"In this conclusion to my survey of algorithmic music
composition systems for Linux I present Christopher Ariza's
athenaCL. According to its Web site athenaCL is
"... an open-source, object-oriented composition tool written in
Python. The system can be scripted and embedded, and includes
integrated instrument libraries, post-tonal and microtonal pitch
modeling tools, multiple-format graphical outputs, and musical
output in Csound, SuperCollider, Pure Data, MIDI, audio file, XML,
and text formats ... Over eighty specialized Generator, Rhythm, and
Filter ParameterObjects provide tools for stochastic, chaotic,
cellular automata based, Markov based, generative grammar and
Lindenmayer system (L-system), wave-form, fractional noise (1/f),
genetic, Xenakis sieve, linear and exponential break-point
segments, masks, and various other algorithmic models.
ParameterObjects can be embedded in other ParameterObjects to
provide powerful dynamic and masked value generation.
"My experience with athenaCL has been a little different from my
explorations of CM/Grace and CsoundAC. The system is organized in a
unique manner that I found confusing at first. However, my initial
confusion quickly gave way to amazement, and I must confess that
I've become a devoted user."
