Introduction to Spatial Music

• Spatial music explores physical and perceived spaces in composition.
• Involves arrangement of performers and audience, and acoustic properties.
• Creates illusions of space within music.
• Explores historical and modern techniques.

General Classification of Spatial Designs

• Acoustic environments overview
• Sound-space types
• Categories of mobility
• Impact on listener perception

Acoustic Environments

• Enclosed space examples
• Open-air space challenges
• Variable space dynamics
• Private, virtual listening spaces

Sound-Space Types

• Real sound-space characteristics
• Virtual sound-space elements
• Mixed sound-space integration
• Examples of sound-space usage

Categories of Mobility

• Static performers, static audience
• Mobile performers, static audience
• Static performers, mobile audience
• Mobile performers, mobile audience

Spatial Arrangements in Music

• Point: A soloist centrally located for an intimate focus.
• Line Segment: Performers arranged in a line, as in Ton de Leeuw’s Car nos vignes sont en fleur.
  • Listen here.
• Two Line Segments: Two groups facing each other from a distance, as in Louis Andriessen’s Hoketus.
  • Watch here.
• Triangle: Three ensembles positioned to form a triangle, used in Stockhausen’s Gruppen.
  • Watch here.

More Spatial Arrangements

• Square: Four choirs positioned at the corners of a square, as in Stockhausen’s Carré.
• Hexagon: Six percussionists in a hexagon, as in Xenakis’s Persephassa.
  • Watch here.
• Circle: Performers surrounding the audience in a circle, such as in Xenakis’s Terretektorh or Henry Brant’s Orbits.
  • Watch Orbits here.
• Sphere: A spherical arrangement of sound sources surrounding the audience, envisioned by Stockhausen in Spiral.

Electronic Spatialization and Installations

• Electronic music expanded spatial possibilities with multi-channel setups.
• Stockhausen’s Kontakte uses rotating speakers to create movement in sound.
  • Listen here.
• Oliveros’s Deep Listening merges environmental acoustics with musical improvisation.
  • Listen here.
• Installations like Dream House and Forty Part Motet offer immersive sound environments.
  • Watch Dream House, Watch Forty Part Motet.

Audience as a Speaker Array

• The audience can actively participate in creating spatial music.
• Dialtones: A Telesymphony used mobile phones as part of the performance.
  • Watch here.
• OK GO’s Needing/Getting turned a car into a spatial instrument.
  • Watch here.
• Modern performances utilize apps for audience interaction and spatial effects.