Deconstructing musical structure

  • Authors:

  • Mladen Milicevic

  • Affiliations:

  • Loyola Marymount University – Communication Arts, 7900 Loyola Bd, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA MMladen@SC.edu www.cla.sc.edu/art/faculty/milicevicm/mladen.html

  • Venue:
  • Organised Sound
  • Year:
  • 1998

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

This paper addresses the overwhelming importance which computer music composers usually place on the structural elements of their music. It deconstructs the belief that the meaning of music lies within its structure. This represents only one half of the equation, while the other half embodies the notion that music is ultimately intended to be listened to by subjective human beings who will interpret the music in different ways. The meaning is not located in the musical object (the piece), nor is it exclusively in the mind of the perceiver (human), but rather lies in the relationship between the two. Furthermore, this paper proposes that there are no objective aspects of music at all. To support this claim, the author uses the latest research from neuroscience, cognitive psychology and neo-Darwinism. Analysing the pitfalls of the modernist world view and the structure-based music that it has produced, the author proposes postmodern methods for the survival of computer music. In order to do so this paper relies on Richard Dawkins’ concept of cultural memes.