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From: smoliar@vaxa.isi.edu (Stephen Smoliar)
Newsgroups: comp.music,rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Computer research in Schenkerian analysis
Message-ID: <10273@venera.isi.edu>
Date: 25 Oct 89 18:14:46 GMT
References: <5013@orca.WV.TEK.COM> <1325@accuvax.nwu.edu> <10190@venera.isi.edu> <495@artsnet.UUCP>
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In article <495@artsnet.UUCP> mgresham@artsnet.UUCP (Mark Gresham) writes:
>In article <10190@venera.isi.edu> smoliar@vaxa.isi.edu.UUCP (Stephen Smoliar)
writes:
>>However, it is unlikely that a machine will ever give you
>>a "definitive" analysis of a composition, since it is unclear that such an
>>analysis exists.
>
>After all, there're lots of different ways, means and methods for
>drawing maps (geographical/road/etc.) as well as physical
>structures (architecture/etc.) so why not music.  I think we do
>tend to forget that intellect (concepts/parsing/etc.) is only a
>part of human knowledge; it has often undeservedly claimed all of
>thought as its domain.  Well, I won't go into epistomology here,
>but suffice it to say that I don't think *any* analysis is capable of
>telling the larger part of the story, although it is necessary for
>telling its portion.  (followup to 'rec.philosophy.amusing' :-)
>if you like.)
>
Have you taken a look at Marvin Minsky's THE SOCIETY OF MIND yet, Mark?  Once
again, you seem to be heading towards roads he has been trying to build.
Actually, you might do better to look at "Music, Mind, and Meaning," which
he contributed to the Fall 1981 issue of COMPUTER MUSIC JOURNAL (the same
issue which ran my review of GIRDLES, ESSENCE, AND BAGS:  THE ETERNAL GILDED
SPAGHETTI).  THE SOCIETY OF MIND was still a gleam in his eye when Minsky wrote
"Music, Mind, and Meaning;"  and it is interesting to see how ideas motivated
by the study of music led to more general thoughts about cognition.

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