I like to compose choral music for specific projects, around concepts I am working on, and for challenges that occur to me that I find interesting to explore. In other words, I compose out of interest and curiosity, not because it is in any way my vocation, a compulsion, or any of the other reasons that drive many composers. I admire the craft and skill that go into truly great composition and arrangements, and for that reason, I have kept something like a diary of the process that seems to be working itself out in my mind and on paper as I compose, or as I work through most any creative project.
Here is a rather unsophisticated description of what I think is going on with me as I move through a creative task. If you are reading this, I would love to ask anyone that has a flair for the visual to chart this or to diagram what I am about to describe in a reply. I also want to ask composers to weigh-in with their process. For me, I begin with a kernel of an idea. In musical terms this is called a motif, but in general, it can be considered an artistic or creative idea. As I play with that idea mentally, it begins to take motion and grows. As I explore the idea, I no doubt treat it the way others have treated similar ideas in the past, which could be called a cliche, good, tired, or bad. Sometimes I stumble upon something that sounds unique. Sometimes I fall into the rut of using ideas I have used before, but even then, sometimes those ideas work. When the ideas and the exploration works, it may be because it enhances the expression of what I have started. If so, I work to refine those ideas. If they continue to work, those ideas work on me and convince me they are the right direction. Many, many times, those ideas don’t work on me and I go in another direction. However, when they work, I work to nuance and craft the ideas that do stick.
The process then begins to continue its organic life, building from the basic ideas that started the process. New ideas come along to compliment what I have already started, and with those ideas come new motion, new growth, new exploration, new discoveries, which are then worked upon and massaged into place with the already established material. Way seems to lead to way as I use my knowledge base and personal voice to craft the material of sound, or the idea that is taking shape. Craft is involved as I use what I know to be good voice leading, tessitura and range parameters, a lifetime of melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, texture, timbre, and vowel/consonant realities, and my own experience with other choral literature. This process repeats itself over and over, with ever-increasing layers of craft being applied to the material taking shape. If something is discarded, I stash it away for another day in my own sketchbook, but NEVER as trash, but rather, as ideas that are not working on me at the present time.
I would love to know how this compares to your artistic and creative experience? Please do WEIGH-IN as a reply to this blog, and if you can indeed diagram the above, I will be very grateful!
Paul Gibson says
Julia Laylander says