Instrumental infrastructure, instrumental sculpture and instrumental scores: A post-instrumental practice
Devenish, Louise · Monash University Research Portal (Monash University) · 2021
Over the past two decades, evolutions in musical practice have seen increasing diversification of the tools, medium and methods used in new western art music. A renewed focus on the integration of non-sonic materials not normally associated with music has emerged, with an emphasis on practices exploring how these materials are used in performance. Numerous musicians, reviewers, educators and scholars have attempted to describe and define these practices in writings, resulting in the emergence of new terminologies. This article identifies some key terminologies in current discourse, then discusses how words and language contribute to development of music practices. Trends in the integration of non-sonic materials are examined, including brief case studies of works exploring instrumental infrastructure, instrumental sculpture and instrumental scores. Finally, the notion of post-instrumental practice is proposed as a means to draw together some of the key themes and processes in current praxis.