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Essay
Nature 453, 1186-1187 (26 June 2008) | doi:10.1038/4531186a; Published online 25 June 2008
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Molecular Microbiologist
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Beyond the notes
Nicholas Cook1
- Nicholas Cook is director of the AHRC Research Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK. He is the author of The Schenker Project: Culture, Race and Music Theory in Fin-de-siècle Vienna.
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Abstract
The way performers shape notes brings music to life. Nicholas Cook argues that measuring these subtle changes can help us appreciate and replicate the performer's art.
The art of musical performance lies largely in nuance — in making notes longer or shorter than they are written, or in shaping their dynamics, articulation or pitch. Performers don't generally have explicit theories of these things, as it's all done by ear.
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