Treatise (music)
Encyclopedia
Treatise is a musical composition
by British
composer
Cornelius Cardew
(1936-1981). Treatise is a graphic
musical score comprising 193 pages of lines, symbols, and various geometric or abstract shapes that eschew conventional musical notation
. Implicit in the title is a reference to the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein
, which was of particular inspiration to Cardew in composing the work. The score neither contains nor is accompanied by any explicit instruction to the performer
s in how to perform the work. Cardew worked on the composition from 1963 to 1967.
Although the score allows for absolute interpretive freedom (no one interpretation will sound like another), the work is not intended to be played spontaneously, as Cardew suggested that performers devise in advance their own rules and methods for interpreting and performing the work. Eliminating the role of the musician as one of accurately and faithfully responding to the score as a set of disciplined instructions, Treatise thus undermines the traditional hierarchy that separates the role of composer from that of performer. Performances of Treatise are intended to imply a balance of interpretive freedom and responsibility.
Subsequently Cardew embraced Maoism
and wholeheartedly repudiated this and other works of his avant-garde
period. A savage indictment of Treatise may be seen in a speech delivered by Cardew at the ‘International Symposium on the Problematic of Today’s Musical Notation’ held in Rome in October 1972, as transcribed in his highly polemical book Stockhausen Serves Imperialism (1974), available in PDF format at UBUweb.
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew was an English experimental music composer, and founder of the Scratch Orchestra, an experimental performing ensemble. He later rejected the avant-garde in favour of a politically motivated "people's liberation music".-Biography:Cardew was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire...
(1936-1981). Treatise is a graphic
Graphic notation
Graphic notation is the representation of music through the use of visual symbols outside the realm of traditional music notation. Graphic notation evolved in the 1950s, and it is often used in combination with traditional music notation...
musical score comprising 193 pages of lines, symbols, and various geometric or abstract shapes that eschew conventional musical notation
Musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...
. Implicit in the title is a reference to the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein was an Austrian philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language. He was professor in philosophy at the University of Cambridge from 1939 until 1947...
, which was of particular inspiration to Cardew in composing the work. The score neither contains nor is accompanied by any explicit instruction to the performer
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s in how to perform the work. Cardew worked on the composition from 1963 to 1967.
Although the score allows for absolute interpretive freedom (no one interpretation will sound like another), the work is not intended to be played spontaneously, as Cardew suggested that performers devise in advance their own rules and methods for interpreting and performing the work. Eliminating the role of the musician as one of accurately and faithfully responding to the score as a set of disciplined instructions, Treatise thus undermines the traditional hierarchy that separates the role of composer from that of performer. Performances of Treatise are intended to imply a balance of interpretive freedom and responsibility.
Subsequently Cardew embraced Maoism
Maoism
Maoism, also known as the Mao Zedong Thought , is claimed by Maoists as an anti-Revisionist form of Marxist communist theory, derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong . Developed during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding...
and wholeheartedly repudiated this and other works of his avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
period. A savage indictment of Treatise may be seen in a speech delivered by Cardew at the ‘International Symposium on the Problematic of Today’s Musical Notation’ held in Rome in October 1972, as transcribed in his highly polemical book Stockhausen Serves Imperialism (1974), available in PDF format at UBUweb.