Lutosławski’s "Controlled Aleatorism"

[RST]

John Cage established that complexity can arise from the simple and direct actions of chance operations.  Likewise, Witold Lutosławski developed a simple and direct method for the development of evolving textures in instrumental music.  He called this technique “aleatoric counterpoint” or “controlled aleatorism.”

While simple to conceive in the abstract for the interaction of lines in the unfolding of the contrapuntal texture, it is essential for composers to be able to sonify such procedures and to have a straight-forward methodology to work with them and their refinement in the musical context at hand.

 

Opusmodus provides an elaborate and robust context for experimentation and making useful forays into the domain of controlled aleatorism is easily accomplished.

 

This modest example expresses one way to approach this compositional methodology.  Here the materials for the three players are conceived as fixed motifs and treated as looping materials.  The fact that the motifs are not of the same length allows for the outworking of a “textural flux” (and musical development) over the repetitions.  Many similar examples can be found in Lutosławski’s music.  Furthermore, a 2-octave 12-tone collection is employed, and this collection is permuted to form the motifs; the confluence of the lines forming a “harmonic” structure. This is also in keeping with Lutosławski’s general approach to 12-tone tonality and is distinct from that of Schoenberg, for example.

 

There are many other ways to proceed with controlled aleatorism.  Opusmodus invites the composer to discover them.

 

Controlled Aleatorism 14.opmo~

 

[AM]

LUTOSLAWSKI often used independent tempi between the instruments (string quartet etc...) and very simple "notation of rhythmic gestures". so it was possible to get a "begrenzte aleatorik" (and global complexity) and freedom in playing at the same time. you could do it like that:

 

 

 

 

[RST]

This is a proposal for the control of what Yuasa would call "polychronicity."  And it does yield a kind of flux (a sense of improvised freedom) when applied. A technique also innovated by Messiaen and Xenakis, among others. In fact, Machaut comes to mind. It is interesting to observe how isorhythm had a "renaissance" in the techniques of the 20th century...and, indeed, in minimalism. 

It is the chance "alignment of things" that fascinates me by the techniques of aleatoric counterpoint, like a Calder mobile.

 

http://teachingmusic.keithkothman.com/2012/02/musth-212-messiaen-quartet-for-the-end-of-time-movt-1-isorhythm/

[Stephane Boussuge]

Very interesting Robert.

Thank you very much for sharing.

Best

Stéphane

[acrawnsley]

Now this is a really promising set of ideas in a thread! I have being doing a lot of exploratory work with De Vitry, Machaut and Du Fay isorhythmic techniques, developing OM functions that randomise inputs and generate different types of isorhythmic layers. The outputs usually need a lot of filtering, reduction, and selection - probably 95% of outputs are not that interesting - but some of them are extremely appealing and useful for further development.

 

The connection with 20th century techniques is clear. This drawing on high medieval techniques has always proven a fruitful source for a sort of modernism that has the aesthetic power to communicate clearly while retaining complexity of purpose, not just in music but in the other arts as well. This is a major analytical and creative interest for me. 

[RST]

Would love to see some of this work!  It is indeed a fertile ground.  I am so glad to know of your research interest in this area!