Desire, gratification and the moment: a music analytical and psychological enquiry into the role of repetition in the music of Howard Skempton, with a response by the composer

Abstract

The music of English experimental composer Howard Skempton has been described as strangely simple in acknowledgment of its combination of apparent artlessness and subtlety. Drawing on foundational and more recent psychological research on music and emotion, Cavett explores representative examples from Skempton's approximately 140 piano miniatures, written from his student days in the 1960s until this year. She proposes that Skempton's music creates a sense of expectation and thus desire through the creation of pattern repetition that is disrupted, only to be later re-engaged with, creating gratification and a sense of being 'in the moment'. Skempton then responds to Cavett's interpretation of his music from his unique perspective as the creator of the repertoire under consideration looking back across the trajectory of his creative career.

Peran Emosi dalam Interpretasi Musikal Musisi untuk Meningkatkan Kinerja Estetis: Studi Kasus Pada Pemain Cello dan Gitar

“…Penelitian (Demos, 2017;Cavett, 2022;Epstein, 1986) yang mengukur gerak tubuh beberapa musisi dengan beberapa kategori yang dibagi berdasarkan intensitas ekspresi yang diberlakukan pada score musik. Hasilnya menunjukan bahwa kecenderungan gerak berubah secara sistematis mengikuti perubahan frase demi frase dan tuntutan ekspresi.…”

Saru Pakareman: Refleksi Pengalaman Diri sebagai Practice-led Research

“…Sebuah studi terhadap karya-karya repetitif Howard Skempton menyatakan peran repetisi dari segi psikologis dapat menyebabkan rasa ekspektasi/harapan dan dengan demikian keinginan untuk membuat pengulangan pola yang terganggu, yang kemudian diciptakan kembali untuk menghadirkan sensasi kepuasan di momen tertentu (Cavett, 2022).…”

Music and Mathematics: Processing Repetition Techniques with the Least Common Multiple (LCM) in Rajékan Music Composition

“…A study of the repetitive works of Howard Skempton states the role of repetition from a psychological point of view can lead to a sense of expectation/expectation and thus the desire to make a repetition of disturbing patterns (Suhaya et al, 2020), which are then recreated to present a sensation of satisfaction in a particular moment (Cavett, 2022;Hananto & Sukerta, 2020). From the above statement, it can be concluded that reps play an important role in music.…”