Systems Theoretical Modelling of the 20th Century Music

(An Endeavour to the Categorization)

ZUZANA MARTINÁKOVÁ-RENDEKOVÁ
Faculty of Music – Department of Music Theory
Academy of Arts, Banská Bystrica
Jána Kollára 22, SK-974 01 Banská Bystrica
SLOVAKIA

Abstract: - We can see the 20th Century Music as a bigger dynamic whole, i.e. as a system. Systems theoretical
approach and synergetics as a special type of systems theoretical modelling enable to analyse relations of elements,
processes and functions in the system and in interrelation with the system environment. Three main subsystems could
be observed in the system of 20th Century Music: Modernism, New Music and Postmodernism. However the older
subsystem of Music of Romanticism and the origin of a new paradigm for which we do not have the name, interfere
with the system of 20th Century Music. Special relations exist between the attributes of these subsystems impacted by
the rules examined by synergetics. My attempt in this study is based on the assumption that it is possible to set up a
systems theoretical model of 20th Century Music as a self-organising system. The understanding of laws in self-
organising and self-regulating systems plays an important role in the modelling of the 20th Century Music.

Key-Words: - 20th Century Music, Categorization, Feedbacks, Attractors, Self-organizing System

1 Introduction1 reflection of reality (a phenomenon), is created when

The 20 th century music2 is represented by a great
number of stylistic tendencies, currents, orientations,
lines, directions3 reflected in musicology by different,
more or less adequate concepts. A concept, as a
1 Results published in this study precede a long-
time collaboration with the professor of
synergetics and quantitative linguistics at the
University in Trier Reinhard Köhler and the
professor of mathematical linguistics Gabriel
Altmann who was many years active at the
University in Bochum. I am deeply grateful to
the both scientists for relevant advices and
remarks to the subject of my study.
2 In 20th century music several stylistic genres
can be distinguished, which can be subdivided
not only in classical music which is the subject
of interest in this study, but also – e.g. into jazz
(bop, progressive jazz, cool, west coast, hard
bop, soul jazz, free jazz, jazz rock etc.); rock
(rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country and
western, Mersey sound etc.); pop, folk and their
different combinations, also with other arts (rock
and theatre, rock and film, television etc.).
3 The term style is used in two meanings: in a
broader sense as the style of a certain period, in a
narrower sense as the style of a composer. It is a
relationship: system – subsystem (See:
Michajlov, M. K.: Style in Music. Bratislava
1985. Adler, G.: Der Stil in der Musik. Leipzig
1911. 2nd Edition 1929). Tendencies, currents,
orientations, lines and directions can be
considered more or less synonyms although there
are small quantitative differences.
sufficiently crystallised significant traits exist that
differentiate it from other phenomena; i.e. germs of
studied phenomena – in music of a certain stylistic mode
– occur earlier than the concept is formed.
Every categorisation is undoubtedly connected with
simplification. However, every categorisation, even if
simplified, can more or less cover the phenomenon
examined, in this case it is 20th Century Music. The more
complex and dynamic the phenomenon is, the harder it
can be covered. There is a need of a more demanding
methodological approach, which examines the
phenomenon from the aspect of integrity and complexity.
Systems theoretical modelling enables to analyse this
phenomenon in interaction with its structure, processes
and functions in the system and with its sub- and super-
systems. Synergetics as a special type of systems
theoretical modelling is compatible with the functional
analytic models and approaches of quantitative methods
in musicology. Like other self-organising systems
(language, fine art, various biological and social
systems, etc.), music is characterised by the presence of
cooperative and competitive processes, which affect the
dynamics of the system.
2 Processes in 20th Century Music
 Let us consider the 20th Century Music4 to be
a system and examine the processes which have lead to
more fundamental changes and are so relevant for our
objective that is categorisation of 20th Century Music, by
means of systems theory and synergetics.
The system of 20th Century Music as a part of the
super-system Music5 can be considered as a dynamic,
open (constantly changing) and emergent6 system, in
which the following aspects operate:
– forces leading to changes, phase transitions etc.
– needs from system environment, e.g. needs of
human people, society, culture etc.
– order parameters in the sense of synergetics
– emergent laws managing self-regulation.
Let us examine the aspects mentioned above in the
system of 20th Century Music. There are two forces
principally which have an effect on forming the system
and its changing: competitive and cooperative.
Competitive forces bring destabilisation into the system,
cooperative forces, on the contrary, lead to system
stabilisation. These forces are determined by the needs
of the system environment. If there were suitable
conditions for changes in the style of music (art) at the
turn of 19th and 20th century in Europe, determined by
both artists’ and recipients’ need for innovation,
competitive forces7 started to operate, one of them trying
4 We have to specify what we understand under
the notion 20th century music which does not
comprise global tendencies in music over the
whole world but tendencies being a result of
European development and in this meaning the
term comprises also tendencies in the music of
the USA or some other countries and continents
following this development.
5 Systems do not really exist, that are us who
look at the phenomena being investigated as
a system. If music is considered to be a system,
at the same time it is the part of a higher system
(macro-, supra-, super-, or mega-system) that is
art, art is then the part of a higher system –
culture etc. It depends on the point of view what
we shall consider a starting system out of which
relations to sub- and super-systems will develop.
6 We speak about emergent systems if a higher
form of system existence arises from a lower
form and in the process of evolution new
relations are acquired.
7 Several biological self-organising systems
where the competitive forces operate (e.g. fight
between foxes and rabbits) are described by
synergetics.
to preserve the old state (paradigm8), the other one trying
to break it.
Processes evoked by these forces caused
destabilisation of the system (here: the subsystem of
Music of Romanticism) and lead to the change of the
state of the system, in this case to the extinction of the
old state of the system and to forming a new state of the
system (style or paradigm), which dissolve mutually. In
20th Century Music several subsystems, though not entire
overlap: the last phase of the subsystem of Music of
Romanticism, the subsystem of Modernism, New Music9
and Postmodernism, as a phase of a new system
existence the name of which has not been crystallised
yet.
In self-organising systems the processes are mostly
not deterministic10 but stochastic, probabilistic (the
frequency of styles in music e.g. conforms to stochastic
processes of origin and extinction, which are connected
with an effort for multidimensional system optimisation
which can be liable to changes during the process of
development. In communication systems, where music is
also included, it means a tendency for the optimisation
of a situation in the process of communication between
the transmitting part and the receiving one. In human
behaviour there can be generally observed an unceasing
endeavour to minimise effort, which causes the forming
of competitive forces on the both sides of the
communication channel.
This minimisation regards:
– minimisation of memory effort
– minimisation of coding (i.e. creation) and
minimisation of decoding (perception) effort
– minimisation of coding (i.e. creation) and
minimisation of decoding
– minimisation of production and reproduction
effort
8 The term paradigm or a historical type of
rationality is elaborated in philosophy. It is
considered the way of man’s historically
determined adaptation and reflection of the
world. Kuhn used the term “paradigm”, Lakatos
“scientific program”, Popper “first, second, third
world”, Jaroshevsky “categorical network”,
Zelený “rationality”. Kuhn, T.: Štruktúra
vedeckých revolúcií (The Structure of Scientific
Revolutions). Bratislava 1982; Zelený, J.:
Pojednání o dialektice (Treatise about
Dialectics). Prague 1982.
9 The notion New Music is only subsidiary
because it evokes artistic orientation after the
World War II in Europe and not the whole
subsystem having been lasted approximately
from the beginning of the 20th century until now.
10 The following state can be predicted from the
previous state, which determines it.
 In practice it means that at minimal effort an optimal
effect should be achieved. In the process of
communication this objective can face two contradictory
endeavours which cause destabilisation of the system
leading to a compromise in the following stage and thus
to optimisation of processes evoking system stability.
3 Systems Theoretical Model of 20th
Century Music
Let us simulate processes in 20th century music by
making a system-theoretical model of the system of 20th
Century Music.
In certain phases, when the state of the system or
subsystem is stabilized, need for innovation, causing that
the old system or subsystem (e.g. subsystem of Music of
Romanticism) is not suitable for new demands and needs
and thus coming into the state of passing away, arise. At
the same time a new system or subsystem (e.g. of the
Modernism) is being born, entering the state of
originating. It can be characterised as a period of
progressive overcoming characteristics of the old
paradigm (Music of Romanticism). This state is an
intersection of the final state of the decline of the system
or subsystem (e.g. Music of Romanticism in the phase of
late Romanticism). There comes to the destabilisation of
the system (in our case of the subsystem Music of
Romanticism), to the chaotic situation determined by the
coexistence of the new and old expressions. The system
has to come to the state of stabilisation and order. This is
also supported by the needs and demands from the
environment: need for confirmation (Cnf), i.e.
confirmation of the situation, is dominating compared to
the previous need for innovation (Nov).
The need for innovation in the phase of late
Romanticism caused the formation of new musical
expressions of Modernism and the decline of the Music
of Romanticism. Later it lead to the origin of new
conceptions in music designated as New Music,
respectively Avant-garde Music, which are in
comparison with the Modernism not only the gradual
overcoming but the negation of tradition as an old
paradigm. This state, caused by the need of
confirmation, leads to the stabilisation of the subsystem
New Music as most of the expressions being created are
directed by the principles of the new paradigm. After
longer period of stability the subsystem of New Music
had to come inevitably into the state of instability, which
was evoked by the need for innovation from outside (i.e.
from the environment) again. The first phase of a new
subsystem called Postmodernism is being born. It
represents the state of the decline of New Music and at
the same time the state of the origin of a new paradigm
for which we do not have the name but we can assume
its basic features.
20th Century Music
Nov Cnf Nov Cnf Nov Cnf
Romanticism Modernism New Music Post- ?
modernism
Fig.1: Alternation of the Need for Innovation and the Need for
Confirmation
3.1 Feedback Effect
Order parameters play an important role in self-
regulating and self-organising systems. These parameters
operate as regulators balancing extreme situations in the
system. A regulator in mechanic systems such as heating
system prevents enormous extending or decreasing of
the optimal air temperature. On the other hand there are
no regulators at the entry given by technicians or
constructors in the self-regulating systems. These
regulators are being created gradually from the inner
parts of the system and its environment: e.g. in the
nature it is the regulation of bio-organism population
(e.g. choice of sex, regulation between foxes and rabbits,
predators and their prey) as well as between flora and
fauna, earth and water, coldness and warmness etc. It is,
so called, circular causality or feedback effect causing
the oscillation of the system states as a pendulum with
the aim to reach the balance or the optimal state.
Circular causalities can be observed in music as well:
e.g. in the state of expanding rational approach (r), of
depersonalising and objectivism (o) or strict, so called
atticistic style (at) the regulator starts to be active and
moves the situation to another pole (feedback effect) to
the state of preferring of irrational approach (ir), of
subjectivism (s) and free asianistic style (as).
Somewhere between these extremes an optimal situation
resulting from compromises can be found.
extreme optimal state extreme
Fig.2: Operation of feedback effect
The feedback effects and recursive processes are
permanently present in keeping balance between using
extreme means in composition: e.g. the exaggeration of
rational sophistic techniques in the phase of Avant-garde
music must naturally effects other extreme, i.e.
Postmodernism.
Norbert Wiener, the founder of cybernetics, describes
two types of feedback effects: the positive and the
negative ones. The positive or recursive effect leads to
system destabilisation and to chaos, while the negative
effect tends to get out of chaos to system stabilisation. In
nature there are the cycles: origin and death, increasing
and decreasing of different kinds of bio-organisms and
so on.
Similar recursive processes can be observed in music.
In the history of European Music there are e.g.
alternating of contrasting features in style paradigms
mentioned above (objective-constructive versus
subjective; rational versus irrational; strict versus free
and so on).
Baroque Classicism Romanticism 20thCentury Music
Rococo early Moder- New Postmo-
Romant. nism Music dernism
s, ir, at o, r, at s, ir, as o, r, at s, ir, as
Fig.3: Operation of recursive processes
3.2 Attractors
Let us consider some other factors in self-organising
systems and apply them to the categorisation of the 20th
Century Music.
Order parameter in the sense of synergetics “tells”
the systems how to behave11. This parameter is in our
case a human need causing that the system of music or
some of its subsystems is developing towards an
objective where it can become stable. The following
needs can also operate as order parameters: minimisation
of memory effort, of perception, of coding and decoding,
optimisation of the state of music or parameters of
composition, minimisation of production and
reproduction effort as well as need for innovation or
confirmation etc. At the same time these needs evoke
processes, in physics described as dynamic attractors.
There are different types of attractors: point, cyclic
and chaotic attractor. The point attractor is formed in the
situation resembling to shape of a bowl – so called basin
of attraction – into which a ball is situated. This ball will
move on trajectories chaotically until it stabilises in one
point on the bottom of the bowl. Cyclic attractors are
characteristic for systems with periodically repeated
trajectories (e.g. hanging pendulum). Chaotic attractors
(also called strange) represent systems, which will
stabilise in no point, no exactly repeated trajectory, but
11 Compare: Haken, H.: Synergetics. An
introduction. Berlin, Springer 1978.
point trajectories are always chaotic (e.g. the famous
Lorenz attractor).
More complicated systems such as evolution systems
– to which music and its subsystems belong – are
characterised by complicated processes influencing more
order parameters at the same time and also characterised
by processes resembling to the cyclic and chaotic
attractors. From this point of view the creating of these
tendencies (of style expressions but also of changes in
the field of individual musical parameters) in the 20 th
century music was not evoked by linear dynamic, i.e.
deterministic processes and it can not be assumed or
derived from the previous development.
The need for innovation in the phase of decay of the
music of Romanticism leads to a change and to a new
paradigm. Some of its characteristic attributes are
predictable, as we mentioned above, however the
concrete steps and processes leading e.g. to birth of
Expressionism, Futurism, determinism in serial and
? multiserial music, later to indeterminism in the form of
aleatoric conceptions, Fluxus motion etc. are not
predictable. We can predict the change having the nature
of a law from deterministic to indeterministic
conceptions (and in the future the other way round),
however, the exact way representing the change can be
not predicted. Certain need from the outside (e.g. the
need of innovation already mentioned) acts as an order
parameter end “enslaves” all the other processes towards
the goal – i.e. to the newness of the artistic expression.
These arising expressions have the attribute of
“newness”, however, they can have an
innumerable amount of various forms. The rise of
attractors in the music or art is always an act of self-
organization controlled by different needs of man.
4 Conclusion
This brief outline of factors influencing the character
of 20th century music and thus also its way of
categorisation is far from having been used up. The goal
was more an attempt to show the complexity of
evolution and self-organising systems like Music and its
subsystems and to stimulate to a different way of
thinking about music as it has been until now. If we
accept the theorem of Music being a self-organising and
self-regulating system, then we have to admit that
besides variables entities (rules) given by conventions in
certain historical periods (e.g. the way of creating and
combining chords in tonal harmony) there exist invariant
entities (laws) as well, discovering of which should be
the main goal of scientific oriented musicology.
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