Coptic Symmetry and Conceptual Continuation in Morton Feldman's for John Cage

• Other Authors: Wilhoite, Meghann (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Music
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-1010

In 1982, Feldman composed his birthday present for a seventy-year-old John Cage, aptly titled For John Cage. The piece is written for violin and piano, and is characteristic of the style found in most of Feldman's works from the 1970's until his death in 1987. That is, the piece is played at a piano dynamic or quieter for the majority of its lengthy duration; very few of his later pieces clock in at under For John Cage's seventy minutes. Also characteristic is the gradual and slight variation of musical figures (the components of larger, more complex patterns) known as "coptic" symmetry. As in his immediately prior composition Triadic Memories, Feldman seems to challenge the listener of For John Cage to retain the memory of a musical statement through subsequent alterations and interruptions of the statement. I will refer to the mental retention of these musical statements, despite said challenges, as 'conceptual continuation'. This concept, therefore, involves the presentation of material which is subsequently altered, usually in the smallest of details, and presented in varying permutations, similar to the variation or 'imperfection' of pattern found in the Coptic rugs Feldman admired around the time this piece was written. Coupled with this are the 'challenges' introduced by Feldman which threaten the memory of the original material and usually involve the material being interrupted, either by silence or new material. The first chapter of the present study will address the issue of prolongation in post -tonal music, followed by a description of 'conceptual continuation'. The second chapter will then move on to discuss Feldman's views on, and use of, symmetry as related to the patterns found in the hand-woven Eastern rugs to which he became exposed in the 1970's. Symmetrical issues concerning the music of Webern and Xenakis will also be invoked as a point of comparison. The third chapter will then consider the use of conceptual continuation and 'Coptic' symmetry in For John Cage. === A Thesis Submitted to the School of Music in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Music. === Spring Semester, 2004. === April 7, 2004. === Music Theory === Includes bibliographical references. === Evan Allan Jones, Professor Directing Thesis; Jane Piper Clendinning, Committee Member; Clifton Callender, Committee Member.