We’re pleased to announce the next presenter for the Music History/Theory Workshop on May 8, 4:30pm, in the library seminar room, JRL 264. Marcy Pierson, graduate student at the University of Chicago, will be presenting recent work from her dissertation proposal.

ABSTRACT

Modernist composers often display uneasiness toward singing; they seem to be as unwilling to fully embrace the singing voice as they are to escape its signification entirely. My project deals with composers who exploit the expressive power of the singing voice, but also find it imperative to intervene, to obstruct. I rely upon a dialectic between the internalized qualia of the voice (freedom, expression, communication—song) with the externalities of the hand(systemization, laws, composerly technique—technology). Philosophers of music and philosophizing musicians often fantasize the tension between the voice and hand as a winner-take-all battle (examples I deal with here include disputes between Rameau and Rousseau during the Enlightenment, and between Stockhausen and Nono two hundred years later). But reality lacks a satisfying TKO: both the hand and voice are necessary for composition, and so neither one can be successfully suppressed. In this way, modernist music might provide a more realistic site of contestation than its written discourse.

Please listen to the following two examples: 01 Acte 1 – Prologue  12 – Intermezzo III

Pre-circulated written materials available here. Email marycaldwell@uchicago.edu or  aasheehy@uchicago.edu for the password.

Those needing additional assistance to attend this event should contact one of the graduate coordinators, Mary Caldwell(marycaldwell@uchicago.edu) or August Sheehy (aasheehy@uchicago.edu)