Beschreibung:
This essay focusses on the relation between timbre and musical logic. I try to draw a connection between Schoenberg’s remarks on »Klangfarbenmelodie« in his Harmonielehre (1911) and the concept of »harmonie-timbre« represented by the spectral composers Gérard Grisey and Tristan Murail in the 1970s. At first glance, this relation between free atonality and spectral music seems far-fetched as Grisey and Murail rarely commented on Schoenberg’s theories. Nevertheless, a detailed investigation shows a parallelism of both analytical and aesthetic problems. Both the free atonal Schoenberg and the spectralists argued for developing sound sequences out of the innermost quality of timbre. Besides, the forming of free atonal and spectral sound sequences cannot resort to a structural preformation of material as in dodecaphonic or serial music. Therefore qualities of listening gain major importance. In order to realize free atonal or spectral sound sequences, it is necessary to apply a wide notion of perception: on the one hand, the composer enters the »inner« world of timbre by eaves- dropping on timbral nuances carefully. This perceptual attitude (»Lauschen«) brings to mind the transient presence and alterity of sound. On the other hand, this fascination with an »inner« quality of timbre should not lead to the assumption that free atonal or spectral sound sequences are unfolding in an »auto-generative« manner. Although composers can surrender themselves to a »passive« perception of sonic nuances, they are also compelled to make decisions about the direction of the music – decisions within the area of timbre, which seems to be resistant against decision-making. These decisions eventually constitute what might be perceived as musical logic. As a result, listeners of free atonal and spectral music are confronted with a fundamental tension between »inner« and »outer« compositional aspects: they perceive an illusory perfect and organic growth of sound (cf. Adorno: »Schein des Organischen«). The idea of a subject which articulates itself within a »pure« sound unleashes a tension between sense and its subversion, between active and passive listening. This tension seems to be one of the reasons why Schoenberg hesitated between sound and musical »sense«, and why he was fascinated by the »futuristic phantasy« to reconcile the apparent opposites of timbre and musical logic.