Saturday, June 1, 2024

"Animato" for Euphonium. Bil Smith Composer.







The Link To The Score (PDF)



The score for "Animato" presents itself as a site of inquiry. The stratified geometric lexicon developed for this work, articulated through a proprietary font, represents a epistemic shift in the realm of musical notation.


The Archaeology of Musical Notation


To understand the significance of the stratified geometric lexicon, one must first engage in an archaeological analysis of musical notation. Traditional notation systems have long been the dominant discourse, structuring the way music is written, interpreted, and performed. These systems encapsulate a historical accumulation of knowledge, codifying the parameters of pitch, rhythm, and dynamics within a standardized framework.


"Animato" disrupts this conventional order by introducing a stratified geometric lexicon. This lexicon, with its proprietary font designed for the euphonium's articulatory nuances, constitutes a new discursive formation. It challenges the established epistemic boundaries, offering an alternative mode of representing musical information that is both intricate and multi-dimensional.


The Power-Knowledge Nexus


Within the score, power and knowledge are inextricably linked, each shaping and reinforcing the other. The novel notation embodies this dynamic interplay.


The notation functions as a regime of truth, dictating the parameters of musical articulation and interpretation. The geometric forms, stratified to convey specific articulatory nuances, impose a new order of knowledge upon the performer. The performer, in turn, becomes a subject within this regime, navigating the complexities of the lexicon to realize the composer's vision.


The Genealogy of Articulation


To further unpack the implications of "Animato," one must consider the genealogy of articulation within the context of the euphonium. The euphonium, with its rich and expressive timbre, requires a nuanced approach to articulation that transcends the capabilities of traditional notation. The stratified geometric lexicon addresses this need, providing a detailed and precise guide for the performer's execution.


This genealogical perspective reveals the stratified geometric lexicon as a product of historical contingencies and power relations. The notation for the euphonium's articulatory nuances is not merely a technical innovation but a strategic intervention in the field of musical notation. It reflects a broader shift towards greater specificity and complexity in musical representation, challenging the hegemony of traditional systems.


The performer, as a subject within this new discursive formation, is constituted by the knowledge embedded in the stratified geometric lexicon. This system of notation shapes the performer's identity, skills, and interpretative practices, producing a new kind of musical subjectivity.


The proprietary font, with its detailed articulation symbols, demands a high level of technical proficiency and interpretative insight. The performer must internalize the lexicon's complexities, becoming fluent in its geometric vocabulary to faithfully execute the piece. This process of subjectification illustrates how power operates through knowledge to produce specific kinds of subjects, in this case, the proficient and insightful euphonium performer.


 

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