Hugo von Hofmannstal
Depth is “the perpendicular measurement downward from a surface”. It also means “the quality of being profound (as in insight) or full (as of knowledge) [1]”.
A common perception of depth in the public is: “Depth is what you do not see immediately at the surface of things. Depth is what is below that surface: a body of water below the surface of a lake, the rich life of a soil below the dirt or the spectacular line of reasoning behind a simple statement [2]”. Depth is considered to be related with “abstract thinking”[3].
While these ‘popular’ approaches to the definition of depth makes things easy to understand and grasp, they give a fake sense of the reality and false sense of knowing. These definitions are very common in the Turkish society and people using them, including very high government authorities believe that they really know what they are talking about unfortunately.
The general and vague sense of depth as “what you do not see immediately at the surface” looks right at the first glance but it may lead to fatal inadequacies. This approach does not give any information, understanding or what so ever about “what is there” underneath the surface.
Even the depths of water, oceans have gradually changing qualities, layers from the point of heat, water qualities, oxygen and other gas mixtures etc.
Hugo von Hofmannstal has said: “One must conceal the depths. Where? On the surface.” “No part of the surface of a figure can be formed except from the innermost core outward”. This is an allusion from Heinrich Schenker’s music theory book ‘Free Composition[4]’.
Schenker states: “Musical coherence can be achieved only through the fundamental structure in the background and its transformations in the middle ground and foreground.
It should have been evident long ago that the same principle applies both to a musical organism and to the human body: it grows outward from within. Therefore it would be fruitless as well as incorrect to attempt to draw conclusions about the organism from its epidermis.
The hands, legs, and ears of the human body do not begin to grow after birth. Similarly, in a composition, a limb which was not somehow born with the middle and background cannot grow to be a diminution.”
Schenker’s approach to the analysis and design procedures in music composition handles depths in three structural levels: background, middle ground and the foreground. The functions and characters of these levels are different. Elements introduced at the background transcend to the middle ground and to the foreground through diminutions, namely ornamentations and the increase of details. This approach enables the elemnts at the top level-foreground to have a function or meaning if you like... This makes the music get an organic coherence and makes it begin to live.
Besides Schenker’s approach, music can be analysed on the basis of dimensions. Time related elements such as rhythm, tempo; frequency related elements such as pitch, melody, harmony etc.
Not only music but any phenomenon may have multiple dimensions.
Dimensional analysis is more abstract than Schenker’s analysis. Schenker’s analysis includes three fixed levels organised according to the abstraction degree. Dimensional analysis may handle linearly independent dimensions. The dimensions do not have to be positionally located in sequence. The relations of dimensions may be defined as required.
Dimensional analysis can still be made assuming each dimension as a level. This may make it easy to visualize the analysis, provided that the vertical spatiality does not imply sequence. For example, safety: air traffic safety, airplane safety, any type of safety including border and regional public safety must be designed in terms of levels which may be arranged sequentially or otherwise or both...
Correct design and analysis is crucial in the success of any project; artisctic, technical, social, political and military.
In order to make anything a reality, one must fill the underneath first.
You must hide the depths under the surface.
Ali R+ SARAL
REFERENCES:
[1] Merriam-Webster - Definition of DEPTH
1...
2a : the perpendicular measurement downward from a surface
b : ...
3: the quality of being deep
4: the degree of intensity
5: the quality or state of being complete or thorough
[2] Tor Nørretranders, Depth; Response 2011 Annual Question Edge.mht
“Depth is what you do not see immediately at the surface of things. Depth is what is below that surface: a body of water below the surface of a lake, the rich life of a soil below the dirt or the spectacular line of reasoning behind a simple statement”.
[3] DifferenceBetween.net : Difference Between Concrete and Abstract Thinking
“People always think differently. Some may think in concrete terms and some in abstract terms. Concrete thinking refers to the thinking on the surface whereas abstract thinking is related to thinking in depth.
Concrete thinking does not have any depth. It just refers to thinking in the periphery. On the other hand, abstract thinking goes under the surface. A person having concrete thinking looks at the Statue of Liberty and only sees it as a lady with a torch. A person with abstract thinking will see the Statue of Liberty differently. He may think of it as a symbol of liberty and freedom. The Statue of Liberty is just a piece of concrete for the person with concrete thinking and it is a piece of art for the person with abstract thinking.”
[4] Schenker, Heinrich: Der Freie Satz(Free Composition)
