Metodo

International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Book | Chapter

187060

Statistical Gestalts — perceptible features in serial music

Elena Ungeheuer

pp. 103-113

Abstract

Serial composing in the electronic studio opened new fields of musical perception. In this regard the discovery of statistics plays an important role. Parallels can be seen with the development in physics, where statistics helped to integrate the probabilistic behavior of quants into the causalistic concept of the physical world. Over and above that, Stockhausen's serial masterpiece Gesang der Jünglinge shows how serial composing of mass phenomena was orientated towards the creation of dynamic Gestalts on a statistical basis, being referential figures for the composer as well as for the listener.

Publication details

Published in:

Leman Marc (1997) Music, Gestalt, and computing: studies in cognitive and systematic musicology. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 103-113

DOI: 10.1007/BFb0034110

Full citation:

Ungeheuer Elena (1997) „Statistical Gestalts — perceptible features in serial music“, In: M. Leman (ed.), Music, Gestalt, and computing, Dordrecht, Springer, 103–113.