Abstract
In this paper we hope to reinscribe the familiar musicological concepts of analysis and performance, drawing them into new relationships, in order to turn them against their presuppositions and produce new configurations. Though an exploration of analysis, performance and images of musical sound, these new configurations highlight surface details and offer a alternative approach to previous analysis and performance paradigms, leading to a reformulation of the concept of musical “work”. In order to focus our argument we define “analysis” as the methodological activity of analyzing a score as practiced in most Western art music analytical journals published today. Likewise, while the concept of musical performance can encompass improvisation and physical gesture, we take “performance” to mean the Western art music performance tradition, as practiced today, of score interpretation. Although both definitions are admittedly limited, they represent typical approaches and activities within both fields.