Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike
Fundamentally, I think it's the blurred definitions of "atonal" and "wrong notes". When you're working with material which really is entirely removed from what we would normally consider Western tonality, you do it very well. For example, the opening motif in this piece (on the clarinet and then the flute). Sounds like it could have come straight from Ligeti's Chamber Concert for 13 Instrumentalists.
But at around 1:36, you move onto something which sounds like it wants to be tonal, but isn't. There's no score, but by ear it sounds as though you have tonal material stacked up in multiple keys.
It's this "schizophrenia" - the uncertainty as to whether you're trying to be tonal or atonal - which will confuse some listeners. Almost like an outsider sitting down in India to play Raga music, only to use notes not from the pentatonic scale. Within the context of what one expects, or is conditioned to recognise, it doesn't work, and people won't find it accessible.
In order to write truly "atonal" music, it helps first to understand how exactly you are flying in the face of these once-established rules.
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Mike
First off I see no attack here at all, so rest easy, I will not ask you to rephrase.
Many people here and elsewhere confuse dissonace and atonality. I am not a real big fan of strict atonal works. However, I am a big fan of dissonace. Your description of a man sitting down in India to play Ragu is exactly what I do. I try to find the unexpected and use it and when I do it right, it becomes expected. I love to stack chords in multiple keys as well.
So I agree with all you have to say except for
In order to write truly "atonal" music, it helps first to understand how exactly you are flying in the face of these once-established rules.
and that is just because I try not to compose strictly atonally.
I do the same to atonal music that I do to tonal music. There is a mixture in between that I really enjoy. Fortunately, I compose for my satisfaction and not for those who follow all of the rules. That is not to say I don't follow the rules because I think I do follow most of them, I just ignore a few along the way.
When Beethoven did his 1st discordant chord in his 3rd (??) symphony, the world was aghast. I am not trying to compare myself to Beethoven here, just to say that music does change.
I am well aware that there are many people who will hear this and just hate it. Some will tolerate it and the few left will actually enjoy it. Again, I have the priviledge of being able to compose what I like, not something that is required to make the masses happy.
I once took my Father to a Symphony done by a guy from Mexico. I don't remember the composers name, but he lived around the turn of the century until about 1950 or so. After the concert my father asked me why at the beginning, the orchestra even took the time to tune to each other. I thought the piece was rather tame in its use of dissonance, but what was there convinced my father that no one was in tune.
I really think that most of my music is tonal with a few twists and turns to keep me on my toes. When I first heard the term Wrong Note Consonance, I knew right away that that is what I do.
I have been studying Orchestration all of my life, but it doesn't always show thru.
The last thing is that I don't take credit for what I compose. I compose what I hear in my head and where that comes from I don't know. So don't Blame me!
Thanks for the listen and the in depth analysis. It is always nice to know that someone is listening.
Ron