Oberlin Conservatory
135 W. Lorain St.
OCMR 1335
Oberlin, OH 44074
USA
mailto:mitchell.herrmann@oberlin.edumitchell.herrmann@oberlin.edu
As Jonty Harrison himself acknowledges, a significant body of acousmatic music
exists which has, directly or indirectly, challenged aspects of the Schaefferian theory
from which acousmatic music first developed. Few pieces, however, have so clearly
and deliberately confronted Schaeffer's notion of the `sound object' as Harrison's
Unsound Objects. Harrison does more than merely reject Schaeffer's definition of
the sound object through the use of expanded compositional strategies. Rather, he
both employs Schaeffer's methodology and subverts it, systematically
demonstrating the potential and the limitations of Schaeffer's epoche and its
product, the sound object. The result is what might be aptly termed the `unsound
object': a sonic entity which both demonstrates and defies Schaeffer's ideals, and
exemplifies the rich ambiguities which can arise from the compositional
exploitation of referentiality and association, in addition to the intrinsic,
morphological characteristics emphasized within Schaeffer's reduced listening. Key
to understanding Schaeffer's ideology, and in particular its faults, is an investigation
into the field of phenomenology, from which Schaeffer borrowed liberally. This
paper will first outline the key features of the sound object and epoche as defined by
Schaeffer, as well as their relation to Husserlian phenomenology. Harrison's
methods for subverting these features are then explored, in particular the
recontextualisation of sound objects. Finally, the essay examines Harrison's use of
metaphor and narrative, devices not possible within a strictly Schaefferian musical
language.
adrian
2015-06-03
