Peter

Abstract
Christensen
This Advanced Study Report documents the
process and outcomes of a digital design project
with the aim of translating music into architecture.
Parametric software has been used to generate 48
virtual forms derived from the preludes and fugues
of Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier (bwv 846-
869),report
The by the
discusses
Baroque the
composer
history Johan
of theSebastian
relationship
Spatial Polyphony
Bach (1685–1750).
between music and architecture in the Western
tradition, and its relevance to contemporary
Virtual Architecture Generated from the
thought and practice. The report includes a
description of the process of translation, and an
Music of J.S. Bach
analysis of the virtual forms that have been
generated.

Advanced Study Report • Faculty of Architecture,

University of Sydney • 2007
Contents

Acronyms .............................................................................................
.............7
Acknowledgements ..............................................................................
.............7 Figures and
cʜapteʀ 1 Introduction ....................................................................................9
Tables ............................................................................................8
1.1 Aims and Objectives .................................................................9
1.2 Motivation and Significance......................................................9
1.3 Process.................................................................................... 10
cʜapteʀ 2 Literature Review...........................................................................
11 2.1 Historical Context: A Rich Tradition..................................... 11
2.2 Contemporary Context: Literal and Metaphorical
Approaches ..................................... 12
2.3 Architecture as ‘Frozen Music’ ............................................... 12
2.4 The ‘Architectural’ Music of Bach.......................................... 13
2.5 Digital Architecture ................................................................ 14
2.6 Enhancing Creativity .............................................................. 14
cʜapteʀ 3 Process ...........................................................................................
16 3.1 Background............................................................................ 16
3.2 Description............................................................................. 16
3.2.1 Step 1: MIDI (music) .................................................... 17
3.2.2 Step 2: ASCII (text) ...................................................... 17
3.2.3 Step 3: EXCEL (numerals) ............................................ 18
3.2.4 CATIA (form)............................................................... 19
3.3 ‘Wavelength’ and ‘Pitch’......................................................... 20
cʜapteʀ 4 Virtual translations of the 48 preludes and fugues
from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book
4.1 Prelude No. 1 in C Major,
I ................................................... 24 bwv 846 ....................................... 25
4.2 Fugue No. 1 in C Major, bwv 846 ......................................... 26
4.3 Prelude No. 2 in C Minor, bwv 847....................................... 27
4.4 Fugue No. 2 in C Minor, bwv 847......................................... 28
4.5 Prelude No. 3 in C-sharp Major, bwv 848 ............................. 29
4.6 Fugue No. 3 in C-sharp Major, bwv 848 ............................... 30
4.7 Prelude No. 4 in C-sharp Minor, bwv 849............................. 31
4.8 Fugue No. 4 in C-sharp Minor, bwv 849............................... 32
4.9 Prelude No. 5 in D Major, bwv 850 ....................................... 33
4.10 Fugue No. 5 in D Major, bwv 850 ......................................... 34
4.11 Prelude No. 6 in D Minor, bwv 851....................................... 35
4.12 Fugue No. 6 in D Minor, bwv 851......................................... 36
4.13 Prelude No. 7 in E-flat Major, bwv 852.................................. 37
4.14 Fugue No. 7 in E-flat Major, bwv 852.................................... 38
4.15 Prelude No. 8 in E-flat Minor, bwv 853 ................................. 39
4.16 Fugue No. 8 in D-sharp Minor, bwv 853............................... 40
4.17 Prelude No. 9 in E Major, bwv 854........................................ 41
4.18 Fugue No. 9 in E Major, bwv 854 .......................................... 42
4.19 Prelude No. 10 in E Minor, bwv 855...................................... 43
4.20 Fugue No. 10 in E Minor, bwv 855........................................ 44
4.21 Prelude No. 11 in F Major, bwv 856 ...................................... 45
4.22 Fugue No. 11 in F Major, bwv 856 ........................................ 46
4.23 Prelude No. 12 in F Minor, bwv 857...................................... 47
4.24 Fugue No. 12 in F Minor, bwv 857........................................ 48
4.25 Prelude No. 13 in F-sharp major, bwv 858 ............................ 49
4.26 Fugue No. 13 in F-sharp major, bwv 858............................... 50
4.27 Prelude No. 14 in F-sharp minor, bwv 859 ............................ 51
4.28 Fugue No. 14 in F-sharp minor, bwv 859 .............................. 52
4.29 Prelude No. 15 in G major, bwv 860...................................... 53
4.30 Fugue No. 15 in G major, bwv 860........................................ 54
4.31 Prelude No. 16 in G minor, bwv 861 ..................................... 55
4.32 Fugue No. 16 in G minor, bwv 861 ....................................... 56
4.33 Prelude No. 17 in A-flat major, bwv 862................................ 57
4.34 Fugue No. 17 in A-flat major, bwv 862 .................................. 58
4.35 Prelude No. 18 in G-sharp minor, bwv 863 ........................... 59
4.36 Fugue No. 18 in G-sharp minor, bwv 863 ............................. 60
4.37 Prelude No. 19 in A major, bwv 864 ...................................... 61
4.38 Fugue No. 19 in A major, bwv 864 ........................................ 62
4.39 Prelude No. 20 in A minor, bwv 865...................................... 63
4.40 Fugue No. 20 in A minor, bwv 865........................................ 64
 4.41 Prelude No. 21 in B-flat major, bwv 866................................ 65
4.42 Fugue No. 21 in B-flat major, bwv 866 .................................. 66
4.43 Prelude No. 22 in B-flat minor, bwv 867 ............................... 67
4.44 Fugue No. 22 in B-flat minor, bwv 867 ................................. 68
4.45 Prelude No. 23 in B major, bwv 868 ...................................... 69
4.46 Fugue No. 23 in B major, bwv 868 ........................................ 70
4.47 Prelude No. 24 in B minor, bwv 869...................................... 71
4.48 Fugue No. 24 in B minor, bwv 869........................................ 72
cʜapteʀ 5 Analysis and Interpretation ............................................................
73 5.1 The 48 Virtual Forms ............................................................. 73
5.1.1 A Family of Forms......................................................... 73
5.1.2 The Shape of Music ...................................................... 73
5.1.3 Digital process............................................................... 74
5.1.4 Orientation ................................................................... 74
5.1.5 Symmetry ...................................................................... 74
5.1.6 Harmony....................................................................... 74
5.2 Other Work ........................................................................... 75
5.2.1 Physical Model .............................................................. 75
5.2.2 Fly-through movie ........................................................ 75
5.2.3 Flash animation............................................................. 77
cʜapteʀ 6 Conclusion.....................................................................................
78 6.1 Limitations.............................................................................. 78
6.2 Potential for Development...................................................... 78
Apparatus..............................................................................................
.......... 79
Figures and Tables

fɪɢuʀe 1.1: Johan Sebastian

Bach .................................................................... 10 fɪɢuʀe 2.1: Pages
from Ten Books on Architecture by Vitruvius..................... 12 fɪɢuʀe 2.2:
Description of proportions from Alberti’s De re aedificatoria......... 12
compositional principles from serial music ..................................... 13
fɪɢuʀe 2.3: Sketch for the Phillip’s Pavilion, based on
fɪɢuʀe 2.4: Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish Museum,
a conceptual translation of music .................................................. 13
fɪɢuʀe 2.5: Steven Holl’s Stretto House, a literal translation of
music............... 13 fɪɢuʀe 2.6: Wood and cardboard replica of
for a Bach Monument...................................................................
Neugeboren’s design 14
fɪɢuʀe 2.7: Painting by
Kandinsky ................................................................... 14 fɪɢuʀe 2.8:
Virtual space generated from Beethoven’s Ode to Joy................... 15
fɪɢuʀe 2.9: CAD model translation of The Avalanches ‘Flight
Tonight’.......... 15 fɪɢuʀe 3.1: ASCII text
file................................................................................ 19 fɪɢuʀe 3.2:
The data converted to numerical format in Excel.......................... 20
fɪɢuʀe 3.3: The highest and lowest notes are equally
balanced ....................... 22 fɪɢuʀe 3.4: A visual representation of the
five octave range used by Bach....... 25 fɪɢuʀe 5.1: Asymetrical
arrangement ................................................................ 76 fɪɢuʀe 5.2:
End view of virtual form generated from Fugue No. 1................... 77
fɪɢuʀe 5.3: Physical model of Fugue
Figure 3.1: ASCII text
No.1 ....................................................... 77 fɪɢuʀe 5.4: Screen shots
file
from................................................................................
a fly-through animation of Fugue No. 1 ........... 78 18 Figure 3.2:
The data converted to numerical format in Excel .......................... 19
Figure 3.4: A visual representation of the five octave range used by
Bach ....... 23
taʙʟe 3.1: Summary of the
process .................................................................. 16 taʙʟe 3.2:
Design Tables.................................................................................. 18
taʙʟe 3.3: File
Structure................................................................................... 20
taʙʟe 3.4:Mapping ofparameters betweenmusicand
space .......................... 21 taʙʟe 3.5: Bach’s keyboard, showing each
note’s actual and notional value... 22
ASCII
American Standard Code for A standard computer code for

Acronyms
Information Interchange
representing alpha-numeric characters

(Macquarie Dictionary)
CAD
Computer Aided Design
MIDI
Musical Instrument
An industry standard protocol for

Digital Interface
converting music performance

information (note names, durations, dynamics, etc.) into digital data streams

for storage, transmission, or playback

(Macquarie Dictionary)
MP3
Moving Pictures 3
A digital audio file in which the audio

signal is compressed by removing the

parts of the signal not heard by the human ear. Derived from MPEG

(Moving Pictures Expert Group)

(Macquarie Dictionary)
WAV
Acknowledgements
cʜapteʀ 1

Introduction

ffd8ffe000104a46494600010201009700
This chapter describes the aims and objectives of 960000ffe205384943435f50524f46494c4
the project, as well as its significance and the 5000101000005286170706c022000006d
6e74725247422058595a2007d20005000
motivation for undertaking it. A short summary of d000c00000000616373704150504c0000
the process is also given. 00006170706c000000000000000000000
000000000000000f6d6000100000000d32
d6170706c000000000000000000000000
1.1 Aims and Objectives 000000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000000000000
The aim of this digital design project is the 00000d7258595a0000012000000014675
8595a00000134000000146258595a0000
translation of music into architecture. For 014800000014777470740000015c00000
centuries, architects have puzzled over the 01463686164000001700000002c725452
430000019c0000000e675452430000019
relationshipbetween musical and architectural c0000000e625452430000019c0000000e
The project
form.This is concerned
project uses thewith thetechnology
latest structure ofto 64657363000001ac0000003f6370727400
0002540000004876636774000001ec000
music,
explorenot
thisthe soundconundrum.
ancient produced by a particular 000306e64696e0000021c000000386473
636d0000029c0000028c58595a2000000
performance. The musical score is the starting 0000000744b00003e1d000003cb58595a
Figure 1.1: Johan
point, providing the ‘blueprint’ from which virtual 200000000000005a730000aca60000172
Sebastian Bach
658595a20000000000000281800001557
forms are
Spatial Polyphony
generated. refers to a representation, in (www.imagesonline.bl.uk)
0000b83358595a20000000000000f35200
space, of the rich structure of Baroque music, as 010000000116cf73663332000000000001
0c42000005defffff326000007920000fd91
exemplified in the fugues of Johan Sebastian Bach fffffba2fffffda3000003dc0000c06c637572
(1685-1750). A fugue is a complex musical ‘game’ 76000000000000000101cd00006465736
3000000000000001447656e6572696320
in which two or more melodic lines are woven 5247422050726f66696c65000000000000
together to form a harmonised whole. This type of 0000000000144765
music is known as polyphony (literally, many
sounds)
A and Bach
key objective of is
theregarded astoitstranslate
project is greatesta
exponent. of works by Bach, in its entirety. This
collection
enables the generation of a family of forms, which
aids comparison and improves the depth of
The Well-Tempered
analysis possible. Clavier (bwv 846-893) is a
famous collection of keyboard pieces by Bach.
With each of its two volumes containing preludes
and fugues written in all 24 keys, it is a veritable
“compendium of contrapuntal keyboard music”
(Stegemann
To make the 1993).
translation of a large number of
pieces feasible, a process with a high degree of
automation has been developed. This process is
described in detail in chapter 3.
1.2 Motivation and Significance
This project is motivated by the desire to use new
technology to shine light on anoldproblem.The
long history of musical analogy in architecture,
and the close formal links between the two art
forms, testify to the significance of the
relationship.
The idea of translating music into architecture is
not new. During the Renaissance, musical theories
of harmony formed the basis of the proportional
systems used by architects such as Palladio and
Alberti (Wittkower 1973).More recently, the
contemporary architects Steven Holl and Daniel
Libeskind have sought to make translations of
music
In 1928inatheir work,student
Bauhaus either literally
named or Heinrich
metaphorically
Neugeboren (Harvey to
attempted 1998).
design a sculpture based
on a fugue by Bach (Wingler 1969). By his own
admission, Neugeboren’s attempt met with limited
success. In the 21st century, the advent of digital
design and the notion of ‘virtual space’ have
opened up new avenues to explore the problem.
This project continues Neugeboren’s work, using
the latest digital tools to make a virtual translation
of
1.3Bach’s
Processmusic.

The process of translation is entirely digital,

beginning and ending withelectronic
representations of music.The raw material is not
The
humanprocedure is divided
performance, but into four
rather main steps,
computer-
described
programmed in detail
music.in chapter 3.
The process begins by extracting the information
stored in electronic music files. The data is then
imported into a spreadsheet application, where it
is converted from text into numerical format.
Lastly, parametric software is used to link the
numerical
A information
parametric to 3-dimensional
model is based on a set of virtual
forms.
parameters, or variables, which can be changed at
any time. Unlike a conventional CAD model, which
is more or less static once it has been created, a
parametric model is a dynamic entity; a set of
relationships defined by various parameters. Music
and architecture can be seen as systems of
variables. Parametric software is used to make a
mapping between these two systems; the musical
variables of time and pitch are mapped onto the
spatial variables of length, width and height. The
resulting forms are virtual representations of the
information contained within the music.
cʜapteʀ 2

Literature Review

The studies reviewed in this chapter testify to a ffd8ffe000104a4649460001020100c900

strong tradition of musical analogy in c90000ffe20c584943435f50524f46494c4
500010100000c484c696e6f021000006d6
architecture. The reciprocal values shared by e74725247422058595a2007ce00020009
000600310000616373704d53465400000
architecture and music are discussed, and the 000494543207352474200000000000000
chapter argues for the validity of a literal, or 00000000000000f6d6000100000000d32d
485020200000000000000000000000000
formal, approach to the translation of music into 000000000000000000000000000000000
architecture. ffd8ffe000104a4649460001
000000000000000000000000000000000
000116370727400000150000000336465
0201008100810000ffe20c58
7363000001840000006c7774707400000
4943435f50524f46494c4500
Architecture and music have
1f000000014626b7074000002040000001
2.1 Historical Context: A Rich Tradition shared strong links since
47258595a00000218000000146758595a
010100000c484c696e6f0210
antiquity, when both were
0000022c000000146258595a000002400
There is a long and well-documented tradition of 00006d6e747252474220585
considered branches of the
0000014646d6e64000002540000007064
mathematical
musical analogy in architecture.The two arts are 95a2007ce000200090006003
6d6464000002c40000008876756564000
0034c0000008676696577000003d40000
mentioned together in the earliest architectural 10000616373704d53465400
00246c756d69000003f8000000146d6561
treatises as well as contemporary sources. A wide 00000049454320735247420
730000040c00000024746563680000043
00000000c725452430000043c0000080c6
00000000000000000000000
variety of approaches to expressing the reciprocal 75452430000043c0000080c6254524300
relationship are documented, ranging from the 0000f6d6000100000000d32d
00043c0000080c7465787400000000436f
48502020000000000000000
707972696768742028632920313939382
indirect use of underlying principles or 04865776c6574742d5061636b61726420
00000000000000000000000
436f6d70616e7900006465736300000000
Architecture
philosophies,and music literal
to direct, have shared strong
translations links
from one
00000000000000000000000
000000127352474220494543363139363
since antiquity,
discipline to thewhen
other.both were considered 62d322e31000000000000000000000012
00000000000000000000000
735247422049454336313936362d322e3
branches of the mathematical sciences, along 00000000001163707274000
100000000000000000000000000000000
with astronomy and geometry (Ham 2005,p139). 00150000000336465736300
0000000000000000000000
At this time, an understanding of music, among 0001840000006c777470740
other disciplines, was considered indispensable to 00001f000000014626b70740
the architect. Figure 2.1 shows pages from the 0000204000000147258595a
earliest surviving Western architectural treatise, 00000218000000146758595
Ten Books on Architecture, in which the Roman a0000022c00000014625859
“Let him be educated, skilful with the pencil,
architect Vitruvius states, 5a0000024000000014646d6
instructed in geometry, know much history, e640000025400000070646d
have followed the philosophers with attention, 6464000002c400000088767
understand music, have some knowledge of 565640000034c0000008676
medicine, know the opinions of the jurists and 696577000003d4000000246
be acquainted with astronomy and the theory of c756d69000003f8000000146
The inclusive nature of architecture led to an
the heavens.” (Vitruvius 1999) d6561730000040c00000024
interest in the underlying principles of other fields
74656368000004300000000
of study, including music. Rudolph Wittkower’s
c725452430000043c0000080
Architectural Principles in the Age of Humanism
c675452430000043c0000080
describes the proportional systems used by c625452430000043c0000080
architects such as Palladio and Alberti during the c7465787400000000436f707
Renaissance (Figure 2.2). Based on the principles 97269676874202863292031
of musical harmony established by Pythagoras in 393938204865776c6574742
Ancient Greece, they were grounded in the belief d5061636b61726420436f6d7
that the same universal principles of beauty are 0616e790000646573630000
manifest in art, architecture and music (Wittkower 00000000001273524742204
1973,p117). 9454336313936362d322e31
00000000000000000000001
27352474220494543363139
36362d322e3100000000000
00000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000
Broad translations of musical principles into
architecture continued in the 20th Century.As
radical newideas developed in both disciplines,
cross-fertilisation was encouraged by new
developments in media and technology. Aesthetics
of Total Serialism, by Marcus Bandur, documents
the collaboration between Le Corbusier and the
composer Iannis Xenakis on the Phillips Pavilion at
the 1958 Brussells World Fair (Figure 2.3). The
design of the pavilion referred to the principles and
techniques of serial music, and the interior
incorporated a multimedia show of lights, projected
images and specially
2.2 Contemporary composed
Context: music (Bandur
Literal
2001,p74).
and Metaphorical Approaches
Architects have used music in their work both
literally and metaphorically. Opinions vary as to the
In The Emancipation
validity of the Dissonance, Michael
of each approach.
Harvey describes Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish
Museum Berlin (19892001), based on the opera
Moses und Aron, by the composer Arnold
Schoenberg (Figure 2.4). Harvey argues that the
building is successful because it avoids making a
literal translation of the music, instead “exploring
the underlying philosophical concerns of the
composer” (Harvey 1998,p1). Harvey contrasts
Libeskind’s building with Steven Holl’s Stretto
House (1990-92), which explores musical ideas of
overlapping found in a composition by Béla Bartók
(Figure 2.5). The author faults this project for its
literal approach,
However, and claims the consider
not all commentators architect the
hasliteral
a
flawed understanding
approach to be unsound.of the music.
In Architecture as a
Translation of Music, Elizabeth Martin describes the
Stretto House positively as a study into the
inherent “multi-layered” nature of architecture
(Martin 1994,p55). The literal approach is further
illustrated by Martin’s project, Epicyclarium, a
translation of a piece of ‘graphic music’ into
architectural
2.3 Architectureformas(Martin
‘Frozen1994).
Music’
Literal translations of music into architecture are
founded on the formal parallels between each
discipline. In Architecture and Music, Alexander
Walton discusses the “reciprocal values” shared
by the two arts, with an emphasis on “technique”
rather than “atmosphere” (Walton 1934). The
author declares architecture and music to be the
“two… most formal arts” (Walton 1934). He
asserts that architecture and music share an
underlying
structural logic; as architecture divides
space according to proportion, so music
divides time according to rhythm.

Figure 2.3: Sketch for the

Phillip’s Pavilion, based on
compositional principles
from serial music (Bandur
2001,p67)
 ffd8ffe000104a46494600010201009500
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0034c0000008676696577000003d40000
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00000000c725452430000043c0000080c6
75452430000043c0000080c6254524300
00043c0000080c7465787400000000436f
707972696768742028632920313939382
04865776c6574742d5061636b61726420
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000000127352474220494543363139363
Figure 2.4: Daniel
62d322e31000000000000000000000012
Libeskind’s Jewish
735247422049454336313936362d322e3
Museum, a conceptual
100000000000000000000000000000000
translation of music
0000000000000000000000
(http://www.pbs.org)

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500010100000c484c696e6f021000006d6
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000600310000616373704d53465400000
000494543207352474200000000000000
00000000000000f6d6000100000000d32d
Figure 2.5: Steven Holl’s
485020200000000000000000000000000
Stretto House, a literal
000000000000000000000000000000000
translation of music (Martin,
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1994,p57)
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1f000000014626b7074000002040000001
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Walton’s book includes a discussion of
counterpoint and harmony – the ‘horizontal’ and
‘vertical’ aspects of music. Counterpoint,
consisting of different melodic lines running
independently in the same horizontal direction, is
likened to the façade of a Renaissance palazzo,
with its horizontal bands
ofwindows.Bycontrast,harmony,with its vertical
arrangement
Walton’s comparisons
of notes into
between
chords,
architecture
is equatedand
with
the verticality
music seem slightly
of a Gothic
idealised;
cathedral
there (Walton
are
1934).
exceptions to every rule. Nevertheless, the use of
‘spatial’ terms such as horizontal and vertical to
describe music, supports the notion that ffd8ffe000104a46494600010
significant formal parallels exist between the two 201009100910000ffe20c5849
43435f50524f46494c4500010
disciplines.
2.4 The ‘Architectural’ Music of Bach 100000c484c696e6f02100000
The polyphony of a Bach fugue is an ideal example 6d6e74725247422058595a20
07ce00020009000600310000
of the integration of the horizontal and vertical
616373704d53465400000000
aspects of music. A fugue is a complex musical
494543207352474200000000
‘game’ in which two or more melodic lines, or 00000000000000000000f6d6
ffd8ffe000104a46494600010201009000
voices, 000100000000d32d48502020
900000ffe20c584943435f50524f46494c4
arewoventogethertoformaharmonisedwhole.The 500010100000c484c696e6f021000006d6
000000000000000000000000
e74725247422058595a2007ce00020009
challenge of writing a fugue is to preserve the 000000000000000000000000
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The overtly
identities of structural
each voiceform
whileof arranging
a fugue is them
ideal in 000000000000000000000000
000494543207352474200000000000000
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inspiration
such a wayfor thatarchitecture.
they produce In pleasing
his book,harmonies
Bauhaus, 000000000000000000000011
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Hans
when Maria
playedWingler documents a student project
together. 637072740000015000000033
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000000000000000000000000000000000
to design a sculptural monument to the composer 64657363000001840000006c
000116370727400000150000000336465
in 1928 (Wingler, p440-441). The sculpture, based 77747074000001f000000014
7363000001840000006c7774707400000
on a graphic representation of a Bach fugue, is 626b70740000020400000014
1f000000014626b7074000002040000001
47258595a00000218000000146758595a
very literal in its approach (Figure 2.6). The 7258595a0000021800000014
0000022c000000146258595a000002400
monument’s designer, Heinrich Neugeboren, 6758595a0000022c00000014
0000014646d6e64000002540000007064
6d6464000002c40000008876756564000
Figure 2.6: Wood and
6258595a0000024000000014
explained at the time that he was not “concerned 0034c0000008676696577000003d40000
cardboard replica of
646d6e640000025400000070
00246c756d69000003f8000000146d6561
Neugeboren’s design for a
with an emotionally personal reinterpretation, but 730000040c00000024746563680000043
646d6464000002c400000088
Bach Monument. The low
rather with a was
Neugeboren scientifically
inspired byexact
the transformation
synaesthetic ideas 00000000c725452430000043c0000080c6
form on the left represents
767565640000034c00000086
75452430000043c0000080c6254524300
the bass. (Wingler, p441)
into
of the
another
theRussian
system”
painter,Kandinsky,whowas
(Wingler, p440-441). 76696577000003d400000024
00043c0000080c7465787400000000436f
thenateacherat the Bauhaus (Wingler 1969). 707972696768742028632920313939382
6c756d69000003f800000014
04865776c6574742d5061636b61726420
Kandinsky saw a great affinity between painting 6d6561730000040c00000024
436f6d70616e7900006465736300000000
and music, especially in terms of colour (Figure 000000127352474220494543363139363
74656368000004300000000c
62d322e31000000000000000000000012
2.7). In his theoretical work Concerning the 725452430000043c0000080c
735247422049454336313936362d322e3
Spiritual in Art, Kandinsky writes, “colour is the 675452430000043c0000080c
100000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000
keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is 625452430000043c0000080c
the piano
Colour is nowhere
with the to
strings”
be seen(Düchting
in Neugeboren’s
1996). 7465787400000000436f7079
sculpture. His experimental work is concerned with 726967687420286329203139
representing the “construction” of the music 3938204865776c6574742d50
(Wingler, p440-441). Each of the three forms in the 61636b61726420436f6d7061
6e7900006465736300000000
model represents a voice from the fugue; as the
000000127352474220494543
music rises and falls, so too does the sculpture.
36313936362d322e31000000
000000000000000012735247
422049454336313936362d32
2e3100000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000
0000000000
However, Neugeboren admits that his creation is
flawed. The bass, deep and powerful when heard,
seems insignificant in the sculpture. Its lesser
stature allows it to be smothered by the “towering
monumentality” of the soprano (Wingler, p440-
441).
2.5 Digital Architecture
Neugeboren’s “scientifically exact” translation,
while limited by the technology available at the
time, is strikingly similar in spirit to contemporary
digital design practice.An example is the process
known as Data Representation Architecture,
where architectural form is generated using data
In Real
from and Virtual
a source Spaces
external Generated by
to architecture. Music,
Music is
Adrian Levy describes
one possible source of the procedure whereby
data.
sounds (car horn, water) and melodies
(Beethoven’s Ode to Joy) are translated into
architectural form (Figure 2.8). Sampled sounds
are converted to data, which is then manipulated
to generate geometries. Musical parameters
(frequency, duration and loudness) are mapped
onto spatial parameters (x, y and z coordinates of
points in space). This process creates a number of
virtualRepresentation
Data surfaces, to which colour, light
Architecture is anand texture
example of
are added at
parametric the designer’s
design, a profounddiscretion (Levy in
development
2003,p380). which promises to extend the
architecture
computer from a simple tool used for
representation into a powerful instrument capable
of generation (Menges 2005,p63). However, the
role of the architect as data manipulator is crucial
in this process. The human operator of the machine
is the mediator between raw data and outcome,
and must exercise judgement in the selection of
the data and the
2.6 Enhancing design of the system itself.
Creativity
Issues of authorship are growing more relevant,
especially in the educational context, where the
use of advanced digital design techniques is
Digital
becomingprocesses can be
increasingly used in architectural
common.
education to challenge notions of what architecture
is and to enhance students’ creativity. In The
‘Musitecture’ Game students explore the
relationship between music and architecture using
a process similar to Data Representation
Architecture. Digital representations of
architectural form are created directly from
musical compositions using parameters such as
dynamics, tempo, meter and rhythm (Figure 2.9).
Diverse musical
sources are used, ranging from jazz and pop, to
indy and heavy metal (Ham 2005,p142).

Figure 2.8: Virtual space

generated from Beethoven’s
Ode to Joy (Levy 2003,p384)
 ffd8ffe000104a46494600010201009600
960000ffe20c584943435f50524f46494c4
500010100000c484c696e6f021000006d6
e74725247422058595a2007ce00020009
000600310000616373704d53465400000
000494543207352474200000000000000
00000000000000f6d6000100000000d32d
485020200000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000000000000
000116370727400000150000000336465
7363000001840000006c7774707400000
1f000000014626b7074000002040000001
47258595a00000218000000146758595a
0000022c000000146258595a000002400
0000014646d6e64000002540000007064
6d6464000002c40000008876756564000
ffd8ffe000104a46494600010201009600
0034c0000008676696577000003d40000
960000ffe20c584943435f50524f46494c4
00246c756d69000003f8000000146d6561
500010100000c484c696e6f021000006d6
730000040c00000024746563680000043
e74725247422058595a2007ce00020009
00000000c725452430000043c0000080c6
000600310000616373704d53465400000
75452430000043c0000080c6254524300
000494543207352474200000000000000
00043c0000080c7465787400000000436f
00000000000000f6d6000100000000d32d
707972696768742028632920313939382
485020200000000000000000000000000
Figure 2.9: CAD model
04865776c6574742d5061636b61726420
000000000000000000000000000000000
translation of The
436f6d70616e7900006465736300000000
000000000000000000000000000000000
Avalanches ‘Flight Tonight’
000000127352474220494543363139363
000116370727400000150000000336465
(Ham 2005,p142)
62d322e31000000000000000000000012
7363000001840000006c7774707400000
735247422049454336313936362d322e3
1f000000014626b7074000002040000001
100000000000000000000000000000000
47258595a00000218000000146758595a
0000000000000000000000
0000022c000000146258595a000002400
0000014646d6e64000002540000007064
6d6464000002c40000008876756564000
0034c0000008676696577000003d40000
00246c756d69000003f8000000146d6561
730000040c00000024746563680000043
00000000c725452430000043c0000080c6
75452430000043c0000080c6254524300
00043c0000080c7465787400000000436f
707972696768742028632920313939382
04865776c6574742d5061636b61726420
436f6d70616e7900006465736300000000
000000127352474220494543363139363
62d322e31000000000000000000000012
735247422049454336313936362d322e3
100000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000
One of the lessons students learn from The
‘Musitecture’ Game is that extra-architectural
sources such as music can inform architectural
design. The process of translation from one
medium to another can enhance creativity and
lead to solutions or forms that would otherwise
not emerge. Steven Holl’s description of the
“As boundaries between disciplines collapse,
Stretto House illustrates this point:
new channels suggesting thought and
development open up… A move away from
compartmentalizing and mental closing is a
move toward an open future.” (Holl 1994,p59)
This project seeks to break down the boundaries
which surround architecture, in the hope of
discovering new connections. Architecture and
music have a strong shared tradition, indicated by
the wealth of literature on the subject. The advent
of digital design technologies and the emergence
of the notion of ‘virtual space’ have opened up new
avenues for the exploration of this relationship.
cʜapteʀ 3

Process

This chapter describes the process used to

generate the virtual forms documented in this
report.After a brief background summary, each
step is described in detail.
3.1 Background
The music of Johan Sebastian Bach is known for its
sense of completeness.The composer wrote
collections of works which seem to exhaust the
potential of the instrument or the compositional
form. Examples include The Brandenburg
Concertos, suites for solo cello, violin and lute, as
well Well-Tempered
The as the English Suites,
ClavierFrench
(bwv846–857)
Suites and
is no
Partitas for Each
exception. the keyboard.
of its two volumes contains
preludes and fugues written in all 24 keys
available in the tuning system know as well-
temperament. Bach seems to have been intent on
demonstrating the flexibility and adaptability of
theorder
In new to
tuning
preserve
systemthiswhich
sensehad
of wholeness,
just been and
developed.
out of respectforthecollectionas a
workofartinitself,it has been decided to translate
one of the volumes in its entirety – 48 preludes
and fugues. This has the added benefit of allowing
comparison between a number of different pieces
of similar structure, and the parametric software
In orderistowell-suited
chosen make the translation of a large number
to such a task.
of pieces feasible, a high degree of automation has
been built into the process. To this end, scripts
have been used which were either created by the
author or by others.
3.2 Description
The translation process begins and ends with
electronic representations of music.The raw
materialfor the process is not a human
performance,
The but a set
process consists of of instructions
four main stepsfor(see
a Table
computer.
3.1). Each step represents a different
manifestation
Table of the
3.1: Summary same
of the data.
process
MIDI > ASCII > EXCEL > CATIA
music text numbers Form
3.2.1 Step 1: MIDI (music)
The process begins with electronic music, in the
form of MIDI files. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital
Interface) is the standard format for computer
Unlike other formats
programmed music. such as .wav or .mp3, a MIDI
file is not a sound file. It is simply a set of
instructions which tells a device, such as a
synthesiser or a desktop computer, which sounds
to play and when. It is an ideal source of data for
this project as it provides lists of values which can
be used
Each MIDIlater
file in
contains
the parametric
a number software.
of tracks, which
correspond to the different parts played
simultaneously in each prelude or fugue. Each part
Using MIDI is
of a fugue files saves
known asaagreat *
voice.deal of time, as the
music would otherwise have to be manually
transcribed.
3.2.2 Step 2: ASCII (text)
The MIDI files are converted into ASCII text files
using a script. The resulting file contains a list of
all the notes in the MIDI file, providing information
on the variables associated with each note (Figure
3.1).
These variables are:
Pitch:The note to be played, expressed as a roman
character (C, C#, D, E, etc)
Position:The location of each note in the musical
sequence, expressed as a fraction
Duration: The length of each note in time, expressed as
a fraction
Velocity: A quality of the note analogous to ‘hard’ or
‘soft’, expressed as a decimal number
Tempo:The speed of the music, expressed as a decimal
number
 ffd8ffe000104a46494600010201009600960000ffe20c584943435f50524f46494c4500010100000c48
4c696e6f021000006d6e74725247422058595a2007ce00020009000600310000616373704d5346540
000000049454320735247420000000000000000000000000000f6d6000100000000d32d4850202000
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000001163707274000001500000003364657363000001840000006c77747074000001f0000
00014626b707400000204000000147258595a00000218000000146758595a0000022c000000146258
595a0000024000000014646d6e640000025400000070646d6464000002c4000000887675656400000
34c0000008676696577000003d4000000246c756d69000003f8000000146d6561730000040c000000
2474656368000004300000000c725452430000043c0000080c675452430000043c0000080c6254524
30000043c0000080c7465787400000000436f70797269676874202863292031393938204865776c65
74742d5061636b61726420436f6d70616e79000064657363000000000000001273524742204945433
6313936362d322e31000000000000000000000012735247422049454336313936362d322e3100000
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Figure 3.1: ASCII text file

3.2.3 Step 3: EXCEL (numerals)

In this step the data is reformatted into numerical
form.
The
The parameters in the
information in the text
ASCIIfiles
textisfiles are displayed
divided into
as romantracks,
different characters (pitch) or fractions
corresponding (position
to the voices in
and duration).
each piece. These formats are unsuited to the
parametric software, which can only read
numerals, so the data must be converted from text
into decimal numbers (Figure 3.2). This step is
automated
For each track
using
of each
a macro
MIDIinfile,
Microsoft
Table five
3.2: Excel
Excel.
Design files
Tables
are created. These design tables enable
DESIGN TABLE
associations to be made between the musical
MUSICAL PARAMETER
and spatial parameters (Table 3.2).
SPATIAL PARAMETER
DT_offset.xls
The location of each note in the musical sequence
The location of each block in the spatial sequence
DT_duration.xls
The length of each note in time
The length of each block in space
DT_frequency.xls
A value derived from the pitch of the note
The height of each block
DT_wavelength.xls
A value derived from the pitch of the note
The width of each block
*
For the sake of convenience, the DT_note number.xls
term voice will be used from now
The number
on to refer to all musical parts, even though of notes inoften
preludes the track
don’t
contain voices. The number of blocks in the form
 In addition, a sixth Excel file is created,
containing the complete information for each
MIDI file in numerical and text format.

ffd8ffe000104a46494600010201009400930000ffe205384943435f50524f46494c45000101000005286170706c0220
00006d6e74725247422058595a2007d20005000d000c00000000616373704150504c000000006170706c0000000000
00000000000000000000000000f6d6000100000000d32d6170706c0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000d7258595a00000120000000146758595a000001
34000000146258595a0000014800000014777470740000015c0000001463686164000001700000002c725452430000
019c0000000e675452430000019c0000000e625452430000019c0000000e64657363000001ac0000003f63707274000
002540000004876636774000001ec000000306e64696e0000021c000000386473636d0000029c0000028c58595a200
00000000000744b00003e1d000003cb58595a200000000000005a730000aca60000172658595a20000000000000281
8000015570000b83358595a20000000000000f35200010000000116cf736633320000000000010c42000005defffff326
000007920000fd91fffffba2fffffda3000003dc0000c06c63757276000000000000000101cd00006465736300000000000
0001447656e65726963205247422050726f66696c650000000000000000000000144765

Figure 3.2: The data converted to numerical format in

Excel

3.2.4 CATIA (form)

This is the final step of the process where the
virtual forms are created.The parametric software
application, Digital Project, is used.This is part of
Two types
a larger of applications
suiteof Catia file areknown
created
as (Table
Catia. 3.3):
CATPart: For each voice, contains the musical notes
CATProduct: For each prelude or fugue, contains
CATPart files
Each CATPart template contains links to the five
Excel design tables mentioned in Step 3. Before
the templates are used, these links are broken.
This allows each template to be re-linked to a
neweach
For set of
voice,
designthetables.
appropriate template is
selected, and copied into the folder which contains
the design tables for that voice. Once the template
is opened, it is automatically linked to these new
design tables. At this stage the CATpart file is
updated to reflect the new parameters. Any
unused
This steppads
is completed
at the endforare
each
deleted
voiceand
of each
then the
templateorisfugue.
prelude saved This
as a results
new file.
in the creation of a
CATpart file for each voice. These files are then
imported into a new CATProduct file, which
represents the prelude or fugue in question. The
structure of the Catia files corresponds to the
structure of the music (Table 3.3). Table 3.3: File
Structure
MUSICAL STRUCTURE
FILE STRUCTURE
Prelude/Fugue > Voice 1 > Voice 2
Prelude/Fugue.CATProduct > Voice_1.CATPart > Voice_2.CATPart
?
?
> Voice n
> Voice_n.CATPart

Each musical note is represented in the CATPart

file by an extruded rectangle, referred to as a
‘pad’. The dimensions of the rectangle are
determined by the pitch of the note, and the depth
of the
As eachextrusion
voice contains
is determined
a different
by the
number
length
ofof the
note. each CATPart file contains a unique number
notes,
of pads. Several CATPart templates are used,
each containing a different number of pads: 200,
300, 400, 500, 600, 700 and 800. The template
which most closely approximates the number of
notes in the voice is used. For example, if a voice
contains 232 notes, then the template containing
300 pads is used.
The problem of the third dimension has been
resolved by dividing pitch into two parameters,
notionally referred to as ‘frequency’ and
‘wavelength’. Added to time, these form the three
musical parameters needed (Table 3.4). Table 3.4:
MappingMUSICAL PARAMETERS
of parameters SPATIAL
between PARAMETERS
music and space
Time Length Pitch Frequency Height
Wavelength Width

The pitch of a note is determined by its frequency

and wavelength. These two values are locked in a
reciprocal relationship; one is the inverse of the
other. A rectangle also has two dimensions –
height and width. Therefore, it seems appropriate
to use frequency and wavelength to determine the
dimensions
The actual frequency
of the rectangle
and wavelength
which represents
are not each
note. as the values are two extreme (too great in
used,
the case of frequency and too small in the case of
wavelength). Instead, an indexing system has
been
In Bach’s
devised.
day, the typical keyboard contained less
notes than it does today. A survey of all the
preludes and fugues in Book I of The Well-
Tempered Clavier reveals that a total of 64 notes
are used, ranging from A three octaves below
middle C, to C three
3.3 ‘Wavelength’ andoctaves
‘Pitch’ above. Each note in
the series has been given two index numbers,
One two
The of the
ranging frommain
index tochallenges
1numbers
64, depending of this
determine onproject
where
the has
that
height and
been finding
note falls
width a
(Table
of the way to represent the two
3.5). rectangles that make up the
extruded principle
dimensions of music
virtual forms. When all – time and pitch
the notes are – in 3-
dimensional space.
superimposed, When mapping
a diamond form emerges.parameters
This
from one system
represents onto another,
the complete it is imperative
tonal range of The Well-
that
One both systems
advantage
Tempered Clavier have
of (Figure the
this system same number
3.4).is that the voicesof in
parameters,
Additional parameters
so that a match
such ascan
volume
be
the bass are not disadvantaged, as in the work by made
and timbre
betweeneach.Therefore
have been investigated,
Neugeboren described inabut third
found
chapter musical
2to beparameter
unsuitable.
(Figure
is needed.
Timbre is determined
2.6).Inthis system,thelowestby the andnature of thenotes
highest
particular instrument used in
are represented by forms with the same a performance, as
Figure 3.3: The highest and lowest
well as the acoustics
dimensions,
respectively but in the
(Figure ofhorizontal
3.3). the space.
notes areandAs vertical
noted
equally earlier,
balanced
however, this project is not concerned with the
directions
performance
Regarding volume,
of music,
it should
but itsbe essential
noted that structure.
Bach’s
score gives no indication for how loud or soft each
prelude and fugue of The Well-Tempered Clavier
should be played, leaving it up to the discretion of
the performer. Volume, therefore, does not seem to
be an integral part of this music.
 ffd8ffe000104a4649460001020100c800c80000ffe20c584943435f50524f4649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Figure 3.3: A visual representation of the five octave range used by

Bach
 ffd8ffe000104a46494600010201004800480000ffe20c584943435f50524f46494c4500010100000c484c696e6f02100000
6d6e74725247422058595a2007ce00020009000600310000616373704d53465400000000494543207352474200000000
00000000000000000000f6d6000100000000d32d48502020000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001163707274000001500000003364657363000001840000006c
77747074000001f000000014626b707400000204000000147258595a00000218000000146758595a0000022c00000014
6258595a0000024000000014646d6e640000025400000070646d6464000002c400000088767565640000034c00000086
76696577000003d4000000246c756d69000003f8000000146d6561730000040c0000002474656368000004300000000c7
25452430000043c0000080c675452430000043c0000080c625452430000043c0000080c7465787400000000436f707972
69676874202863292031393938204865776c6574742d5061636b61726420436f6d70616e790000646573630000000000
000012735247422049454336313936362d322e31000000000000000000000012735247422049454336313936362d322e
31000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
cʜapteʀ 4

Virtual translations of the

48 preludes and fugues
from The Well-Tempered
Clavier, Book I
This chapter presents the outcomes of the project.
The 48 virtual forms are presented in a consistent
way in order to aid comparison. Each virtual form
is represented on one page by one perspective
and four orthographic views: start, end, top and
Sandwiched between
side. The ‘start’ the ‘top’
and ‘end’ viewsand ‘side’ views
represent the is
a scale bar.
beginning This
and represents
ending of eachthe length
piece of each
of music.
piece, measured in bars. The major ticks of the
scale represent the bars, while the minor ticks
showscale
The the number
is necessary
of beats
as all
in the
each preludes
bar. and
fugues have been scaledtothesamelength.Thishas
beendone toaidcomparison.It should be noted that
the score for The Well-Tempered Clavier has no
instructions regarding tempo, so time is open to
interpretation.
4.1 Prelude No. 1 in C Major, bwv
846
4.2 Fugue No. 1 in C Major, bwv
846
4.3 Prelude No. 2 in C Minor, bwv
847
4.4 Fugue No. 2 in C Minor, bwv
847
4.5 Prelude No. 3 in C-sharp Major, bwv
848
4.6 Fugue No. 3 in C-sharp Major, bwv
848
4.7 Prelude No. 4 in C-sharp Minor, bwv
849
4.8 Fugue No. 4 in C-sharp Minor, bwv
849
4.9 Prelude No. 5 in D Major, bwv
850
4.10 Fugue No. 5 in D Major, bwv
850
4.11 Prelude No. 6 in D Minor, bwv
851
4.12 Fugue No. 6 in D Minor, bwv
851
4.13 Prelude No. 7 in E-flat Major,
bwv 852
4.14 Fugue No. 7 in E-flat Major,
bwv 852
4.15 Prelude No. 8 in E-flat Minor,
bwv 853
4.16 Fugue No. 8 in D-sharp Minor,
bwv 853
4.17 Prelude No. 9 in E Major,
bwv 854
4.18 Fugue No. 9 in E Major,
bwv 854
4.19 Prelude No. 10 in E Minor,
bwv 855
4.20 Fugue No. 10 in E Minor,
bwv 855
4.21 Prelude No. 11 in F Major,
bwv 856
4.22 Fugue No. 11 in F Major,
bwv 856
4.23 Prelude No. 12 in F Minor,
bwv 857
4.24 Fugue No. 12 in F Minor,
bwv 857
4.25 Prelude No. 13 in F-sharp major,
bwv 858
4.26 Fugue No. 13 in F-sharp major,
bwv 858
4.27 Prelude No. 14 in F-sharp minor,
bwv 859
4.28 Fugue No. 14 in F-sharp minor,
bwv 859
4.29 Prelude No. 15 in G major,
bwv 860
4.30 Fugue No. 15 in G major,
bwv 860
4.31 Prelude No. 16 in G minor,
bwv 861
4.32 Fugue No. 16 in G minor,
bwv 861
4.33 Prelude No. 17 in A-flat major,
bwv 862
4.34 Fugue No. 17 in A-flat major,
bwv 862
4.35 Prelude No. 18 in G-sharp minor,
bwv 863
4.36 Fugue No. 18 in G-sharp minor,
bwv 863
4.37 Prelude No. 19 in A major,
bwv 864
4.38 Fugue No. 19 in A major,
bwv 864
4.39 Prelude No. 20 in A minor,
bwv 865
4.40 Fugue No. 20 in A minor,
bwv 865
4.41 Prelude No. 21 in B-flat major,
bwv 866
4.42 Fugue No. 21 in B-flat major,
bwv 866
4.43 Prelude No. 22 in B-flat minor,
bwv 867
4.44 Fugue No. 22 in B-flat minor,
bwv 867
4.45 Prelude No. 23 in B major,
bwv 868
4.46 Fugue No. 23 in B major,
bwv 868
4.47 Prelude No. 24 in B minor,
bwv 869
4.48 Fugue No. 24 in B minor,
bwv 869
cʜapteʀ 5

Analysis and
Interpretation
The purpose of this chapter is to analyse and
interpret the 48 virtual forms which are
documented in the previous chapter. It also looks
at other work done as part of this project,
including the production of a physical model and
two animations.
5.1 The 48 Virtual Forms
5.1.1 A Family of Forms The Well-Tempered
Clavier is a compendium of contrapuntal
keyboard music. Each prelude and fugue can be
appreciated in isolation, but when the 48 are
seen as a whole they take on far greater
Each piece has been presented in the same
significance.
format in order to aidcomparison.Inthis
way,differences andsimilarities are emphasised.
The works illustrated in Chapter 4 can be seen as
48 instances of one parametric form. This ideal
form has been determined by decisions made by
the author. These decisions include not only which
musical parameter to map onto which spatial
parameter, but also the use of rectangular forms
rather
To a significant
than otherdegree,
shapesthen,
suchthe
as circles
shapesorof the
triangles.
virtual forms are determined by the system used,
not the music. However, the consistent use of the
same system to generate all 48 forms means that
comparison within the set will reveal the unique
identity of each prelude and fugue.
5.1.2 The Shape of Music
The spatial representation allows one to see the
whole piece of music simultaneously. At a
glance, one can compare the beginning to
theendor the middle.This is not possible when
listeningnotation
Musical to the actual
also allows
music.such time-independent
comparisons to be made, yet written music also
has limitations. The symbols used in musical
notation are a system of code, a language which
must be learnt in order to be understood. In the
words of Henrich Neugeboren, the “empty and
filled notes’ heads merely signify length of the
notes, without showing them” (Wingler 1969). Like
Neugeboren, this project seeks to reveal the
construction of Bach’s music in a direct way which
can be understood by anyone.
The formal translations reveal the shape of each
piece in its entirety. In Prelude No. 1, for example,
the music begins in a high register and steadily
moves down towards its resolution. This is
represented by the height of the forms diminishing
fromvirtual
The left to forms
right (side view)
can be as the width
contrasted increases
with one
(top view).
another to illustrate facts about the music. For
instance, the preludes tend to be more
rhythmically regular than the fugues. This is shown
in the virtual forms, which are simpler and feature
more regular formal patterns. The fugues, on the
other hand, are much more complex, as they
Subject,
include countersubject,
a number of voices. This greater
‘staircases’
complexity can be seen easily in the forms.
5.1.3 Digital process
It is interesting to note that the MIDI files are
programmed rather than performed. In fact, at no ffd8ffe000104a46494600010
stage of this project has a performer been involved. 201004800480000ffe20c5849
43435f50524f46494c4500010
5.1.4 Orientation 100000c484c696e6f02100000
Each piece has been arranged in space 6d6e74725247422058595a20
horizontally. This reflects the ‘horizontal’ linear 07ce00020009000600310000
nature of the music and leaves the forms open to 616373704d53465400000000
This is only
multiple one possible interpretation. They could
readings. 494543207352474200000000
00000000000000000000f6d60
also be shown vertically like towers (insert image).
00100000000d32d485020200
The horizontal arrangement was chosen to avoid 000000000000000000000000
the obvious architectural connotations which would 000000000000000000000000
arise with a vertical, tower-like arrangement. The 000000000000000000000000
forms reside in virtual space, so they are free from 000000000000000000000116
the restrictions of real space, such as gravity. In 370727400000150000000336
this sense, the forms are ‘pure’ crystallisations of 4657363000001840000006c7
5.1.5 Symmetry The virtual forms display a high 7747074000001f00000001462
the music.
degree of symmetry: 2-fold in the side views and 6b7074000002040000001472
4-foldin theend views.This is theresult of a 58595a000002180000001467
conscious decision to avoid any unnecessary 58595a0000022c0000001462
eccentricity, which would distract from the pure 58595a000002400000001464
Figure
form of5.1theshows
music.the end view of an arrangement 6d6e64000002540000007064
6d6464000002c40000008876
which was used in the developmental stage of
7565640000034c0000008676
the project. The final arrangement, shown in 696577000003d4000000246c
Figure 5.2, produces a more rounded and 756d69000003f8000000146d6
complete form. This arrangement is also intended 561730000040c00000024746
to be reminiscent of the manner in which sound 56368000004300000000c725
waves travel in all directions from their source. 452430000043c0000080c6754
5.1.6 Harmony 52430000043c0000080c62545
Polyphonic music has a horizontal and vertical 2430000043c0000080c746578
dimension.The voices move horizontally and 7400000000436f70797269676
harmonise vertically. Although they have a degree 874202863292031393938204
of freedom the voices are not completely 865776c6574742d5061636b6
independent of one another, they are 1726420436f6d70616e790000
interdependent.They must harmonise in order for 646573630000000000000012
735247422049454336313936
the system to be meaningful.
362d322e3100000000000000
000000001273524742204945
4336313936362d322e310000
000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000
00
The virtual translations show this relationship
between verticalityand horizontality. The start
andendviews ofeach form show the vertical
aspect of the music. In Figure 5.2, five rectangles
overlap to create a crucifix-like form. Each
rectangle represents a different note. When
heard, these five notes combine to form the final
chord which provides resolution at the conclusion
of the
The start
fugue.
and The
end2-dimensional
views of the virtual
shapeforms
is thus
bear
a a
visual representation
striking resemblance toof the
harmony.
crucifix plan of
churches common for most
ofthehistoryofChristianity.This
isentirelyappropriate,as Bach was a deeply
religious man who dedicated his music to the glory
of God. However, the similarity is not intentional, it
is merely a piece of serendipity which has more to
do
5.2with the
Other way the system has been set up than
Work
the spirit of Bach’s music.
This sections describes additional work done
as a part of this project, including the
production of a physical model and two
animations.
5.2.1 Physical Model A physical model of Fugue No.
1 was produced for the exhibition, Disparallel
Spaces, held during June 2007 at theTin Sheds
Gallery, Faculty of Architecture, University of
Sydney
The (Figure
model was 5.3).
constructed from 430 pieces of
laser cut plywood 1mm in thickness. Each
plywood piece represents a semi-quaver; 16 of
which make up a bar.
5.2.2 Fly-through movie The fly-through movie
shown in Figure 5.4 was produced to give a
senseof what it might be like to beinsideoneof
theforms.The Quicktime movie was produced in
VectorWorks.
One of the limitations of this project is its emphasis
on the forms as sculptural objects rather than
spaces which can be experienced internally;
architecture is as much about the interior as it is
about the exterior. However, the fly-through movie
reveals a rich spatial experience inside the virtual
forms.

Figure 5.4: Screen shots from a fly-through animation of Fugue

No. 1
 ffd8ffe000104a46494600010201009600960000ffe20c584943435f50524f46494c4500010100000c484c696e6f02100000
6d6e74725247422058595a2007ce00020009000600310000616373704d53465400000000494543207352474200000000
00000000000000000000f6d6000100000000d32d485020200000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001163707274000001500000003364657363000001840000006c7
7747074000001f000000014626b707400000204000000147258595a00000218000000146758595a0000022c0000001462
58595a0000024000000014646d6e640000025400000070646d6464000002c400000088767565640000034c00000086766
96577000003d4000000246c756d69000003f8000000146d6561730000040c0000002474656368000004300000000c7254
52430000043c0000080c675452430000043c0000080c625452430000043c0000080c7465787400000000436f707972696
76874202863292031393938204865776c6574742d5061636b61726420436f6d70616e7900006465736300000000000000
12735247422049454336313936362d322e31000000000000000000000012735247422049454336313936362d322e3100
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
5.2.3 Flash animation
A second animation was also produced for the
exhibition Disparallel Spaces.The purpose of this
animation is not to explore the interior of the
form, but to explain the relationship between the
different
Unlike thevoices.
fly-through movie, the Flash animation
includes the sounds produced by the MIDI file for
Fugue No. 1, from which the forms are generated.
In this animation, each note is delineated with a
separate rectangle, in order to help the viewer
understand the relationship between the music and
the forms. Each voice is coloured differently in
order to render the contrapuntal structure of the
music more apparent.
cʜapteʀ 6

Conclusion

This chapter discusses the project, its limitations,

and possible avenues for further exploration.

The purpose of this project is to explore the

relationship between musical structure and
architectural structure by translating preludes and
fugues by Johan Sebastian Bach into virtual spatial
form.The project has successfully translated BookI
ofBach’s Well-Tempered Clavier using a
combination of software applications,and relying on
parametricdesign.The 48 virtual forms that have
been generated are a family of forms and reveal a
wealth of information about the musical pieces
they embody. Freezing the music in a single
moment allows one to see the shape of the entire
piece simultaneously, something which is not
6.1 Limitations
possible when listening to a performance.
Exterior not interior
Western music/architecture
•

6.2 Potential for Development

Pop music
Interior
Book II?
Apparatus

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Computer Inc Microsoft Excel,
Microsoft Inc Microsoft Word,
Microsoft Inc Microsoft PowerPoint,
Microsoft Inc Digital Project, Gehry
Technologies Catia, Dessault Systems
Adobe Illustrator CS, Adobe Systems
Inc Adobe Photoshop CS, Adobe
Systems Inc Adobe InDesign CS,
Adobe Systems Inc Macromedia Flash
8 Professional, Macromedia

Windows XP operating system, Microsoft Inc Mac OS X

Tiger and Panther operating systems, Apple Computer Inc