Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Paper Accepted for International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition

I got word today that my proposed presentation of my work of the past 50 years on the individual's awareness of subconscious responses to sound has been accepted by the International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition, to take place in Seoul, Korea in August.

I am, of course, honored at the prospect of presenting Tonal Refraction to such an esteemed gathering.  In order to get there I must raise the air fare within this week, as they need to know by March 18 that I am coming.

I ask your help in making this important step materialize.  You may give online or contact me for other options. All of my work has been undertaken independent of academic affiliation as it does not fit any existing categories.  This makes every aspect of this recognition all the more meaningful.

Please help it take place!  And thanks.  www.tonalrefraction.com

Awakened by a Note

Not just any note: This is the all-too-familiar yet totally baffling first note on the violin of Beethoven's "Spring" Sonata, Op. 24, subject of Vol. III of Tone Perception Visualized.  Why does it wake me up?

  • It is too long
  • It is difficult to tune
  • It doesn't really go anywhere
  • Yet it eventually becomes four closely connected As in unison with the piano
  • Later to turn into trills, also in unison with the piano
No wonder it wakes me up.

Is there a possibility that Beethoven is telling me something I hadn't thought of before?  I had known that this sonata is about the difference between tones that are stable and tones that move, usually by sliding rather by articulated motion.  But this is a kind of tone motion I had not yet figured out.