Aleatorikus

Aleatorikus is an adjective used to describe processes, techniques, or works in which elements are left to chance, uncertainty, or the performer’s discretion rather than being completely predetermined by the creator. The term derives from the Latin aleatorius, meaning "dependent on dice" or "gambling," and entered modern usage through discussions of indeterminacy in the arts. In Hungarian usage, it commonly characterizes music, literature, theatre, and visual art that incorporate randomness or unpredictable outcomes as part of the work's nature.

In music, aleatoric or indeterminate approaches involve allowing chance operations or performer decisions to affect rhythm, pitch, duration, or ordering. Some components may be fixed by the composer, while others are selected or interpreted during performance. The concept gained prominence in the mid-20th century with composers who used chance operations to expand the role of randomness and uncertainty. The best-known examples include John Cage's Music of Changes (1951) and his later works, which feature elements left unresolved or determined by chance.

Witold Lutosławski developed a form of controlled aleatorism, offering performers a pool of material within strict parameters. The broader reception of aleatoric techniques varies; critics debate whether they enhance artistic meaning or undermine authorship and control. Supporters argue that indeterminacy can expand expressive possibilities and involve performers more directly in the creative process. Beyond music, the term aleatorikus is used to describe works across the arts that incorporate chance, randomness, or spontaneity in their creation or realization.