Undergraduate research in computer sciences: Computer analysis of musical style

GENERALLY, style is a unique method of organization of artistic material. This paper is the result of some attempts to find, using the computer, an objective measure of style in music which would be generally acceptable, and which would not conflict with previous, subjective measures*. A large number of piano scores have been analyzed by computer for parameters such as melodic autocorrelation, chord structure, chord duration, chord type, key and modulation, with a view to obtaining an insight into the stylistic differences between the works of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. It is not assumed that measurements related to these and other parameters are necessarily indicative of style. The purpose of making them is to determine whether and to what extent they correlate with more subjective notions of musical style.