Transforming Noise into Sound
While noise is perceived as a nuisance, an unnecessary parasite, sound, on the other hand, has a real utility, a function in musical construction or message transmission. François Delalande explains that for Pierre Schaeffer, “noise does not evoke anecdote or cause, it becomes a sound“. This transmutation of noise into sound will be one of the fundamental aspects at the origin of concrete music.
The Musical Meaning
In 1958, Robert Francès’ work The Perception of Music appeared, a reflection on musical meaning. “When listening to music, it is possible to associate images or titles with it. There is certainly a subjective aspect, but there are themes of meanings that emerge” suggests Robert Francès. Delalande draws a parallel with the piece Variations for a door and a sigh produced by Pierre Henry in 1963. “Anyone hears creaking doors. But there is another meaning: we hear something that resembles a voice, vocal inflections. After the initial identification of the doors, we forget this causal source and associate a second, even more interesting meaning that allows the introduction of an affective character.”
Musical Objects and the Closed Groove
Pierre Schaeffer engages in numerous experiments, exploring various sound elements. He uses an object by closing it on itself. By stopping musical time and moving from a dialectic of musical notes to organizing objects, he anticipates a radically new musical concept. The closed groove allows him to isolate a sound, loop it on itself. This object then becomes a decontextualized element, usable with other sounds extracted from completely different contexts. Sound becomes a material that forgets its semantic value in favor of formal value.
Music Programming: Extracts from Study on objects by Pierre Schaeffer (1959); Violin control by Thomas Kessler (1978); Variations for a door and a sigh by Pierre Henry (1963); Camera oscura by François Bayle (1976); Pathetic study on pans and Study on railways by Pierre Schaeffer (1948); Symphony for one man alone by Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry (1949-1950).
