total serialism
English composer
Definition
A compositional method extending twelve-tone organisation beyond pitch to control duration, dynamics, register, and articulation through parallel tone rows. Boulez applied total serialism rigorously in Structures, Book I (1951–52), creating a work in which virtually every parameter is pre-determined by serial derivation.
Interpretive Guidance
Total serialism removes the traditional performance decisions around phrasing and dynamics — these are composed, not interpreted. The challenge is to realise the notated values with precision while still conveying the gestural character of each moment. Do not smooth out the extreme contrasts; they are the point.