Punctualism (music)

The Punctuated Equilibrium refers to a little-known aspect of the serial composition technique , in which the terms pitch , volume , tone duration u. a. also change constantly from instrument to instrument according to "series" of defined individual tones.

This should result in individual "points" in the note and sound image with constantly changing pitch, duration, volume, timbre , instead of melodic or instrumental lines. Strict use of this intellectualist- constructivist technique does not result in any actual coherence, because every single tone ("point") is an equal and independent member of a series. The preference for extreme leaps in intervals, unusual instrumental positions and aphoristic brevity characterize these experiments, which are intended to give the listener the impression of "spatial" movement.