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Density 21.5 by Edgard Varese : a case study of the value of semiology in music analysis
Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 1996.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2012
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| _version_ | 1867613929855778816 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Pauw, Esther Marie |
| author2 | Ludemann, Winfried
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| author_browse | Ludemann, Winfried
Pauw, Esther Marie |
| author_facet | Ludemann, Winfried
Pauw, Esther Marie |
| author_sort | Pauw, Esther Marie |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 1996. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/55037 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:57.787Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publishDateRange | 2012 |
| publishDateSort | 2012 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/55037 Density 21.5 by Edgard Varese : a case study of the value of semiology in music analysis Pauw, Esther Marie Ludemann, Winfried Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Music. Varese, Edgard, -- 1883-1965 Nattiez, Jean Jacques Music -- Semiotics Sound symbolism Musical analysis UCTD Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 1996. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study attempts to determine the value of semiological analysis as understood and applied by Jean-Jacques Nattiez, in his analysis of Density 21.5 by Edgard Varèse. The initial aim is to determine whether semiology, understood to be the study of signs, can be of value in the analysis of the diversity of styles and compositions which have been composed throughout the twentieth century. The initial hypothesis suggests that the strengths of Nattiez's semiological approach are to be found in his thorough and rigorous analysis, which result from his dedication to taxonomic distributional methods of analysis. The weakness of his approach, however, is that he fails to demonstrate processes of signification or meaning in music, an aspect which musical semiology (particularly of the semantic type) attempts to address. The findings of this study are, firstly, that semiology is applicable to (any) musical analysis, including the analysis of twentieth century styles. Secondly, it is found that Nattiez's approach to semiology (particularly before 1990) represents a narrow, almost neo-positivistic methodology. where analysis is performed thoroughly and in a quasi-scientific manner. but where concepts such as "the sign" and "meaning" in music are barely addressed. This calls the semiological value of his analysis into question. A valuable contribution by Nattiez, however, is to be found in his formulation of the "tripartition". where analysis can be performed and categorised according to any level (and all three levels) of the tripartition, namely the "neutral" level the "poietic" level and the "esthesic" level. Such a model allows for the clarification of analytical procedures. The final chapter presents two opposing points of view concerning the issue of meaning in music: that of the so-called empiricists (like Nattiez) who, despite adhering to a semiological approach, prefer to avoid issues of meaning and signification, as opposed to the semanticists who view musical semiology as being analogous to the search for meaning in music. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk probeer om die waarde van semiologie, soos toegepas op die analise van musiek, te bepaal. 'n Semiologiese analise van Density 21.5 (Varèse), soos uitgevoer deur Jean-Jacques Nattiez, word geëvalueer. Daar word eerstens ten doel gestel om te bepaal of semiologie, wat gesien word as die studie van tekens (of tekenleer), 'n bruikbare metode, of rigting, vir analise is, veral wanneer uiteenlopende style en werke, soos wat voorkom in die twintigste eeu, ter sprake is. Tweedens word die hipotese, dat Nattiez se verstaan van semiologie spesifieke sterk en swak punte vertoon ondersoek. Die aanvanklike hipotese lui dat sy analise deeglik en "wetenskaplik" van aard is, veral aangesien hy steun op riglyne vanuit distribusionele metodes (distributional methods) van analise. 'n Leemte in sy benadering is egter dat betekenis (en "betekening" of "tekenfunksionering") in musiek nie aangespreek word nie. Hierdie is konsepte wat gewoonlik juis deur semiologie (veral vanuit die semantieke benadering) aangespreek word. Die bevindinge van die ondersoek is dat semiologie wel suksesvol toegepas kan word in die analise van (enige) musiek, maar veral ook van twintigste eeuse musiek. Ook word bevind dat Nattiez se benadering tot semiologie (veral voor 1990) 'n eng, neopositivistiese metode voorstel waar analise besonder deeglik en "wetenskaplik" uitgevoer word. maar waar konsepte soos die "teken" en "betekenis" in musiek nie aangespreek word nie. Dit word bevraagteken of hierdie tipe benadering wel Semiologies van aard is. 'n Unieke, en bruikbare bydrae van Nattiez lê egter op die vlak van die "tripartisie" (tripartition) waarin hy voorstel dat analise uitgevoer word op drie afsonderlike vlakke, naamlik die "neutrale" vlak, die "poietiese" (poietic) vlak en die "estetiese" (esthesic) vlak. Hierdie uiteensetting van die drie vlakke dra daartoe by dat analise volgens duidelik-afgebakende gebiede kan geskied. Die laaste hoofstuk poog om die debar rondom "betekenis in musiek" uiteen te sit. Daar word gekyk na die standpunte van die "empirisiste" (soos Nattiez) wat verkies om nie "betekenis" en "betekening" in musiek aan te spreek nie. Daar word egter ook ondersoek ingestel na die standpunte van die "semantisiste", wat beklemtoon dat die soeke na "betekenis" sentraal staan tot die aard van 'n semiologiese benadering. Masters 2012-08-27T11:36:51Z 2012-08-27T11:36:51Z 1996-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/55037 en_ZA Stellenbosch University vi, 92 pages : music application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Varese, Edgard, -- 1883-1965 Nattiez, Jean Jacques Music -- Semiotics Sound symbolism Musical analysis UCTD Pauw, Esther Marie Density 21.5 by Edgard Varese : a case study of the value of semiology in music analysis |
| title | Density 21.5 by Edgard Varese : a case study of the value of semiology in music analysis |
| title_full | Density 21.5 by Edgard Varese : a case study of the value of semiology in music analysis |
| title_fullStr | Density 21.5 by Edgard Varese : a case study of the value of semiology in music analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Density 21.5 by Edgard Varese : a case study of the value of semiology in music analysis |
| title_short | Density 21.5 by Edgard Varese : a case study of the value of semiology in music analysis |
| title_sort | density 21 5 by edgard varese a case study of the value of semiology in music analysis |
| topic | Varese, Edgard, -- 1883-1965 Nattiez, Jean Jacques Music -- Semiotics Sound symbolism Musical analysis UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/55037 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pauwesthermarie density215byedgardvareseacasestudyofthevalueofsemiologyinmusicanalysis |