Extract (PDF) - Peter Lang

12 Bader, Neuhaus, Morgenstern
In his paper on vowel quality in violin sounds, Robert Mores combines objective
acoustical measurement with behavioural experiments. Taking into account findings
on the similarity of vowels and certain musical sounds in regard to spectral
properties, Mores had subjects estimate the similarity of violin tones and vowels
from speech, and he also employed algorithmic machine classification of pairs of
sounds. Among his results is that automatic extraction of vowel quality from violin
sounds can be achieved in a reliable way, and that objective data match subjective
descriptions of violin sounds derived from perceptual analysis.
The acoustics of bells have been a topic of research since long (cf. Rossing 1984).
Scientists of the ranks of L. Euler began to calculate the Eigenmodes and Eigenfrequencies
of vibrating rings, and Lord Rayleigh (1877/1945) already gave a comprehensive
treatment of the inextensional and extensional modes of vibration in solids
such as spherical shells. Though such structures are relatively simple compared to
the complex geometry of western swinging and carillon bells, they share some basic
features (e.g., rotational symmetry around a middle axis), and can therefore serve
as a model to start with. After the pattern of Eigenmodes and Eigenfrequencies
had been established fairly well for western bells, it was time to investigate their
transient behaviour and the actual transfer of energy from the clapper to the bell
as is done in the study of Lau, Bader, Schneider and Wriggers based on a 3D-Finite
Element (FEM) modelling approach (as to this with respect to musical instruments,
see also Bader 2005) as well as on actual measurements obtained from a real bell
that had been cast especially for the experiments and calculations reported here.
Andreas Beurmann, well-known collector of historical keyboard instruments, organologist
and harpsichord player (see Beurmann 2000), gives a personal account of
his motivations in regard to bringing together historical instruments, restoring them
to playability, and to making them available to artists as well as to the music-loving
public. The acquisition of some of the instruments that are part of his large collection
turned out to be quite adventurous affairs that are narrated here in retrospect.
Also in a more personal recollection, Judith Angster (who has published widely on
organ acoustics, in studies some of which were co-written with her husband, see e.g.
Miklós & Angster 2000) and her father, Josef Angster tell about the Angster organ
building workshop that had been established at Pécs (also known as Fünfkirchen in
Hungary). The founder, Josef Angster (grandfather of the present co-author) had
studied with, among others, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll at Paris. In 1867, he opened his
own workshop at Pécs that became famous within a few decades.
Articles in the third section deal with music psychology and neuromusicology as
well as with aspects of music theory and analysis. Daniel Müüllensiefen who had
completed a PhD in Systematic Musicology with a dissertation in music cognition
that investigates memory for melodies as well as melodic similarity (Müllensiefen
2004) is currently working at the Department of Computing, Goldsmiths College,
University of London, UK. He has a special interest in statistics and experimental
design that is also the topic of his article contained in this volume. In particular,
he deals with advanced techniques of multidimensional scaling (MDS), with classification
and regression trees as well as with functional data analysis (FDA) and
Bayesian modelling.