• Thesis Title: Connections between Music and Poetry: An Extrapolation of the Concept of Timbre Melody in the Poetry–Music Continuum​​​​​

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• University: Catholic University of Argentina - UCA (Universidad Católica Argentina - UCA)

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• Year 2024

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• Final grade: 10/10.

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• Abstract: A study that explores the relationships between music and poetry through the concept of timbre melody, proposing an interdisciplinary approach to the poetry–music continuum.

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The research examines how literary texts—primarily avant-garde poetic texts—can be used for musical purposes, that is, appropriated as sound materials. The sounds of language, its phonemes, are brought to the fore from a strictly musical perspective through an extrapolation of the concept of sound-mass melody within the text–music continuum.

The object of study encompasses the period from 1921 (considered the starting point due to the creation of Kurt Schwitters’s Ursonate, regarded as one of the major contributions to phonetic poetry) to 1999 (taken as the concluding year of the twentieth century). The research brings together the thoughts, reflections, and theories of various authors who have recognized the presence of musical characteristics in language, thereby tracing relevant historical precedents. These include reflections by philosophers such as Plato (360 BCE), Rousseau (1712–1778), Nietzsche (1844–1900), Adorno (1903–1969), and Cacciari (1944); composer Arnold Schönberg (1874–1951); literary artists such as Stevens (1879–1955) and T. S. Eliot (1888–1965); and linguist, phonologist, and literary theorist Roman Jakobson (1896–1982). The research also analyzes both poetic-literary and musical works, identifying points of contact and divergence in the creative development of the two arts, as well as various possibilities for interaction between poetry and music.

Among the literary movements of the first half of the twentieth century, the research examines works and movements such as Italian Futurism (with artists such as Marinetti), Russian Futurism, Dadaism (with artists such as Hugo Ball and Tristan Tzara), and the poetry of other significant artists such as Raoul Hausmann and Kurt Schwitters. In the second half of the century, movements such as Lettrism, Ultralettrism, Concrete Poetry, and Sound Poetry were considered, with artists such as Henri Chopin, Bernard Heidsieck, and Ernst Jandl. Likewise, several Hispanic movements and artists were addressed, including Positivism and Linguistic Conceptual Art; Problemática 63; the Zag Group; Juan Eduardo Cirlot; Xavier Sabater; J. V. Foix; Josep Palau i Fabre; and the Generation of '45, with particular emphasis in the latter case on an analysis of the poetic work of Amanda Berenguer.

Among the twentieth-century composers addressed in the research are John Cage (1912–1992), György Ligeti (1923–2006), Cathy Berberian (1925–1983), Luciano Berio (1925–2003), Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007), Helmut Lachenmann (1935), Steve Reich (1936), and Georges Aperghis (1945).

Florencia Sirena substantiates the hypothesis of her doctoral thesis through the composition of seven original musical works, which are presented and analyzed both aesthetically and technically in the dissertation. These include: Crash Dummies (a staged work for chamber orchestra, solo voices, and narrator); schtzngrmm – based on a poem by Ernst Jandl (for two C flutes—one of which changes to piccolo—and reciter); Fonema – based on the poem schtzngrmm by Ernst Jandl (for two C flutes—one of which changes to bass flute—and cello); Binario (for C flute—with changes to bass flute and piccolo—, B♭ clarinet—with changes to B♭ bass clarinet and E♭ sopranino clarinet—and soprano); Voces caprichosas (an open-form staged work for violin, piano, five solo voices—three female and two male—and percussion); Filoso como vidrio roto – based on a poem by Amanda Berenguer (for soprano, percussion—triangles, tambourine, book, and papers—and electronics); and Ursonate – based on the poem by Kurt Schwitters (for flute—changing to bass flute—, B♭ clarinet—changing to bass clarinet—, percussion, piano, violin, cello, and reciter—First Movement).

The poems used in these musical works encompass different languages, varying degrees of semantic intelligibility, and different authors, including poetry written by the composer herself, Florencia Sirena. In these works, the acoustic characteristics of the literary texts are translated or reinterpreted through the technical possibilities of the instruments, becoming mutually integrated. This is referred to as the poetry–music continuum.

The extrapolation of the concept of sound-mass melody within the poetry–music continuum refers to a sound-mass melody that is not based solely on instrumental timbre, as has traditionally been the case, but rather is grounded in the timbre of poetry—with its own sonic qualities and rules—as well as in the instrumental timbre proper to music. In other words, it is situated within the continuum between the timbres of the spoken voice in the recitation of poetry and the timbres of different musical instruments (or electronics).

Based on the concept of sound-mass melody, it is possible to apply technical procedures of variation and development. In both cases, the research evaluates which instruments and techniques—whether extended or conventional—may be suitable for imitating the characteristics of language, as well as possible methods of ordering and organizing, and relationships between linguistic material (isolated into minimal structures such as phonetic units, syllables, words, groups of words, sentences, etc.) and musical composition.

The significance of this study lies in its theoretical and practical contribution to the conception and practice of musical composition. Through the sound-mass melody established between the sounds of language and the sounds proper to music, new possibilities for musical creation are expanded.

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• Musical works resulting from the research process: The research process has given rise to a series of musical works written for diverse instrumental ensembles and vocal formations, including:

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1. CRASH DUMMIES -  Scenic piece for chamber orchestra, solo voices and reciter 

2. VOCES CAPRICHOSAS - open and scenic piece for violin, piano, solo voices and percussion 

3. SCHTZNGRMM -ABOUT A POEM BY ERNST JANDL - for flute duo and reciter

4. BINARIO - for flute, clarinet and soprano 

5. FONEMA 2 / PHONEME 2 -about the poem schtzngrmm by Ernst Jandl-  for flute duo and cello

6.  FILOSO COMO VIDRIO ROTO - scenic piece for soprano, percussion and electronics 

7. URSONATE - for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, cello and reciter 

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• Link to download the full text and scores: Currently in the publication process. Available soon.

       The scores are available in PDF format in the Works Catalogue and Sheet Music section of this website.

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