on repetition, variation, contrast

I played a much more complete version of my first piece last class, and got some positive feedback as well as helpful suggestions and ideas to consider as I do some revision:

• The section featuring melody in RH piano line is good. Ideas included:
• making this section longer - it's an different sort of figure, incorporating melody into a running eighth note line, but I only use it once in the whole piece
• adding a simple horn part here
• I don't think I'll extend the section - it would throw off my sense of structure/organization. But I'm thinking of using this type of figure in another area of the piece so it's not just a one time thing. If I can make it work. And I may add a horn line here - as long as it won't detract from the RH piano melody. 
• When the first section repeats, consider varying it to keep the audience's interest. 
• vary the accompanying figure so it's not as predictable
• use different octaves/registers
• change a few rhythms and/or notes...
• I agree - I lose focus sometimes myself when I'm listening to the repetition. I have considered taking it out completely, but now think I will keep it in with some minor changes to keep the performers and listeners engaged.

This raises the issue of repetition in music: in general, too much repetition makes a piece boring, but too little repetition makes it loses its sense of focus and logical structure. I suppose it's all about balance - finding the right balance of repetition and contrast or variation.
Of course, the performer also has a role to play in creating variation and capturing the audience's attention. They always tell us, "Don't play the same thing exactly the same way twice! Find ways to highlight different aspects of the material, subtle changes in character." Plenty of music in the core repertoire has a lot of repetition - pretty much any piece in sonata form repeats the entire exposition! It's up to the performer to present it in a slightly different way.
So the composer in me says, "Repetition is great. It's simpler for me and gives the piece some logic/organization. The performers will make sure it doesn't become boring."
But the performer in me says, "Hey, don't be lazy! Give me some more to work with here - make my job easier!"
And since I am both composer and performer of this piece... yes. I will write some more variation into the score.

Ok - too much blog writing and not enough music writing. Or practicing for that matter!

Character Piece No. 1

Last class, I played the beginnings of my first character piece based on those 14 chords. I'm writing for horn and piano, the two instruments I know best. It was still a pretty rough outline of the piece, with parts not yet filled in, no dynamic markings or anything... But it established the basic character, particularly a rhythmic motive carried in the RH piano for most of the piece.

I got some really helpful feedback from the class, mostly about this recurring motive. They liked the idea and the character it created, but suggested I explore ways to make it less predictable -- use it in different registers, give some to the horn, maybe offset the motive in horn and piano... add or subtract notes to create variation, play with subtle ways to change it up. If it's too repetitive, the danger is that we'll all get sick of it. Never a good thing! So there were lot of good ideas for me to think about.
Dr. Ross said it has potential - encouraging words! So now to try to realize that potential!

14 Chords

Our first assignment: to invent a progression of 12-16 chords that are not related to functional harmony, which we'll later use to write pieces for piano and some other instrument.

It sounds simple, but I found it quite challenging. Most of the music I've played has been based on tonality. The last few years of theory classes have focused almost entirely on traditional harmony and voice leading. So now to be sent off to explore atonality... I felt a bit lost. No rules to follow - except to avoid the rules I know.

It took a lot of trial and error to come up with chords. When I went to the piano, my fingers kept finding chords they recognize (they're too well trained!), and my ear kept saying, "Ya, that sounds good!" So I had to really play around to find chords that sounded ok but couldn't be easily labelled, and to arrange them in a somehow logical way with a gradual increase then decrease in tension.

All my chords were approved when I played them in class. Chord 10 had the most tension, probably because it's widely spaced and uses the lower register of the piano. They found chords 7 and 12 nice - and when we looked closer, we found that 7 is similar to a V13 (but still acceptable!) and 12 is based on a stack of 5ths (interesting!). Other feedback: I used a wide range of the piano, which helped to vary the tension of the chords (good!).

I still might go back a tweak a few chords - there's a few that I don't particularly like. But overall I'm happy with what I came up with and the feedback I got in class.

my BLOG

I have a blog?!

Yes, I'm new to this whole thing. Right now it's just another website for me to check, another password to remember, another thing to keep track of. But I wouldn't be surprised if I soon get attached to blogging. I like journaling. The thought of an online journal, open for anyone to read, is a little intimidating yet exciting. Please leave comments! Give feedback, tell me what you think.

So why am I starting this blog? Bottom line: I have to! It's required for MUS 3140, the composition seminar. We have to keep a composition blog, write about our experiences with composing and such... talk about feedback we get in class on our pieces...

I don't have much to say yet. I'm just writing this today because it's a hurricane day - school's closed so I have time! I have very little experience in composition. I've always been interested, but it's a matter of actually sitting down to write. Often I sit at the piano and play, just following my fingers and my ear. It's fun! But to write it down... it's hard! I actually have to decide what I want, where I want things to go. Decisions, decisions, decisions!

And so I decided to go for a composition minor - to explore this world of writing music, to challenge myself, to see where it takes me. A major in piano performance with a minor in composition. It will be a busy but exciting next couple years!