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Elena Sokolovski

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Mathematical Music

Expectations were justified. E. Sokolovski, one of the co-authors of these essays, a composer, a member of the Union of Composers of Moscow, who took an active part in the master classes of S. Filatov-Bekman, created several works according to the author's method of the scientist. We place these works in a separate essay, since they are united by one common principle that distinguishes them from the plays shown in the previous essays. They contain independent musical material that reflects the individual style of the composer, and fragments of computer sound lines are only interspersed in the fabric of the works.

Mathematical music as a new means of developing compositional skills

The Thirteenth Essay

One of them is a miniature for children, “Scherzo-buffo”, reminiscent of the merry children's games. Interesting unexpected harmonies, whimsical rhythm, dynamics of movement and quick changes in the textural presentation greatly adorn the piece. Interspersed in the fabric of the piece are the fragments of the computer sound line No. 3 (see measure No. 1 and further from the line), which are used by the composer without modification, that is, in the form of quotations.

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Another piece is like a lyrical sketch. It is full of amazing grace and brilliance, which is achieved by the subtle use of the pentatonic scale. The whole composition is permeated with the pentatonic intonations: they are generated by the opening motive, taken from the computer sound line No. 5 (see measure No. 17 of the line). This fragment is rhythmically modified and its elements constantly resound in the fabric. The general appearance of the piece is very poetic, and the composer called it "Japanese Garden" or “Khanuma” – cherry blossom.

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The third composition is the polyphonic cycle “Prelude and Fugue”. The slow prelude, which uses the effect of “echo” (comparison of fortissimo and pianissimo), is preceded by an introduction, where the leitmotif sounds, passing through the entire cycle. This leitmotif is a modified fragment from the computer sound line No. 2, composed of two elements (see measures No. 1 and No. 12 of the sound line). During the cycle, the leitmotif undergoes several figurative and genre transformations. At the beginning, it appears as a decisive exclamation (measures 1-3 of the piece), then it transforms into an imperative order (measures 46-47), thereupon into an aggressively furious demand (measures 63-64). In the coda, the leitmotif acquires victorious and majestic features, passing against the background of the “bell ringing” (measures 83-87).

The lively double fugue contains a conflict between two themes, the second of which is an inverted and rhythmically complicated first theme. The conflict grows and leads, after the furious “demands“ of the leitmotif, to the breaking of the second theme and subordination of its first theme to the fugue. The composition ends with a hymn sound.

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There are elements of sound lines in every piece, but they are applied in completely different ways. "Scherzo Buffo" uses direct quotes from a computer-sound line; in the lyric piece, the elements of the pentatonic fragment are “scattered” throughout the fabric; in the polyphonic cycle, the modified fragment of the computer line becomes a leit motif, which acquires a dramatic meaning in the composition. All this testifies to the diverse possibilities contained in computer-sound lines and serves as a powerful impetus for the development of creative imagination, which is the goal of the author's technique of S. Filatov-Beckman.

It is possible that more new student musical plays and comments on them by S. Filatov-Beckman himself will be found in the scientist's archive. We will inform readers about this.

To be continued...

Bibliography:

  1. S. A. Filatov-Bekman "Introduction to computer-musical modeling: some pedagogical aspects" (Saarbrucken, LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2014);
  2. S. A. Filatov-Bekman "Computer-Music Modeling: Textbook for higher education" (Moscow, "Sam Poligrafist", 2015);
  3. S. A. Filatov-Bekman "Fundamentals of Applied Mathematics for Sound Engineers: Textbook for Higher Education" (Moscow, "Nauchnaya Biblioteka" Publishing House, 2016);
  4. S. A. Filatov-Bekman "Special pedagogy, computer-musical modeling" (Moscow, Yurayt, 2017).

Note:

Scientific works (articles) by S. Filatov-Bekman are published in the following countries: Russia, Austria, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Spain, USA.