(urth) making Wolfe-inspired music

[Gwern Branwen]

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On Mon, Nov 10, 2008 at 12:30 PM, Matthew Groves  wrote:
> On Sun, Nov 9, 2008 at 10:52 AM, Son of Witz
> wrote:
>>
>> On Nov 9, 2008, at 8:41 AM, Matthew Groves wrote:
>>
>> On Sat, Nov 8, 2008 at 1:11 AM, Son of Witz
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> I want to hear a song called Amphisbaena that wrestles that concept. I
>>> keep coming back to that being one of the key symbols in the book.
>>
>> I suppose it would have to be a crab canon. :)
>>
>> that one sailed over my head. ?
>
> A crab canon is a palindromic contrapuntal composition in which a dux
> (leading voice) is placed against a comes (following voice) which is the
> retrograde of the dux.  In other words, a melody is used in counterpoint
> with itself played backwards.  You could similarly illustrate Ouroboros with
> a perpetual canon.  And maybe Caduceus with a mirror canon.

For another take on the crab canon, I proffer an extract from one of
my favorite books:

http://www.evl.uic.edu/swami/crabcanon

- --
gwern
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