Writing A Symphony - How Do They Do It?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thanks, EA, but that doesn't get us very far on the mental dexterity aspect of things. Any thoughts as a composer yourself?

I do very little composing now, though I did write 2 extremely bad symphonies when I was 13 years old, in a late 18th century style, but not nearly as good.

[MrGongGong]

How composers write for instruments that they don't play, and in particular concertos, is an interesting subject.

So how do others think about this ?
I know how I go about thinking about it

[EdgeleyRob]

Do you possess a piano or keyboard?

Alas no.
Whenever I am in the same room as a piano though I can't resist opening the lid and trying to pick out a tune.

[teamsaint]

Alas no.
Whenever I am in the same room as a piano though I can't resist opening the lid and trying to pick out a tune.

I was lucky enough to have lessons. As a kid we loved trying to learn the tunes to current hits. " Look what u dun" by Slade and Chicory Tip's "Son of My Father " were faves. Happy days.

There are some amazing keyboards at pretty small money, ER.......

[MrGongGong]

Chicory Tip's "Son of My Father " were faves.

Grade 3 arpeggios (descending)

[Roehre]

Hindemith claimed that he never scored for instruments he himself could not play!

....and as (more than once) during a rehearsal of a Hindemith work conducted by the composer himself a player complained that what Hindemith had written couldn't be done on his instrument, Hindemith asked the player to give him his instrument, and perfectly played was considered to be unplayable.

[btw: not Hindemith, but neverthjeless: the clarinet solo at the beginning of the Rhapsody in Blue is impossible, according to pre-Rhapsody rule books on orchestration ]

[teamsaint]

Grade 3 arpeggios (descending)

well , if its good enough for Georgio Moroder....