Composers Forum is a daily web log that allows invited contemporary composers to share their thoughts and ideas on any topic that interests them--from the ethereal, like how new music gets created, music history, theory, performance, other composers, alive or dead, to the mundane, like getting works played and recorded and the joys of teaching. If you're a professional composer and would like to participate, send us an e-mail.
Record companies, artists and publicists are invited to submit CDs to be considered for review. Send to: Jerry Bowles, Editor, Sequenza 21, 340 W. 57th Street, 12B, New York, NY 10019
Radio Music by John Cage and In C by Terry Riley are sources of inspiration to me. Radio Music celebrates change, making collage seem like a good idea, even though the piece itself is undoubtedly a process piece (thank you Bob Ashley). Reaching a bit further back, everything by Mahler has that same effect on me.
In C reminds me that it is possible to make interesting/beautiful new music from the C-scale.
Charles Amirkhanian’s piece that includes the famous line “Rainbow chug bandit bomb” is a text-sound inspiration.
Everything by Pauline Oliveros has the effect of inspiring and encouraging me to feel entitled to compose.
Respighi ‘s The Pines of Rome and The Fountains of Rome inspire my orchestration.
Frank Churchill’s music for Walt Disney films is a melodic inspiration.
Colin McPhee’s Tabuh-Tabuhan and everything by Lou Harrison inspires an interest in the music of other cultures and their possible integration into my music.
Satie’s Socrate is an inspiring piece in general but I can’t think of what it influenced me to do. So cool and such a lovely choice of coloraturas to play men—what an idea!
posted by Beth Anderson
10:37 AM
