Techniques of the Contemporary Composer

This text is a practical guide to the compositional techniques, resources, and technologies available to composers today. Each chapter traces the development of traditional and modern elements that form the foundation of music in the late twentieth century. Among the subjects discussed are interval exploration, serialism, pitch-class sets, twelve-tone music, electronic music, algorithmic composition, and indeterminacy.

Introduction

xi

1. BASICS

1

(11)

Approaches to Composition

1

(3)

Skills and Tools

4

(3)

The Profession

7

(1)

Rudiments of Orchestration and Form

8

(4)

2. THE TONAL LEGACY

12

(14)

Basic Key Concepts

12

(3)

Chromaticism

15

(2)

Expansions and Planing

17

(2)

Polytonality

19

(7)

3. NEW ROLES OF MELODY

26

(12)

Scales

26

(2)

Motives

28

(1)

Basic Melodic Concepts

29

(3)

Extended Melodic Lines

32

(2)

Accompaniments

34

(4)

4. HARMONY, COUNTERPOINT, AND HIERARCHY

38

(8)

The Overtone Series

38

(1)

Texture

39

(1)

Consonance and Dissonance

39

(1)

Interval Strengths

40

(1)

Roots

41

(1)

Progression Strengths and Chromaticism

42

(4)

5. INTERVAL EXPLORATION

46

(12)

Basic Concepts

46

(2)

Fifth and Fourth Chords

48

(2)

Second and Seventh Chords

50

(5)

Interval Combinations

55

(3)

6. SERIALISM

58

(19)

The Row

58

(3)

Category Analysis and Composition

61

(3)

Combinatoriality

64

(2)

Nonpitch Serialism

66

(5)

Pointillism

71

(3)

Klangfarbenmelodie

74

(3)

7. PITCH-CLASS SETS

77

(12)

Basic Pitch-Class Sets

77

(1)

Analyzing Sets

77

(6)

Composing with Pitch-Class Sets

83

(1)

Vectors and Z-Complements

84

(1)

Invariance and Other Variations

85

(4)

8. RHYTHM AND METER

89

(10)

Bar Lines and Pulsation

89

(1)

Freeing Metric Constraints

90

(3)

Metric Modulation

93

(1)

Proportional Notation

94

(1)

Variations and Overviews

95

(4)

9. TEXTURE AND MODULATIONS

99

(23)

Texture

99

(2)

Micropolyphony

101

(7)

Spatial Modulation

108

(5)

Timbre Modulation

113

(2)

Rhythmic and Other Modulations

115

(7)

10. MICROTONES

122

(7)

Basic Principles

122

(2)

Equal Temperament

124

(1)

Intonation and Tuning Systems

125

(1)

Microtones

125

(4)

11. PERCUSSION AND THE PREPARED PIANO

129

(7)

Instrument Types

129

(1)

Notations and Effects

130

(1)

Organization, Direction, and Drama

131

(2)

Prepared Piano

133

(3)

12. NEW TECHNIQUES AND INSTRUMENTS

136

(14)

Percussive Effects

136

(2)

Multiphonics

138

(1)

Muting Effects

139

(2)

Extensions of Traditional Techniques

141

(1)

Other Effects

142

(2)

New Instruments

144

(6)

13. NEW NOTATIONS

150

(11)

Metric and Improvisational Notation

150

(1)

Proportional and Graphic Notation

151

(2)

Cluster Notation

153

(1)

Microtone Notation

154

(1)

Percussion and Piano Notation

155

(2)

Electronic and Computer Notation

157

(1)

Notations of Nontraditional Techniques

158

(3)

14. INDETERMINACY

161

(7)

Composer Indeterminacy

162

(2)

Performer Indeterminacy

164

(1)

Mobiles and Stochastic Music

165

(2)

Uses of Indeterminacy

167

(1)

15. MUSIQUE CONCRETE

168

(9)

Sources

168

(1)

Basic Techniques

168

(1)

Recorders and Tape

169

(2)

Tape Manipulation and Effects

171

(6)

16. ELECTRONIC MUSIC

177

(15)

General Acoustic Principles

177

(1)

Electronic Sound Sources

177

(2)

Sound Manipulation

179

(2)

Mixing and Editing

181

(8)

MIDI

189

(3)

17. ALGORITHMIC COMPOSITION

192

(14)

Composition Processes and Approaches

192

(2)

General Programming Techniques

194

(1)

Mathematical Sources

195

(2)

Musical Sources

197

(6)

Interactive and Collaborative Composition

203

(3)

18. MEDIA FORMS

206

(10)

Multimedia

206

(3)

Mixed Media

209

(3)

Intermedia

212

(2)

Virtual Reality

214

(2)

19. MINIMALISM

216

(6)

Silence as Minimalism

216

(1)

Concept Music

217

(1)

Brevity Works

218

(1)

Continuities

218

(1)

Phase and Pattern Music

219

(3)

20. EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC

222

(8)

Situation and Circumstance Music

222

(1)

Soundscapes

223

(1)

Biomusic

224

(2)

Antimusic

226

(4)

21. DECATEGORIZATION

230

(9)

Eclecticism

231

(1)

Quotation

232

(1)

Sectionalization

233

(1)

Overlays

234

(2)

Integration

236

(3)

Bibliography

239

(8)

Index

247

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Techniques of the Contemporary Composer

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials