in the style (?) of Josef Matthias Hauer.
nomos.pl
Builds the complete score, on a file nomoscor.txt. Then:copy nomoscor.txt somename
midi somenameThat makes the midi file somename.mid, that you can listen to. There is random dependence on time, so if you say
midi somename
later, you get a different sound file: the same notes, with other dynamics.
- The program uses a parameter list, of the form
rand_2345 ser_8b09a3241567
This means: initialize random generator with 2345, and use the series:8 11 0 9 10 3 2 4 1 5 6 7 (in the parameter ser, a=10, b=11) A♭ B C A B♭ E♭ D E C# F F# G Both rand and ser are optional; if ser is not specified, the series is generated at random.
- The program choses at random the number of (monophonic) voices. It also picks a time signature, 3/4 or 4/4.
Then, for each voice, it generates a rhythm, such that a measure contains
5, 7 or 11 notes (and possibly rests). The rhytms are rather simple, obtained by table-look-up in a short list;
they serve as talea, while the color is one of the linear aspects of the series,
at a random transposition. The talea is repeated 12 times, so the complete series is played 5, 7 or 11 times.
Whenever the series (or color) starts, the voice may become silent (for the following 12 notes) or a silent voice may become
"active", i.e. it will begin
playing sounds. Each voice has a certain range, similar to the usual SATB, and plays at some random dynamics.
- The procedure above is repeated a few times, with the same time signature.
- The result is a texture of variable thickness (depending on how many voice are active), at times broken by long measured rests (all voices silent).
It seems to me serene and unexpressionist, rather similar to what I have heard by Hauer.
Formally, it has free harmony – any tones may be sounded together. The numbers 5,7 and 11, which are relatively prime to 12, ensure different melodies in each measure. This trick is actually Hauer's, from 1913:
Notice the very tame rhythm, which "consumes" 5 notes of the series before repeating. This is actually a single voice, the only intervals are octaves.
Hauer, Nomos, Op. 19
- The program uses a parameter list, of the form
bnomos.pl
The same as above, but the rhythms are much more irregular. Although the piece stays in 3/4 or 4/4, each quarter is divided into 12, and these "shorties" may appear in any amount, e.g. a duration may be 5/48.cnomos.pl
The same as above, with irregular rhythms, but not too irregular. The piece stays in 3/4 or 4/4, and each quarter is divided into 12; but the subdivisions of a quarter are regular, either 3+3+3+3 (4 sixteenths) and 4+4+4 (plain triolets, 3 to a quarter note). These durations may be slurred, and thus 7/48 may appear since 7 = 3+4, but nothing much wilder. One can basically hear the 3 or 4 beats per measure.
orch-nomos.pl
The driver for an orchestral version of nomos. At random, the color is assigned to some non-piano midi instrument. Does not have tacet or general pauses and does not transpose the linear aspects (this could be easily changed). May be unplayable, as there are up to 4 piano voices in different rhythms, in arbitrary ranges. On the other hand, its melodies span the whole piano keyboard, and whenever the piano enters after an instrument, it will start playing in that instrument's range.It also ends with a short coda, concluding in a tonal cadence.
The instruction:
perl orch-nomos.pl rand_2345 ser_23750146ba98
This will generate the score onom2345 and the midi file onom2345.mid, by calling
perl dnomos.pl @ARGV > zero.txt
perl nomoscoda.pl > one.txt
copy headerondo.txt + nomoscor.txt +precodascore.txt + nomoscoda.txt onom$ID
midi onom$ID