The Rational Melodies may be played
by any instrument, in any octave or transposition. It is not necessary
to play the whole set, and performers are welcome to group selected
melodies into suites however thy like. The pieces are intended
primarily for soloists, though thy may also be performed by groups
of instruments, playing in unison or alternating in antiphonal
patterns.
Rationality, or more precisely, deductive logic, has seldom been
the controlling factor in musical composition. Composers are usually
more interested in inspiration, intuition, feelings, self-expression.
Lately, however, there has been a tendency for composers to give
up individual control over every note, and rely on factors outside
themselves. Pieces have been controlled by the wind, by chance,
by the idiosyncrasies of tape recorders, or by unpredictable variations
in electronic circuity, for example, and it seems to me that composing
by rigorous adherence to logical premises involves a similar way
of thinking.