative teaching aids, which include multimedia (educational videos, audio players, choral music recordings, electronic boards, hardware) as well software and methodological support for computer technologies (electronic textbooks, manuals, electronic libraries, electronic courses; professional music programs and computer programs-notebooks; tasks for independent work of students; tests).

Introduction: Music, processed by the brain, has a strong impacton the emotions and health. The Magnificat in D major of JS Bach communicates not only a positive emotion of happiness but also motivational behaviour. Infectious lung conditions are often associated with negative emotions which develop due to physiological changes. The hormonal action of the hypothalamuspituitary-adrenal axes (HPA) could be negatively affected by emotions of anger and depression. This will result in a disturbance of the mind-body inter-action. Music therefore can exert a powerful influence on therapeutic benefits by changing the psychological status and the immune endocrine functions. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of music, during respiratory physiotherapy treatment on a) theemotional status, b) neuroendocrine responses, c) immune functions and d) lung functions of subjects with infected lung conditions.Method and Materials: Forty subjects attending physiotherapy treatment was selected according to set criteria and randomly assigned to an experimental and control group. The parameters (Profile Of Mood State [POMS]; CD4:CD8 cell ratios; Cortisol; the Cortisol: DHEA ratio; PF; FEV1; FVC and FEV1/FVC %) were measured on day 1before the treatment and on day 3 after the treatment. Data were analysed with Statistica (Statsoft) using the RepeatedANOVA tests. Results: Results indicated that the intervention of music had a positive effect on the immunological parameter (CD4+:CD8+ cell ratios) and on the cortisol and cortisol:DHEA ratio levels. At the same time the psychological status as measured by Profile of Mood States (POMS scale) improved with a significant improvement in the lung functions.Conclusion: The research provided sufficient scientific evidence that music affects both the biomedical and psycho-somatic aspects of infectious lung conditions.

Seventy-two persons, who had begun voice lessons after 40 years of age, were invited to complete an online survey that focused on the singers’ experience, motivation, goals, health and well-being, repertoire, practice, and demographic information; 48 respondents (33 females, mean age 60.81 years, range 48.83–82.08, SD = 6.99) completed the questionnaire. Most participants indicated that enjoyment and personal growth motivated their taking lessons. Over 90% commented on benefits of singing to their physical health (e.g., breathing) and mental health (e.g., mood, less depressive episodes). Despite the solitary aspect of singing lessons, 67% reported positive changes in social relations since taking lessons. Benefits to professional relations were also reported (e.g., confidence, listening to others). Repertoire level was generally high, consistent with a high average university educational level. Cost of lessons and time demands may account for the generally high socioeconomic status of respondents. Given that the singing voice is a musical instrument available to almost everyone, results might motivate older adults to consider taking voice lessons, encourage health care professionals to consider voice lessons as interventions to benefit clients, and persuade governments to subsidize voice lessons for older adults in their jurisdictions. The study provides a foundation for future research on the relative impacts on well-being of vocal lessons versus choral singing in the context of relative investments in the two activities.

The article discusses Johann Kuhnau’s fourth keyboard sonata, Der todtkranke und wieder gesunde Hiskias (The Mortally Ill and Then Restored Hezekiah), from his last volume of six keyboard sonatas published in Leipzig in 1700, known popularly as “Biblical Sonatas.” Titled as Musicalische Vorstellung einiger biblischer Historien (Musical Representation of Several Biblical Stories), the set presents a remarkably thorough and detailed musical depiction of selected scenes from the Old Testament. This is also a rare collection of keyboard music to provide a detailed narrative commentary, consisting of verbal synopses of selected stories in German, which preface each sonata, and commentaries in Italian written into notation, which underline portrayed situations, events and affections. To examine the plot-based narrative underlying the storyline of this particular sonata, some authentic discourses have been taken into consideration for analytical purposes. These included the composer’s foreword to the collection of his “Biblical Sonatas,” synopsis of the story depicted in the fourth sonata, and a comprehensive theory of musical rhetoric and the doctrine of the affections found in various 17th and 18th century sources. In this article, the author specifies distinct musical-rhetorical figures that resemble (by analogy) or refer to certain extra-musical objects or phenomena and serve as vehicles for creating different moods and establishing the atmosphere. Depending on which narrative element – action or affections – is brought into focus in each of the six sonatas, the author distinguishes between two types of sonatas, namely ‘action sonatas’ and ‘affective sonatas.’ Affections and shifts in mood experienced by Hezekiah make an important narrative element in the storyline of the fourth sonata. Hence this particular sonata falls under the category of ‘affective sonatas.’ The analysis of this sonata revealed that the narrative is constructed therein in several layers. Firstly, there is a verbal layer: to depict the story in detail and with much consistency, the composer thought it necessary to accompany notation with the synopsis of the story and verbal commentaries. Moreover, quotations from the Protestant chorale Ach Herr mich armen Sünder (Ah Lord, poor sinner that I am) imply verbal connotations of their verses. Secondly, it contains a musical-affective layer: musical devices (such as musical-rhetorical figures, key, rhythm, metre, and the like) are employed there to convey the indicated affections, such as wailing (lamento) or, in other words, sorrow, confidence (confidenza) and joy (allegrezza). The author observes that many compositional choices made by Kuhnau adhere to the standard methods of expressing affects as they were defined in the Baroque treatises. Thirdly, there is an associative layer: certain fragments and elements resemble (by analogy) and refer to extra-musical objects and/or phenomena, such as Belshazzar’s face turning pale and his limbs trembling in terror, the sesquialtera ratio (3:2), which symbolizes the numerical proportion of steps on Ahaz’s sundial and the years of Hezekiah’s life. The alternating musical textures, normally associated with sadness (adagio) and merriment (allegro), can be also mentioned as a characteristic narrative feature in this sonata. Although Kuhnau claimed to have depicted Biblical stories according to his own imagination, the analysis revealed that his writing in this sonata does not veer away from the typical musical vocabulary of the Baroque era, which nowadays requires a more sensitive ear and keener insight into compositional conventions of the period.


 
 
 A variety of digital technologies exist that can transform sound waves into binary code. Any sound can be ‘sampled’ in this way: drum beats, field recordings, even full-length instrumental or vocal tracks. Copies are then ready to be duplicated, cut, spliced, pitch-shifted, equalised, turned backwards, and/or passed through a myriad of different effects processors before being sequenced and layered into a final stereo mix. 
 
 Once obtained, this mix is itself eminently copy-able without loss in audio quality. Moreover, affordable digital reproduction media abound, such as CD-R and MP3. These methods of distribution are as attractive to the home audio producer as they are to the file-sharing enthusiast. On one end of the spectrum one finds an increasing number of people downloading music and creating personalised mix CDs or play-lists, irrespective of the constraints of copyright. On the other end, one observes established pop musicians such as Björk writing original choral arrangements, only to sing them into hard-disk recording systems for further remixing prior to commercial release (as on her last album Medúlla (2004)). Somewhere in the middle lies DJ Danger Mouse’s The Grey Album, an unsanctioned (and widely downloaded) remix of the Beatles White Album (1968) mashed together with a-cappella raps from Jay Z’s The Black Album (2003).
 
 It is as though audio in the digital age has become an ‘utterly malleable material’ (Miller 20), leaving only the sound selector and manipulator as the all-powerful source of creativity, musical genius and/or surreptitious intent (in the case of file sharing). To date, the majority of academic work on digital sound practices relies upon this suggestion that technology has provided us with almost total control over recorded sound (see Miller, Mudede, Pinch and Bijsterveld, Lysoff, Cascone, Théberge, and Jones).
 
 While digital methods for copying audio have been available for over 20 years, the technology involved has far from exhausted its potential to open up new forms of musical composition, cultural expression, and social exchange. In fact, the practices it has enabled are so multifaceted that the only limit in this case appears to be our imagination. This begs the question as to what limits this imagination, if anything?
 
 Do the sounds we mix not require us to attend to their particular shape before we bring them into alignment with other sources? What techniques must we employ to make room for their specific timbres? What constraints lead to the adoption of these techniques over others? How and why are these sounds chosen in the first place? What are the resources or archives used?
 
 It is through such questioning that the ‘give and take’ involved in digital audio production becomes apparent. The technologies used are not simply vehicles of personal expression – they represent an entire family of practices employed in a wide variety of unique scenarios. No two situations will be exactly alike, but there will be resemblances. These similarities and/or differences are as much the result of constraints prescribed by one’s sonic starting-points as they are the product of individual style. Such a symmetrical perspective is paramount in the development of analyses that accurately reflect the heterogeneity of digital audio practices. In the rest of this article I attend to the production methods of three Montreal-based sound artists. Quotations from personal interview are contrasted against the dominant academic view of digital audio as a vehicle of subjective control over sound.
 
 Jennifer Morris (a.k.a. ‘[sic]’) works mostly with field recordings as well as sounds that she collects by close-micing instruments such as the guitar or Japanese koto. When asked about how her sonic source material affects her work, Morris’ answer reflects a deep respect for the individual character of the sounds she chooses to copy and remix. At the same time she is not afraid to alter samples in search of new experimental mixing trajectories. In her words: 
 
 My work is composed from the source material. It is a very organic process that begins with the selection of a few sounds and usually ends with using none of them and sounding completely different from what I set out to do. That’s what I love most, the sources control the work completely. (Jennifer Morris, a.k.a. ‘[sic]’, interviewed by Owen Chapman, 14 Dec. 2004)
 
 
 Morris habitually begins her compositional process with short copied extracts of longer recordings that she then transforms with the aid of various pieces of sound software and hardware to the point where they are barely recognisable. She will often discard her initial sound-selections as new timbres emerge through her experimentation. Nevertheless, Morris claims that this process is guided by her sources completely. In so doing she ascribes the latter a type of agency. There is a reverence in her words even in the way she describes the task of collecting sounds for future use. Instead of copying audio that fits the musical plans she has in her head, Morris waits for sounds to set off her ‘sampling radar’, so to speak. As she says about the sounds she gathers in her field recording practice, ‘Even if they [cannot be] heard by the human ear, I try to figure out ways to capture them, with a pickup and such.’ The sounds she selects are then allowed to guide her treatment of them based upon their own characteristics, such as sonic density, frequency range and mood.
 
 For Anna Friz (a.k.a. ‘A2Z’), however, the material she copies when starting a new sound piece sometimes ends up driving the work, and at other times not. When asked about the impact of her initial sound selections upon her final product, she answered: 
 
 I think that sometimes it is the indexical relationship that the samples have with where they came from that … you’re drawn to and that you want to use, you want to emphasize. And in that case I think that some of the samples do make some decisions for you. Because there are certain things that, you know, depending on who you are you would choose not to do to a sample. (Anna Friz, a.k.a. ‘A2Z’, interviewed by Owen Chapman, 9 Sept. 2004)
 
 
 In elaborating this point Friz mentions a particular recording she possesses from the clash between police and protesters at the APEC summit in Vancouver in 1999. A member of staff from the radio station where she was working (CiTR) had called from the protest on a cell phone and was describing the pandemonium that was breaking out all around him. The urgency and panic in his voice as he shouts ‘They’re advancing right now…and we’re running, we’re running,’ became an artifact that she felt she must protect. As she said: ‘I didn’t want to just plant it into something without a context, because, for me it came from such a political place that I really wanted to preserve that.’ This sound fragment became the foundation for a political piece that she later composed in response to the treatment of protestors at the Quebec FTAA summit (co-produced with Richard Williams and entitled: ‘there’s a risk of arrest if you turn right’ (2001)).
 
 As with Morris, Friz often ends up radically transforming the sources she starts with. Interestingly, while Morris describes this as following intuitions laid out for her in the original material, Friz tends towards a more subjective interpretation of the mixing process: 
 
 [I’ll take] something out of context because it just has a certain feel to it, a texture, or a pitch or tone or something and I just think: ‘That’s a good sound. I could turn that into something else – it will go with these other things. 
 
 
 While this answer might resemble accounts focused on subjective expression through digital audio, it is important to recognize that Friz has no problem admitting to being impacted by a specific sound before deciding to displace it from its original context. 
 
 In my own case I feel as though my usual source material (musical fragments copied from vinyl records) dramatically affects the work I end up producing. I’ll start by sampling a short passage uncovered on one record and, through working with it, be led towards other parts of my collection in search of other sounds. The process of composition unfolds organically as each additional element reveals hidden aspects of the samples already selected. This is where the affect of selection in digital sound art becomes most apparent, in the unique nature of every juxtaposition or mix. Contrary to predominant opinion, this mixing is as much guided by spontaneous inspiration based on aural-reaction as it is the subjective will of the mixer. This holds for all cases of digital audio manipulation – whether we are discussing studio production, sampling, file sharing or mash-ups, the common feature in all of these practices is the (re)collecting of recorded sounds in a way which, to quote Walter Benjamin, ‘studies and loves them as the scene, the stage, of their fate.’ (Benjamin 60). 
 
 Asserting increased aural control as paramount to users of digital audio technology reduces a complex interactive relationship to one of master and slave. Although extraordinary editing precision is now possible when compared to the days of magnetic tape, copying, splicing and transforming audio with digital equipment is still very much about responsive listening. Those looking to write about the relationship between digital audio technology and contemporary practices of music making must never overlook the affective dimension of sound – its fleeting presence as vibrations of the ear drum. For recorded audio, no matter how many times it has been copied, it must always pass through a singular moment of conversion into moving air molecules in order to be experienced – at which point there is nothing left for us to do but listen and learn.
 
 References
 
 Benjamin, Walter. “On Unpacking My Library: A Talk about Book Collecting.” Illuminations. Ed. Hannah Arendt. New York: Shocken, 1969. Cascone, Kim. “Laptop Music: Counterfeiting Aura in the Age of Infinite Reproduction.” Parachute Fall, 2002. Jones, Steve. Rock Formation: Music, Technology and Mass Communication. Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage, 1992. Lysoff, Rene T. A. “Musical Community on the Internet: An On-Line Ethnography.” Cultural Anthropology 18.2 (2003): 233-63. Miller, Paul D. a.k.a DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid. Rhythm Science. Mediawork Pamphlets. Ed. Peter Lunenfeld. New York: Mediawork, 2004. Mudede, Charles. “The Turntable.” ctheory 126 (24 April 2003). Pinch, Trevor J, and Karen Bijsterveld. “Should One Applaud? Breaches and Boundaries in the Reception of New Technology in Music.” Technology and Culture 44.3 (2003): 536-59. Théberge, Paul. Any Sound You Can Imagine: Making Music/Consuming Technology. Hanover, NH: UP of New England, 1997.
 
 
 
 
 Citation reference for this article
 
 MLA Style
 Chapman, Owen. "The Affect of Selection in Digital Sound Art." M/C Journal 8.3 (2005). echo date('d M. Y'); ?> <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0507/03-chapman.php>. APA Style
 Chapman, O. (Jul. 2005) "The Affect of Selection in Digital Sound Art," M/C Journal, 8(3). Retrieved echo date('d M. Y'); ?> from <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0507/03-chapman.php>. 

IntroductionThe Sydney Opera House is Australia’s, if not the world’s, most recognisable building. It is universally recognised as an architectural icon and as a masterpiece of the built environment, which has captured the imagination of many (Commonwealth of Australia 4). The construction of the Sydney Opera House, between 1959 and 1973, utilised many ground-breaking methods and materials which, together, pushed the boundaries of technical possibilities to the limits of human knowledge at the time (Commonwealth of Australia 36, 45). Typical investigations into the Sydney Opera House focus on its architects, the materials, construction, or the events that occur on its stages. The role of the illumination, in the perception and understanding of Australia’s most famous performing arts centre, is an under-investigated aspect of its construction and its use today (Dwyer Backstage Biography 1; Dwyer “Utzon’s Use” 131).This article examines the illumination of the Sydney Opera House from the perspective of light as a construction material, another element that is used to ‘build’ the structure on Bennelong Point. This article examines the illumination from an historical view as Jørn Utzon’s (1918-2008) concepts for the building, including the lighting design intentions, were not all realised as he did not complete the project. The task of finishing this structure was allocated to the architectural cooperative of Hall, Todd & Littlemore who replaced Utzon in 1966. The Danish-born Utzon was appointed in January 1957 having won an international competition, from a field of over 230 entries, to design a national opera house for Sydney. He quickly began the task of resolving his design, transforming the roughly-sketched concepts presented in his competition entry, into detailed drawings that articulated how the opera house would be realised. The iteration of these concepts can be most succinctly identified in Utzon’s formal design reports to the Opera House Committee which are often referred to based on the colour of their cover design. The first report, the ‘red book’ was issued in 1958 with further developments of the architectural and services designs outlined in the ‘yellow book’ which followed in 1962. The last of the original architects’ publications was the Utzon Design Principles (2002) which was created as part of the reengagement process—between the Government of New South Wales and the Sydney Opera House with the original architect—that commenced in 1999.As with many modern buildings (such as Eero Saarinen’s TWA Flight Center, Richard Meier’s Jubilee Church or Adrian D. Smith’ Burj Khalifa), concrete was selected to form the basic structural element of the Sydney Opera House. Working with the, now internationally-renowned, engineering firm Ove Arup and Partners, Utzon designed some of the most significant shapes and finishes that have become synonymous with the site. The concrete elements range from basic blade walls with lustrous finishes to the complex, shape-changing beams that rise from under the monumental stairs and climb to terminate in the southern foyers. Thus, demonstrating the use of concrete as both a structural element and a high quality architectural finish. Another product used throughout the Sydney Opera House is granite. As a hardwearing stone, it is used in a crushed form as part of the precast panels that line the walls and internal flooring and as setts on the forecourt. As with the concrete the use of the same material inside and out blurs the distinction between interior and exterior. The forecourt forms a wide-open plaza before the building rises like a headland as it meets the harbour. The final, and most recognisable element is that of the shell (or roof) tiles. After many years of research Utzon settled on a simple mix of gloss and matt tiles of approximately 120mm square that, carefully arranged, produced a chevron shaped ‘lid’ and results in an effect likened to snow and ice (Commonwealth of Australia 51).These construction elements would all remain invisible if not illuminated by light, natural or artificial. This paper posits that the illumination reinforces the architecture of the structure and extends the architectural and experiential narratives of the Sydney Opera House across time and space. That, light is—like concrete, granite and tiles—a critical component of the Opera House’s build.Building a Narrative with LightIn creating the Sydney Opera House, Utzon set about harnessing natural and artificial illumination that are intrinsic parts of the human condition. Light shapes every facet of our lives from defining working and leisure hours to providing the mechanism for high speed communications and is, therefore, an obvious choice to reinforce the structure of the building and to link the built environment with the natural world that enveloped his creation. Light was to play a major role in the narrative of the Sydney Opera House starting from a patron’s approach to the site.Utzon’s staged approach to a performance at the Sydney Opera House is well documented, from the opening passages of the Descriptive Narrative (Utzon 1-2) to the Lighting Master Plan (Steensen Varming). The role of artificial light in the preparation of the audience extends beyond the simple visibility necessary to navigate the site. Light provides a linking element that guides an audience member along their ‘journey’ through several phases of transformation from the physicality of the city on the forecourt to “another world–a make believe atmosphere, which will exclude all outside impressions and allow the patrons to be absorbed into the theatre mood, which the actors and the producers wish to create” (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 2) in the theatres. Utzon conceived of light as part of the storytelling process, expressing the building’s narrative in a way that allows illumination is to be so much more than signposts to points of activity such as cloaking areas, theatre entries and the like. The lighting was intended to delineate various stages on the ‘journey’ noted above, to reinforce the transition from one world to another such that the combination of light and architecture would provide a series of successive stimuli that would build until the crescendo of the performance itself. This supports the transition of the visitor from the world of the everyday into the narrative of the Sydney Opera House and a world of make believe. Yet, in providing a narrative between these two ‘worlds’ the lighting becomes an anchor—or an element held in suspension – a mediator in the tension between the city at the beginning of the ‘journey’ and the ‘other world’ of the performance at the end. There is a balance to be maintained between illuminating the Sydney Opera House so that it remains prominent in its harbour location, easily read as a distinct sculptural structure on the peninsular separate from, but still an essential part of, the city that lies beyond Circular Quay to the south. Utzon alludes to the challenges of crafting the illumination so that it meets these requirements, noting that the illumination of the broardwalks “must be compatible with the lighting on the approach roads” (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 68) while maintaining that “the floodlit building will be the first and last impression for [… an audience] to receive” (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 1). These lighting requirements are also tempered by the desire that the “night time [...] view will be all lights and reflections, [that] stretch all along the harbour for many miles” (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 1) reinforcing the use of light as an anchor that provides both a point of reference and serves as a mediator of the Sydney Opera House’s place within the city.The narrative of the materials and elements that are combined to give the final, physical form its striking sensory presence is also told through light, in particular colour. Or, perhaps more precisely in an illumination sense, the accurate reproduction of colour and by extension accurate presentation of the construction materials used in the creation of the Sydney Opera House. Expression of the ‘truth’ in the materials he used was important for Utzon and the faithful representation of details such as the fine grains in timber and the smooth concrete finishes required careful lighting to enhance these features. When extended to the human occupants of the Sydney Opera House, there is a short, yet very descriptive instruction: the lighting is to give “life to the skin and hair on the human form in much the same way as the light from candles” (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 67). Thus, the narrative of the materials and their quality was as important as the final structure and those who would occupy it. It is the role of light to build upon the story of the materials to contribute to the overall narrative of the Sydney Opera House.Building an Experience through IlluminationUtzon envisaged that light would do much more than provide illumination or tell the narrative of the materials he had selected – light was also to build a unique architectural experience for a patron. The experience of light was to be subtle; the architecture was to retain a position of centre stage, reinforced by, rather than ever replaced by, the illumination. In this way, concealed lighting was proposed which would be “designed in close collaboration with the acoustical engineers as they will become an integral part of overall acoustic design” and “installed in carefully selected places based on knowledge gleaned from experimental work” (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 67). Through concealing the light source, the architecture did not become cluttered or over powered by a dazzling array of fixtures and fittings that detracted from the audience’s experiences. For instance, to illuminate the monumental steps, Utzon proposed that the fittings would be recessed into the handrails, while the bar and lounge areas would be lit from discreet fittings installed within the plywood ceiling panels (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 16) to create an experience of light that was unified across the site. In addition to the aesthetical improvements gained from the removal of the light sources from the field of view, unwanted glare is also reduced reinforcing the ‘whole’ of the architectural experience.During the time that Utzon was conceptualising the illumination of the Sydney Opera House, the Major Hall (what is now known as the Concert Hall) was envisaged as what might be considered as a modern multipurpose venue, one that could accommodate among other activities: symphonic concerts; opera; ballet and dance; choral concerts; pageants and mass meetings (NSW Department of Local Government 24). The Concert Hall was the terminus for the ‘journey’—where the actors and audience find themselves in the same space, the ‘other world’—“a make believe atmosphere, which will exclude all outside impressions and allow the patrons to be absorbed into the theatre mood, which the actors and the producers wish to create” (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 2). This other world was to sumptuously explode with rich colours “which uplift you in that festive mood, away from daily life, that you expect when you go to the theatre, a play, an opera or a concert” (Utzon Utzon Design Principles 34). These highly decorated and colourful finishes contrast with the white shells further highlighting the ‘journey’ that has taken place. Utzon proposed to use the illumination to reinforce this distance and provide the link between the natural colours of the raw materials used outside the theatre and highly decorated colours of the performance spaces.The lighting treatment of the theatres extended into the foyers and their public amenities to ensure that the lighting design contributed to the overall enhancement of a patron’s visit and delivered the experience of the ‘journey’ that was envisaged by Utzon (Dwyer “Utzon’s Use” 130-32). This standardised approach was in concert with Utzon’s architectural philosophy where repetitive systems of construction elements were utilised, for instance, in the construction of the shells. Utzon clearly articulated this approach in The Descriptive Narrative, noting that “standard light fittings will be chosen […] to suit each location” (67), however the standardisation would not compromise other considerations of the space such as the acoustical performance, with Utzon noting that the “fittings for auditoria and rehearsal rooms must be of necessity, designed in close collaboration with the acoustical engineers as they will become an integral part of over acoustic design” (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 67). Another parallel between the architectural development of the Sydney Opera House and Utzon’s approach to the lighting concepts was, uncommon at the time, his preference for prototyping and experimentation with lighting effects and various fittings (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 67). A sharp contrast to the usual practices of the day which relied upon more straightforward procurement processes with generic rather than tailored solutions. Peter Hall, of Hall, Todd & Littlemore, discussed the typical method of lighting design which was prevalent during the construction of the Sydney Opera House, as a method which “amounted to the electrical engineers laying out on a plan sufficient off-the-shelf light fittings to achieve the desired illumination levels […] the resulting effects were dull even if brightly lit” (Hall 180). Thus, Utzon’s careful approach to ensure that light and architecture were in harmony as “nothing is introduced into the scheme, before it has been carefully investigated and has proved to be the right solution to the problem” (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 2) was highly innovative for its time.The use of light to provide an experience was not necessarily new, for example RSL Clubs, theme parks and department stores all used light to attract attention to their products and services, however the scale and proposed execution of these concepts was pioneering for Australia in the 1950s and 1960s. Utzon’s concepts provided a highly experiential unified design to provide the patron with a unique architectural experience built through the careful use of light.Building the Scenery with LightArchitecture might be considered set design on a grand scale (for example see Raban, Rasmuseen and Read). Both architects and set designers are concerned with the relationship between the creative designs and the viewers and both set up opportunities for interactions between people (as actors or users) and structure. However, without light, the scene remains literally, in the dark, isolated from its surroundings and unperceetable to an audience.Utzon was acutely aware of the relationship between the Sydney Opera House and the city in which it stands. The positioning of the structure on the site is no accident and the interplay between the ‘sails’ and the sun is perhaps the most recognised lighting feature of the Sydney Opera House. By varying the angle of the shells, the reflections and the effects of the sunlight are constantly varying depending on the viewer’s position and focus. More importantly, these subtle variations in the light enhance the sculptural effect of the direct illumination and help create the effect of “matt snow and shining ice” (Commonwealth of Australia 51): the ‘shimmer of life’ so desired by Utzon as the sunlight strikes the ceramic tiles. This ‘shimmer’ is not the only natural lighting effect. The use of the different angles ensures variation in the light, clouds and resulting shadows to heighten interest and create an ever-changing scene that plays out on the shells as the sun moves across the sky, as Utzon notes, “something new goes on all the time and it is so important–this interplay is so important that together with the sun, the light and the clouds, it makes it a living thing” (Utzon Sydney Opera House 49). This scene is enhanced by the changing quality of the sunlight; the shells appear to be deep amber at first light their shadows long and faint before becoming shorter and stronger as the sun moves towards its midday position with the colour changing slowly to ‘pure’ white before the shadows change sides, the process reverses and they again disappear under the cover of darkness. Although the scene replays daily, the relative location of the sun and changing weather patterns ensure infinite variation in the effect.This changing scene, on a grand scale, with light as the central character is just as important as the theatrical performances taking place indoors on the stages. With a mobile audience, the detailing of the visual scene that is the structure becomes more important. The Sydney Opera House competes for attention with shipping movements in the harbour, the adjacent bridge with the ant-like procession of climbers and the activities of the city to the south. Utzon foresaw this noting that the “position on a peninsular, which is overlooked from all angles makes it important to maintain an all-round elevation. There can be no backsides to the building and nothing can be hidden from the view” (Utzon Descriptive Narrative 1). The use of natural light to enhance the sculptural form and reinforce isolation of the structure on the peninsular, centre stage on the harbour is therefore not a coincidence. Utzon has deliberately harnessed the natural light to ensure that the Sydney Opera House is just as vibrant a performer as its surroundings. In this way, Utzon has used light to anchor the Sydney Opera House both in the city it serves and for the performances it houses.It is not just the natural light that is used as such an anchor point. Utzon planned for artificial lighting of the sails and surrounding site to ensure that after dark the ‘shimmer’ of the white tiles would be maintained with an equivalent, if manufactured, effect. For Utzon, the sculptural qualities of structure were important and should be clearly ‘read’ at night, even against a dark harbour on one side and the brighter city on the other. Through the use of artificial lighting, Utzon set the scene on Bennelong Point with the structure clearly centred in the set that is the Sydney skyline. This reinforced the notion that a journey into the Sydney Opera House was something special, a transition from the everyday to the ‘other’ world.ConclusionFor Utzon light was just as essential as concrete and other building materials for the design of the Sydney Opera House. The traditional bright lights of the stage had no place in the architectural illumination, replaced instead by a much more subtle, understated use of light, and indeed its absence. Utzon planned for the lighting to envelope an audience but not to smother them. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete his project and in 1968 J.M. Waldram was eventually appointed to complete the lighting design. Waldram’s lighting solutions—many of which are still in place today—borrowed or significantly drew upon Utzon’s original illumination concepts, thus demonstrating their strength and timeless qualities. In this way light builds on the story of the structure, reinforcing the architecture of the building and extending the narratives of the construction elements used to build the Sydney Opera House.AcknowledgementsThe author acknowledges the assistance of Rachel Franks for her input on an early draft of this article and thanks the blind peer reviewers for their generous feedback and suggestions, of course any remain errors or omissions are my own. ReferencesCommonwealth of Australia. Sydney Opera House Nomination by the Government of Australia for Inscription on the World Heritage List. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2006.Cleaver, Jack. Surface and Textured Finishes for Concrete and Their Impact upon the Environment. Sydney: Steel Reinforcement Institute of Australia, 2005.Dwyer, Simon. A Backstage Biography of the Sydney Opera House. Proceedings of the 7th Annual Conference of the Popular Culture Association of Australia and New Zealand (PopCAANZ) 2016: 1-10.———. “Utzon’s Use of Light to Influence the Audience’s Perception of the Sydney Opera House”. Inhabiting the Meta Visual: Contemporary Performance Themes. Eds. Helene Gee Markstein and Arthur Maria Steijn. Oxford: Inter-Disciplinary P, 2016.Hall, Peter. Sydney Opera House: The Design Approach to the Building with Recommendations on Its Conservation. Sydney: Sydney Opera House Trust, 1990.NSW Department of Local Government. An International Competition for a National Opera House at Bennelong Point Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: Conditions and Program (“The ‘Brown’ Book”). Sydney: NSW Government Printer, 1957.Raban, Jonathan. Soft City. London: Picador, 2008.Rasmuseen, Steen. Experiencing Architecture. Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of Technology P, 1964.Read, Gary. “Theater of Public Space: Architectural Experimentation in the Théâtre de l'Espace (Theater of Space), Paris 1937.” Journal of Architectural Education 58.4 (2005): 53-62.Steensen Varming. Lighting Master Plan. Sydney: Sydney Opera House Trust, 2007.Utzon, Jørn. Sydney Opera House: The Descriptive Narrative. Sydney: Sydney Opera House Trust, 1965.———. The Sydney Opera House. Zodiac, 1965. 48-93.———. Untitled. (The ‘Red’ Book). Unpublished, 1958.———. Untitled. (The ‘Yellow’ Book). Unpublished, 1962.———. Utzon Design Principles. Sydney: Sydney Opera House Trust, 2002.