For instance, pitch collections are broken down from the dodecaphonic (12 tones) into the diatonic and pentatonic scales; harmonies are broken down from quintal or quartal to tertian or secundal chords; durations are divided, subdivided and truncated then recombined into polyrhythms and additive/subtractive meters; textures are thinned and thickened.
Of course, the interaction of all these "broken" elements often suggested ways to form a different, perhaps new, collection. This revealed the dynamic process of "forming" instead of the static, preconceived "form." A useful model for understanding this concept might be the way in which crystals behave—elements may be split, trimmed, layered, joined, mixed, etc.
The elasticized results of these procedures provided the opportunity and freedom to explore several aesthetic and stylistic planes in a freely tonal/atonal, rhythmically undulating style.