Takemitsu and the Steel Pavilion: Spatial Timbre as a parameter of composition

武满和钢亭：空间音色作为构图参数

• 批准号: 2605039
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Goldsmiths University of London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2021 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2605039
• 关键词: Takemitsu; Steel; Pavilion; Spatial; Timbre

This research will examine the concept of 'spatial timbre' as a parameter of composition, as suggested by the Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996) and explored through his multichannel installation at Osaka World Expo '70. Unlike any previous works in this medium, Takemitsu used the technique of balancing the noise spectrum of sound in orchestration, to create 'sound movement'. My investigation into the untapped archival materials will advance the understanding of 'spatial timbre'. This will be exercised and extended by my practice as a Japanese composer and performer based in London, creating a new multichannel surround sound composition. Through this practise-based research, I will seek to define 'spatial timbre' as a compositional method, juxtaposing theories of 'spatiality' and 'timbre' in Western and Japanese music - a method which Takemitsu developed to create 'movement' in surround sound. Although empirical studies of pitch have proven cross-modal correspondences with motion, studies of timbre have been limited. Therefore, Takemitsu's 'spatial timbre' is a unique method that would add a new perspective to contemporary modes of spatiality.In 1970, Takemitsu became the artistic director of the Steel Pavilion at the Osaka World Expo, collaborating with architect Kunio Maekawa, visual artist Keiji Usami and NHK sound engineer Satoshi Fujita, in writing and curating new works for the Space Theatre - a circular concert hall, consisting of 1008 loudspeakers, laser lights and mirrors that changed patterns according to the sound. For this space, Takemitsu wrote Crossing for orchestra, two choruses and four soloists, and a Tape Montage, Years of Ear, What is Music?. In his essay Mirror of Tree, Mirror of Field (1975), Takemitsu reflected on these works, stating that 'Spatiality and spatial timbre - timely textures of sound images - have been added as important parameters in the construction of music'. Throughout his essays and interviews, Takemitsu often refers to his own theories of 'space' (minus-space) and 'timbre' (noise), which were derived from traditional Japanese aesthetics and his works in musique concète, radio drama and film. These are significantly different from Western theories of spatiality, which were already established by composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen and Iannis Xenakis. Both of these composers were also commissioned to write works for the Pavilions at Osaka World Expo, and the majority of scholarly attention have been given to their works thus far. Despite the historical importance of this event, often referred to as the climax of intermedia collectives in Japan, there have been no in-depth study of Takemitsu's work at the Steel Pavilion. This research will redress this lack, through the analysis of the unpublished scores. Moreover, by utilising my compositional practice, I will investigate and show how 'spatial timbre' as a parameter is effective in providing a new impetus to the spatialisation of music, and its relation to the embodied multimodal perception of sound.As Osaka prepares for its next World Expo in 2025, this research is timely, and will make a unique contribution to the study of aural architecture and the music of Takemitsu.

这项研究将考察日本作曲家竹光(Toru Takemitsu，1930-1996)提出的“空间音色”作为作曲参数的概念，并通过他在70年大阪世博会上的多声道装置进行探索。与以往任何使用这种媒介的作品不同，竹光在管弦乐创作中使用了平衡声音噪声频谱的技术，创造了“声音运动”。我对未开发的档案材料的调查将促进对“空间音色”的理解。作为一名驻伦敦的日本作曲家和表演者，我将实践并扩展这一点，创造出一种新的多声道环绕立体声作品。通过这项以实践为基础的研究，我将寻求将“空间音色”定义为一种作曲方法，将西方和日本音乐中的“空间性”和“音色”理论并列在一起--这是武光发展的一种方法，以创造环绕立体声中的“运动”。虽然对音高的经验研究已经证明了音调与运动的跨模式对应，但对音色的研究一直是有限的。1970年，竹光成为大阪世博会钢馆的艺术总监，与建筑师前川久雄、视觉艺术家宇三敬二和NHK音响工程师藤田聪合作，为太空剧院创作和策划了新作品--一个圆形音乐厅，由1008个扬声器、激光和镜子组成，根据声音改变图案。为了这个空间，竹光为管弦乐队创作了Crossing，两个合唱团和四个独奏者，以及一盘磁带蒙太奇，耳朵的岁月，什么是音乐？在他的论文《树的镜子》(1975)中，武光对这些作品进行了反思，他说，空间和空间音色--声音图像的及时纹理--已经被添加为构建音乐的重要参数。在他的散文和采访中，Takemitsu经常提到他自己的‘空间’(负空间)和‘音色’(噪音)理论，这些理论来自于日本传统美学和他在静物建筑、广播剧和电影中的作品。这些与西方的空间性理论有很大的不同，西方的空间性理论已经由卡尔海因茨·斯托克豪森和Iannis Xenakis等作曲家建立。这两位作曲家还受委托为大阪世博会的展馆创作作品，到目前为止，学术界对他们的作品给予了大部分关注。尽管这一活动具有重要的历史意义，通常被称为日本媒体间集体活动的高潮，但对于竹光在钢馆的工作还没有深入研究。这项研究将通过对未发表的分数的分析来弥补这一不足。此外，通过我的作曲实践，我将调查和展示作为参数的空间音色如何有效地为音乐的空间化提供新的推动力，以及它与具体化的多通道声音感知的关系。随着大阪为2025年的下一届世博会做准备，这项研究是及时的，将对听觉建筑和竹光音乐的研究做出独特的贡献。