A final post

A final, closing post with an overview of this semester.

I enjoyed putting the music that I know in a clearer chronological order that also informed different process, patterns and evolution of musical thought. Although I will never be good with dates, I am clearer of how composers were informed of the past and how their knowledge, as well as their environment informed their music. I found it very beneficial to understand the circumstances and trends of those iconic pieces, and often just following along with the score, which I really should do more often...
It was also beneficial to come back to the subject of music history again as an adult and a working musician and approach the material not as a given fact but an evolution, as well as putting myself in composers' shoes.

The story doesn't end here, I continue to examine current day composers and further understand trends and thoughts of present day and living composers. It seems that the reactionary composition we've seen over and over is continuing now, as different streams of thought are reacting against each other - the experimental, the old fashioned, the conceptual, the crowd pleasers, the critic pleasers, the avant garde, the crossovers, the techies, the globally influenced...
Composers are trying to find their own voice in a world where it seems everything has been done, within endless possibilities and an ever growing global crow. Their only common denominator is trying to stand out.

For this last post, I wanted to share a few pieces representing some different ideas of current day composers and show the different directions composers are taking:

Gabriel Prokofiev (grandson of) - Concerto for Turntables and orchestra
(balancing technology and classical orchestra)



Karen Seigal (my former colleague) - Confessions from the Blogosphere
collaging quotes collected from blogs
(Karen is the soprano)



Chen Yi - Spring Dream
incorporating traditional Chinese music



John Zorn - Meholalot
mixing and mashing up Jewish themes, classical, rock, jazz, punk, chance and whatnot with no discrimination



It is also fitting that I end with this piece that summons our semester so very well:



thanks for a bunch of good music y'all! it's been fun