Yeni Müzikte Grafik Notasyon: Yapıt ve İcracı İçin Bir Yeniden Doğuş?
Ceyla Ganioğlu YalçınModernizmin gerçeklik anlayışı, sabit ve nihai bir ürünü temsil eden kapalı bir yapıt sunar. Ancak anlamın öznellik ve keyfilik taşıdığını öne süren yapısökümcü kavrayıştan etkilenen sanatlar, yazar/sanatçının yapıtın ve anlamının yaratıcısı olduğunu reddeder. Böylece yapıt anlayışı, anlamın çok planlı ve etkileşimli bir boyutta irdelemeyi hedefleyen metin kavramı ile yer değiştirmiştir. Yeni Müzik yapıtında, şans/belirlenmemişlik fikri ve estetiği olarak ortaya çıkan bu etki ile grafik notasyon kullanılan çalışmalar tesadüfi belirlenişin aracı haline gelmiş-tir. Geleneksel notasyon ve müzik yapıtı anlayışı açısından, bestecinin amaçladığı ‘kesin’ bir bi-çim ve biçem ile ‘edilgen ve alıcı’ bir icracı olduğu durumu ortaya koyar. Grafik notasyon ve açık [belirsiz] bir yapıt, görece ‘etken’ ve kolektif bir yaratıcı icracı potansiyeline geçişi ön plana çıkarmaktadır. Aynı zamanda icracının adeta kolektif bir yaratıcı olmasını ve müziğin kesinlikten sıyrılarak ‘açık yapıt’ halini almasını sağlar. Önceden belirlenmiş kesin müzikal ögeler ve onların anlam katmanlarına karşı icracıya sunulan soyut simge ve sözlü yönergelerin getirdiği belirsizlik, müziğin anlatısal paletini esnek ve yeniden yaratılabilir kılma işlevi sunar. Çalışma, Yeni Müzik çatı kavramındaki uygulamalar ile Umberto Eco’nun açık yapıt fikrini de göz önüne alarak, postmodernist düşünce biçiminin icracı ve müzik yapıtı açısından tür ‘yeni-den doğuş’ tanımlaması yapma ihtimali üzerinde durmaktadır. Bu perspektif ile müziği post-modernizmin merkeziyetsizleştiren ve yapısökümcü ideolojik araçlarına tabi tutarak anlamını belirgin bir yapıdan çıkaran sürece odaklanılır.
Graphic Notation in New Music: Rebirth of the Work and the Performer?
Ceyla Ganioğlu YalçınModernism presents a closed work of art, representing a fixed and final product. However, arts influenced by the deconstructivist approach, which posits that meaning is subjective and ar-bitrary, reject the idea of the author/artist as the creator of the work and its meaning. Con-sequently, the concept of the work is replaced by the notion of the text, aiming to explore meaning in a multi-layered and interactive dimension. In the realm of New Music, this impact is manifested through the concept and aesthetics of chance/indeterminacy, with works using graphic notation becoming instruments of accidental determination. From the perspective of traditional notation and the understanding of musical works, there is an assertion of a ’definite’ form and style intended by the composer, and a situation where the performer is ’passive and receptive’. In contrast, graphic notation and an open [indeterminate] work highlight the transition to a relatively ’active’ and collective creative performer potential. This allows the performer to become almost a collective creator and transforms music from certainty into an ’open work’. The uncertainty brought about by abstract symbols and verbal instructions offered to the performer, as opposed to predetermined definite musical elements and their layers of meaning, serves the function of making the musical narrative palette flexible and re-creatable. This study considers the applications under the umbrella concept of New Music, alongside Umberto Eco’s idea of ‘open work’, and examines the possibility of defining a kind of ’rebirth’ in terms of the performer and the musical work from a postmoder-nist thought perspective. From this perspective, the focus is on the process of subjecting mu-sic to the decentralizing and deconstructive ideological tools of postmodernism, thus remo-ving its meaning from a distinct structure.
This paper explores the significant shift in musical composition and performance brought about by graphic notation in the context of New Music. Unlike traditional notation, which often confines performers to a predetermined path set by the composer, graphic notation int-roduces elements of chance and indeterminacy, thereby offering a unique freedom of expres-sion. This approach aligns with the postmodernist rejection of fixed meanings and embraces a more interactive, multi-layered exploration of musical texts.
Rooted in the deconstructive philosophy that fragments the reality upheld by modernism, postmodernism redefines the role of the artist and the work. In music, this manifests through compositions that employ graphic notation, transforming the work into an open text subject to the interpretation and creativity of the performer. This shift is reminiscent of the medieval neume notation system, where the exact pitch and rhythm were not specified, leaving room for interpretative flexibility.
The research methodology includes a comprehensive literature review and descriptive analysis. The literature review focuses on previous academic work on the use of graphic notation and postmodern influences in New Music. The descriptive analysis examines specific examples of New Music compositions utilizing graphic notation, detailing how these notations express musical elements and influence the role of the performer.
Graphic notation in New Music represents a significant departure from traditional notation by emphasizing performer involvement and interpretative freedom. This method aligns with postmodern aesthetics, where the music’s meaning is not fixed but constantly evolving through performance. Graphic notation allows for a more abstract and original platform, providing performers with a broader interpretative space beyond conventional boundaries. This flexibility is crucial for aleatoric music, characterized by its ever-changing structure influenced by performers and random factors.
The study also highlights the historical evolution of notation systems, drawing parallels between medieval practices and contemporary approaches. It emphasizes how graphic nota-tion’s flexibility challenges traditional boundaries, fostering a postmodern aesthetic that values indeterminacy and multiplicity.
This paper concludes that graphic notation and aleatoric music significantly contribute to the postmodern transformation of musical composition and performance. By embracing indeter-minacy and performer agency, these practices challenge traditional notions of fixed musical works and highlight the dynamic, evolving nature of music. This represents a rebirth for both the work and the performer, positioning them as co-creators in the musical experience.
