What's with the Sorabji Time Signatures?

Question

Although 7.5/16 may not be a normal time signature, at least it uses numbers. I know Sorabji came up with some pretty weird crap, he's the only composer I've ever seen use fractions in his time signatures, but what does he mean when there are roman numerals instead of numbers? In a few places, the signature changes to something like I/VIII, which I can only assume means 1/8 time. If that's what it means, however, why write it with roman numerals? Besides, when it's like that the music seems to be in standard common time, with sixty-four sixteenths to a measure. Could it be that he prided himself on his strange time signatures so much that he couldn't bear to write 4/4?

I also noticed that he only occasionaly throws the I/VIII in, sometimes before a time signature. So perhaps it's not the time signature at all. Could it be a key signature? It only shows up in one of the three staffs that he uses (he has a weird inclination to use three staffs for the piano, probably to make it look harder and because all the notes wouldn't have fit on just two)

Answer 1

Wow, that sounds messed up. I might ask my music teachers about it, cuz I go to a performing arts school so if they don't know I don't know who to ask. Wow, that sounds so weird, now I have know!!!!!