The Composer's Advocate: A Radical Orthodoxy for Musicians

 Armen-Gurgen  Armen-G urgen Movsesyan Movsesyan College Conducting Final Paper  Jay Saunders

The Composer's Advocate: A adical !rthodo"y #or Musicians  $y %rich &einsdor# 

n the sea o# $oo(s a$out in#amous composers and their pro#ound e##ects o# their music) #e* seem to discuss the dynamic $et*een their compositions and the musicians *ho per#orm them+ %ven #e*er do so *ithout pretense and vanity+ ,The Composers  Advocate:  Advocat e: A adical !rthodo" !rthodo"y y #or Musicians. Musicians. $y %rich &einsdor &einsdor#) #) *hile at times thic( thic( *ith personal narrative and anecdotal evidence) is a valua$le discussion on the philosophy $ehind conducting and per#ormance) as *ell as the art o# *riting and learning a piece o# music+

&einsdor# $egins chapter one *ith a discussion a$out the composer as an artist+ /e immediately dissects a #e* *ays in *hich popular media inaccurately depicts composers as deranged lunatics *ho produce immense $odies o# *or( *ith the stro(e o# a *and+ &einsdor# uses a particular e"ample *ith Mahler and his 0 th symphony) discussing the omission o# a certain passage re#erring to dead children+ &einsdor# demonstrates a (ind o# insight a$out Mahlers creative choices in the composition that

*ould other*ise $e omitted in popular narrative as *ell as even the most intensive research o# Mahlers career+

 Another important section o# the chapter deals *ith dissecting the composers mind particular *hen it came to certain passages in the music+ &einsdor# goes through several e"amples including Mo1arts 2+345 and 6eethovens Missa Solemnis + Speci#ically in the Missa Solemnis, he e"plains that 6eethovens instruction in the music to per#orm a certain passage *ith ,acendit in coelis. can actually $e #ond as an up*ard scale #igure in masses $y several other composers) and that 6eethoven used in his in popular mass piece $y no means #or the #irst time in vocal music+ n &eonores popular aria) the popular li(e ,sie *irds erreichen. is sung on the same up*ard scale meant to portray the gradual accomplishment o# her goals+ This same idea is channeled in 6eethovens piece in almost a identical #ashion+ Again) &einsdor# reveals an understanding o# the music choices) here in the case o# sym$ols *ithin the scores themselves) that is very telling a$out the composers intentions as *ell as his in#luences+

&einsdor#s $elie# in regards to discussing the matter o# a composers creative process is that it $rings up an area that is $eyond technical de$ate and more so in the realm o# personal development+ n other *ords) it is an area o# study that can $e used #undamentally as a personali1ed method o# interpreting musical *or(s and understanding through the e"ercise o# ones imagination the appropriate means $y *hich to conduct and per#orm a piece o# music+ &einsdor# ends the second chapter *ith this point and *eaves it into the ne"t portion o# the $oo( *hich deals *ith *hat the

composer ,said. in his manuscript+ &einsdor# gives an e"ample a$out t*o attitudes regarding the interpretation o# *ritten directions in a piece) each $eing a polar opposite o# the other+ The #irst attitude is one in *hich the per#ormer or conductor merely considers the instruction is one o# possi$ly in#inite musical choices he could ma(e+ More o#ten than not) this attitude leads the musician to disregard many o# the ideas presented $y the original manuscript as either inappropriate or do*n-right ludicrous+ The other attitude is one o# care#ul consideration or complete loyalty+ /e develops his e"planation o# these attitudes #urther in a portion o# the chapter called ,The is(s o# nterpretation+. &einsdor# e"plains that #or a score $y 6ach) *ith nothing usually $ut the su##iciency o# notes and the occasional dynamic or tempo mar(ing) that there is considera$le room #or  ,interpretation). although it is more o#ten in the case o# scantily clad scores #or the per#ormance to $e simpli#ied and straight#or*ard+ The other e"ample is a score $y Schon$erg+ &einsdor# e"plains that the modern composer insisted on speci#ying the most minute details including #ingerings and harmonics #or certain instruments+ Moreover) &einsdor# argues that it is a score li(e 6achs *hich actually leaves much less room #or interpretation) ironically) than one #ull o# instructions li(e Schon$ergs+ And yet) it is more common #or a score li(e Schon$ergs) *ith clearly communicated intentions) to constantly change through each iteration+

!n the other hand) &einsdor# admits that there is al*ays a limit to (no*ing *hat the composer may have intended in a piece+ At the point *here the necessary in#ormation does not e"ist or is other*ise insu##icient #or accurately assessing the intention o# a passage that the per#ormer can dra* upon his o*n creative process and his understanding o# the composers artistic intuition+

Throughout the novel) &einsdor# mentions repeatedly that sometimes it is necessary or at least healthy #or a composition to $y changed in su$tle *ays $y the conductor+ !ne e"ample &einsdor# uses discusses 7agners thesis a$out the appropriate ,6eethovens tempo. #or the Eroica.  &einsdor# reveals that 7agner thought that other conductors had ,no concept o# tempo and that the true 6eethoven as *e have come to (no* him #rom pu$lic per#ormances is still a 8mere chimera. #or the pu$lic+ &einsdor# considers it un#ortunate and ungrate#ul i# *e *ould prescri$e to 7agners understanding o# the tempo) rather than the many interpretations o# the tempo *hich #ostered great per#ormances under the direction o# other conductors o# the 9iennese orchestra under the direction o# /er$ec( and esso##+

7hile &einsdor# $oo( does not provide a concrete methodology #or diving into the mind o# the composer) it does pose many valua$le assertions a$out the value o# understanding the creative process o# the artist and moreover) the value o# doing so creatively+ &einsdor# ;uestions many common assumptions a$out not only some o# the most *idely (no*n compositions and their per#ormances $ut also a$out the creative process as a *hole and the role o# the composer versus the per#ormer+ /e does discuss some important technical areas including the meaning o# speci#ic dynamic mar(ings and per#ormance practices regarding em$ellishments and other loose #igures $ut the most valua$le discussions seem to stem #rom the $roader concepts+ &einsdor# is a must have #or any serious musician *ho is not only a per#ormer $ut also a *riter and leader+