What Are You Practising / Composing Now?

[Dave2002]

Two points - Most people were not trained musicians - and that is true even today. There would probably have been considerable differences between formal performances in places like Venice, Leipzig and Vienna, and village bands and choirs in Cornwall in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Many people are consumers of music - there are few producers. Also, to my surprise (!!) there are a many people who profess to not caring too much about music - of any sort!

There is some relevance to the thread subject regarding ways to get started, and make new works and arrangements. We can revert or divert to anther thread if anyone's interested.

In the meantime I've discovered some of the difficulties of trying to arrange Lyadov's music. The texture can become muddy, and also there are really limited ideas (IMO) in the Prelude piece. Changing the instrumentation in some parts gives the work more drama - though limited - but also probably could be considered as completely out of character. Perhaps some pieces are just best left alone in their original instrumentation. Some piano pieces work moderately well on harps, and maybe occasionally on harpsichords, and perhaps instruments such as marimbas.

For example - https://youtu.be/spyf_xFuS2A Lyadov Prelude Op 11 No 1.

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm still not convinced that there aren't pathways for modern composers. Different people will have different approaches to what they learn and what they know, and what they want to produce. Some of those will still study the works of others from the past, while others will take advice from modern practitioners.

I suppose to some extent it depends on what one means by a composer. A composer could be a musician who has studied instruments and other aspects of formal music at a music college, or a university, or a jazz musician, or could be a self taught person who plays in a small band, or a rap artist etc. In each case there is likely to be a flow of ideas from one person to another, surely, either directly, or by listening to works produced.

Another factor is simply the financial viability of living as a composer. Wasn't it always thus?

With regards to jazz, this was in general an orally transmitted tradition whose conventions arose accordingly, only tending to "harden out" into orthodoxies as musicians became aware of or conversant with reading and writing scores. Parts of the jazz community lay great claims on the virtues of consservatory training, while others still adhere to the primacy to be given to "learning on the bandstand". As a semi-improvised form of music making jazz conventions have either consolidated into procedures considered appropriate to whatever musical contexts are being followed, with examples culled from recordings and musical analysis of written out solos deemed "successful" in meeting certain idealised (more more accurately standardised) requirements, or conventions are, as it were, respected in the breach, namely used in terms of intrinsic properties as launching pads for innovation. And in the latter two schools of though seem to predominate: a "purist" one which holds to the idea that all the main advances in jazz have been in the language of its improvised component; and otoh the idea, which is closer to that of a world of musical cultures being at the disposal of the newcomer, who can dip into the wealth of possibilities opened out, including of the past, viewed as not necessarily an historic process of emancipation reflected in the music but a source of ideas self-sufficient unto themselves. Jazz thereby risks losing its original (and I would argue continuing) relevance as a vital contributive part of personal, social and political change (not necessarily in that order!) in our era. However, younger musicians one speaks to, or in interviews, talk of optimising their own creative opportunities through combining academic work with live bandstand experience. But it needs to be borne in mind that one of the consequences of restricting access to further and higher education, with the associated costs, is fewer working class entrants to what is become standard acceptance in terms of moulding the character of the music, which is often seen as just one alternative on offer to the gifted youngster to becoming a "qualfied" modern composer or orchestral player in times of stringency. Having jazz on the national curriculum (and I am not sure if it still is?) is one thing, namely establishment recognition, which was once an important objective for black culture in America, but today arguably dilutes its potential impact on wider change, especially outside the USA. One looks to self-organisation and co-operatives such as Gary Crosby's Young Warriors initiative, working within all the above model parameters, to keep the flag flying for jazz's future.

[Richard Barrett]

it needs to be borne in mind that one of the consequences of restricting access to further and higher education, with the associated costs, is fewer working class entrants to what is become standard acceptance in terms of moulding the character of the music, which is often seen as just one alternative on offer to the gifted youngster to becoming a "qualified" modern composer or orchestral player in times of stringency.

And of course those class restrictions lead to work which on the whole articulates a conservative and middle-class vision of what's important and interesting in music (measuring oneself against classical forms, working in opera houses, and so on) and the whole "scene" enters a vicious circle. Which was historically very often the case of course, except for a few decades post-1945 which "just happen" to have coincided with a wave of renewal and experimentation in very many areas of music (including jazz, naturally). Which in turn is one reason why I'm always at pains to stress the idea that taking past "masterpieces" as one's model is something to question deeply, and, conversely, that not only is it the case that "anything goes", but this "anything goes" needs to be expressed with the greatest clarity and at the same time the greatest discipline, since that's the most valuable contribution that "non-popular" musics can make in the world in the present period. If that's a consideration, that is - and for those with the aforementioned "conservative and middle-class vision" it probably isn't.

[Joseph K]

This past week or so, I've had something of a break-through in my technique, my right-hand plectrum technique. The main movement of this is now definitely coming from the wrist, which is how it should be. So I can more easily play higher tempi than I could do before. Not only that, but my control of accents and phrasing is better. I'm still practising the Bach presto from the first violin sonata quite a lot, perhaps more than I'd like, but I have found that say, switching between playing the piece at 140 bpm with two notes per click and then playing the piece at 95 bpm with three notes per click is really good at learning to control accents and phrasing.

I posted this on December 2nd last year, and over the past week or so, it's happened again, another breakthrough in plectrum-picking technique. Hard work is paying off. So I feel more relaxed and am not playing that Bach piece longer than I ought to - half an hour in the morning is enough. Instead, my focus is on improvising on both particular chord changes (e.g. II-V-I) and of course whole tunes, both slow rubato without a metronome and in time with a metronome. Really, there's lots to practice...

[Pulcinella]

I posted this on December 2nd last year, and over the past week or so, it's happened again, another breakthrough in plectrum-picking technique. Hard work is paying off. So I feel more relaxed and am not playing that Bach piece longer than I ought to - half an hour in the morning is enough. Instead, my focus is on improvising on both particular chord changes (e.g. II-V-I) and of course whole tunes, both slow rubato without a metronome and in time with a metronome. Really, there's lots to practice...

I admire your diligence and self-discipline.
I'm trying hard to persuade myself that my piano practice will start in earnest when the (even) gloomier autumn weather arrives (though, to be fair, we had lots of bright days last year), not least because I'll likely need to take a more than occasional break from Straus' book on Stravinsky's later works (I ordered a study score of The Flood this morning!).

[Joseph K]

I admire your diligence and self-discipline.
I'm trying hard to persuade myself that my piano practice will start in earnest when the (even) gloomier autumn weather arrives (though, to be fair, we had lots of bright days last year), not least because I'll likely need to take a more than occasional break from Straus' book on Stravinsky's later works (I ordered a study score of The Flood this morning!).

Thanks. Yes, I imagine breaks will be necessary from a book of that sort; I admire your autodidactism in reading/studying a book of that sort, along with studying scores. As for me, I am currently alternating Finnegans Wake one night and Hobsbawm's Age of Revolution t'other (the latter so I don't get bogged down in the former).

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks. Yes, I imagine breaks will be necessary from a book of that sort; I admire your autodidactism in reading/studying a book of that sort, along with studying scores. As for me, I am currently alternating Finnegans Wake one night and Hobsbawm's Age of Revolution t'other (the latter so I don't get bogged down in the former).

Today's follow-up would probably have to be titled Finnegan's Woke!

[Richard Barrett]

It's been an exhausting few days. On Thursday we had a harp/electronics duo concert out of town, in collaboration with a video/lighting artist, which involved taking all our own gear including the amplification system and recording equipment, in addition to all the lights and cameras etc, since the audience in the small space was limited to a few people and the main purpose of the event was to create something to be put online. Well, there was a malfunction with the recording equipment so that the show was delayed by two hours while I was first trying to fix it and then working around the problem by setting things up differently (I won't bore you with the details!). We'd agreed to do two takes of each piece, so then it was basically like playing two concerts while exhausted by all the previous troubles, and we finally arrived home at 2am. Then yesterday, after giving two online composition lessons, I was in my studio recording a solo performance to be broadcast on Latvian classical radio, for which I'd already missed several deadlines, followed by giving an online lecture in the evening, with its own share of technical "issues". (Today I have awarded myself a day off.)

[Joseph K]

It's been an exhausting few days. On Thursday we had a harp/electronics duo concert out of town, in collaboration with a video/lighting artist, which involved taking all our own gear including the amplification system and recording equipment, in addition to all the lights and cameras etc, since the audience in the small space was limited to a few people and the main purpose of the event was to create something to be put online. Well, there was a malfunction with the recording equipment so that the show was delayed by two hours while I was first trying to fix it and then working around the problem by setting things up differently (I won't bore you with the details!). We'd agreed to do two takes of each piece, so then it was basically like playing two concerts while exhausted by all the previous troubles, and we finally arrived home at 2am. Then yesterday, after giving two online composition lessons, I was in my studio recording a solo performance to be broadcast on Latvian classical radio, for which I'd already missed several deadlines, followed by giving an online lecture in the evening, with its own share of technical "issues". (Today I have awarded myself a day off.)

This reminds me of a few lines from the comedy Peep Show where one of the main characters has started a new job, and the other says: "But I thought the work never starts?" and he replies: "Yep, well, it seems the work never starts but it also never stops either".

As for me re: my last comments on this thread, it'll often be the case, after having experienced a 'breakthrough' in technique, for this to wind back so to speak, so it often is the case that I'll go two steps forward and then one step back, which can be a bit frustrating, but it is at that point where all the patience and perseverance become necessary.

[Richard Barrett]

As for me re: my last comments on this thread, it'll often be the case, after having experienced a 'breakthrough' in technique, for this to wind back so to speak, so it often is the case that I'll go two steps forward and then one step back, which can be a bit frustrating, but it is at that point where all the patience and perseverance become necessary.

Two forward and one back is pretty good going actually! Reading your posts has brought back my occasional hankering after getting myself a new electric guitar. The last time it got really bad I had the lucky break of my daughter asking to have one, so I could go with her to music shops and try out different instruments and make a purchase. Actually at the time that felt better than getting one for myself. What's stopping me? The feeling that if I had a new guitar I would either need to find time to practise or start feeling guilty about not doing so. (I believe this is what's called a first world problem.)

[BBMmk2]

Richard Barrett, that sounded quite challenging!

I’m still muddling my way though the César Franck Le Chasseur Maudit for concert band. Seems to be taking a while to do. I’ve had a couple of technical issues with the software programme I use.

[Dave2002]

Update: I did finish it about a week and a half ago, and I understand it will be put online next Friday, together with an interview I recorded with the ensemble last week. I have the impression that this unusual working process has called forth a kind of music a bit different from anything I've done before, which had been my hope from the start. Now: practising. Making a home recording on Monday of a solo performance for broadcast by the Latvian national radio in Riga. Going there would have been more interesting but this will have to do for now.

Did that earlier work ever get put up on a web site? I can see you've been busy, and also experienced technical hazards - happens to most of us.

I've been doodling a bit more with wind music, but it's still work in progress. The point about using the key signature which players would expect is a good one, but does require some knowledge of instruments - which obviously professionals will be aware of. I don't know much about brass instruments, but for woodwind maybe it's only really the clarinet which presents serious issues to consider. The fingering and tone in some awkward passages might be significantly different on a B flat instrument compared with a clarinet in A.

The cor anglais I think is effectively in F and treated as transposing, so oboists can use their "normal" fingerings.

The oboe d'amore is perhaps odd - in A, and I need to look at that further. In some original scores - e.g. Telemann's works - the writing is in the French violin clef but modern editions may have the music written at concert pitch.

Is there more variation in brass instruments - and more choice of instruments? I suspect there may be.

[Richard Barrett]

Did that earlier work ever get put up on a web site?

Yes, there's a link on "my" thread here.

The oboe d'amore is perhaps odd - in A, and I need to look at that further. In some original scores - e.g. Telemann's works - the writing is in the French violin clef but modern editions may have the music written at concert pitch.

We're not back on this again are we? Oboe d'amore parts will be in A, so that, as you say regarding the english horn, oboists can use their usual fingerings. There's really no substitute for actually learning the basics rather than just guessing them.

[Dave2002]

I'll put a direct link to your interview and premiere piece here - https://www.alineaensemble.org/richard-barrett

The EBTKS (Everything but the kitchen sink) series of composer interviews and pieces put together by the Alinéa Ensemble has some interesting material, including your own, of course, but I'm also tempted by Michael Finnissy.

[Joseph K]

This is listenable in parts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj_rXnLqnx8