Home    1. Introduction    2. Markers    3. Archive    4. Audible Markers    5. Visible Markers    6. Notational Markers    7. Conclusion 

Performing Musical Silence:
Markers, Gestures, and Embodiments

NAVIGATION TIPS
There are three navigational systems present in this exposition:
1. dropdown menus: a sequential list of all the pages in this dissertation which is accessed from the upper left of your browser window; 
2. page-top navigation: a top-of-page line with links for each chapter. Within each chapter, further sub-page links appear in the second line; 
3. end-of-page navigation: Back and Next links are available at the bottom of each page.
VIDEOS
The videos form an integral part of the research project, illustrating methods, lessons learned, artistic results, and artistic-research-in-progress. The text does not stand alone without the videos. Particularly important are the explanatory videos of the Noisy Archive (chapter 3) which offer discussions of 25 examples of performed silence from my own repertoire.

Structure of the Dissertation

  • Chapter 1 (this introduction) presents my research question and key concepts & terminology of silence drawn from science, musicology, and performance practice.

  • Chapter 2 contextualizes the framework and notation and suggests markers for silence. Markers are signals used to shift attention and thus impose silence, summon silence, or shape the perception of silence.

  • Chapter 3 is a Noisy Archive that examines eloquent silences in my performative practice as a pianist, giving a diversity of examples, and featuring videos discussing aspects of silence.

  • Chapter 4 is a case study analysis of mostly online performances of Cage’s 4’33”, emphasizing audible markers for silence.

  • Chapter 5 is a case study analysis of visual markers, taking the embodied silences during the opening bars of Beethoven’s last piano sonata as its specific point of departure.

  • Chapter 6 is a case study analysis of notational markers in George Antheil’s Ballet mécanique, with examples from my solo and collaborative practice.

  • Chapter 7 offers some Conclusions.

     

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untitled artwork by Philip Livingston, 2019
Cover image: untitled artwork by Philip Livingston (2012)