Computer-aided Transformational Analysis with Tone Sieves

Sieve-theoretical methods are one of the first historical examples of theoretical tools whose implementational character has largely contributed to the development of computational musicology. According to Xenakis’ original intuition, we distinguish between elementary transformations of sieves and compound ones. This makes sense if the sieve construction is considered as part of the musical meaning, as we show by analyzing Scriabin’s Study for piano Op. 65 No. 3. This clearly suggests that the transformational character of sieve-theory is still open to new possible applications in computer-aided music analysis.