Aleatorism

From DIMA

Aleatoric music, the term derives from “alea” which in Latin means “dice” and defines a music subjected to chance. There existed in the history of music sortisatio (Lat. Random music), mentioned in the treaties of the 16th century, as opposed to compositio (Lat. Fixed music). The aleatorism is linked with the improvisation phenomenon. In the evolution of contemporary music, indetermination was an assault against the institutionalized Serialism.

There are two types of situations:

• 1. The composer considers the work drawn when the structures are defined, leaving to the performer, more or less, the liberty of articulation and superposing these structures, as well as the option regarding the duration of the work;
• 2. The composer makes a firm plan for the macrostructure of the piece, the performer having to make concrete the micro-structural level, choosing versions for the configuration of the details.

These two situations can be applied within the same work, the purpose being the stimulation of the capacity for initiative of the performers and to obtain some sounds or globalised acoustic structures.

A first representative is John Cage, the exponent of the American School, Aleatoric music becoming an artistic movement. Aleatoric music also imposed itself through graphism, Textcomposition, forms of approximation which place under question the author rights, draeing near the free improvisation inspired by jazz. Theoreticians of Aleatoric music, Cornelius Cardew and Michael Nyman, proposed the annulment of the borders between group musical activities and individual ones, between professionals and amateurs.