Composition 2b

www.rhoadley.net/courses/comp2b

Indicative Schedule

• Before beginning, please check out the module reference sheet, the assessments and the resources you might need.
• You may find some of the resources available to students of Composition 2a useful.
• Preview Composition 3.

outline of week    1-2   3-4   5-6   7-8   9-10   11-12

Course Outline

Summary

This is a practical course which considers some of the basic issues behind musical composition in the late twentieth century. Students are asked to think about why music is written, what uses there are for the varying conventions currently employed, as well as having time to create their own compositions for performance in one of a number of workshops occurring throughout the course. Individual tutorials offer support for this activity.

Interesting Things

General Resources

No resources are necessary, beyond manuscript paper, pencils, erasers, rulers, etc. However, you will certainly find it helpful to have access to a piano (ideally), or some other keyboard instrument. Some people find electronic keyboards used in conjunction with sequencing soft or hardware helpful when they compose, and this is perfectly alright. However, there are a number of caveats in their use. You are not recommended to actually compose on the notation editor of a sequencing programme. Although many are now available and many are quite flexible and user-friendly, none allow for the freedom allowed by hand-writing, especially when it comes to annotating scores, (dynamics, articulation, phrasing, etc.). You may, however, find the programmes useful for improvisation and some forms of editing. Always be aware that to some extent you are at the hands of those who wrote the software. Don't allow them to dictate to you what you can or can't do. Because of these problems, I usually impose restrictions on how much of any composition portfolio can be submitted using such software.

Moreover, not least because a number of music A-Level examining boards now accept MIDI-generated recordings of music as a 'performance' of a piece, there is a growing feeling that such 'performances' are, indeed, acceptable. While, if a 'live' recording is not possible and if enough effort and care is devoted to its preparation, such an unnatural performance can provide a useful preview of pieces, I do not agree that such performances are acceptable if an alternative can be provided. So, it is one of the requirements of this course that students submit a recording of a live performance of each of their submissions. For most composers, this recording is made during the workshops. However, if, for whatever reason, you unable to make use of this, you must arrange such a recording or recordings yourself. In this latter case a sequenced performance is not acceptable.

In spite of the above, I am prepared to make exceptions to this rule under particular circumstances, principally where the project undertaken is considered desirable, but where a workshop performance may be impractical - an example of this may be the composition of an orchestral piece. Even in these cases, a composer will be expected to make every effort to get the piece performed or at least rehearsed, if not immediately, then at some point in the future.

As you may gather, I consider live performance to be an essential part of composition, not only so that a composer can hear the results of their labours, but also because of the practical complexities of arranging such a performance, feelings of self-consciousness concerning their own work that composers so often experience and in order to get a feeling for the complex social interactions that comprise a live performance.

• There are three projects, weighted at 25%, 25% and 50% respectively. The first two projects will vary in content; the final project is almost invariably an own=choice composition (within certain bounds).
• Given time, I will try to pass on to you marks and comments of the first two exercises in time for you to resubmit revised scores. However, I will only pass on marks and remarks via email. If you have not provided me with an email address then I will not pass on any such marks or comments. Please also see Score Presentation and Submission.
• Composers are encouraged to use their experience of the workshops to edit their scores as they feel appropriate.
• If your score is not performed in a workshop, you are required to submit a cassette recording of a live performance of the score(s) with your submission.
• All scores, with accompanying tapes if necessary, should be submitted in week 12.
• You should only submit copies of your scores and you should keep the originals in a safe place.
• See Preparing for Submission for more details.