Sons of Daughters March Tour - Hard Work Pays off!

Composing:thoughts from those that did and keep doing.

Ravel:
Of course, if I ever did a perfect piece of work I would stop composing immediately. One just tries, and when I have finished a composition I have 'tried' all I can; it's no use attempting anything more in the same direction. One must seek new ideas."


"Music, I feel, must be emotional first and intellectual second."


Hindemith:
"My God, how can anyone ever be a master of music?"


"There are only twelve tones and they need to be treated carefully."


Chopin:

"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art."

"When one does a thing, it appears good, otherwise one would not write it. Only later comes reflection, and one discards or accepts the thing. Time is the best censor, and patience a most excellent teacher."

"Put all your soul into it, play the way you feel!"
Shostakovich:
A creative artist works on his next composition because he was not satisfied with his previous one.

Schoenberg:
“Whether one calls oneself conservative or revolutionary, whether one composers in a conventional or progressive manner, whether one tries to imitate old styles or is destined to express new ideas - one must be convinced of the infallibility of one's own fantasy and one must believe in one's own inspiration.”

Space

What is negative and positive space in relation to composing/painting/writing?

Form

How do you view form and structure when playing "standards"?  What is your goal on a tune?

Qualities

What are the qualities you look for in someone improvising and or making music?

Expectations.

What does one want out of improvising?  What do you want to do with it?  How does Melody, Harmony and Rhythm translate into meaning?