Transcription and Analysis of Oral Musical Traditions

Transcription is a process, which involves several operations, from interpreting, recorded or live music, to a carefully selected presentation, usually in written paper form. A much larger question will evolve throughout the course: “How do we represent music?” Many visual systems have been used in the past and many at times opposing views have been proposed over time, from native systems, electronic/digitally generate systems to universal systems, mostly with westernized musical notation. This course looks at transcriptions from all these different perspectives.

The course attempts to look at music, where in every class a different approach is proposed, from form and structure, time, melody, rhythm, timbre, and texture. Once these techniques have been acquired the students will look at them with a larger cultural and conceptual dimension. The course aims not only at the student's auditory training, but puts emphasis on the student's awareness of the types of perception and their own importance in transcription. In every attempt the student is encouraged to create different visual representation and is encouraged to experiment with new ways to express music visually. Students are encouraged to generate models of original transcriptions, using all means and forms of expression (using color, 3D models, etc.).

• Date: October 09th - February 13th, 09:15-11:45
• Place: University of Music Franz Liszt (Weimar University)
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