Loops, Lists, and Lines: Hanne Darboven and the Sonic Logic of Circle Lexica

Hanne Darboven

Introduction: Temporal Architectures and Notational Innovations

The intersection of visual art and musical composition has long been a fertile ground for innovation. Hanne Darboven's systematic, date-based numerical sequences and my pharmacologically-infused colored circles represent two distinct yet conceptually aligned approaches to notation and temporal representation. This article explores the parallels between Darboven's serial methodologies and my Serio-Constructivist aesthetic, particularly focusing on my Pharmacological Circle Lexicon, to understand how I reconceptualize musical notation as a visual and temporal construct.

Hanne Darboven

Hanne Darboven: Seriality and Temporal Documentation

Hanne Darboven's work is characterized by the transformation of time into visual form. Her extensive series of handwritten numerical tables, often based on calendar dates, serve as both documentation and abstraction of temporal progression. These works, while visually minimalist, are dense with conceptual layering, converting the passage of time into a tangible, visual experience.

Darboven's approach aligns with serialist musical techniques, where numerical sequences dictate compositional structure. Her works often assign values to specific days, months, or years, systematically encoding time into numerical sequences. These sequences are translated into pitches and rhythmic values, creating a self-generating, non-expressive sonic structure.

Bil Smith's Pharmacological Circle Lexicon

My Pharmacological Circle Lexicon: Visual Notation and Serio-Constructivism

Part of my compositional practice, termed Serio-Constructivism, involves the creation of visual scores that challenge traditional musical notation. The Pharmacological Circle Lexicon comprises intricate, multicolored circles, each accompanied by detailed pharmacological data, including indications, dosages, and administration routes. These circles function as autonomous notational units, encapsulating complex musical instructions within a singular visual form.

Hanne Darboven

This approach transforms the musical score into a multidimensional artifact, integrating elements of visual art, medical documentation, and musical instruction. The use of pharmacological terminology introduces a layer of semantic complexity, inviting performers to interpret the score beyond conventional musical parameters.  Bil Smith

Parallels: Temporal Structures and Visual Notation

Bil Smith's Pharmacological Circle Lexicon

Darboven and I employ visual systems to represent temporal structures, albeit through different methodologies. Darboven's linear numerical sequences and my circular lexicon both serve to document and interpret time, transforming abstract temporal concepts into concrete visual forms.

Bil Smith's Pharmacological Circle Lexicon

 

• Repetition and Seriality: Darboven's repetitive numerical patterns and my recurring circular motifs both utilize repetition as a structural and conceptual device, emphasizing the cyclical nature of time and musical rhythm.

• Visual Complexity: While Darboven's works are visually minimalist yet conceptually dense, my scores are visually intricate, incorporating color, form, and text to convey multifaceted musical instructions.

• Integration of External Systems: Darboven integrates calendar systems into her art, whereas I incorporate pharmacological data, both extending the boundaries of musical notation to include external informational systems.

Hanne Darboven

Expanding the Language of Musical Notation

By integrating external systems—be it calendars or pharmacological data—into their compositional practices, we both challenge traditional notions of musical instruction and performance. These approaches invite a reevaluation of how time, structure, and meaning are represented and interpreted within the musical domain.

In exploring the sonic logic of circle lexica and serial numerical sequences, we uncover new possibilities for the visualization and conceptualization of music, expanding the language and experience of musical composition and performance.