What does quantum music sound like and what would Pierre Boulez think of it? Super position (many worlds) by Kim Helweg (2017)

Abstract

Pierre Boulez (1925-2016) devoted a great deal of time and consideration to the relationship between the composer’s invention and performance media, in particular those related to the application of the latest technological breakthroughs and new instruments. Boulez’s famous essay “Technology and the Composer“ (1977/1986) proclaims his desire to widen the range of expressive means of art music by conquering new media. Boulez’s “vintage“ insights are here juxtaposed with a contemporary Quantum Music project (2015-2018), and with one particular piece written within this project: Super Position (Many Worlds) by Kim Helweg (2017), commissioned by the Institute of Musicology SASA and supported by the Danish Arts Foundation (Statens Kunstfond). At least two lines of thinking relevant for the present discussion can be drawn from Boulez’s text: the first dealing with the possible development of new musical instruments, and the other inviting a merger between music composition and science.

Keywords

• Pierre Boulez
• technology
• new music
• new instruments
• Quantum Music