Step 5
Further open listenings, which enable the analyst to embrace all levels and aspects of meaning re-
vealed in the previous listenings, and to integrate them in a reflective description.
In order to apply and develop his procedure, Ferrara performs 13 listenings of Varèse’s Poème élec-
tronique; three open listenings, five for sounds, syntax and form, three for semantic meaning, one for
ontological meaning and one final open listening. Poème électronique presents a great diversity of
material, including electronic and mechanical sounds, instruments and human voices. This diversity
permits a richness of observations, descriptions and interpretations. The following describes Ferr-
ara’s observations.
Step 1
During the three open listenings, Ferrara experiences a variety of sounds: bells, drills, tapping de-
vices, male and female voices. He becomes aware of distinct kinds of mood, activity and movement,
such as a calm temper, frenzied activity, a sense of floating, shrill screams (p. 362).
Step 2
During the following five listenings, he divides the music into sections and proceeds listening for
the qualities of the sounds as such. Deliberately avoiding recognition or associations to well-known
sound sources, he describes the variety of sounds in a rich, many-faceted language: loud, sizzling /
round, rippling, bubbly / shrill, piercing, high friction / scratchy, creaking / gliding, drifting, sustained /
steady, rubbing / short, hollow, wooden / interrupting, piercing / hard, crashing sounds (pp. 364-367).
His descriptions encompass a wide range of sound characteristics, including the volumes and tex-
tures of sounds, the production of the sounds, the movements and directions of sounds in space, the
temporal successions and relations of sounds, and associations of feeling.
Step 3
During three listenings, Ferrara discovers two levels of semantic meanings. First, a level of obvious
references such as clocks, an organ, roaring animals, elevators, chewing, voices. On the second
level, he describes symbolic meanings of the sounds; the bell tolling and clock ticking symbolize
time. Sirens, elevators and electronic sounds symbolize technology. Voices symbolize human exis-
tence. Jungle sounds symbolize a primitive or primordial act. Organ sounds and chanting symbolize
religion (pp. 367-369, Ferrara’s italics).
Step 4
One single listening for ontological meaning interprets the previous observations and descriptions.
Poème électronique crystallizes what it means to live in the modern era where human existence,
marked by time and underlying primitivism, is surrounded by the sounds of technology.
Step 5
The thirteenth listening is an open listening. Ferrara is aware that he now retains the whole piece in
his memory. He experiences each sound in relation to the whole, and can reflect upon the form of
the piece, acknowledging the composer’s creativity and control of contrast and variety. The opposi-
tion between human life and unfeeling technology makes a strong impact.
Ferrara’s focus: uncovering meaning
Ferrara’s descriptions include feeling, movement, gesture, space, temporal relations and tactile qual-
ities. However, it is conspicuous that he does not thematize or discuss these modes of experience.
He takes the experience for granted, contrary to Clifton, who feels obliged to discuss every single act
of musical experience as a constituent of music’s reality. Ferrara acknowledges that music is already