Aesthetics, Analysis & Theory

Form – Proportion – Durations – Rhythm

The 1950s and 60s were – especially in the environment of the Darmstadt Summer Course – a time of fundamental reflection on composition, and on what music is and can be. This was connected to an extremely rich body of theoretical work. Individual ideas formulated at that time, for example concerning structure, have long since proved fundamental to further compositional development. But what happened to other ideas vigorously debated fifty years ago? Are they still occupying composers today, perhaps in altered guises? This seminar series on the analysis, aesthetics and theory of New Music will examine two complexes of questions that were current around 1960: musical form (starting from Stefan Wolpe's various Darmstadt lectures on the subject »Proportion« from 1960-1962 and the congress lectures on »Form« from 1965) and rhythm (starting from Messiaen's Darmstadt lecture series of 1961). A concise presentation of the historical position in the form of a lecture will be the catalyst, and will determine the perspective from which selected compositions from recent years will be analyzed. There will be seven seminars, with three-hour sessions on alternate days. Three of these will be available for each of the two question complexes, with a further three hours devoted to presentations by course participants.

All events will be held in English as well as German, and will take place at the Schader-Forum.

Tutors: Ulrich Mosch, Yuval Shaked, Christoph Neidhöfer (only present for the first week of the course)

Seminar schedule:
Sunday, 15 July 2012, after welcoming the participants of this year's Summer Course 

(at about 11.30 am)
Tuesday, 17 July 2012, 10 am -1 pm

Thursday, 19 July 2012, 10 am -1 pm
Saturday, 21 July 2012, 10 am -1 pm
Monday, 23 July 2012, 10 am -1 pm
Wednesday, 25 July 2012, 10 am -1 pm
Friday, 27 July 2012, 10 am -1 pm

The seminar "Aesthetics, Analysis & Theory" is open for all participants of the Summer Course 2012. The lessons will be in English and German .