Stetigkeit und Unstetigkeit

Abstract

The origin of this pieces stems ideas regarding discontinuity of the French philosopher Michel Foucault, referenced in his 1969 book, L'Archéologie du Savoir (The Archaeology of Knowledge). He observes these ideas from an historian's perspective. Foucault argues that it is more important to recognize a phenomenon as a distinct individual entity (discontinuity), rather than viewing the phenomenon as a link in a long chain of events (continuity). This piece emerges from this concept. Stetigkeit und Unstetigkeit represents several isolated gestures within one continuous larger gesture. The isolated gestures symbolize discontinuity. The piece begins with a gesture of continuity that develops and transforms until the other polyphonic layers emerge as discontinuous elements. This piece presents a possible model of how discontinuity and continuity can coexist within a broader space and time.