Chapter 8: Music Appreciation

The Art of Composition and the
Creative Process

Composition- the craft of putting together sounds to create a musical work.
Aaron Copland described composition as “exteriorizing inner feelings.”
Most composers write their music down using musical notation. Instead of writing down music by hand, most composers now use computer software such as Finale or Sibelius.
Composers of all different kinds of music speak their mind through the music they write down.
Not everyone who tries to compose is successful at it. The ability to exteriorize inner feelings in a way that the intended audience can understand is a rare talent.

This process is often attributed (credited) to inspiration- a mysterious voice that awakens the creative voice within the artist.
Chopin believed he could watch the music magically flowing from his fingers as he composed.
Beethoven was the opposite, in terms of creative process. He agonized over each musical decision, taking years to complete just one piece.
Mozart rarely, if ever, made an error while writing his compositions. He saw all the music as already finished in his head. All he had to do was put it down on paper (or parchment back in the day).

Lyrics?
Title?
Music?
Form? (blueprint or skeleton on which a composition is built- example: 12 tone rows or sonata)
There is really no right or wrong answer here. Some composers start with a musical idea that pops into their head. Others just have a title and create a whole piece around the title.

Diane Warren has a multitude of hits on the music charts, but you probably don’t know her name.
Why is that?
• She is the songwriter/composer, NOT the performer. She writes the songs but she is not the one the delivers them to the public.

Tunes you might recognize written by Diane Warren:
• Unbreak my Heart- Toni Braxton
• Because you Loved me- Celine Deon
• For you I will- Monica
• Have You Ever?- Brandy
• How do I live without you?- Leann Rimes/Trisha Yearwood
• Not Strong Enough- Apocalyptica
• Your Letter- 112
• If I Could Turn Back Time- Cher

• Likes to start with a title and work around a central idea
• “becomes the character” when she is composing a new piece
• Never works on two songs at once, in order to give her whole soul to what she’s writing
• Believes composing is like being an athlete. If you don’t show up to build and perfect your craft every day, you won’t “win the race.”

American music used to be considered inferior to European traditions.
• American orchestras and opera companies performed music from Europe rather than America.
The introduction of American Jazz into Europe during World War I began to change this belief and brought with it new international respect for American music.
Broadway was also gaining popularity around this time. It was also inspired by Jazz.

George Gershwin (1898-1937)- prolific American composer of popular songs,
Broadway musicals, and concert music.
He taught himself how to play piano and began to study formally, playing the works of Mozart, Beethoven and Liszt.
Wrote his first musical at the young age of 19, called “La La Lucille.”
Much like Diane Warren, he created one successful musical after another, inherently knowing what music worked and how to compose it.
Gershwin was also popular in the concert world writing pieces such as Rhapsody in
Blue and Rodeo.

Rhapsody in Blue
• Kjkjkjh
Hoedown (Rodeo)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsReWx9XdNs&list=PLKW3f5SyGkuWJs3q_i02kstBFBYVhFdd1
I Got Rhythm
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m94SxmkohvQ

Gershwin also composed operas.
His most ambitious work was Porgy and Bess.
• Characters speak in Gullah- regional dialect of English spoken by descendants of enslaved Africans living in the Coastal South.
• In order to accomplish this in his opera, Gershwin spent a large amount of time in the Coastal south, immersing himself in the culture and learning the speech patterns.
• Did not become popular until three years after Gershwin’s death in 1937.

Porgy and Bess
• Bess, You is my Woman Now
• Most popular song from the opera, Porgy and Bess
• Song involves a modulation, or change of key
• Toward the end of the song, Porgy and Bess are singing two different melodies. From your previous knowledge, what musical texture would this be? Homophonic, Monophonic or Polyphonic
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apiq3VN2Ra8

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)- the orchestral composer equivalent of George
Gershwin
Strongly influenced by French composers
He went through many different stages of compositional experimentation in his life, from jazz to modern dissonance
Fanfare for the Common Man is one of his most famous compositions.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NjssV8UuVA
• A fanfare is a short, showy tune, usually written for brass instruments, played to honor important people or announce an important event.

One of the hallmark’s of Copland’s style is simplicity of his harmonies.
Often there is only one instrumental voice accompanying the melodic line.
The piece that best displays Copland’s use of simplicity is the ballet, Appalachian
Spring, more specifically the tune, The Gift to be Simple.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiLTwtuBi-o

Just like with most aspects of life, music has changed and evolved continuously according to the technology available.
• Bach primarily used harpsichord and clavichord, Beethoven primarily used piano to compose since piano was the new popular technology of the day.
• Now the electronic world is changing music composition again…

Most important technical breakthrough of the twentieth century- the integrated circuit
(chip)
• This opened up the world of electronic sound to musicians and the world
Invention of the synthesizer- an electronic device, usually with a keyboard, capable of producing sounds in almost any range, tone quality and volume.
Libby Larsen has made great use of synthesized sound in her compositions.

Along with the use of synthesized sound, Larsen also tends to use visuals as well as audio.
The Settling Years
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhs00QyYU3Y
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XucdtDkrCSU

Hampton made the marimba famous in the late twentieth century.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV42mm__AI0
Libby Larsen composed a piece inspired by Hampton called “Marimba Concerto:
After Hampton”

Late twentieth century composer and arranger
Shared Copland’s love of songs from America’s heritage
Known for his arrangements of African American spirituals
Became a major force in promoting and preserving this part of the African American musical experience.
• The Battle of Jericho- Moses Hogan
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks7fLAwzVxY