Chesnokov Project: An ongoing project on the RTcmix realization and automated production of Pavel Chesnokov's music by means of Java programs
For the past year or so, since I have had no opportunities to present my compositions on concerts due to the pandemic, I have been working mostly on music-theoretical research, diatonic set theory and analyses in particular, as well as building my first harpsichord, directing the Baroque music program at my university, and realizing figured basses for beginner students of harpsichord and organ studying thorough bass (basso continuo). Among the pieces I have analyzed, works by Pavel Chesnokov (1877-1944), especially stunningly beautiful Russian Orthodox hymn To Thee We Sing (Tebe Poem) Op.27, No.6, are some of the most interesting compositions to me. So, I first wrote the following simple Java program:
This Java program is one of the outcomes of the analyses, which are available here. The program generates the following score file of RTcmix, a real-time software "language" for doing digital sound synthesis and signal-processing written by Brad Garton:
Now that I have found through analysis some rules of transformations of pc-sets and movements of melodic contours employed in Chesnokov's choral works, I'm currently working on another Java program, in which those rules are implemented. The program is expected to produce pieces of music like Chesnokov's.