THE GRID AS A VISUAL COMPOSITION TOOL IN MORTON FELDMAN’S MUSIC
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbmusica.2025.spiss4.06Keywords:
Morton Feldman, Graphic notation, Grid, Experimental music, Visual influenceAbstract
This article examines Morton Feldman’s use of graphic notation, focusing on the grid as both a compositional device and a visual framework. Feldman’s innovative approach reflects his search for a musical language that transcended conventional notation and emphasized sound as an autonomous phenomenon. The evolution of his grids, from early box structures to later flexible forms, illustrates his adaptability and his concern with balancing clarity and openness. By analyzing selected scores, including Intersection 2, and The King of Denmark, the study demonstrates how Feldman’s graphic methods shaped the relationship between composer, performer, and audience.
References
Clemens Gresser. Morton Feldman Says: Selected Interviews and Lectures 1964–1987. Ed. by Chris Villars. Music and Letters, vol. 88, no. 4, November 2007.
Cline D. In: The Graph Music of Morton Feldman. Music since 1900. Cambridge University Press; 2016.
DeLio, Thomas. The Music of Morton Feldman. Excelsior Music Publishing Company, 1995.
Friedman, B. H. (ed.). Give My Regards to Eighth Street: Collected Writings of Morton Feldman. Cambridge, MA: Exact Change, 2000.
IMMA. Vertical Thoughts: Morton Feldman and the Visual Arts. Irish Museum of Modern Art, 31 March–27 June 2010. https://imma.ie/whats-on/vertical-thoughts-morton-feldman-and-the-visual-arts/
Nattiez, J. J. (ed.). The Boulez-Cage Correspondence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai Musica
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
