Analysis for Composers #9 - On Planning Large Forms

[@TimothyZhou0]

Thank you for explaining how music composition is actually done. This is the single most helpful video on the subject I have ever come across.

[@wingflanagan]

This is incredibly useful information for someone like me who, despite all sober advice to the contrary, cannot seem to stay away from writing large, ambitious works before having mastered smaller forms. I'm in the curious position of earnestly desiring to improve my craft, yet feeling just reckless enough to leapfrog into the deep end of the pool. One recalls Count Orsini-Rosenberg from Amadeus: "A young man trying to impress beyond his abilities. Too much spice, too, um... too many notes." Many years ago I tried writing a full-scale piano concerto with almost no idea what I was doing, beyond some encyclopedia articles on musical form. I had so much fun, checking off the list: first theme, second theme, variations, key changes, climax - interrupted by a nice long cadenza! - then recapitulation! And a thunderous closing! I got to record it using an early MIDI sequencer with some (for the time!) state-of-the-art FM synthesized orchestral voices. There are moments of pure inspiration and some nice themes buried under tons of pretentious junk. "Ten minutes of ghastly scales - arpeggios, whizzing up and down like fireworks at a fairground." And too many notes. Way, WAY too many notes.

[@enriquesanchez2001]

Rather enjoyed your story - reminds me of my own woeful attempts :) Thanks - I don't feel so alone now!

[@ToastedCigar]

This is one of the most useful composition videos I've seen in a long time!

[@reginaldobudai4330]

Thank you @Alan Belkin for your teachings!!!!

[@TamsinJones]

This video has helped me to make a conceptual leap. The usual advice one receives is to plan a structure first, but this can end up in putting the cart before the horse. tends to result in empty, unconvincing link sections between ideas; but seems a much better approach, i.e., coming up with the ideas first and then working out how they transition, contrast, comment on each other. I mean it's still important to have an idea of the largest requirements of a project's structure before beginning, but still more important to have the flexibility to let one's material itself have a say in how it is assembled and developed. Thank you, Dr Belkin!

[@glennmartin974]

Just what I have been looking for (again . . . listened to before) Much Thanks!

[@neilwalsh3977]

This is my blueprint from now on!

[@markchapman6800]

I wish that the person who had taught me composition for a while had had any idea of this stuff.

[@glennmartin974]

Thanks for the materials that you discuss, especially the "sketching."

[@neilwalsh3977]

''Ideas that seduce you''. Amen

[@glennmartin974]

Excellent! Especially on studying other works "to learn things that can be transferred into my own style." Such great practical advice!

[@MrInterestingthings]

Enjoyed this one tremendously. Now i have the guts to start at square one . Thinking and making decisions . Im sure lots of giid things have come about imprimptu fashion but im sure the more we learn and have experienced great art in diverse mediums the better the improvised "masterwork " will be. Now to put real effort into something , whether it be kleinekunst or grosse . The thing is to use the tools and be aware . Thanks again. Cant wait to hear abd see 4th symphony . The cello concerto was a revelation and made me want to slow down my routinecomposition and deepen my study .

[@tabby7189]

Two questions: - Why is the most strongly expressive always the goal? Why not have some milder flavours or even make them the focus? - Can you elaborate more on the value of classical models and existing systems (ex: sonata logic) as well as their limitations?

[@andreasaaser]

This is such crucial and key advice! Thank you so much - this is really filling in the gaps from my music education! I would also say that this is very applicable to the process of writing film music!

[@OdinComposer]

Thank you! Looking forward to the next one!

[@NeerajSharma-xo9hd]

Awesome video. You really understand music on emotional context and how it works on ears and mind. I wanted to ask you that I often get these sudden playback ideas of textures and movement which I truly like. I feel like recording them as fast as possible so I record them. But these ideas always lack a beginning and climax like a full musical piece. I know where to put them and how they will sound and make you feel with time. But that's when they are fresh. When I listen to the recording after so many days to work upon the idea, it sounds emotionally empty. I know it's because I was more musical that time and not this time. But my question is how to better capture your ideas to better work on them during the production.

[@NeerajSharma-xo9hd]

Yes. I have to be a better writer and reader. Thanks! ❤

[@LesterBrunt]

Capturing the idea is just the beginning. Then you have to work out the idea, see what is happening, make all kinds of variations, imagine counter themes, intros, outros,etc. The true art is knowing how to tie it all together, how to create something dramatic out of it, how to connect all the different ideas into something coherent. It can't really be taught, you just have to write a lot of sketches and a lot of songs to find your voice or the thread that runs through all your musical ideas. In Gradus Fux advices the student to study with purely theoratical sketches for 3 years before actually trying to make music out of those ideas. Schoenberg wrote that it is like learning a language, at first you learn the vowels, then the words, then sentences, then a whole paragraph, etc.

[@OdinComposer]

An experienced composer will have done enough work in the practice forms, to have developed at least the essentials of this feeling for what should happen and when. In fact this is the main reason for a composer to study classical forms since, properly understood, all these forms embody the same basic principles of intensification, contrast, transition and how to begin and end."

[@BenjaminStaern]

What about recycling ideas? Any accounts on that?

[@ramesh0785]

I own your book that u have mentioned here sir.

[@neilwalsh3977]

Belkin's 'Best Fit' principle

[@tesahe4035]

I like your videos a lot. I must disagree on certain points though: drawing a large-scale form can be extremely helpful in many cases. It is of course up to debate who was a great composer, but Xenakis for example did do these kinds of sketches. As for mathematical proportions, too complex structures will be inaudible. However, much simpler ones not so, and can regulate the flow of the piece very efficiently. This is the case with Carter’s structural polyrhythms for example. I think very few professional composers would deny his craft even if disliking their music. I am aware that you studied with Carter for a while, by the way.

[@simonprecheurllarena]

"Make a drawing" XD

[@Yes-mh6wh]

tempi