The first maturity period of spectral music; Analysis of Tristan Murail's Desintegrations and Ethers works

Based on structure, formation and evolution of sound, composers exhibiting spectral music approach make music with a new perspective and function on musical materials. The aim of this study is to understand music created by one of the pioneer composers of spectral music Tristan Murail who use sound spectra as basic material. The reason for the selection of Tristan Murail's works is that the composer has a technical and systematic approach to music and has developed a methodology in this way. Moreover, two of his early period compositions named as Desintegrations and Ethers are the ones that determine the spectral music approach. The basis of the spectral approach is to stand against serial music. Spectral composers basically thought that serial music push harmony to the background. They also thought that harmony must be one of the fundamentals of the music and therefore they put their efforts on this basis. On the other hand, what makes the spectral composers different from the tonal approach is that they draw their inspiration and therefore the sound material directly from the physical and psychoacoustic properties of sound. They worked on the sound material by using the technology of the period, obtain new sounds by splitting it into the partials and created their own harmonies by using these new sounds. Transition of timbre and harmony is one of the basic principles of spectral music. Accordingly, spectral composers construct their music on a much more consistent harmonic search than serial music. In this study, firstly, the change in music in its history and the effects of the technology, which is now a discipline of science in music, on spectral music are explained. Secondly, two of the Murail's most comprehensive and important works named Desintegrations and Ethers are analyzed. Key Word: Spectral Music, Tristan Murail, Desintegrations, Ethers.