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| I still wonder were we can go from here. Any suggestions |
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I'm not too sure what you mean?
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Where to go from here?
Are you serious? If you really want a good tune, then learn something about pure melody: there are excellent examples from the troubadours and minnesingers, from Chinese and Indian, Turkish and Arabic music etc. This will require some devotion and study: the scales are not the ones you will be used to, nor will the rhythms - more importantly the phrase structure and forms require some getting into. Music is meant to be difficult (at least to begin with) You get back what you put in.
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I'm sorry everyone. I'm really not trying to dominate this discussion. Something has been going wrong with my email programme. Apologies again.
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What I meant was that there is an agreement for this kind of music, is that were it ends? in an agreement. I have been thinking about starting a group specializing in Modern tonal works. This is not to snub any other styles of music or composer I still feel that there is a need for this kind of work.
"where do we go from here" was also just a bit of fun, to see what responses I would get.
Misuc, I have studied and played troubador music, medeival, rennaissance, I played in a chinese group in London for a year as the only non chinese musician. I have studied Indian classical and popular music and also certain aspects of Middle east music.
The way I learn has always been to ask questions sometimes flippantly, and see the result. I am also a little drunk on the experience of talking to other composers as I have spent a long time in my own world, surrounded by musicians who were not interested or passionate in the nuts and bolts of composition.
I hope that this excuses some of my comments.
Jim
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so, what is it then that motivates the composition of a compelling melody?
i would also recommend studying jazz of the 30's-50's. not only how it is composed, but how they are realized. a name that has come up on this site is Billy Strayhorn...for instance the melody "Take the A Train" - it is compelling on several levels. perhaps the most obvious element in this work is the rhythm - the rhythmic energy propels the melody through the various harmonic areas, saving till the end, a rousing flourish bringing the period of the phrase to a conclusive finish. but there is much more. break this tune down to it's central voice leading elements, and one will soon realize that there is implied 3 voices moving hamoniously through a well crafted chord progression - top voice on E, middle on G, lower on G (unison) - so, top voice E-D-Db-C, middle voice moves G-G#-A-B-C, and lower voice G - F - E. The bridge section creates great tension, sitting on the 7th between F-E, then F#-E, returning gracefully back to the E-G-G of the opening + concluding phrase. It utilizes perhaps the most potent of musical structures - A-B-A. Why potent? Because when utilized by skilled craftsperson, the B sections tension will recreate the A's return, shedding new life and insight into it.
would anyone else like to share ideas on strong melodic composition? examples and/or techniques?
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In response to Jim's quest for a movement name - How about a variation on your original idea, but including another point you made - 'Modern accessible tonalists'? Any good? Of course 'accessible' is subjective, so I'm sure some people who don't like a tune will say it isn't accessible. Maybe it should be 'Subjective accessible tonalists'!... Maybe I should just put my dictionary away for tonight and go and write some music.
Gary
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A good point, Scott. This takes us to other dimensions - from Rameau (Harmonic motion determining melodic) through Ornette Colemen ('Harmolodics') etc. Where indeed do we go from here? Till now we have barely stretched our little toe along the path.
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I like to call myself a neo-populist.
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| This 35 message thread spans 3 pages: < < 1 [2] 3 > > |
Errikos
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