Gesamtkomposition and the digital opera: A Sentimental Journey. Issue 1 (2nd January 2016) - Vear, Craig
ABSTRACT: This article discusses the concept of Gesamtkomposition as a means with which to consider the mutual affection of sensorial media and its operational significance at the point of composition. It analyses and reflects upon the nature of such a concept, and evaluates its application through a major practice-based research project. This central work – A Sentimental Journey [Vear, C. 2010–2011. Composition] – was created for a mixed ensemble of technologies, live musicians, autonomous laptops embedded with generative algorithms accessing fixed media libraries, and was performed to remote audiences located across the planet. The composer, as author of this article, analyses the intermedial relationships within this digital opera, using Elleström's [2010. "The Modalities of Media: A Model for Understanding Intermedial Relations." In Media Borders, Multimodality and Intermediality, edited by L. Elleström. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan] model of multimodality in order to articulate the complexity within the mutual affection of this polymedia composition and as a way of defining Gesamtkomposition . The final section presents an overview of select phenomenologies that contribute to a deeper understanding of the experience of Gesamtkomposition.