Hierarchies and Performance Scores

Summary

As a synthesis of the structural parts described in Chapter 32 through Chapter 34 we establish the overall structure of performance. The objects of performance structure are understood as being an additional score type, called performance score, layered over the given “symbolic” score like a system of optical lenses which ‘deform’ the rigid configuration of note symbols. The performance score is a global object built from an atlas of local performance scores. A local performance score is built from a hierarchy of performance cells, the very core of performance structures. We first describe the category of performance cells. Local performance scores are defined by a hierarchical construction principle: They are particular diagrams in the category of performance cells. The conceptual and musical background of such local hierarchies is evidenced through a series of examples, including the piano and violin hierarchies. We end up with the definition and exemplification of the concept of a (global) performance score.