"In the nature of the object" : Pandolfi scores Wittgenstein

Poetry Scores is at the very beginning of a very long process of scoring Ludwig Wittgenstein's philosophical prose poem Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1921).

Soon enough we'll create an index page where the entire score can be followed in sequence, but for now we'll post finished mixes as they arrive, in or out of order.

Next up: "In the nature of the object" by Carl Pandolfi, which sets to music Proposition 2.0122 through Proposition 2.0124 of the Tractatus.


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free mp3

"In the nature of the object"
(Wittgenstein, Ogden, Ramsey, Pandolfi)
Carl Pandolfi

Produced and recorded by Carl Pandolfi in St. Louis.

Carl Pandolfi plays piano, electric bass and sings all vocals.

 

Executive producer: Chris King for Poetry Scores

Music (c) 2014 Carl Pandolfi

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We are scoring the first English translation of the Tractatus that C. K. Ogden commissioned and published and took credit for, but F. P. Ramsey actually performed, with benefit of Wittgenstein's corrections, delivered personally, mouth to ear, as Wittgenstein liked to do poetry (philosophy). Their translation is in the public domain and posted on Project Gutenberg, but here is the part Carl scored in "In the nature of the object."

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from Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus

by Ludwig Wittgenstein

translated from German
by C. K. Ogden and F. P. Ramsey

 

2.0122      The thing is independent, in so far as it can occur in all possible circumstances, but this form of independence is a form of connexion with the atomic fact, a form of dependence. (It is impossible for words to occur in two different ways, alone and in the proposition.)

2.0123      If I know an object, then I also know all the possibilities of its occurrence in atomic facts.

                  (Every such possibility must lie in the nature of the object.)

                  A new possibility cannot subsequently be found.

2.01231    In order to know an object, I must know not its external but all its internal qualities.

2.0124      If all objects are given, then thereby are all possible atomic facts also given.

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However, if you are patient (crazy) enough to read along in the Tractatus while listening to Carl sing, you will see he scored it out of order.

With a repetition here and there I'm not printing, and leaving out the numbers of the propositions, Carl scored and sings this lyric:

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In order to know an object, I must know not its external but all its internal qualities.

The thing is independent, in so far as it can occur in all possible circumstances, but this form of independence is a form of connexion with the atomic fact, a form of dependence. (It is impossible for words to occur in two different ways, alone and in the proposition.)

If I know an object, then I also know all the possibilities of its occurrence in atomic facts.

If all objects are given, then thereby are all possible atomic facts also given.

(Every such possibility must lie in the nature of the object.)

A new possibility cannot subsequently be found.

 

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This starts at Proposition 2.01231 (which is not where Carl left off on the previous song in the Tractatus score, "Atomic Facts"). Then he jumps back in the text to Proposition 2.0122, which is in fact where he had previously left off, and scores that. He keeps going into Proposition 2.0123, well and fine, but then leaps forward to Proposition 2.0124, leaving two lines from 2.0123 unsung, which he then goes back and scores to close the song. It's from this previously orphaned scrap of 2.0123 that Carl gets his outro and title, "In the nature of the object."

Technically, this breaks one of the few rules of a poetry score, which is to score every word of the poem in the order written by the poet. But the song is so brilliant, we forgive him.

 

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Carl Pandolfi

 

Since this song shows more of Carl's classical training and skills, maybe now is the time to say he is classically trained, with composition degrees from Webster University and the Indiana University School of Music. His work has been performed by none other than the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He is also a veteran contributor to Poetry Scores and countless other creative projects and bands, notably The Lettuce Heads and The Painkillers. He is on SoundCloud too.

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"Started as an improvisation using piano and voice simultaneously," Carl said of this score. "Did some editing, adding all the words I had tried to get away with avoiding. Drones soaked in reverb makes music fun."

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The Ogden/Ramsey translation of the Tractatus is in the public domain. The music is (c) 2014 by Carl Pandolfi. Free sharing of this mp3 is welcome and encouraged, but please consult Poetry Scores for production-quality audio and composer permission before making any commercial use. Thanks!

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PREVIOUSLY ON "SCORING THE TRACTATUS"

Carl Pandolfi scores the title of Wittgenstein's "Tractatus"

"Atomic facts" : Pandolfi scores Wittgenstein

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Object image from Object: Australian Design Center