A Language for Automatic Execution of Musical Scores by Computers

Two kinds of scores are considered: the symbolic score used by composers for representing, usually in a graphic way, the fundamental characteristics of musical events; and the operational score representing in a numerical way the parameters relevant to the functioning of instruments. The execution process can be divided in two steps: first, interpretation and translation of symbolic score into operational score; second, its acoustical production. A language has been devised for integrating the common musical notation transcription with the parameters relevant to the interpreting procedures. The different actions on each musical parameter interpretation by the proposed language are illustrated. A program has been realized which translates symbolic scores, coded in such a language, into operational scores, suitable to be played by MUSIC 5 program. The system offers the advantages of symbolic representation, without sacrificing the possibility of precisely determining specific operational details.