The Challenges of you compositional style...

[Majesty]

Hi guys! I know I haven't been around a whole lot lately, but I decided to post a thread on a subject that I often think on as a composer.

Many composers strive to have their music create the same wonderful sensations for listeners today as the "Old Masters" of composition did for their generation. As I was thinking about the approach for an aria for my opera I was remarking to myself how How a composer like Mozart handled textures and rhythms and how it made sense for his era and the sensation it created for the listener of his day. I then began thinking about how my own style and philosophy depends on staying away from certain musical "thoughts" while holding on to others combined with my own personal philosophy. I came to feel that my own personal style poses certain challenges becuase of my distinct use or non use of certain techniques and sounds. Therefor, my music will have its own unique sensation wil hinting at something familiar.

Actually, this thought and conversation I had with myself was not the first time. I actually had these on going conversations with myslef as a college student and realized that I would work to make the "challenges" of my technique and style my strength and identity. This was an important realization for me at the time because much of my personal style grabs a hold to some of the "old", acknowledges my own era, culture and my own prefernces while trying to look forward.

I was wondering have any of you on this site had similar thoughts or have any comments?

[MaestroX]

A very interesting topic. I'll try share my insights, though they are limited as I am still young and therefore have not completely developed my own compositional "voice".

I've posted a few of my work here on Music-Web (some temporarily taken down for revisions) so I'm sure some members will know that I'm a very conventional composer employing ideas from 17th and 18th century. This conventional side of me is however disappearing as I've looked into other areas of music.

I'm sure many composers go through the phase of finding their own voice and I would say I'm currently going through that now. I came to realise composing in styles worn out by centuries has no future. If someone wants to listen to Mozart, they'll get a CD or go to a concert/recital. This phase of finding my own voice explains why I haven’t posted some of my works in some time; many of them vary in quality and remain unfinished as I dart from one musical extreme to the other.

[Thorolf]

To me, composing is like shopping for music. (!) I’m in an infinite record store where I can pick up music I haven’t heard before, press play and see if I like it. Often I don’t buy it, but regularly I find things that turn me on, and I want to pursue the direction/artist/composer/conductor. The small difference is that the music isn’t created yet.

As I like, and buy, different styles etc., I shop for anything I like in my own creative universe aswell. I am blessed with unconventional tastes, and that has proved to ensure creative integrity and—not one personal voice—but several personal voices, all unmistakably me.

Regards

[Majesty]

I'm not so much talking about whether or not someone's music sounds like and era or another composer, although it does figure into the equation. I'm talking more about the idea that you may, for instance, want to create that same type of sensation one gets when we hear the opening of Bach's great toccata and fugue in Dminor for organ. Part of the reason we have the sensations we do is because of his use of the instrument, the compositional style of the Baroque and the use of the minor key. Now, suppose a component of you distinctive style or voice relys on not using tonal scales, or perhaps not using Baroque references. This is where the challenge of you style comes into play. You want to create a similar sensation as Bach's piece but how do you as a composer with a different approach and materials manage to do so, so that when a listener hears it they can associate the sensations of your piece and Bach's Toccata in the same manner?

It is this specific issue that I find interesting. I personally don't have a problem with this issue as I have grown to the point as a composer where such a task or a question is not a "problem" if I am interested in created a similar sensation that hints to something in the past.

Just like you, Thorolf, I have use many distinct techniques and style philosophies including my own. But, I do also have a personal philosophy on composition and it factors into what I acknowledge and ignore as far as compositional techniques and sounds. That is why I choose to share this thought.

I hope I'm being clear and making sense

[reith]

Yes, an interesting topic.

I think I know what you mean in that I have an empathy with Delius and have sometimes wanted to express in the same terms but with my voice (assuming I have one) - usually reflections of Nature or people in Nature. I don't think the result sounds like Delius though I borrow the style - the tendency to work in motifs and dependence on dynamics. If something enters my head as orchestral I think orchestral from the start (as I imagine people like Delius and Debussy did).

But this has set me wondering!

reith