Palindromic Thinking in Contemporary Composition: Creative Techniques and Aesthetic Implications

Authors

  • Haiyue Wang Academy of Arts and Creative Technology (ACT), University Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Author
  • Lee Chie Tsang Isaiah Academy of Arts and Creative Technology (ACT), University Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51191/issn.2637-1898.2023.6.11.130

Keywords:

palindrome, pattern of reversal, composition, repetition, ambiguity, symmetry

Abstract

The aim of this research is to investigate the meaning of the palindrome in the musical work Huiwen, with a focus on its form of performance and composition, as well as the concept of the palindrome itself. In order to clarify and deepen the understanding of the palindrome in compositional writing, this study intends to explore and analyze the use of the palindrome in various compositional domains, ultimately explaining the musical compositional significance of this technique.

Chapter One provides a detailed examination of the palindrome and its relation to similar concepts, including repetition and ambiguity. Chapter Two examines the implications of the palindrome’s involvement in different areas of composition, demonstrating its close association with physical meanings and creative intentions. Chapter Three discusses the musical work Huiwen and its use of the palindrome in detail, focusing on the various forms of palindrome within and between the parts. In conclusion, this study highly the unique function and influence of the palindrome in music in that it requires the composer to seek out and understand the specific forms and derived meanings of the palindrome in order to achieve abstraction based on existing concepts.

Author Biographies

  • Haiyue Wang, Academy of Arts and Creative Technology (ACT), University Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

    Wang Hai Yue is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Sabah, ACT, under Dr. Lee Chie Tsang. In 2019, piano trio work Ci has been short-listed to be performed in UiTM-klpac The 10th Composers Concert Series 2019's Piano Trio Composition Workshop. In 2021, piano trio work Si Jiu City has been short-listed to be performed in UiTM-klpac The 11st Composers Concert Series 2021's Piano Trio Composition Workshop.

    Her current work explores and composes ideas related to Chinese musical traditions in order to provoke reflection on cultural contexts, spatial and disintegration and reintegration in her compositional work. Her music evokes the notion of disintegration and reintegration, the state of music in its different timbres, rhythmic structures, interacting forces, etc., combining aspects of Chinese musical traditions with contemporary musical timbres and techniques.

  • Lee Chie Tsang Isaiah, Academy of Arts and Creative Technology (ACT), University Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

    Lee Chie Tsang Isaiah is a Malaysian composer known for his works that reflect his cultural and educational background. His compositions blend Asian performance aesthetics, western contemporary classical approaches, and indigenous East-Malaysian (Kadazandusun) ritual forms, conveying energy as a flowing movement and significant colour. Currently, he focuses on exploring and reframing interdisciplinary perspectives related to hybrid oral traditions found in East Malaysia to stimulate new possibilities for sounds, spaces, and creativity in his compositions.

    Chie Tsang has various prizes and commissions. He was a finalist in the KLCMF, Forme Uniche della Continuita nello Spazio International Composition Competition (Melbourne), and TMC International Composition Competition 2011. (Taiwan). He collaborated with Jean Penny, Peter Veale, Adam Bowles, Dirk Amrein, Jürg Hennegerge, Bridget Carey, Chong Kee Xin Anna, Timothy O'Dwyer, Ensemble Mosaik, Studio Musikfabrik, Discord Workshop, Sirius Quartet, Ensemble Offspring, Atlas Ensemble, and Quartet Bozzini. USA, Australia, UK, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, and Albania have performed his music.

    Chie Tsang is ACT's music programme head and a member of a committee of the The Society of Malaysian Contemporary Composers (SMCC).

Cover for the 11th issue of the INSAM Journal. Designer: Milan Šuput

Downloads

Published

15.12.2023

Issue

No. 11 (2023): Technological Aspects of Contemporary Artistic and Scientific Research II

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2023 INSAM Journal of Contemporary Music, Art and Technology

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

You are free to:

  1. Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
  2. The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

Under the following terms:

  1. Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
  2. NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes .
  3. NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
  4. No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

How to Cite

Palindromic Thinking in Contemporary Composition: Creative Techniques and Aesthetic Implications. (2023). INSAM Journal of Contemporary Music, Art and Technology, 11, 130-150. https://doi.org/10.51191/issn.2637-1898.2023.6.11.130
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC