Extended monophony as a compositional technique

It was the first half of the 20th century when "texture" was defined and classified as an element of music. Often associated with "timbre" and considered within a sense of 'spontaneity' as a result of composers' search for a proper approach, "texture" is commonly framed within the linear historic process of the European Classical Music tradition. In this approach, the "number of parts" is the main criterion, forming a "primitive–advanced" spectrum from single-part to multi-part textures. Considering the common literature is Eurocentric (and/or originating from European mindset), the identification of other cultures' music also takes place in regarding their positions within this spectrum. Classifications such as monophony, homophony, and polyphony made with such statistical reductions are insufficient even for the paradigms in which they emerged and need to be reconsidered both in the light of shifting paradigms and when it comes to their application to different cultures. Therefore, this study conducts a comprehensive research and evaluation concerning the concept of "texture" and its classifications is done respectively. These processes have shown that "texture" can be approached from different perspectives, and the criterion of "number of parts" has drastic limitations. During the research, it was observed that the monophonic texture, limited to "single-part," could actually consist of many layers, and that composers experimented with this even without necessarily attributed to a universally accepted system. Thus, the main focus of the study was determined to be the presentation of a personal compositional approach that allows creating a multi-layered monophonic texture. To create this technique, coined Extended Monophony, various experiments were conducted on the elements of musical texture and also the literature on the function of cognitive perception on this subject has been researched. During the search for where monophony "begins" or "ends," a question inaugurating the study and make it progress properly, the importance of "context" emerged. While a musical element may serve monophonic texture in some contexts, it may be used as an important function of polyphonic texture in others. For instance, the drone is one of the notable examples of these elements. Such findings also draw attention to the fact that texture can be an "illusion," as occasionally encountered in the literature. Assumptions were tested with experiments aimed at identifying the extension areas of the monophonic texture without crossing the boundaries of polyphony. Suggestions for textural manipulation ideas were presented using visuals to enhance comprehensibility. Also, terminology suggestions were made for the concepts that emerged during the process, with the most notable being "Micromonophony." This term is coined as a technique for layering the texture without creating polyphony, through manipulations of the vertical and horizontal spectrums of the monophonic texture. With its structure quite suitable for development, micromonophony can also be studied by composers and researchers. An example piece composed using Extended Monophony technique is presented in the appendix of the study in order to shed light on the way of thinking and realization of the given technique.