Andrew Blackburn Organ and Realtime DSP

256 Pages·2011·18.57 MB·English

by  Andrew Blackburn

The Pipe Organ and Realtime Digital Signal Processing - Blackburn p 1 of 256
The pipe organ and real-time digital signal processing
(DSP):
A performer’s perspective
Queensland Conservatorium, Arts, Education and Law Group
Griffith University
Andrew Blackburn Dip Ed., M Mus (Melb)
August 2011
Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts -
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
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Abstract
The emergence of music for organ and realtime digital signal processing (dsp) has
signalled major changes to the very nature and structure of music for the instrument,
dramatically expanding its idiom and timbral malleability. It has also created new
performance practices which mark substantial shifts in the relationship of the organist
with the music, the instrument, and with co-performers. Finally, a new 'performative
space' is emerging through organ and realtime dsp in concert situations, creating a
sonic relocation of the instrument and enabling new audience experiences.
This DMA examines organ and realtime digital signal processing (dsp) from a
performer’s perspective.
After tracing the history of the organ as an instrument at the forefront of musical
innovation since the 1400s, it focuses on rapid developments over the past fifty
years, leading to organ and dsp as a logical next step in the development and
repertoire of the instrument. From there, the study revolves around the performance
of four contemporary works for pipe organ with realtime dsp, contributing to
understanding the performance practices this combination requires.
Emphasising the experience of the organist facilitates reflection on the impact of
changes brought about by dsp on the practice of a contemporary organist and his
collaborators. In this way, this practice-led research project is able to focus on ‘real-
world’ issues and insights that emerged and morphed during workshops and
performances.
Triangulating the findings of a literature review, interviews, workshops, and the series
of performances, identifies major shifts in organ timbre, composition, performance
practice and reception. The format of the submission, on DVD ROM, highlights the
close connection between practice and reflection, between sounds and words. In
doing so, it aims to add to the practice and understanding of the organ and its
continuing role in innovative composition and performance.
Keywords:
music, pipe organ, electronics, digital signal processing, realtime, history, avant-
garde, performance, practice based research, Pertout, Harvey, Everett, Uijlenhoet,
Messiaen, Ligeti
This work has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any
university. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material
previously published or written by another person except where due reference is
made in the thesis itself.
Signed Andrew Blackburn
The Pipe Organ and Realtime Digital Signal Processing - Blackburn p 3 of 256
Table of Contents
List of Figures 8
List of Tables 9
List of Videos 9
Acknowledgements 11
Section 1 12
Chapter 1: Rationale, background and research questions 12
1 Prelude 12
2 Brief Background 15
History! 16
Terminology! 17
3 Research questions, approach and format of this submission 18
Chapter 2 Methodology 21
Artistic Practice as Research! 22
Using score-based works! 26
A triple helix – the process 27
Strand 1! 28
Strand II! 32
Strand III! 34
The Research Projects 34
1 Workshops! 34
2 Performance demonstrations! 35
3 Performances! 36
Section 2 38
Chapter 3 History of the pipe organ at the forefront of innovation 38
Introduction 38
A Definition of Avant-Garde 39
Pre-Twentieth Century ‘Avant-Garde’ Organ Music 43
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Later development of the organ 50
Twentieth Century Developments 56
Reflections 61
Chapter 4 Ligeti's Volumina and Deux Études 65
Introduction 65
Volumina – György Ligeti (1962-3 rev 1967) 66
Deux Études (1967 & 1969) 73
Further Reflections 76
Chapter 5 Acoustic pipe organ music from 1970 79
Playing Techniques 82
Keyboard Techniques 82
Stop Changing 82
Instrumental sounds and amplification 83
Dynamic wind adjustments 83
Tempo 85
Chapter 6 The beginnings of pipe organ and digital signal
processing 86
Introduction 86
History of pipe organ and realtime dsp 87
Section 3 Four works for organ and live dsp 92
Introduction to Section 3 92
Chapter 7 Dialogo Sopra i Due Sistemi – René Uijlenhoet 96
Introduction 96
Challenges 98
Notation 99
Structure 100
Technology 102
Performative Practices 110
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Organist actions and interactions 110
The changing role of organist as performer. 112
Chapter 8 Vanitas 2005 – Steve Everett 113
Notation 115
Form 116
Technology 119
Registration 121
Performative Practices 122
Organist and technologist interactions. 122
Reflections 123
Chapter 9 Symétrie Intégrante 2007 – Andrian Pertout 132
Technology 141
Preparation for Performance: 143
Landy’s Tools 149
Reflections 151
Chapter 10 Eight Panels - Lawrence Harvey 156
Introduction 156
Notation 159
Structure 160
Landy's Compositional Parameter Matrix – Eight Panels 167
Reflections 168
Chapter 11 Findings and Reflections 171
Introduction! 171
I. The history, nature and structure of organ music and dsp 172
Key characteristics of the four works! 174
II. Changes in the organist’s performance practice and
collaborations 180
The relationship between the organist and technologist! 185
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III. Performance Space and Sonic Re-location 189
IV. Recommendations for future research and development 192
Finale 193
Glossary of terms and definitions 195
Appendices 199
Appendix 1 199
2nd Interview with Hans-Ola Ericsson May3, 2011 199
Appendix 2 - Composition notes 202
Composer’s notes Vanitas Steve Everett (2005) 206
Composer’s comments Symétrie Intégrante - Andrian Pertout
(2007) 207
Appendix 3 - 213
Learning to perform with organ and realtime dsp - organs and
workshops 213
Appendix 4 - recent and current performers of organ and real time
dsp 218
Appendix 5 - Specifications of organs used in this research project 218
Melbourne Town Hall 218
Toorak Uniting Church 222
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University - Basil Jones Orchestral
Hall 223
Appendix 6 - Questions and Transcripts of interviews etc 224
Interview Questions for Prof Hans-Ola Ericsson and Gary Verkade: 224
Appendix 7 programmes of performances Brisbane 2008 and Melbourne 2010
and research questions of workshop 2. 227
13h-1 Research questions of 2nd workshop 227
Research Project 2 May 24 - 28 2010. 227
Appendix 8 Bengt Hambraeus on first Volumina performance 230
Appendix 9 231
Appendix 10 232
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Jean Penny: A Flautist’s Perspective of Andrian Pertout’s Symétrie
Intégrante 232
Appendix 11 235
Photos of microphones in organ at Toorak 235
Appendix 12 236
Diagrams of performance and speaker layouts 236
Appendix 13 241
14 Bibliography 246
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List of Figures
Figure 1 Ian Wakeley pipe organ (2005)
Figure 1a Ian Wakeley pipe organ (2005) (blower detail)
Figure 2a Outline of submission sections
Figure 2b Mind Map of Methodology
Figure 3 Strands of research methodology - a triple helix
Figure 4 Codex Faenza (Excerpt)
Figure 5 Schlick Ascendo ad Patrem Meum Bars 1 - 6
Figure 6 Programme of launch of Melbourne Town Hall Organ 1879
Figure 7 Liszt Fantasia on B.A.C.H Bars 230 - 248
Figure 8 Liszt Fantasia on B.A.C.H Fugue subject Bars 89 - 100
Figure 9 Tournemire L’Orgue Mystique Third Sunday of Advent
II
Figure 10 Messiaen La Nativité du Seigneur La Vierge et L’Enfant Bars 1 -
2
Figure 11 Messiaen Livre de Sacrement Registration
Figure 12 Ligeti Volumina Section 13 - 14
Figure 13 Ligeti Harmonies B 32 - 39
Figure 14 Ligeti Coulée B166 - 169
Figure 15 Ligeti Coulée B180 - 183
Figure 16 Widor Symphonie V Toccata (B 7 - 9)
Figure 17 Messiaen La Nativité du Seigneur Dieu Parmi Nous Bars 69 - 72
Figure 18 Uijlenhoet Dialogo sopra i due sistemi Bars168 - 170
Figure 19 Uijlenhoet Dialogo sopra i due sistemi UI SuperCollider
(screenshot)
Figure 20 Uijlenhoet Dialogo sopra i due sistemi SuperCollider Scene 8
Figure 21 Uijlenhoet Dialogo sopra i due sistemi SuperCollider Scene 25
Figure 22 Uijlenhoet Dialogo sopra i due sistemi Bars 77 - 81
Figure 23 Uijlenhoet Dialogo sopra i due sistemi Bars 88 - 102
Figure 24 Phillipe Le Pischna Preparatoire Exercise 16
Figure 25 Claesz Vanitas
Figure 26 Braque Violin and Candlestick
Figure 27 Everett Vanitas Bars 69 - 71
Figure 28 Everett Vanitas Bars 106 - 111
Figure 29 Pertout Symétrie Intégrante P4
Figure 30 Harvey Eight Panels Panel 1
Figure 31 Harvey Eight Panels Panel 4
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List of Tables
Table 1 Organ timeline
Table 2 Dialogo i Due Sistemi - Structural Table
Table 3 Dialogo i Due Sistemi - Matrix
Table 4 Vanitas - Registration Plan
Table 5 Vanitas - Matrix
Table 6 Symétrie Intégrante - Structural Table
Table 7 Symétrie Intégrante - Matrix
Table 8 Eight Panels - Matrix
Table 9 Comparative Matrix of all works
List of Videos
Video 1 Verkade - Interview
Video 2 Verkade - Interview
Video 3 Ericsson - Interview
Video 4 Ericsson - Interview
Video 5 Verkade - Interview
Video 6 Messiaen La Nativité du Seigneur La Vierge et L’Enfant Bars 1 -
2 Audio (Andrew Blackburn Organist)
Video 7 Ligeti Volumina end Audio (Andrew Blackburn Organist)
Video 8 Ligeti Volumina Section 14 - 15 Audio (Andrew Blackburn
Organist)
Video 9 Ligeti Harmonies B 32 - 39 (Andrew Blackburn Organist)
Video 10 Montague Behold a Pale Horse Performance excerpt (Andrew
Blackburn Organist)
Video 11 Verkade - Interview
Video 12 Burt - Interview
Video 13 Everett - Interview
Video 14 Ericsson - Interview
Video 15 Everett - Interview
Video 16 Everett Introduction to Vanitas Performance 2010
Video 17 Everett Vanitas Complete Performance (2010) Performed
Andrew Blackburn (organ) Steve Everett (Electronics) Toorak
May 2010
Video 18 Everett Vanitas Performance (2010) Performed Andrew
Blackburn (organ) Steve Everett (Electronics) Toorak May 2010
B 24 - 29
Video 19 Everett Vanitas Performance (2010) Performed Andrew
Blackburn (organ) Steve Everett (Electronics) Toorak May 2010
B 108 - 111
Video 21 Everett Vanitas (Excerpt) Performed Randall Harlow (organ)
Steve Everett (Electronics) Atlanta 2005
Video 22 Everett Vanitas (Excerpt) Performed Andrew Blackburn (organ)
Steve Everett (Electronics) Toorak May 2010
Video 23 Everett Vanitas (Rehearsal) Performed Andrew Blackburn
(organ) Steve Everett (Electronics) Toorak May 2010 Bars 5 - 8
Video 25 Pertout introduction to the Toorak Performance of Symétrie
Intégrante May 2010
Video 26a Pertout Symétrie Intégrante First Performance, Melbourne Town
Hall July 2007
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Video 26b Pertout Symétrie Intégrante Performance, Neil St Uniting Church,
Ballarat, January 2010
Video 26c Pertout Symétrie Intégrante Performance, Toorak, May 2010
Video 27 Harvey introduction to the Toorak Performance of Eight Panels
May 2010
Video 28a Harvey Eight Panels Performance Melbourne Town Hall October
2007
Video 28b Harvey Eight Panels Performance Toorak May 2010
Video 29 Ericsson - Interview