The Necks - an acoustic experiment ; Places
- Publication Type:
- Thesis
- Issue Date:
- 2013
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This submission for the Doctor of Creative Arts is in two parts.
The first part is a written, analytical discussion of the work of the ambient,
minimalist, free improvising Australian trio, The Necks. Despite the emerging
interest in the trio on an international scale, few formal academic writings have been
compiled. The thesis adopts a research-led practice methodology and framework
whereby research has informed both the thesis and creative work. Research methods
employed include qualitative interviews with musicians as well as qualitative and
quantitative musicological focus when dealing with textual and musical analyses of
recorded material. I argue that The Necks’ body of work is an acoustic experiment,
situating it in terms of its hybrid nature. Whilst The Necks’ musical tracks are a
sonic experiment in their own right, their music does not constitute the totality of the
individual members’ output. I will show how the influences from other genres and
musical styles when combined with the free improvising approach of The Necks
create the acoustic experiment. The link with American minimalists, global and local
performers and world music is considered. The theme of landscape, place and
location is explored throughout the thesis. The relationship between the environment
and The Necks’ performances is significant, and often features in their album titles.
Included is a document (Appendix B) that contains transcriptions of their main
musical themes relevant to the analyses of The Necks’ body of work. These are
specific examples from which various conclusions are derived in order to prove the
theory that their work is usefully described as an acoustic experiment.
The second part of the Doctor of Creative Arts is the creative component. Chapter 8,
‘Notes on the Creative Project Places CD’, accompanies a compact disc (CD) audio
recording which is an original body of work exploring contemporary improvising
practices. I have composed and performed a set of piano pieces based on the theme
of location, place and identity. This links with a section in the thesis, Chapter 6,
‘Landscape Place Location – Townsville’. I have explored a number of ways the
acoustic piano can create subtle shadings in tone colour. The solo piano works of
Chris Abrahams have been a source of inspiration and I refer specifically to his
album Glow (2001) in discussing the evolution of my own work. I have also been
influenced by Debussy’s tone colours, use of the pedal and his impressionistic solo
piano compositions. Asian music and the art of simplicity and clarity has been a
contributing stylistic consideration. Repetition and minimalism are also explored in
ways of creating new sound.
Thelonious Monk’s bold, angular, percussive style and the music of free improvising
jazz pianists such as Cecil Taylor, Carla and Paul Bley are other influences.
Australian jazz pianists such as Mike Nock and Roger Frampton (my teachers) and
the way colours, new sounds and new music are created in a contemporary
Australian context are inspirational for this work.
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