Toward Composition

It’s interesting, when considering composition, how emphasis is placed upon the limitations of the instrument. Within reason, all instruments do have limitations, as do singers. One would never compose a piece for a human singer that includes a C that is eight octaves above middle C. Each conventional vocal – bass, tenor, alto soprano has an accepted range, HOWEVER, it’s amazing what the human voice can accomplish. And when taking into account composition for human voice, people like Gyorgy Ligetti just turned everything on its ear and expected singers to do absolutely outrageous vocal acrobatics in pieces like Aventures-Nouvelles Aventures. Every instrument has limitations. The theremin was roundly criticized for having the ability to play only one note at a time, yet all brass and woodwinds share the same limitation. So, is it a limitation? – hardly – it’s just a GIVEN for that particular instrument. As for composition for theremin, the composer does him/herself as disservice if the point of departure is the limitations of the instrument. Virtually every supposed limitation that has been listed here, is, I believe, a fallacy. Rapid note runs, wide pitch jumps/intervals, sharp staccato, arpeggios, are all possible. Some take an incredible amount of work to achieve – nevertheless, they’re possible. Three bars of sixteenth notes that jump in sevenths will take far longer to master then three bars of sixteenth notes that contain notes fairly close together, but to characterize them as de facto impossible and therefore out of the composer’s province is wholly arbitrary. The real limitations, without meaning to offend in any way, are actually our own limitations as individual players. Some of these limitations are self-imposed based upon musical tastes and preferences. Others are the result of the degree to which one wants to explore and practice. There has never been and never will be a point at which one must stop – a point beyond which one must never try. A composer is free to create anything in just about any form. It’s the instrumentalist’s job to recreate it accurately. The history of music is filled with composers who were never able to play their own work, or who could never play most of the instruments they composed for, or extraordinary composers who created pieces that went beyond what people thought was possible for an instrument (a composer like Alkan comes to mind). Music history is also filled with extraordinary artists whose ability to play a given instrument set new benchmarks for mastery. It is irrelevant what genre we choose to compose in. Someone classically trained can find it extremely hard to play a composition that allows for improvisation. Someone who plays primarily free form may find it extremely difficult to play more conventional music like The Swan at first. It’s a question of commitment and practice. Compositions of a conventional classical nature can seem insurmountable, but taking on the challenge and sticking with it can result in success. All it takes is the decision to work at something until it BECOMES possible.