Mahler 8 - Love as the creator

I spent 40 mins composing a single bar of the Britten arrangement tonight. The main difficulty I faced was in picking it up from where I left it last time - about three quarters of the way through a phrase. I'm never exactly sure where a phrase should end; most times I probably end them prematurely. This isn't a major concern though, as these composing sessions are about getting all the ideas down and evaluating them later. You have to work hard to gain a wealth of material, whilst not worrying too much about how it will be shaped into the finished product. In terms of obtaining a finished product, it is useful to have a deadline to work towards. At this stage, the Britten arrangement isn't established well enough in my mind for me to think about a deadline. Once I spend more time manipulating the initial motives and phrases, a broader structure or outline for the piece might start to materialise.

I experienced some more Mahler played by Vladamir Ashkenazy, Sydney Symphony and several choirs and soloists at the Opera House last night. It was Mahler's Eighth Symphony, which is renowned for the hundreds of singers and musicians required to perform it. The choral parts were the highlight for me. I was really impressed with the choirs' precision and control. From the softest to loudest dynamics, their tone was always consistent and clear. I also intend to write a review on this performance, so I'll save any elaboration on the actual content and my reaction to it until then.

Finding flow in the songwriting process

I went well over 40 mins writing and rewriting the poem about my grandfather. The rewriting was on the stuff I'd come up with over the last couple of days. I decided to change it so that it featured more third person and the verse structure was simpler. I think I'm just about finished. I didn't expect to get to this stage tonight, but I got on a role and ended up doing about 80 mins worth of work. The key was to start with a vague concept of what each verse was going to be about and how they would colour the refrain: "there's always something to leave behind." Then, once I had established what the rhyming pattern was, it all poured out of me.

I decided to try and complete the last verse tomorrow. It will have a couple of extra lines to give emphasis to the twist on the refrain. In the first four verses, the refrain "...leave behind" refers to the inevitability of moving away from things in life, or being moved away from. In the last verse I want the refrain to refer to what you leave behind in death being the consolation.

I am not going to broadcast this poem over the internet or by any other means because it is written for a specific occasion and there are some things that should be kept as a one off. It is for my family, not for peer review. I just wanted to share my breakthrough regarding the actual writing process and am pleased to say that I will be writing words in addition to music more often. Put Pat Pattison's Writing Better Lyrics on your shopping list. It will show you a lot.

Pitch lessons and Bach

I finally got to composing at around 10.30pm this evening, after returning from my first rehearsal with the Illawarra Choral Society for the year. We began hectic preparations for a performance of Bach's Jesu, Priceless Treasure and some of the chorales from his St. Matthew Passion. I also started learning some Bach pieces on classical guitar at my first lesson back this year. Why all this Bach? I see it as an important part of my musical education. What better way to learn about four-part harmony and the twelve-tone system than to analyse a Bach score? I haven't done any analysing yet, but already I am suprised with how my sight reading has improved from singing Bach tonight.

I have decided to dedicate 40 mins a day to composing. This might not seem like much, but if I didn't do this I would compose for 3 hours one day and none the next. Self-discipline has to take precedence over the delights and dangers of creative flow ("flow" is a psychological concept that is worth looking up). I didn't make much progress tonight. I got stuck on trying to work out the dynamics of one bar and when I finally got to composing the notes for the next one, my time was up and I had to force myself to stop.

I had some thoughts while listening to Mahler's 5th today. I wondered if his dramatic genius had something to do with his unique ability to synthesise vastly opposing themes and motives, so that the rivalry between them became the foundation for a movement. This could be an idea to keep in mind for both the overall structure of a piece and the orchestration from bar to bar; however, I don't think it works without having an advanced understanding of texture and detail. I have the feeling this ties in closely with visual arts as well.