For the Departments' latest Music Research Seminar, we welcomed Dr Caroline Rae (Reader in Music, Cardiff University).
Dr Rae presented on her current work exploring the significance of the golden section – or “divine proportion” – in the music of the twentieth-century French composer, André Jolivet. Caroline’s research sheds new light on Jolivet’s Second Cello Concerto, in particular, revealing new aspects of the work’s structure and dynamism thanks to a detailed understanding of the composer’s extensive calculations about the ratios and durations of various passages. The discussion in the seminar was hugely enriched by the presence of Jolivet’s daughter (Christine) and daughter-in-law (Dominique), both of whom were able to add their own personal perspectives on the purpose of mathematical calculation in composition – as well as some priceless recollections of premiere performances and sparks of inspiration.