Synopses & Reviews
"Few books have described with such precision the evolution of thoughts and concepts behind the invention of a new music as
A La Recherche dand#8217;une Musique Concrete. In this book Schaeffer has unveiled the major philosophical problems of music of the second half of the twentieth century. An excellent translation by Dack and North." and#151;Daniel Teruggi, Head of Institut National Audiovisuel, Groupe de Recherches Musicales, Paris
and#147;A fascinating glimpse into the mind of Pierre Schaeffer, the creator of the very first kind of electroacoustic music, the Concrete music, here in a stellar translation. In this diary combined with musical considerations, Schaeffer gives the necessary keys and invites the reader to follow, step by step, how Concrete music became a major trend of the twentieth century." and#151;Marc Battier, Professor of Musicology, University Paris-Sorbonne
and#147;Pierre Schaefferand#8217;s writings are fundamental to our understanding of twentieth-century music in general and all the sound arts that use technology. This book reveals a truly experimental journey with its detours and frustrationsand#151;yet with determination, dazzling imagination and insight, Schaeffer pieces together a coherent and radical theory of music made through sound as perceived. Christine North and John Dackand#8217;s translation brilliantly captures Schaefferand#8217;s painstaking reinvention of the vocabulary of music.and#8221; and#151;Simon Emmerson, Professor of Music, Technology, and Innovation, De Montfort University
Review
"One of the most important and prophetic [books] written on music since World War II. . . . Significant and readable."--Frieze
Review
and#8220;Completely changed how I hear the world and, after more than 30 years, I am still living with the consequences.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Collects Schaefferand#8217;s journals and other writings about his musique concrete, which he created by manipulating recorded sounds.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;One of the postwar perand#236;odand#8217;s most significant (and readable) grapplings with new artistic paradigms.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;One striking impression that emerges from reading this book is that [Schaefferand#8217;s] work merits a perspective with greater nuance.and#8221;
Review
"Captures these uneven rhythms of intuition and perplexity, and his imagination and wit."--Los Angeles Review of Books
Review
and#8220;Captures these uneven rhythms of intuition and perplexity, and his imagination and wit.and#8221;
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and#8220;Recommended.and#8221;
Review
“Recommended.” Los Angeles Review Of Books
Synopsis
Pierre Schaeffer's In Search of a Concrete Music (A la recherche d'une musique concrete) has long been considered a classic text in electroacoustic music and sound recording. Now Schaeffer's pioneering work--at once a journal of his experiments in sound composition and a treatise on the raison d'etre of "concrete music"--is available for the first time in English translation. Schaeffer's theories have had a profound influence on composers working with technology. However, they extend beyond the confines of the studio and are applicable to many areas of contemporary musical thought, such as defining an 'instrument' and classifying sounds. Schaeffer has also become increasingly relevant to DJs and hip-hop producers as well as sound-based media artists. This unique book is essential for anyone interested in contemporary musicology or media history.
Synopsis
Pierre Schaefferand#8217;s In Search of a Concrete Music (and#192; la recherche dand#8217;une musique concrand#232;te) has long been considered a classic text in electroacoustic music and sound recording. Now Schaefferand#8217;s pioneering workand#151;at once a journal of his experiments in sound composition and a treatise on the raison dand#8217;and#234;tre of and#147;concrete musicand#8221;and#151;is available for the first time in English translation. Schaefferand#8217;s theories have had a profound influence on composers working with technology. However, they extend beyond the confines of the studio and are applicable to many areas of contemporary musical thought, such as defining an and#145;instrumentand#8217; and classifying sounds. Schaeffer has also become increasingly relevant to DJs and hip-hop producers as well as sound-based media artists. This unique book is essential for anyone interested in contemporary musicology or media history.
About the Author
Composer
Pierre Schaeffer (1910-1995) was the inventor of musique concrand#232;te music created by combining and manipulating recorded sounds (rather than being played on conventional musical instruments).
Translators:
John Dack is Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Sonic Arts Department at Middlesex University. Christine North is retired as Lecturer in French at Middlesex University.
Table of Contents
Translatorsand#8217; Note
I. First Journal of Concrete Music (1948and#150;1949)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
II. Second Journal of Concrete Music (195and#150;1951)
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 1
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
III. The Concrete Experiment in Music (1952)
Chapter 14. The Concrete Approach
Chapter 15. The Experimental Method
Chapter 16. The Musical Object
Chapter 17. From the Object to Language
Chapter 18. From the Object to the Subject
Chapter 19. Inventory
Chapter 2. Farewells to Concrete Music
IV. Outline of a Concrete Musical Training
Index