Expressive Performance in Contemporary Concert Music

Abstract

The majority of recent empirical research on performance has focused on material from common practice repertoires, rather than on contemporary music, much of which is marked by radical changes in compositional style, greater flexibility in performance, and increased uncertainty for listeners. This chapter examines how the perceptuo-motor organization of expression may be disturbed or compromised by complex musical materials, but moves beyond a purely psychological approach to consider the influence of histories and style, suggesting ways in which often radical features of notation, composition, and performance practice participate in changing attitudes and approaches to expression. It also examines the significance of developments such as extended techniques and electro-acoustic music in considering what it means to be technically accomplished and expressively appropriate in contemporary performance, and it suggests some implications and future directions for the empirical investigation of expression in new music.

Identifying challenges and opportunities for student composer and performer peer learning through newly-composed classical piano scores

“…Table 2 shows that although performers tended to be faithful to the composer's instructions, instances of non-traditional techniques and/or notation as well as perceived gaps in the notation encouraged the use of more explorative approaches. That the performers spent a large part of rehearsal time trying to understand the particular aural effect the composer had in mind, even in cases of seemingly insufficient information, reflects this inbuilt desire still often found in contemporary performances to have respect for the composer's intentions (Clarke & Doffman, 2014). When performers encountered challenges in realising particular gestures, this often prompted creative solutions as a result of lateral thinking (for example, the use of other objects to help pluck the strings inside the piano, or help with pedalling) which coincides with Redgate's experiences of 'thinking outside the box ' (2007).…”

“…violinist Joseph Joachim, who advised Brahms on technical issues in a concerto. For the contemporary performer and composer in the 21 st century, this collaborative process is often a natural way of working (Clarke & Doffman, 2014) and can encompass a wide variety between performers and composers in terms of the amount of creative input possible (Kanga, 2014).…”

“…The relationship between the professional composer and the professional performer has often been one-sided, especially for some 20 th -century composers who expected score obedience and 'correct' playing from the performer. Yet in the 19 th century, and increasingly in the development of recent new classical music, a collaborative working relationship between composer and performer is encouraged and often adopted (Clarke & Doffman, 2014). In describing the context of our current research, this paper first outlines the current literature on peer learning in higher music education, before taking a look at the more frequently documented professional composer-performer relationship.…”

Creative layers and continuities: A case study of Nicole Lizée and the Kronos Quartet

“…She studies collaboration “according to the various interactions, social practices and spatial authorities involved in musical performance” (p. 143) to draw attention to the “signification of intimacy, authorship and interaction” (p. 156). The focus on interaction in the present study builds on these ideas, exploring embodiment and the relationship between intimacy and technology, while also extending recent research by Clarke, Cook, Harrison, and Thomas (2005), Östersjö (2008), Bayley (2011), Clarke, Doffman, and Lim (2013), and Clarke and Doffman (2014), that is concerned with how composer and performers communicate, interact, and deal with new challenges when creating and interpreting new music.…”

Deciphering and Embodying Contemporary Piano Scores: A Commentary on Huisman, Gingras, Dhondt, and Leman (2017)

“…Huisman and colleagues attempt to ease this particular challenge by examining the benefit of using a specially designed "embodied" edition over the original score, to look at how this impacts both the amount of rehearsal time and the number of errors made in a subsequent performance. Literature that examines the rehearsal and performance of contemporary works is sparse, despite a few notable exceptions (Barrett, 2014;Clarke et al, 2005;Clarke & Doffman, 2014;Viney & Blom, 2015), and so this article is a welcome contribution that begins to examine how performers decipher and interpret contemporary score information. Demonstrating that an embodied score aids the performer's rehearsal touches on a number of areas within the practice and performance of contemporary music, which this commentary will discuss.…”