I think your question is too general.

I would say that algorithmic composition and interactive music are only 
indirectly related. Algorithmic composition can be used non-interactively, 
to compute a fixed work of music. And interactive music need not be 
algorithmically composed at all; the composer can simply provide a choice of 
paths through a fixed tree of possibilities.

But in general, I would say that the artistic potential of algorithmic 
composition is not as well realized as that of interactive music. I would 
also say that algorithmic composition has tended to neglect "traditional" 
concepts of musical structure (such as harmony and counterpoint, and 
traditional forms) in favor of transposing non-musical source material into 
music, or generating abstract mathematical structures (randomly or 
deterministically) and transposing them into music. But there are 
exceptions, especially in commercial products such as Band in a Box, which 
should not be overlooked.

Also, Western music history and to a lesser extent Indian music history have 
been treated in algorithmic composition, but Arabic music history and East 
Asian music history (with the possible exception of gamelan) have been 
relatively neglected.

Kristine Burns has a dissertation history of algorithmic composition but it 
only goes up to the the 1990s. You might want to look for more recent 
dissertations. Some relevant Web resources are:

http://ccrma-www.stanford.edu/~tkunze/res/algobib.html (out of date)

http://www.flexatone.net/algoNet/ (current)

A lot of musicians and other artists, many of whom work with algorithms, can 
be found at http://ruccas.org/wiki.pl (including myself).

Rick Taube's book, Notes from the Metalevel 
(http://home.comcast.net/~rpmohn/download/nm.pdf)

There has recently been a lot of work in mathematical music theory. There is 
beginning to be some overlap with composition (e.g. Tom Johnson) and this 
should also be starting to show up in algorithmic composition. I feel this 
is a promising approach as it is rooted in music history.

I am not aware of any scholarly studies of algorithmic composition in 
popular music, although I know that it is sometimes used (e.g. Eno's 
Neroli). But of course there may be articles or books I don't know about.

I also think that biographical and historical studies in algorithmic 
composition are lacking and out of date. Some notable practioners have now 
died (Xenakis) or are aging, and should be documented critically.

Hope this helps, please feel free to ask more questions.

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ruslan Apanovich" 
To: 
Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2007 5:33 PM
Subject: [Csnd] Computer music research question


> Hi all,
>
> I have a question about researches in a field of algorithmic composition 
> and interactive music. It is related to my post-graduate study. I work on 
> this subject from the point of theory of art. I want to know which aspects 
> of algorithmic composition and interactive music are well covered, which 
> are less covered and which are not researched at all.
> I'd like to know main researchers and scientists who worked on that 
> problem and published materials on that question.
>
> Best regards
> and a Happy New Year!
>
> Ruslan
>
>
>
>
> Send bugs reports to this list.
> To unsubscribe, send email sympa@lists.bath.ac.uk with body "unsubscribe 
> csound" 

Brian Eno: His Music and the Vertical Color of Sound
by Eric Tamm

Might not be "scholarly" but this book does present some detailed
analyses/descriptions of a few of Eno's algorithmic works.

Anthony Kozar
mailing-lists-1001 AT anthonykozar DOT net
http://anthonykozar.net/


Michael Gogins wrote on 12/27/07 7:24 PM:

> I am not aware of any scholarly studies of algorithmic composition in
> popular music, although I know that it is sometimes used (e.g. Eno's
> Neroli). But of course there may be articles or books I don't know about.

Thanks a lot to all.

I think Michel is right - my question is too general. I'll try to make 
more detailed explanation of what I need and what I want.

> I would say that algorithmic composition and interactive music are 
> only indirectly related. Algorithmic composition can be used 
> non-interactively, to compute a fixed work of music. And interactive 
> music need not be algorithmically composed at all; the composer can 
> simply provide a choice of paths through a fixed tree of possibilities.
Yes, I know. But in my work I'd chosen to examine that trends in using 
computers to make music, that have strongly expressed computer specific 
(e.g. I don't consider such things as Cubase and Nuendo). Initially I 
see such specific in algorithmic composition and interactive music.

NOTA BENE    This things have to be examined in my work from theory of 
art point of view.

I would love to study technological aspects (they interest me much 
better) but my speciality needs exactly theory of art point of view.
My question about how well various aspects of algorithmic composition 
and interactive music are covered was because
I don't want to "invent bicycle" (I'm not sure that this idiom exists in 
English but hopefully its sense is clear :). I want to study the aspets 
which researching are really necessary.
And I have to do bibliographic overview in my work. Hence my question 
about published materials. I have several references thanks to responses 
to my first message. But could someone advise me how complete (or at 
least full enough) bibliography on the question can be found?

Best regards

Ruslan

P. S. Michel, I don't know if I succeed in improving my question... But 
I tried. I really tried :)