Music Listening, Music Therapy, Phenomenology and Neuroscience

The Musical Timespace

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a collection of orchestral pieces of various lengths and forms, like

Couperin's "Livre pour clavecin" or J.S.Bach's "Orgelbüchlein". He aban-

doned this idea, however, because the movements grew so long and

became so linked together that there was no room for any other pieces.

Livre pour Orchestre is recorded on an EMI Classics CD with the

composer conducting The Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra. It

is divided in chapters, separated by short interludes:

Livre pour Orchestre

Chapters and Interludes Timing Duration

First Chapter: 0'00-4'06 4'06

First Interlude: 4'07-4'21 0'14

Second Chapter: 4'23-7'20 2'57

Second Interlude: 7'24 - 7'41 0'15

Third Chapter: 7'41 -9'35 1'54

Third Interlude and Final Chapter: 9'37-21'10 11'33

The First Chapter of Livre pour Orchestre is music rich in color and movement,

of great emotional power for an ear sensible to the nuances of saturated Polish

string sound, music that fills the space around you, and grabs your heart.

Livre pour Orchestre, First Chapter

0'00-2'32 Prevailing falling motion in a flow of large and small waves

of sound:

0'00-l'15:

Gently gliding stream falling and rising wave-like, appearing three

times; 0'22 continued in a rising melodic line, flowing onward, turning,

growing and spreading, 0'47 expanding in space; 1'02 interrupted;

deep fall and violent gestures; 1'11 gently rising...

1'15-2'32:

Re-emergence of the initial gliding stream, this time continuing in one

long, descending wave, slowing down, flattening out; 1'47 regaining

energy, 1'50 reactivated by a polyphony of violent, downward-directed

gestures; 2' 00 the polyphonic mass gradually rises in register, increasing

in speed and density; 2'20 outburst of brass and percussion... dispersing

in deep, scattered sounds ...2'32