NATIONAL AND KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS.

INDERDEPARTMENTAL PROGRAM OF
POSTGRADUATE STUDIES OF THE DEPARTMRNTS OF COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES
(SPRING SEMESTER 2010-2011) MUSIC CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION:
ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND COMMUNICATION APPROACHES TO MUSIC

THE CONCEPT OF SPATIALITY

AND TEMPORALITY IN SOUND
AND MUSIC
PHILOSOPHY OF MUSIC

AUGUST 2011 ATHENS

TSOLAKIS CHRISTOS R.N. 21021

SUPERVISOR: MANIATIS GIORGOS
CHAPTER TWO
TRANSLATED IN ENGLISH
EDINBURGH MAY 2018
 CHAPTER TWO

THE
CONCEPT OF
SPATIALITY
IN SOUND
AND MUSIC
2.1 Acoustic shapes

Hegel suggests that: the ear on the contrary, without itself turning to a practical
relation to object, listens to the results of the inner vibration of the body through which
what comes before us is no longer the peaceful (unmovable) material shape but the first
and more ideal breath (psychicity) of the soul” 1and as Kierkegaard notifies “the ear is the
most spiritually determined of the senses, aside from language, music is the only medium
that addresses itself to the ear”2. When we talk about acoustic shapes or what we will
describe as music spatiality in the next sub-chapters, it must be clear that is not
customary for them to resemble geometrical shapes or shapes in terms of the visual
western tradition. This is because such an arbitrary match presupposes some kind of
mechanistic way of thinking, a fact that is against the phenomenological method which
encourages the experience itself. Moreover, we goanna find out later from the examples
that acoustic shapes are lacked of rigorous extent or an exact size. By saying that the
ear does not incept “the peaceful (unmovable) material”, Hegel rejects the ability of our
human hearing instrument to perceive a (sound) figure at once (as it happens in human
vision). He essentially indicates the differentiated element of sound and music compare
to the previous mentioned spatial arts. Therefore, time as a sound element in
correspondence with the regular space of other arts is the “ingredient” through which we
will investigate the boundaries of the acoustic shape. Kierkegaard lies also towards the
same direction of thought provided his last phrase where he distinguishes music as a
mean of communication and highlights temporality as its main feature. Although we
have thoughtlessly previous examined the acoustic shapes as a premise for the sound
objects of consciousness (previous page) there is still a need for a deeper investigation to
the establishment of ideas through examples rather than direct experience.

Every fixed item usually presents –in the virtual form- before the occurrence of
any (human) subject, a spatial signification which it is instantly given. For instance, a
material object has always a schematic outline and this contour appears in a direct
mode3. We could argue that these types of objects are somehow non-temporal in their
presentation. However, we do not seem to get such shapes from sound, in a direct and
instant way. A potential instantly given acoustic shape should of necessity encompasses
the question of time. In such a potential phenomenon, it is then more or less a matter of
temporal immediacy or of a temporal simultaneity (like in the material objects, the
simultaneity of your glance with the contour). Relying on the issue of the temporal
immediacy we can detect (in relation to the question of time) the abstract idea of
sequences or how [temporal] durations are presented in our consciousness. Directing
straight to an example we consider a ball that strikes once at the floor. The signification
received by such an action towards the experience of consciousness is like being
“liquefied”. By saying that, we mean that we have noticed only one aspect of a
multifaceted shape, an identity against plurality as it had been mentioned also in the

1
Hegel, F. (2002). Η Αισθητική της Μουσικής [Lectures on Aesthetics] (Τσέτσος, Μ. trans.) Athens:
Βιβλιοπωλείον της Εστίας. pp.20-21
2
Kierkegaard, S. (1959). Either/Or (Swenson, D.& Swenson, L. trans.), vol. I. New York: Anchor Books. pp.55
3
Ihde, D. (1977). Experimental Phenomenology: An Introduction. New York: State Univ. Press. pp.55
“Categorical object” chapter before. It is taken for granted that we continue to intend the
other “aspects” and “sides” of the object. Let us now consider that the same ball
continues striking the floor more than once. A sense of that shape is starting being
noticeable (as a swelling) to us but not in terms of immediacy (that means not
immediately) but in terms of temporally duration. Sounds are experienced as sounds
belonging to objects and this potential indicates a richness of discreteness as well as the
ability of recognizing the subtle differences in the sound/music timbre... a condition by
where we become aware of the hearing source.

Undoubtedly, the acoustic shape is for the phenomenological method an

important point for research as it should be at least the starting point according to the
principle of shedding light on the marginal parts, those which possesses the less chances
of appearance in consciousness. Certainly, this process somehow confesses that such
experiences are rare to “daily” consciousness (but not in every day experience), a fact
which is related with specific imposed ideologies which enhance the reduction of
experience and its replacement by non material correlated ideo-products! Apart from
that, the acoustic shape or “side” that’s being heard should be placed in an appropriate
aural context and not onto other preassigned contexts emerged from existing virtual
sensory figures4. Although it is more insufficient or better say attenuated compare to
visual one, this peculiar state of attenuation does not imply or equal to an absence.
What’s more to this is that there lie the remains of a primitive spatial element.

The way of how we will approach such an issue will be similar to the way in which
the categorical object was described in a previous chapter. The wake of a new epoche
entails that:

o Acoustic spatiality should be free to present itself in the way it comes out of our
level of experience, provided that our visual judgement is deliberately
marginalized.

o Consider the existence of a global shared sense where (sensory) things are in
unity, we should replace the regular separation of our senses with a relative
focus to that primary unity (because senses themselves are not emerged in a
sequence but in an instant and simultaneous way).

o Even the quarrel between space and time does not seem to lay on the primary
conscious acquirements. There exists a concrete space-time that offers also a
meaning of a more “naive” experience in the context of how it is presented.

Just as we have already seen from our earlier chapters, our senses are not discrete from
one another but complement. Whenever a smell, sound or flavour to mention a few is
signified as a sense it is initially occurred as such onto a fluent state. First glance for
example (the very early state) is a level of experience and not an isolated condition

4
Straus, E. (1966). Phenomenological Psychology. New York: Basic Books. pp.7
belonging to the straight out senses. Definitely, that primitive part of the perception
that has not yet been structured consist the so called “primary/primitive experience”
which is used as a basis (for analysis) avoiding in that way the stirring of relativisms.

Furthermore, we will examine the concept of size. It is known that the perceptual
variance of a viewpoint and a hearing, parallel to a sight-aspect and a sound could be
diminished to the minimum point when we focus on size. For instance, the shape of an
edge is valued as something...small. Similarly, is (usually...) for a high frequency flump
which sounds as clik! So, a shape which possesses (just) an edge is something less from a
schematic outline but still remains a type of shape as a side-view which according to the
above, should the ear [in an aural condition] cover this aspect (like the previous side-
view) through temporal duration. But, for the phenomenological method reasoning like
this is at least not validate. Moreover, similar examples are presented by the
indoctrination of linear time hence; it is given a fake tangible distinction. Of course in
that way things are not coming out into a materiality and from another point this
particular reduction has surely nothing to do with secular, simpler presentations. Such
an expression would have implied that there is a class of humans characterized by an
inferior consciousness (provided that we don’t refer to regular learning). Inferiority is
usually outspoken by the human reflection which focuses to size rather than the ratio.
For the sake of demonstration, we goanna trace an example. A born-blind individual has
a tactile contact with an elephant’s proboscis, while she also concerns through her hand
a part from a Python’s body. This individual finally concludes that “the elephant is
similar to a python”. For somebody who had always been with visual impairments this
state corresponds to a real experience of her consciousness. In the same way, somebody
else would have definitely identified as a “true fact” the obvious difference of the
previous two animals. Essentially, it is not a mistake. It just happened for her
perceptibility to be... poor! But even if something like that had happened, it could have
been quite possible for her to cover -through her tactile contact the whole body of each
animal, summarizing the same conclusion with a non-blind individual. Thus, in order to
cover the loss of visual sense it was used a greater amount of the tactile contact.
Similarly, the occurrence of an acoustic shape is positive related with the amount of
(each) hearing.

Fluent shapes are generally created by the combination of movement and time.
The emergence of this fluidity as a spatial figure is perceived as a shape (which it’s
lacked the exact-extension character), whenever we focus on the macrolevel. That does
not arise only with acoustic shapes. Regular events like a stone, a fly etc. passing
through our optical supervision are perceived in a fluent mode although they
characterized by discernible shapes. Our focus on the macrolevel, a simple stepping back
-few foots away allows us to equalize the variables of movement, time, scale (graticule)
whereas the flying object or insect can finally arise as its very self to us... somehow
freezing its temporality5. What’s should be clear is that whatsoever is the object of
consciousness either on a fluent or on a solid state (or both at the same time) it unfolds
its properties alongside our conscious attitude, whereas the object itself holds its

5
Koffka, K. (1999). Principles of Gestalt Psychology (7th ed.). Oxford: Routledge & Paul. pp.186-209
properties ahead of our appearance. It is that exact point where phenomenological
method claims that things should be left to present themselves in the way they appear
throughout the context of our existential level.

Picture 5: Works from Anton Giulio Bragaglia exhibiting the picture in motion.

There is also a condition where an object of consciousness presents to us more

than once modes of appearance. It could exhibit a stable form in the microlevel and a
fluent one in macrolevel as well as the opposite. Although we believe all the conditions
as true states it is considered from the other, a notion of an excessive relativism along
with a cancellation of any possible dialectic. According to our study this effect emerged
from an imposed daily modality to our life. Apart from that, while we have concerned all
the conscious objects through the variables of movement, time and scale we owe to shed
light in the fact that the ability to let things present themselves occurs inside a
particular context-area and we should avoid any generalizations for the time being. The
potential limits can be set up by multiple operators but what’s matter for us now are the
ones of nature or those that can be naturalized.

So, there is an alternation regarding the way we have thought so far a categorical
object is composed and apparently the way things are occurred in consciousness. The
giant structures or supernatural objects carrying out their properties as such seem
difficult to be taken consciously at once, in an instant way. If somebody for instance
stands below a skyscraper it is impossible to perceive it on its holistic existence. Usually,
somebody follows the contour through gazing and that particular gazing, turns -
compared to the vastness (whole and part) to be a following sequential of the exterior
contour6. Likewise, the result of a large extended-duration sound could be heard as a
“solid” form in accordance to the rest aesthetic environment. It may actually be
incorporated to the environment consisting therefore a part of it, spreading insufficiency
to every imperative state for the occurrence of a categorical object (referring to that
specific sound). This reversal of the composing mode (and aesthetic mode) regarding the
categorical objects can be found in the enormous ancient monuments as well as in many
sound monuments. Thus, what we need to keep in mind is all the modes in which we
make up categorical objects and have been mentioned in this study, occur within frames
which possess a definite texture, a fact which prevents the excessive generalizations.

6
Ihde, D. (2007). Listening and Voice: Phenomenologies of sound. New York: State Univ. Press. pp.67
Picture 6: Sounding monuments and the sea organ of Zandar, Croatia.

Acoustic mirror in Britain used as a capture-device trapping the sub waves from
airplane noise, warned for possible attacks. Next, is the singing tree which
converts kinetic energy to sound.

2.2 Sounding facets

We will continue by extending our previous example of the blind individual as we

examined it in acoustic shapes sub chapter. A visually impaired individual is able to
realize her sensory and aurally experiences through her white stick. Walking around,
the paved paths and the grass, reveal their surfaces through the edge of the stick. No
doubt, each striking and contact of the white stick reveals also a sounding facet (as an
aspect/a part)7. Thereby, the massive pavement “sounds” different compare to the
regular walking path. They are two different acoustic shapes which they extract (at
least two) different sounding facets. We should always have on the back of our mind that
the whole concept of spatiality is affected by the way in which an object is triggered
towards a sound vibration. In other words, there is the potential of hearing two voices in
case where a spot ball rolls upon the billiard baize unveiling the spherical shape of the
ball as well as the rough surface of the baize8 9! Furthermore, the mode we focus on one
of the two voices should also be the mode we inquire the question of the effect from one
to the other. That is, whichever thing or condition is namely presented each time as a
background whenever we focus in various extracted data, emerged from the sounding
facets. Is it possible for our hearing to act as an arrow of perception which flies back to
the sound source? In general, phenomenology excludes this event. Due to the fact that
these sounding facets have an aural nature, they are perceived as fluent. These facets

7
Merleau-Ponty, M. (1962). Phenomenology of Perception (Smith, C. trans.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
pp.133-153
8
The word “voice” is equal to a distinct tune.
9
Ihde, D. (2007). pp.67
are presented without any inherent characteristic of their rigorous extent, rejecting the
concept of point (as a term). For instance, the blind individual who walks on the grass
comprehends the surface through her legs alongside the white stick, without having any
clue for the exact interior space or the contour. Throughout these illustrations we induce
an attempt to shed light in a literal dimension of the existence (hence, a globally
experience) as well as to practically show that the sum of our senses consists to a
coherent streaming of experience.

The opening of the acoustic space in general takes also place during the
reverberation. Shouting inside a well, enable us to be aware of its deepness without
knowing the exact distance similar to the way canyons reveal their extent. Thus, these
distances remain a bit poorer than the visual ones10. As can be seen, such events are in
the daily repertoire of perception but they just happen to be on the sidelines. They do
not focus on points and they cannot make an assessment for exact area sizes. They just
exemplify clues, tensions or possible spatial realities. This “dis-assessment” property
strike a jarring note into the West Christian reductive thinking of size and not of the
mathematical ratio. Sounding facets can be aurally clarified through training of our
aural virtues. In other words, we don’t want to “visualize” through our ears or reproduce
an object with visual objectivity but, to bring into experiential light a part of our
mortality.

2.3 Acoustic field

Talking about acoustic field we refer to that, which is sounding present but in a
sense of an innuendo! It is located in a way to surround whatever is clear, district and
also focused. It acts as a medium provided that it is not owned to the focused spot rather
it surrounds it as a region where the spot is placed and therefore they are associated.
Surely is not an infinite thing. Since it possesses boundaries it is not also correspond to
completeness hence it is not identical to the rest wholeness (of the world)11. Pointing
back to the music literature, R. Wagner asserts that: we are conscious of the existence of
a second world, perceptible only through the ear , manifesting itself through sound;
literally a sound world beside the light world, a world of which we may say that it bears
the same relation to the visible world as dreaming to waking12. We also find in this case
the concept of focusing and the background (part and the whole). Vision with its visual
perspective as well as the adaptability of focusing is surrounded by the fluent world of
hearing which through the lack of any spot (σημεΐον) inclusive the absence of a special
language (as long as the terms of our daily speaking are mainly optic-sense) is likened to
the dream. So to speak, we realize that even if things catch our attention through their
“naive” primarily sounding, they never appear along themselves rather inside a field
that is apparently finite. Finally, the result is that it could be possible for somebody to
choose the focused point in order to moderate rest of the phenomena as the background.

10
Nudds, M. (2009). Sounds and Space: Sounds and Perception (ed. Nudds, M.& Callaghan, C.). London: Oxf.
Univ. Press
11
Merleau-Ponty, M. (1962). pp.228
12
Μανιάτης, Γ. (2004). Ρίχαρντ Βάγκνερ: Το καθαρά ανθρώπινο [Richard Wagner: The purely human]. Athens:
Πολύτροπον. pp.260.
 This conscious function can be found in the social structures of the everyday life
in such a way that they become common and constant standards which they persistently
remain in the background. Hence, the mode we reproduce and engage our focusing
relates with these constants so as to hold a link with the daily experience and to realize
this experience as such. We are, we humans who modulate the experience itself. As it
was mentioned before the “sound world” is possessed by fluidity, able to be subjectively
perceived. Alternatively, the “light world” due to its optical perspective as to the other
characteristics obtains stable spots and we consequently suppose it to be “objectively
identified”. What’s worth our attention is that states which pass from fluidity
(movement-time) in to a more solid and constant condition, get out of time and possibly
out of any historical frame to a timeless state; a feature which belong to the visual
“instant-perception” of things. Timpanaro, who is known as a materialist annotates that
love, the brevity and frailty of human existence, the contrast between the smallness and
weakness of man and the infinity of the cosmos, are expressed in literary works in very
different ways in various historically determinate societies, but still not in such different
ways that all reference to such constant experiences of the human condition as the sexual
instinct, the debility produced by age (with its psychological repercussions), the fear of
one's own death and sorrow at the death of others, is lost13. These constants conditions
(and so many others of course) comprise the whole in the case we typify the part. The
field (as a term) is that kind of opening we are tapped with the world and it is confirmed
by the examples as an existential structure where things present themselves without
that (field) being or belong to things (it exceeds them). Maybe now it’s more clear the
reason why we argued that for the enormous sizes, the elements which composite a
categorical object turn to be deficient.

The reason why all the above was said is to fence off the properties of the acoustic
field through examples as well as to compare the results from (at least) two different
fields. We should notify that14:

o Visual field presents itself to a front orientation while it remains constant. It is

static, compare to the human body having a specific directionality and defined
spatiality with respect to body’s location.

o Acoustic field does not hold of any limited orientation. Taken as a schematic field
we assume that the sound surrounds human body. It possible to focus and
consequently pay our attention from one sound to the other, without even turn
our head. Acoustic field holds also a protrude envelope (region) compare to the
visual corresponded.

All the above summarize our assumption for the senses, that they are not namely
separated from one another but more to this they are interrelated. Thus, we will refer
now to the relation of directionality, surroundability and diversity completing the
statement of acoustic field. We have numerous times mentioned that the fluency of the

13
Timparano, S. (1975). On Marerialism. London: New Left Books. pp.50
14
Ihde, D. (2007). pp.75
acoustic field rejects the creation of any point of attention while it “encourages”
(sensual) tensions and clues for the space and most of all the sound direction.
Furthermore, experience has shown that the mass of different sound sources decreases
the sense of “unspecific directionality” giving more exact and strict directions 15!
However, every sound on its own does not give up of its participation towards the
surroundability of space and its orientation to every part of it. So, these two dimensions
of the acoustic space, directionality and surroundability have to be taken into
consideration as co-present. You can check it the next time you scheduled to watch an
orchestral night! Remember to observe how easy is to attend the point where somebody
goanna start coughing!

Science today holds sufficient explanations for these phenomena but their report
could make wrongly connections with “Biologism” or issues out of our study.
Nevertheless, it would be valuable to refer to Bekesy’s experiments. In his book
“Experiments in hearing” show that the sense of directionality is more advance to spotty
sounds rather than the musically ones. This important information values the daily
production of our speaking which consists from vowels and consonances. Consequently,
the sounding richness of our speaking is arranged and oriented unveiling a particular
shape! This acoustic shape is met during our holidays in foreign countries while we
contact with others. Eventually, it is essentially important for contemporary music
which through percussive sounds, clusters etc. often delivers the impression similar to a
language even if is not.

2.4 Spatiality

Having thoroughly investigated the sound object (previous chapter), acoustic shapes,
sounding facets and the acoustic field where the above take place, we will go through the
essence of spatiality in music. Specific features of space in a mostly... temporal art have
already been previous mentioned and will be considered as the foundation for our
further study. Our anti-optical attitude in the transcription of shapes or forms towards
temporality impose us to start in a negative way, exhibiting what we do not espouse as
practices in general, along with the narrow limits of those practices.

Picture 7: Second theme from

Beethoven’s fifth symphony, depicted
by Kandinsky.

During his excellent study “Point, line to plane: contribution to the analysis of the
pictorial element” V. Kandinsky synthesizes the concept of point in conjunction to the

15
Bekesy, G. (1980). Experiments in Hearing. Michigan: Krieger Pub. Co. pp.164
other elements which create levels, dynamics etc. Adopting a Hegelian view by saying
that every element (in art) holds its own “reverberation”, he develops numerous sound
paradigms as to explain his statements16. As long as he continues to present his concept
of point through the other arts, he also gives examples of point in music. Observing his
drawings we extract the particular ideas:

o The difference between musical durations is represented by different size circe-

points.

o Musical intensity (fz, p) keeps up the score symbol ( ).

o Pitch is equated with an imaginative vertical axis similar to visual height.

Melody (a product of human protention) equals to a fluctuated line.

Essentially, it is obvious that in that case the score is perceived as an objectified object
which can be underlay to tactile and visual modifications. Unfortunately, musical work
of art is arbitrarily equated with the music score! As a result, we will grab this
opportunity to unfold our deconstructive virtues.

The gross equation of the melodic line with a fluctuated drawing line
presupposes a kind of perspective from one state to another. That maybe sounds
reasonable but this is unable to happen (at least in this way). Far and wide, tonal pitch
repeats somehow its elements (that is the musical notes and not the frequencies) after a
cycle which is named as octave.

Picture 8: The C note symbolized by a black mark occurs in the clavicle in a

fixed interval. While the acoustic frequency is able to change its identity
remains the same; a fact that is impossible in the word of vision.

There are many C notes, many D notes etc. which they keep their identity
although they change the mode of their appearance (namely the frequency). In the
visual world a similar state is unavailable. Even if we have tried to make an
interrelation towards the sound frequencies and colours it would have been impossible
(in the way it was meant by Kandinsky) taking into account (known it from a regular
rainbow) that every shade of colour appears only once. Apart from that, we can observe

16
Kandinsky, W. (1926). Σημείο-Γραμμή-Επίπεδο [Point and Line to Plane] (Μαλάκη, Έ. trans.). Athens:
Δωδώνη. pp.32-45
in picture 9 the “Webern-Fechner” diagram, referred to the stimuli and perception17. We
see for ourselves, that stimulus (could be the tonal pitch, intensity etc.) is based upon
exponential growth, a fact that is misrelated to any linear representation. Moreover, the
retention of the intensity symbol depicts us that the famous artist avoided to use the
third dimension of visual perspective, which is the volume. This does not exhibit of
course any ignorance, on the contrary it poses a priggism and a formalism which they
praise to the Cartesian axis. On the contrary, the representation of musical durations
illustrates a successful pattern of exposition whereas the drawing as a spot can really be
arbitrary (as also the extension of the drawing) while at the same time it authorizes a
subjective analogous assessment, in the same way it usually comes out in the regular
perception of any musical duration.

Picture 9: Diagram of Webern and Fechner psychophysics law. It is obvious that

whenever the external trigger accelerates in regular progression, stimulus
swells in an exponential growth as well.

This overall iconic comprehension of music is rooted and of course it has emerged
from the western religious thinking. This particular hierarchy we usually encounter in
abstract thought, refers to the celestial hierarchy with its correspondence to the earthly
hierarchy which had made a breakthrough of thinking establishing the figure of
“authorizer”. Likewise, this power is considered to be released from any of the earthly
carnal tights and its foundation lays upon the irrational belief, to the papal infallibility
(as a pattern) as well as to the equation of this belief with the truth! Particularly in

17
Sharma, R. N.& Sharma, R. (2006). Psyco-physics and Webern-Fechner function. In Sharma, R. N.& Sharma,
R., Experimental Psychology (pp.60-71). Delhi: Atlantic Publishers
music, this pattern is reproduced in the way imitation is manifested, the visualization of
cultural activities, parallelism of the “four music modes” with the life of Christ (Aribus
Scholasticus) etc. In recent days, the fetish of visualization was connected with the
notion of (pseudo) objectivity and the turning of the “music making” to something almost
of a “science making”. The whole attempt to supply in general art with pseudo-rational
injections throughout the continuous division of labour (especially after the Second
World War) demonstrated an inability of the approaching and concluding of an “income-
price” for professions, emerged from an extended work division in conjunction with their
survival struggle. So, prestige or a “scientific” prestige was (and still is) desperately
important.

Picture 10: A common and contradictable way to exhibit music in a visual sense.

Firstly, in case the listener cannot conceptualize the beauty of the musical work
of art he must at least recognize it through his vision skipping the aural experience
creating in that way a metaphysical objectified frame where all the rest of society does
impanels to. In no way it means that those musical works were hideous but they
employed the religious fact of “pulchritude adhaerens” so as to establish a material
objectivity. Secondly, the other significant deformation takes place on the concept of
time. For the sake of an instant perception of the musical artwork, the real empirical
time is deducted as also the human intentions.

Following the criticism to the western view through the Kandinsky example
unfolded before, we should reinvestigate two narrow limits between the approaches we
referred towards the idea of point and line. We have mentioned for the acoustic
spatiality the inability of point-focusing and the inadequacy making an accurate
assessment for the extension of a phenomenon. However, we have seen in the criteria of
the sound object (previous chapter) that, sounds with short duration tend to exhibit
defined limits and being comprehended as more objective than others. In addition, the
more settled duration a sound has, permits a more clarified formative conception. That
is the reason why we consider the “sound attack” as a common feature of every sound,
as mentioned in a previous chapter. Acoustic shape discreteness tends to simulate all
the acoustic shapes into one whenever the temporal duration tends to minimum18.
Furthermore, in the sub chapter of the acoustic field, we found out that the mass of
various sound sources decreases our perceptibility of the non-defined directionality so

18
As long as there is not much time it is unable for the distinction to be unfolded so, anything is almost the
same.
the listener possesses clearer aural directions. For all these reasons, as long as a music
composition (and not just sounds) exhibits to the conscious experience the above
characteristics, it is luckily for the consciousness to perceive the punctuated sounds as
shapes (unfamiliar to geometry) which tend to a clarified formative conception. Of
course we should not make generalizations.

Regarding the conception of line we should mention the following: We have

previously observed the Weber-Fechner diagram detecting that stimulus alters, through
an exponential growth something that is unrelated to any linear representation.
Instead, this is something that it should not be confused with the melodic line. The
movement of a melody presupposes the existence of a sound body which while retaining
its identity it moves around the space! Movement in music is the result of intentionality,
a conscious elaboration which creates coherence and continuity. For this reason, we
assert that movement possesses “becoming” (γίγνεσθαι) and not “being” (είναι) similar to
a contour of an item, a human body etc. Undoubtedly, there aren’t any detached
schematic outlines in nature. Instead, they occur through a conscious elaboration.

2.5 The spatial extent in music

Whenever we have a structure that is perceived in time, the shape or form is

simply meant as changes from one moment to another. The question now goes to the
ontology of these changes. We should point out that if the incidental parts (the
background) could not be perceived from the rhythmic, harmonic, melodic coherence of a
sounding event, there‘s no possibility of any interrelation between the parts thus there
cannot be any structure (e.g. think of noise). The event of experiencing a structure from
a temporal figure (or gestalt) will depended of changes occurred within the boundaries of
perception as well as from the comprehended differences between a part and another
(part) which both emerged from those primary changes. Certainly, the previous sentence
re-orientates us to a fluent state. And this is because the continuous introducing
changes give a sense of a form! We consider something as a shape when its temporal
manifestation is based on the alternation namely in the perception of what is different.

Picture 11: from left to right, the examples of proximity, similarity, symmetry
and continuity.

This form or shape permits us to graphically represent a section not as

cartographic size but rather as a record of the simply existing tensions, without of
course any numbers. In addition, it seems that the differences and not the similarities
between the successive elements of a cohesion (emerged from any element) are the
defining features for the form itself. Similarities from the other offer the characteristic
consistency that is surely needed19. M. Merleau-Ponty suggest that: When I say that I see
an object at a distance, I mean that I already hold it, or that I still hold it, it is in the
future or in the past as well as being in space. It will perhaps be said that this is so only
for me; in itself the lamp which I perceive exists at the same time as I do, that distance is
between simultaneous objects, and that this simultaneity is contained in the very
meaning of perception. No doubt. But co-existence, which in fact defines space, is not
alien to time, but is the fact of two phenomena belonging to the same temporal wave. As
for the relationship of the perceived object to my perception, it does not unite them in
space and outside time: they are contemporary. The ‘order of co-existents’ is inseparable
from the ‘order of sequences’, or rather time is not only the consciousness of a sequence.
Perception provides me with a ‘field of presence’ in the broad sense, extending in two
dimensions: the here-there dimension and the past-present-future dimension. The second
elucidates the first20.

Similarly, we can make an approach towards the relation of spatiality with music
intervals. A keen destabilisation would be to recall that the multitude sound sources
decrease our perceptibility of the non-defined directionality so the listener possesses
clearer aural directions. However, every sound on its own does not give up of its
participation towards the surroundability of space and its orientation to every part of it.
Meanwhile, putting things into action we goanna examine E. Vareses’ musical work
“Density 21.5”.

Picture 12: The three

early measures from
“Density 21.5”. Axes do
not pose any numeration
‘cause what matters here
is the differentiation
level rather than the
values themselves.

19
Tenney, J. (1986). META+HODOS: A Phenomenology of 20th Century Musical Materials and an Approach to
the Study of Form, and META Meta+Hodos. Oakland: Frog Peak Music. pp.58-59
20
Merleau-Ponty, M. (1962). pp.256
Observing picture 12 and hearing the first metres we can notice upon the diagram that
there is a tiny differentiation of the pitch. We can also hear that two minor duration
sounds are followed from a larger one. Comparing two different parameters of the last
note e.g. pitch and sound intensity we find either the large alternation or the mobility
existing in intensity to permeate the cohesion of the first three notes. That action turns
the whole sounding into pulsation. What is given to consciousness is that the previous
acoustic shape (that should be heard) seems to define the signification of the first notes
or as Merleau-Ponty puts it: “The second elucidates the first”.

As long as we have presented an example of the acoustic shape we can exemplify

some elements of the way the composer attempts to form the musical space. Initially,
our hearing ensures us for the stepping examination as well as for a repetition of notes
which call for the establishment of sets (of notes), which they consequently denote to the
subsequent sounding intentions! For instance, the initial group which sounds as the
work starts establishes the bottom of range and it looks like that a second voice has been
inducted. It’s about the note which is surrounded by a drawing square. Besides that,
another technique which the composer employs is creating stable axis for the
exploration of (musical) space. In the beginning, the note which is inside the triangle is
used as a symmetry axis for the top and the bottom. That is where the stepping
examination we mentioned before, takes place. Throughout this action the composer
tries to generate the relation between the past and the future. So, talking about
spatiality we conclude that through a deep listening the ability to synthesize the future
and the past becomes a subjective inner oscillation, a unit for the constitution of music
artwork’s spatiality.

Next example originated again from real music works is”Metastasis” a

composition made by Y. Xenakis. After the polemics against visualization it may be
possible for someone to thoroughly think over for the choice of this particular music
work. Nevertheless, the answer will be given by addressing our ears in the very
intention of this work. Here is presented another aspect of the sounding space,
dissimilar to the one we met in E. Varese’s “Density 21.5”. By putting the sounds into a
persistent motion (through the glissandi technique) he somehow deconstructs the notion
of tonal pitch. So, there is no any visualisation of the musical material. Consequently,
the traditional intervallic functions are also disappeared. This abstract recission of the
tonal sense tends to replace temporality with the notion of spatiality (according to the
acoustic shapes we have already mentioned). That is because the form is defined both as
an intention or an overlapping action and not as a type of development as usual.

Moreover, on this work another genre of musical space takes place (during the
metres 34 to 85) which due to its long acoustic retention, leads to a vanishing tonal
element or to the non-perception of any specific pitch. Forty six strings cover each one a
different note such in a way of not being distinct. H. Bergson talking about the spaces he
mentions that: ...in order to perceive a line as a line, it is necessary to take up a position
outside it, to take account of the void which surrounds it, and consequently to think a
space of three dimensions? If our conscious point A does not yet posses the idea of space-
and this is the hypothesis which we have agreed to adopt
adopt- the succession of states through
which it passes cannot assume for it the form of a line; but its sensations will add
themselves dynamically to one another and will organize themselves, like the successive
notes of a tune by which allow ourselves to be lulled and soothed 21.

Picture 13: Graphic score from “Metastasis”.

It appears that for Bergson hearing a tune is like being in a dreamy modality, modali an
unrestricted resting of genuine inherent fluidity. This state of experiencing a melody
turns to be incompatible with any linear abstractionism because it encompasses
spatiality. Obviously, the forty six string sounds do not leave plenty of room to escape
from. What is left for the listener is to dive inside the inner textuality tending his senses
to be juxtaposed by one another so as to organize their own definitions. Bergson
according to our interpretation says that the holistic immersion to the acoustic
environment extracts an aesthetic thrill emerged
merged from the differentiation (actually from
the realization) of self into that space.

Similarly, D. Winnicott presents analogous aspects in his theory of “potential

space”. He commend on subtle perceptual states which exists as experiences or
engagement
engagementss in a pre linguistic state which they have not been expressed through
discourse and they probably cannot be expressed in that way 22. Besides that, the
paradox of maternal-infant
maternal infant relationship lays on the fact that environment,
environment supports the

21
Bergson, H. (1913). Time and Free Will: An Essay On The Immediate Data Of Consciousness.
Consciousness. New York: Dover
publications. pp.
pp.103-104
104
22
Winnicott, D. (1971). Playing and reality. London: Penguin books: pp.131
subject-infant to be actually an infant23. Through these words, Khan means that it is the
environment which “creates” the infant due to its support (as an external object) making
it to realize itself. Turning back to Winnicott we can assume a summarizing of his ideas
which are concluded in viewpoints like that the “potential space” undermines the
abstract of breakaway between a mother and an infant, while the investigation and
experimentation of this space is connected with a playful ability. For Winnicott playing
is a non instinctive activity which at the same time belongs to the external and internal
world. Overall, all these things are mentioned here for the exact reason: According to
Winnicott’s theory one out of the multiple results of the “potential space” is that there
exist for the adult self the foundation of the cultural experience. The forty six different
string sounds which have a sustain above one minute apart from cancelling of any pitch
(as long as the comparison declines) they also eliminate the quantitative perception of
time. What kind of constitution of music spatiality is this, which is able to quit the tonal
pitches?

It has been mentioned in the first paragraph of this section that the differences
and not the similarities between the successive elements of a cohesion (emerged from
any element) are the defining features for the form itself. Similarities from the other
offer the characteristic consistency. Although there can be no perceptual parts where
there are no alternations, it is possible to have alternations without having any
fragmentation in parts24! It concerns, about our last case of musical spatiality which is
G. Ligeti’s “continuum”. The work consisted from a single duration. There is not even a
note to be different in terms of duration as also in position.

Picture 15: The introductory metres from

“Continuum”.

Even though, listening reveals a variety of rhythms. This synthesis, through the
cancellation of the temporal occurrence poses the question for the appearance of the
temporal differentiations. It is also a god example for demonstrating the spatial

23
Khan, M. (1977). Through Paediatrics to Psycho Analysis. London: Hogarth Publications. pp.131
24
Tenney, J. (1986). pp.58
extension as the holistic perception of time through the “retention”, protention, present
time, memory etc. During the sixties decade, Ligeti was working in the German
electronic studios where he heard some compositions from Koening where a string of
notes with different pitches were repetitively sounded resulting something like a chord.
It was easy to comprehend the pitches but very difficult to distinguish their order. Ligeti
incorporated these repetitive pitch patterns in his composition “continuum” which is the
first synthesis where he inducted this technique.

The beginning unleashes a truly rapid switching between two sounds

establishing a spatial stagnancy. As we mentioned either in the section of the sound
object as in the section of spatiality, the “devastative” actions in conjunction with the
minimization of temporality tend to modify the sound object towards an optico-spatial
objectivity. Similarly, the composer inducts such static sound masses which are also
superimposed each one to the other, look alike a cinematic montage. What we need to
point out regarding the spatiality is that as long as the music durations remain the
same, the formative parameter differentiates from the cohesion parameter which exists
in the same formation (no equalization). This variable generates unification and
isolation too. Likewise, we observe that when a type of spatiality is being established it
is simultaneously an attempt of investigating the space, a thing which is enhanced here
by the presence of pulses. The results from the tendency towards non temporality in
conjunction with the event of diverse tonal pitch concision, gives toned sounds (part)
under the dull background of the rest elements (whole). With the previous last example
we have covered a large amount of music spatiality reference. Should we now see what
the main features of music temporality are.