An Analysis of “nyx” (2017), a Computer Music Work by Kerry Hagan

Abstract

Abstract Kerry Hagan composed “nyx,” a real-time computer music work, in 2017. The key inspiration of “nyx” is noise, which Hagan achieves through chaos theory. In Greek mythology, Nyx was born from Chaos, and she is the deity of the night. In the same way, two key materials of the work are chaotic synthesis and, at a higher level, the use of several random algorithms. To analyze “nyx,” I apply a specific methodology that considers both the sound and the computer code. In fact, I consider code as a medium through which Hagan has realized her musical ideas, that is to say, seeing code as a support for musical ideas, and not only as a computing object. This article has two main sections: The first describes Hagan's techniques through Pure Data code, and in the second the music is analyzed in its canonical form, describing the structure of the work. Finally, I argue that “nyx” involves many levels of noise, from the sound design, to the use of random algorithms, and lastly to the inspiration from Greek mythology to structure the work.