Compositional Goals, what are yours

[gavbrown]

Hi colleagues,

I seek only one thing and that is to create a new beautiful music. I suspect that all of you would say the same thing (tho I don't wish to put words in your mouths, please correct me if I am wrong). In my case, I have picked Rock n Roll, extended jazz harmony, and an evolving personal style which avoids traditional forms of composition, such as fugue, sonata, etc., in favor of works which I simply invent as they seem fit to me. I am greatly influenced by the works of the Rock band Yes from the 70s, which I think is some of the greatest music ever composed, and most of my long-form compositions reflect this influence. I also love short pieces, which I think in their own way, are very hard to compose effectively. I am curious as to what your goals are, please do share -

[Kevin]

Just to write that one melody that will be remembered! Not a lot to ask.

[Deleted]

To write a large scale and smaller piano works that would appeal to Evgeny Kissin, Marc Andre Hamelin, Martha Argerich, and Antonio Itturioz.

Ditto for organ, appealing to Cameron Carpenter, who is soon appearing at a venue about 40 miles away. I am drooling over the possibility, but the drive would probably be wearisome and painful because of arthritis. There is a good route that would avoid the freeway, but it is still a long trip for me.


Richard

[Joseph]

Jan 25, 2016 0:11:43 GMT @richard said:

". . . Ditto for organ, appealing to Cameron Carpenter, who is soon appearing at a venue about 40 miles away. I am drooling over the possibility, but the drive would probably be wearisome and painful because of arthritis. There is a good route that would avoid the freeway, but it is still a long trip for me.


Richard

try to make it Richard.  I've been to a concert of his and it was something to behold. I, too had to drive about 45 miles from the suburbs to the inner city, it was worth it.  The traveling organ he had built for his concertizing is quite the machine, too. His technique is dazzling!!

[gavbrown]

Jan 24, 2016 19:00:39 GMT Kevin said:

Just to write that one melody that will be remembered! Not a lot to ask.

A melody-writing contest or discussion might be fun

[Joseph]

summed up nicely in this quote from one of my favorite contemporary composers, Ned Rorem:
"Why do I write music?" asks Rorem, "because I want to hear it. It's as simple as that."

[gavbrown]

Jan 27, 2016 17:20:16 GMT Joseph said:

summed up nicely in this quote from one of my favorite contemporary composers, Ned Rorem:
"Why do I write music?" asks Rorem, "because I want to hear it. It's as simple as that."

I like Ned. I have a book of some simple piano pieces by him. For those who don't know him, his music is affective, tonal in a strange way, lovely, and I would also say romantic. I hope I hear more of him. I also agree with what z said: we compose because we want to hear ourselves -

[Ed Sharpe]

I can not say that I have any compositiontional goals. I write simply to get the sounds in my head out of my head an on to paper. I spend time every morning in the smallest room in the house simply because it is a biological necessity, some times for me it seems like writing music is a similar biological need.

As far as I know there has not been a public performance of any of my music in over thirty years (granted I was on a musical sojourn for 16 of those years) yet I keep writing new music. What is it they say about the definition of insanity?

[Kevin]

That you have music in your head is, to me, quite amazing ED. Keep it flowing!

[gavbrown]

Feb 2, 2016 0:20:52 GMT Ed Sharpe said:

I can not say that I have any compositiontional goals. I write simply to get the sounds in my head out of my head an on to paper. I spend time every morning in the smallest room in the house simply because it is a biological necessity, some times for me it seems like writing music is a similar biological need.

As far as I know there has not been a public performance of any of my music in over thirty years (granted I was on a musical sojourn for 16 of those years) yet I keep writing new music. What is it they say about the definition of insanity?

Understand your post Ed, but to put it a different way, do you seek to write music which fits into what has come before or to bring something new to the conversation

[Deleted]

I've heard Ned Rorem also said something like this, "I write music because no one else is writing music I like listening to." Personally, I've found much music I enjoy listening to, but I enjoy adding to that collection.

I also feel that I have something unique to say and hopefully a unique way of saying it.

Steve