[NewMusic] Animal Farm

[David Slusser]

On Mar 1, 2007, at 4:08 PM, weasel walter wrote:
>> 1) What are the various compositional tools we have for writing for
> large ensemble?
> traditional notation. time based notation. graphic notation.
> conduction/cuing. improvisation. i-ching, etc etc etc. i don't think
> there's any real question of how to compose for large ensemble

Besides the above, I've had some success with providing a narrative  
text,
and assigning various ensemble members individual and group roles in
the narrative.  The "score" is both the text and the assignments.  I  
also
have many game pieces (independent from Mr. Zorn) that may be more
process than composition, considering the results.  A variant of my game
pieces uses idiomatic flashcards (anyone remember my Time Tunnel  
piece?).

>
>> 2) How does a musician's time commitment affect those tools or  
>> results?
> if we're using methods, the clarity of execution will be commensurate
> with the familiarity of said methods.

Succinctly put, WW.  The presenting musician must be practical, and not
unrealistically ambitious.  We're lucky here that the pool is capable of
taking on a good deal of complexity; still one must learn the "rehearsal
time/complexity of ambition" ratio the hard way.  With everyone having
projects of their own, how much of a burden is it to ask great  
players to
commit to working on your piddling or half-baked ideas for a show that
may not draw?

>  3) What is a reasonable amount of time to spend rehearsing a
> composition?
>
> as much as it needs to be done well!

Succinctly put, WW.  What's it worth to the ensemble volunteer?  If  
the composer
wants to nail it, they should pay the musicians and record it.

>> 4) Why don't we see more large ensembles that stay together over a
>> long period of time?
> i believe that a lot of "key" players are too busy doing other  
> things. a
> lot of improvisers i've met here don't like rehearsing or playing when
> there isn't a gig. that, is problematic for anybody (like me) who  
> might
> want to deal with composition in my improvisation. instead of worrying
> about it, i try to make the best possible ad hoc situations for myself
> and try to maintain recurring ensembles with the hope that those  
> groups
> develop a voice by the nature of them being used repeatedly.

Atrophy.  Entropy.  Gain/loss ratio for all involved.
I am amazed that I'm still playing several times a month with 3  
different long-
running ensembles (2 for well over 20 years), but that there's no  
real interest
in playing out (as in a gig).  Cynicism.  Age.  Ambivalence.

>> 5) How does a musician take what s/he knows about a group and
>> develop a compositional language based on that knowledge?
>
> one has to assess the skills and/or weaknesses of the members the best
> one can and take it from there.

Ellington.  Mingus.  When there's a lot of group knowlege/language/ 
understanding,
the less composition the better, imho.  When writing for these  
people, you just
need the barest of set-ups; a suggestion, a nod or a wink.

>> 6) Who are some of the local composers that have dealt with that
>> knowledge successfully (in terms of both composition styles/practices
>> and results), or non-successfully?
>
> i have been able to do this when i can get an ensemble together that
> understands that it will have to rehearse.

Go on, name names.  I have satisfied myself a few times, but it was  
so long
ago that no one is likely to remember.  ("Blowjob", to name one.)

>> 7) What are the compositional tools available today other than
> traditional notation, graphic scores, text scores, and Marco's system?

I think this was covered in question 1

>> 8) How is writing for improvisers different than writing for
>> musicians with more "traditional" musical skills?
>
> the challenge is to create something that allows everyone to do  
> what they
> want to do and still sound good as a whole.

You envision a setting rather than precisely notating each event.

>> 9) What compositional tools can be developed when your group has
>> both kinds of players?
>
> letting people do things that reflect their skills

Hopefully the non-traditional players have some rudimentary  
understanding
so you can use note names like Marco, and the traditional ones have some
imagination where you can use graphics, texts and games.

>> 10) Why are people so afraid of constructive and thoughtful
>> criticism that is so obviously focused on the evolution of this  
>> music?
>
> i'm not.

I don't think they're afraid.  Maybe folks don't want to seem  
offensive or aggressive.
Personally, I am ambivalent (Pisces) and don't think there's one  
proper way to do
any of this, and am certainly not in an expert position to judge.  I  
don't harbor
strong opinions because they get in the way of my imagination and  
creativity.

>> 11) What performance spaces are ideally suited for large ensemble
> shows?
>
> something with moderately flat acoustics. horn players tend to like  
> some
> reverberance, i've noted.

Davies Hall

>
>> 12) What rehearsal spaces are ideally suited for large ensembles?
>
> uh . . .
see Ted Brinkley's offer