Techniques of Polytempic Polymicrotonal Composition: fluid vs static tempi, part IV.i

More on Contrapuntal Tempi... 

Polytempo as Static vs. Dynamic and Fluid

Tempo has throughout Western musical history been thought of as a single-formed containment system for music, perhaps except the isorhythms of the Middle Ages, which actually had nothing to do with tempo, but marked the beginning of the awareness of the potential of several strands of musical thought working simultaneously, as in color and talea, that could conceivably be a thought-form precursor to polytempo. Additionally, and unrelatedly, many motets were written with differing text languages, also not related directly to polytempo, but actually more to polymicrotonality; the different languages presented in polytextual works offered different vowels, phones, phonemes, and glottals--imperceptible at the time, but today would actually count as polymicrotonal by closer examination.

It is here that I must declare that, for me, polytempic polymicrotonality is really nothing more than an attitude; an aesthetic with an other-dimensional point of view, or perspective. It is an OPEN system, if a system at all. In fact, writing this makes me wonder if I am betraying the whole operation. This is not like the strict rules of Schönberg, or serialism, which I wonder whether its reintroduction in this new music would be a welcome nuisance. Your choice. 

Again, I turn to Nancarrow. Nancarrow's geometric proportional notation on large swathes of piano rolls could provide the visual cues to a couple of ways to physically accelerate and decelerate musical movement: arithmetic superparticular gradations, and note-value changing gradations, which would be much more subtle, providing a slower, smoother tempo momentum change. Elliot Carter also needs mentioning here with his brilliant metric-modulation technique, which is another way to approach tempo changes implicit within the music, rather than explicitly notated, as Polytempic Polymicrotonality is. Particulars regarding pulse vs tempo can be discussed later.

Amazingly, these two techniques can be accommodated by notation programs and sequencers. Independent time signature options accompanied by tuplet tools can manage both these techniques. I've used them myself. 

Static tempi can be great for shorter pieces that are geared towards the goals of convergence and divergence. But Nancarrow already covered this. Peter, being Peter, wants to do something different. Rather than goals, or "teleology" of musical intent, I prefer the narrative approach. The music is in the narrative. Life is the journey, to be cliché. At some point in the future, I may become more interested in chordal cadential goals of future quasi-established polymicrotonal chords, recognizable as a major triad, or Webern's (0,1,4). (At least recognizable to me in my own work as an official polymicrotonal cadential chord.)

For programmers of Dorico, I think that some calculus equations could be added to a separate tempos tool, rather than just one global tempo, that can independently calculate percentages of acceleration and deceleration, for each stave. For now, I must calculate with the tools at my disposal, as mentioned earlier, which is irritating and time-consuming. 

Yet, this is what brother Nancarrow did on his huge, long piano scrolls.

Nevertheless, these techniques are the way to engage with contrapuntal temporal relationships, regardless of whether or not there is a goal in mind, such as a convergence point. The tempic dissonance inherent in the narrative of the music IS the point. At least for me and my music.

Then there is another factor in Nancarrow's music that is interesting and helpful: that of the clock time line. Having a steady ostinato in the face of high wind current tempo changes all around does make sense. But I have tried to not copy this. Bill Bruford, drummer of King Crimson, also prefers to do this, which is to have a straight, steady beat off which to syncopate temporary poly-rhythmic dissonances. Nancarrow also did this. Rather, it was a crutch from which to measure the physical space on the piano roll, of accerandi and decelerandi, for accuracy. Keeping the ostinato is an aesthetic and didactic tool that teaches the listener what is happening in the music. Study 27, for example, has a tetrachordal, steady, clock-like ostinato central to the tumultuous accelerandi. I prefer to remove this ostinato, but I do have pieces that keep it. I am both for and against this. 

to be continued...