From Perception research to the aesthetics of experience: construction of auditive space by means of music and its technology

• Applicant: Privatdozentin Dr. Martha Brech
• Subject Area: Musicology
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 310514718

Auditive space has many facets and in most cases its presentation is linked to the individual position of a listener. Since the early 1920ies it can be produced and designed by technical means. Until the end o the analogue era (aprox. mid 1980ies) many different electroacoustic devices, production and simulation techniques were developed for the use of composers and audio artists. Their use in spatial audio works is orientated on the works spatial concept witch is determined by the technology at the same time. All in all, a huge number of different auditive space presentations and spatial constructions exist and in different ways, too, they take the individual listeners views into consideration. The aim of the research project is to explore the history of auditive spatial constructions produced with electroacoustic means, to classify them and to trace the aesthetic consequences of this development. Therefore, a number of analogue electroacoustic spatial compositions and audio works will be analyzed in regards to the artistic spatial concept, the display of the auditive space and the use of special technical devices and production modes on basis of scores, sketches, interviews, sound and video recordings etc. The selection of the works to be analysed considers the use of spatial devices and production modes documented in the first phase of the research project, the use of commercial devices, the different listeners perspectives and the time of their origin. In a last step, the relation of the selected works to the aesthetics of experience and perception will be regarded.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants