Comments on: Trombones, Composing, and Why Schenker Rocks http://www.oboe-comics.com/2009/02/06/trombones-composing-and-why-schenker-rocks/ Hobos and Buffoons Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:58:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: ren http://www.oboe-comics.com/2009/02/06/trombones-composing-and-why-schenker-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-3848 ren Sat, 14 Feb 2009 04:15:34 +0000 http://www.oboe-comics.com/?p=1290#comment-3848 Oh no, of course not! I am a big fan of all kinds of music, and Schenker only considered certain composers to be worthy--composers A) who were German and B) who wrote music that fit with his theory. He was an ass, basically, but his theory actually works really well with composers like Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart--who were really the only composers Schenker liked--and I like how it works! It just makes me kind of happy. But no! I mean, my favourite composers are John Adams and Rimsky-Korsakov, and their music certainly doesn't do that, and it is very well written. AND I don't write music like that! And my music is totally, undeniably, flawless. Oh no, of course not! I am a big fan of all kinds of music, and Schenker only considered certain composers to be worthy–composers A) who were German and B) who wrote music that fit with his theory. He was an ass, basically, but his theory actually works really well with composers like Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart–who were really the only composers Schenker liked–and I like how it works! It just makes me kind of happy. But no! I mean, my favourite composers are John Adams and Rimsky-Korsakov, and their music certainly doesn’t do that, and it is very well written. AND I don’t write music like that! And my music is totally, undeniably, flawless.

]]> By: gmac_oboe http://www.oboe-comics.com/2009/02/06/trombones-composing-and-why-schenker-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-3845 gmac_oboe Sat, 14 Feb 2009 03:58:47 +0000 http://www.oboe-comics.com/?p=1290#comment-3845 Glad to hear that you're enjoying Schenkerian analysis! However, I am curious...do you really believe that every single piece of well-written music (by Schenker's definition, anyway...) can always be reduced to a 3-line, a 5-line, or an 8-line? I don't know...to me, it seems that most of the time you end up trying really hard to make that shoe fit, even when it clearly doesn't. This became particularly evident to me when Margaret analyzed a Mozart Fantastia that was very clearly broken up into a few distinct sections, each kind of like its own little 'fantasy'. She argued that each section had its own 'local urlinie', which made total sense. However, her teacher insisted that this was not Schenker's approach, and that she should analyze the whole piece in terms of a 3, 5, or 8-line. To do that, you have to try REALLY hard to make the piece fit into the 3, 5, or 8-line analysis... Don't get me wrong, I think analyzing things at many different levels and peeling away the layers of music to uncover the basic structure is incredibly valuable, but to say that every single piece of 'well-written' music has an underlying descending 3, 5, or 8-line...I think that's pretty silly! Glad to hear that you’re enjoying Schenkerian analysis! However, I am curious…do you really believe that every single piece of well-written music (by Schenker’s definition, anyway…) can always be reduced to a 3-line, a 5-line, or an 8-line? I don’t know…to me, it seems that most of the time you end up trying really hard to make that shoe fit, even when it clearly doesn’t. This became particularly evident to me when Margaret analyzed a Mozart Fantastia that was very clearly broken up into a few distinct sections, each kind of like its own little ‘fantasy’. She argued that each section had its own ‘local urlinie’, which made total sense. However, her teacher insisted that this was not Schenker’s approach, and that she should analyze the whole piece in terms of a 3, 5, or 8-line. To do that, you have to try REALLY hard to make the piece fit into the 3, 5, or 8-line analysis…

Don’t get me wrong, I think analyzing things at many different levels and peeling away the layers of music to uncover the basic structure is incredibly valuable, but to say that every single piece of ‘well-written’ music has an underlying descending 3, 5, or 8-line…I think that’s pretty silly!

]]> By: Al Dimond http://www.oboe-comics.com/2009/02/06/trombones-composing-and-why-schenker-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-3791 Al Dimond Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:42:48 +0000 http://www.oboe-comics.com/?p=1290#comment-3791 I have been different without the fora around, too! I miss you guys, but it's hard... I get so addicted to online things... there are all these beautiful worlds created online, by people I understand. And there's only one physical world, and it's not. I am always physically surrounded by people I have little in common with, and I've been trying to meet more of them, or if nothing else (being not the most social person), read their pamphlets. How could I, a couple years ago, have thought I'd perform at the same open-mic as a hip-hopper singing "Fuck, fuck all those who administrate / it only breeds hate"? I've really tried to force myself into the physical world in Chicago, and it's challenged and changed me although I see I've only scratched its surface (whenever I feel I've scratched the whole surface I find a new place!)... maybe I'm at the point where I can stop being addictive about the Internet. Maybe I'll come back! But not at least until March, because I've got an album to finish... That being my RPM Challenge album! At least 10 songs or 35 minutes of original music recorded and mixed in the month of February! www.rpmchallenge.com for the info, if you ever want to do such a thing. Writing a 7- (or 9-) piece tuba suite sounds damn tough, though. Makes my challenge look piddling! I have been different without the fora around, too! I miss you guys, but it’s hard… I get so addicted to online things… there are all these beautiful worlds created online, by people I understand. And there’s only one physical world, and it’s not. I am always physically surrounded by people I have little in common with, and I’ve been trying to meet more of them, or if nothing else (being not the most social person), read their pamphlets. How could I, a couple years ago, have thought I’d perform at the same open-mic as a hip-hopper singing “Fuck, fuck all those who administrate / it only breeds hate”? I’ve really tried to force myself into the physical world in Chicago, and it’s challenged and changed me although I see I’ve only scratched its surface (whenever I feel I’ve scratched the whole surface I find a new place!)… maybe I’m at the point where I can stop being addictive about the Internet. Maybe I’ll come back! But not at least until March, because I’ve got an album to finish…

That being my RPM Challenge album! At least 10 songs or 35 minutes of original music recorded and mixed in the month of February! http://www.rpmchallenge.com for the info, if you ever want to do such a thing. Writing a 7- (or 9-) piece tuba suite sounds damn tough, though. Makes my challenge look piddling!

]]> By: ren http://www.oboe-comics.com/2009/02/06/trombones-composing-and-why-schenker-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-3774 ren Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:18:26 +0000 http://www.oboe-comics.com/?p=1290#comment-3774 That is what I think! But there is a fine balance between writing for the music and writing for the musicians. In general, arrangers write for the musicians and composers write for the music, and the best of us try to do both! But the key is not to go too far over onto either side, and sometimes I think I might. Secretly I also pronounce 'oboing' o-boing. I am glad I am not alone! That is what I think! But there is a fine balance between writing for the music and writing for the musicians. In general, arrangers write for the musicians and composers write for the music, and the best of us try to do both! But the key is not to go too far over onto either side, and sometimes I think I might.

Secretly I also pronounce ‘oboing’ o-boing. I am glad I am not alone!

]]> By: Miriam http://www.oboe-comics.com/2009/02/06/trombones-composing-and-why-schenker-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-3769 Miriam Sun, 08 Feb 2009 02:41:09 +0000 http://www.oboe-comics.com/?p=1290#comment-3769 Hi obohemia! :) philosophical question, isn't making the people potentially playing music you compose important because it makes it easier for the performers to then transmit their "yay music is fun!"-ness to the audience? Also, I spontaeniously decided while reading this that from now on I'm pronouncing "oboing" as o-boing. Boing! I don't know if you care. Hi obohemia! :) philosophical question, isn’t making the people potentially playing music you compose important because it makes it easier for the performers to then transmit their “yay music is fun!”-ness to the audience?

Also, I spontaeniously decided while reading this that from now on I’m pronouncing “oboing” as o-boing. Boing! I don’t know if you care.

]]> By: oboeinsight » Blog Archive » Blush http://www.oboe-comics.com/2009/02/06/trombones-composing-and-why-schenker-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-3758 oboeinsight » Blog Archive » Blush Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:47:45 +0000 http://www.oboe-comics.com/?p=1290#comment-3758 [...] read it here and it warmed my heart. Or at least made me smile. Or blush. Or something. (Yeah, I am frequently [...] [...] read it here and it warmed my heart. Or at least made me smile. Or blush. Or something. (Yeah, I am frequently [...]

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