Sasha Blondeau 4/4: Let’s start a conversation
Besides developing new models for form representation, building a theoretical corpus in the service of the elaboration of form, and prototyping new digital tools for these purposes, one of Sasha Blondeau’s main intents in undertaking their artistic research residency focusing on the conceptual elaboration of form was simply to start a conversation. Before formulating any kind of theory, it seemed necessary to establish a state of the art on the subject. In order to do so, Blondeau interviewed several composers with different backgrounds and styles, some being diametrically opposed from each other. Accompanied by Jean-Louis Giavitto and Jérôme Nika, they discussed the subject with Philippe Manoury, Marco Stroppa, Alexandros Markeas, Rebecca Saunders, Claudia Jane Scroccaro, Florent Caron Darras and Arthur Lavandier. Looking at the outcome of these conversations, the least we can say is that it is a promising subject.
The elaboration of form rarely is a topic of conversation between composers, or at least much less often than it was during the post-serialist movement, for instance. It is addressed even less frequently in composition courses at conservatories or during masterclasses, where the topic is often overlooked. Blondeau explains: “If we look at what composers write about, the subject is of course mentioned, but never explicitly, or by omission. Even at IRCAM, we avoid addressing topics related to the more personal aspects of the compositional process.” The very act of starting a conversation on this subject makes this residency the first of its kind. Yet, can we truly speak of a ‘liberation of speech’?
Examining the results of these interviews, it becomes clear that while all the composers mention ‘form’ at some point, their interpretations of the term vary. For one, it refers to dramaturgy; for another, it involves balancing proportions, and yet for another, it may mean extrapolating potential musical material developments through a symbolic syntax… Marco Stroppa, however, highlights a missing parameter in this discussion: the disparity between how form is perceived and how it was imagined during composition. In light of this, Stroppa’s compositional approach to form incorporates ‘metaphors’ or even ‘characters’ – elements that mean something only to him but will guide the evolution of his material.
In these informal conversations, the composers also evoke visual maps, relationships or sequences of elements or ‘gestures’, while freely engaging with canonical forms inherited from music history… Ultimately, based on each composer’s background and practices (whether it is Arthur Lavandier’s experience with film scores or Alexandros Markeas’s use of generative improvisation), their approach can vary significantly ; the ‘cuisine’ as Blondeau aptly describes it (in the best sense of the word) can differ entirely.
“Nevertheless, it opened up very intriguing new perspectives. The first thing I realized is that not all composers are as preoccupied with the musical form as I am. Some even become wary at the mere mention of a formal ‘approach’ to composition. Still, I observed that we all develop certain methods, or ‘recipes’ to aid our creative process, even if they serve merely as psychological crutches.”
A few invariants emerge from these conversations. First of all, during the compositional process, a relentless negotiation seems to be taking place between formalisation and intuition. As Sasha Blondeau explains, “As sturdy as can be the formalism we patiently built, it does not always match what we want in the moment or what the material requires. Taking part in all these discussions put me face to face with one paradox that maybe I did not want to see in my approach, which is that even though I work with symbols, these same symbols also give me a greater freedom because it makes formal constructions easier to interpret, to work with. In many ways, the “generative grammar” Philippe Manoury relies on is much more prescriptive. But even he is in constant negotiation with the possibilities it offers him.”
Manoury himself clarifies:
“Formalising helps me conceive certain possibilities that I could not have imagined intuitively. It triggers my intuition and forces me to think differently.”
As for Rebecca Saunders, she admits to be wary of any kind of prior planification: “The older and the more experienced you get, the best you can intuitively evaluate the result. Because with experience, comes knowledge that helps you rely more on your intuition.”
Blondeau points out that this relentless negotiation highlights a rather unexpected phenomenon: “We notice true similarities between completely different ways of working.”
This brings us to another invariant: the way composers approach form is constantly evolving, regardless of their age. If we also take into account the diversity of compositional methods, this evolution greatly complicates the potential development of a dedicated digital tool. The visual approach however seems to have convinced many – amongst whom are Alexandros Markeas and Sasha Blondeau of course, who already use this method often.)
“When I showed them my visualisations, they were very interested in how it visually synthesises the form as well as temporal recurrences”, says Blondeau. “They seemed to appreciate the step-back view it offers, especially of the long form. This feedback rather steers us towards reflective tools, that would serve as a mirror of the ongoing work and this way help composers in the decision-making process between self-imposed constraints and intuition of the moment.
A design aid could be used to help composers generate preestablished structures and experiment controlled ruptures, encouraging both precision and improvisation. This tool should enable switching positions while always leaving the possibility to operate “manually” in order to fully integrate intuitive gestures. We could also imagine a flexible interface that would allow organizing ideas in the form of mind maps, sound typologies or modelized systems, to give creators the liberty to structure and manipulate the material in a non-linear manner.”
In short, this new research project is, like Blondeau’s, just getting started…
Interview conducted by Jérémie Szpirglas
Photo : Sasha Blondeau à l'Ircam © Deborah Lopatin
