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

本研究将探讨日本作曲家武满彻（1930-1996）提出的“空间音色”作为作曲参数的概念，并通过他在70年大坂世博会上的多通道装置进行探索。与以往的作品不同，武满在配器中使用了平衡声音噪音频谱的技术，以创造“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。这将通过我在伦敦作为日本作曲家和表演者的实践来锻炼和扩展，创造一种新的多通道环绕声作曲。通过这种基于背景的研究，我将试图将“空间音色”定义为一种作曲方法，并将西方和日本音乐中的“空间性”和“音色”理论并列-武光开发的一种方法，用于在环绕声中创造“运动”。虽然音高的实证研究已经证明了与运动的跨模态对应关系，但对音色的研究却很有限。因此，武光的“空间音色”是一种独特的方法，为当代的空间性模式增添了新的视角。1970年，武光成为大坂世博会钢铁馆的艺术总监，与建筑师前川国雄、视觉艺术家宇佐美敬二和NHK音响工程师藤田聪合作，为空间剧院创作和策划新的作品。由1008个扬声器，激光灯和镜子组成，根据声音改变模式。对于这个空间，Takemitsu为管弦乐队写了Crossing，两个合唱团和四个独奏家，以及磁带蒙太奇，Years of Ear，什么是音乐？在他的论文《树之镜，场之镜》（1975年）中，武光对这些作品进行了反思，指出“空间性和空间音色-声音图像的及时纹理-已被添加为音乐构建的重要参数”。在他的文章和访谈中，武光经常提到他自己的“空间”（负空间）和“音色”（噪音）理论，这些理论来自日本传统美学和他在音乐、广播剧和电影中的作品。这些与西方的空间性理论有着显著的不同，后者已经由卡尔海因茨·斯托克豪森和扬尼斯·泽纳基斯等作曲家建立起来。这两位作曲家还曾受委托为大坂世博会的展馆创作作品，迄今为止，他们的作品受到了学术界的广泛关注。尽管这一事件的历史重要性，通常被称为日本媒体集体的高潮，但没有深入研究武光在钢馆的工作。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，我还将利用自己的创作实践，研究并展示“空间音色”作为一个参数如何有效地为音乐的空间化提供新的动力，以及它与声音的多模态感知的关系。在大坂为2025年的下一届世博会做准备之际，这项研究恰逢其时，将为听觉建筑和竹光音乐的研究做出独特的贡献。

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.