Beethoven’s Music was Simple, Rhythmic Modes, Automorphs and Middle Eastern Music

You guys have it all wrong. All you have to do is get really, really, really, really, really, really, really, high. Then go back and re-read the original post and look at the drawings. Once the words start moving around and the circular charts start spinning, then you will finally understand it.

Please, don't tell me that you're all so evil that you'll go so far as to denying the Four Cubic Fish of Opposites!

Originally Posted by Dan Gilbert

You guys have it all wrong. All you have to do is get really, really, really, really, really, really, really, high. Then go back and re-read the original post and look at the drawings. Once the words start moving around and the circular charts start spinning, then you will finally understand it.

The key to learning!!!!!!!!!1

Anyone can talk about repeating patterns and formulaic music but until I hear music written today that begins to approach the quality and depth of music by Mozart and Beethoven these theories don't really amount to much.

One of our modern day experts on classical music (as both a teacher and performer), Robert Levin, attempted to recreate some parts of the Mozart Requiem that had murky origins and the results were utterly horrendous. The end result demonstrates (rather painfully) that the degree of knowledge and analytical skill is not positively correlated with creative genius.

Was there a middle-eastern influence on western music from that period? Of course. In fact, Europe was going through one musical fad after another and they all played a role in shaping the music we hear today. Did the influence run deeper? Quite possible. The dominant religion of the time was of middle-eastern origin so how difficult is it to believe that some of the musical sensibilities were transferred as well. Having said that, the influence is not easily heard or proven since there are some patterns and rythms which are quite likely universal.

New pictures up in my pics' on the second page of my music composition folder showing how to combine the most common melodic cells at;

MySpace

Also, there is video of me sight-reading a resulting "composition" as well as a video of me playing the Balinese rebab which is a two stringed bowed spike fiddle at

MySpaceTV Videos: Most common Melodic Cells by Greg

and

MySpaceTV Videos: Rebab Music by Greg

respectively.

If these links don't work (probably because of the question mark in them) then just click on videos under the main picture of me at www.myspace/gongchime. Or conversely click these images from photobucket;

Here are the melodic cells written on clear plastic



Here they are strung together



Here's frater Greg sight-reading them.

Can you pick out Mariah Carey's melodic line that goes "A full moon is waiting in the twilight"? Or a melodic lick by the classic rock band Kansas? They're in there.

Do the clefs imply pitch or mode in any way, or are they just for decoration? I am not sarcastic.

The clefs are just so that you can know if you have the tiles upside down or not or even backwards. That is useful to be able to do which is also why they're on clear plastic. When you turn them upside-down or backwards, you can still see the notes.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Anyone can talk about repeating patterns and formulaic music but until I hear music written today that begins to approach the quality and depth of music by Mozart and Beethoven these theories don't really amount to much.

Hearing the quality of music written today not only depends on the music, but also on how you hear it. Unless you give an objective definition of quality and depth there's nothing one can "prove" there. It's just that you have a subjective opinion, which is fine. I like Mozart's Requiem too.

The end result demonstrates (rather painfully) that the degree of knowledge and analytical skill is not positively correlated with creative genius.

Musical knowledge doesn't make a musical genius, I agree. But the fact that most musically knowledgeable people aren't considered musical geniuses doesn't mean there's no correlation. Just no simple causality.

I think the point was that solely theoretical ideas could never have produced Mozart's Requiem.
However, there are plenty of other 'masterful' pieces throughout history that could not have been written through a mathematical or entirely theoretical approach, including some very recent music.

The way I see it, is that you don't have to be 'musically knowledgable' to be able to imagine incredibly complex music, but if you want to actually get it down on paper, then you do!

I know this is slightly off-topic now but check this out:

YouTube - Derek Paravicini - The Musical Genius Part 2

Derek is autistic and unable to comprehend musical theory.