Musical Texure

Learning Objective
This course aims to:

  1. raise an awareness of the textural domain of music
  2. provide tools for the analysis of musical texture 
  3. give students tools to compose using texture as a creative starting point
  4. expose students to twentieth- and twenty-first-century repertoire

Course Content

Texture is one of the most important elements of music but also one of the least understood ones. In the twentieth century, the term ‘texture’ became widely used in musicians’ discourse, yet even today, after so many composers explored this aspect of music, a formal understanding of texture is lacking. During the course, we will examine texture as a perceptual phenomenon, explore how we experience texture, and develop conceptual tools to describe it. Furthermore, we will engage in composition assignments.
The course is suitable for composers, jazz musicians, performers, and music theorists. Classes are conducted as lively discussions where students are encouraged to rely on their intuition and areas of expertise to develop a personal understanding of the topic. By the end, participants will have an opportunity to record a composition inspired by the course material.

Course details

teacher Amit Gur
term September 2024-June 2025
method of instruction Weekly seminars of 2 hours
course materials Ligeti, Kammerkonzert, Clocks and Clouds; Morton Feldman, Triadic Memories; Lutoslawski, Venetian games; Boulez, Derive; Takemitsu, November Steps; and many more.
assessment Attendance, active participation in lessons, weekly assignments and the oral presentation of an analysis.
credits 10
related electivesElectronic Music
  Instrumentation and Classical Arranging
  As Waters Rise: Musical Storytelling
Delen