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Composers Forum |
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Question #7 - This is something many people want to know: How do you do what you do? What is the process by which you write a piece of music? MSB - M. Susan Brown; SH - Steve Hahn; TK - Tim Krueger; TS - Terry Schlenker |
| MSB - Each piece has its own process. I have sat down and written a piece from beginning to end without knowing how it got there. By the same token, sometimes I have just a little fragment to work with, and I sit, day after day, working with it, coaxing it, trying to find the thread. I have also had dreams of finished music, which I must wake up to write down. SH - First comes the inspiration, which was covered in the last question. For me, writing a piece of music is based on sound. Sometimes I’ll sit down and score a piece right out of my head, but other times I’ll hear something in my head and instantly apply it to an instrument to find out what it will sound like outside my head. If I like it, I’ll notate that combination of motifs and expand on that simple idea, using compositional techniques to develop further elements. Whether it takes a homophonic direction or a contrapuntal feel is something that develops out of the music. The process may be a product of a percussive approach; it may be based on melody; it may come out of harmonics; it may be a theoretical, planning exercise—any parameter of music can be the main element of the process, which is what creates diversity in my music. TK - Most of my compositions have been based on pre-existing melodies. I took their concepts, then rearranged freely. The exception to that is a series of introits I wrote for St. Andrew’s. I that case, I started by composing the melody first, then I added the bass. Those determined the harmony. Once I incorporated the harmony, I changed the melody and bass as needed. TS - I happen to be an improviser, and I write at a keyboard. The text and my emotions at the time generally give me some initial inspiration to improvise on. This has become quicker and easier over time. In recent years, a piece of music often will come to me in a day or in a few days. I tend to like to capture the emotion or the spirit at the time I am feeling it. If I procrastinate, I fear that I may lose the emotion or spirit that is inspiring my expression. I believe the piece would suffer in consistency. After I have written these sketches (the raw notes), I move on to “orchestrating” the piece. This may not make sense to people, since I am writing choral music these days, but to me this is the process of assigning parts. This process is creative in a different way, and I find it very enjoyable. I tend to use the skills I acquired when I was writing orchestral music. After that, the piece goes to print with Glen McGrath, an exceptionally gifted music printer. I also trust him as an editor if I am indecisive about any aspect of the piece. |