Improvised experimental music and the construction of a collaborative aesthetic.

Western musical aesthetics places composition at the centre of its enquiry, and this is
expressed forcefully through the concept of the musical work: the product of a
composer realised by performers who interpret the composer's score. European 'free'
or improvised experimental music (IEM) is examined because of its challenge to
mainstream musical thought, since it is the product of more than one organising mind
in the moment of performance. The thesis shows how IEM draws upon ideas such as
the work concept, articulating an identity which is bound to the work concept even as
it criticises those ideas and work with ideas from other musical traditions.
Following an account of the origins of IEM in Britain (chapter 1), chapter 2
focuses upon the work concept detailing both the resistance of the concept to new
kinds of practice and its influence upon new music. Chapters 3 and 4 examine the role
of the individual within a collaborative context, using materials from interviews with
improvisers to draw out concerns which motivate IEM. The themes of performance
and play are extrapolated which respectively complement and conflict with the 'work
concept. Chapter 4 examines these themes in a more abstract way exploring parallels
with the philosophical critique of institutional models of democracy. Chapter 5
presents a case study of musicians acquiring improvising skills under the guidance of
an experienced improviser. The musical negotiations between the members of the
group are considered in light of the themes of performance and play upon the making
of the group's aesthetic character. Chapter 6 summarises the main themes of the
preceding chapters showing that the aesthetic identity of IEM distinguishes itself from
the concerns of mainstream musical aesthetics by virtue of its emphasis on
collaboration, while at the same time drawing upon the individualistic motivations of
the work concept. The thesis concludes with proposals for further research arising
from these conclusions.