Robert Clements <[log in to unmask]> writes:

>Laurence Sherwood <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>Now to my question.  Is there any musical significance to writing in
>>palindromes?
>
>None whatsoever - it's simply a Dogmatic (terminology taken from the
>Dogma school of film production demonstrated if not popularised by
>Lars von Trier) artistic challenge like total serialism or a fugue.

I'd say it lies somewhere between fugues and total serialism as
far as detectability by the listener.  Total serialism is completely
indetectable to me (although I can sometimes hear tone row manipulation in
more 'conventional' 12-tone music), while it's generally not hard at all to
hear what's going on a fugue (although it can take some attention to catch
all the tricks, like inversions).

Some palindromes I can hear and appreciate if I know what's going on,
Simpson's quartet included; I can listen to the beginning of a variation,
foresee how it will end, and then be charmed when it comes to pass.  There
are other examples, though, like Berg's Chamber Concerto, that fly
completely over my head.

Dan Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>
http://www.dfan.org