Auditory grouping gives rise to events from which perceptual properties are extracted, which then acquire musical functions within a given sonic context

Auditory grouping processes and the resulting perceptual qualities and corresponding orchestral effects. [Adapted from Goodchild and McAdams 2021, Fig. 1]

Taxonomy of concurrent auditory grouping phenomena

Timbral augmentation (sustained, stable): Debussy, La Mer, i, mm. 122–31

Taxonomy of sequential auditory grouping phenomena

Stream integration (stable). Ravel’s orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, vi (“Samuel Goldberg and Schmuÿl”), mm. 1–8, Score in C

Stream integration (transforming): Reynolds, The Angel of Death, S section, mm. 364–373; [From Touizrar and McAdams 2019]

Surface texture (stable): Smetana, Die Moldau, mm. 185–194

Surface texture (transforming): Smetana, The Bartered Bride, Overture, mm. 89–99

Stream segregation (stable) of co-equal single-instrument lines: Vaughan Williams, The Lark Ascending, mm. 88–94

Example 18. Stream segregation (stable) of blended streams: Borodin, In the Steppes of Central Asia, mm. 210–218

Stream segregation (transforming) of blended streams: Stravinsky, Quatre Etudes, iv (Madrid), mm. 93–94

Stratification (stable) with three layers: Mahler, Symphony no. 1, ii, mm. 26–31

Stratification (transforming) in three layers: Borodin, In the Steppes of Central Asia, mm. 27–42]

Taxonomy of segmental auditory grouping phenomena

Timbral shifts: Schubert, Symphony no. 9 in C major, i, mm. 594–602]