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2019 Transcription Goals

Discussion in 'Score Study Resources' started by Rohann van Rensburg, Jan 14, 2019.

  1. #1 Rohann van Rensburg, Jan 14, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2019
    Literally any composer I admire has studied and been heavily influenced by the masters. From those more experienced: I'm interested in trying hard to get masterworks under my belt and actually start absorbing what these geniuses wrote. I do enjoy transcribing film music, but I want to go back to the "source".
    I have a list going here https://redbanned.com/threads/masterworks-a-comprehensive-collaborative-list.502/

    Does anyone care to recommend a "must" for any composer wanting to dive in, or care to add to the list? I ask because while i.e. Daphnis and Chloe is an obvious masterwork, it's dense and I imagine may be difficult to apply to basic, shorter-form writing if one isn't already well versed.
     
  2. Me too Rohann. I have a habit of listening to the masters for a couple of days but getting frustrated and going back to the filmscore classics because they're more fun to listen to.

    I think Vaughn Williams - 'Lark Ascending' in particular has crept it's way into a lot composer's work. You can hear where JNH has gotten stuff from all over the first 5 mins or so.
     
    Rohann van Rensburg likes this.
  3. They do tend to be, but I find giving masterworks more time and attention really helps. The difficulty is that I'm not precisely sure where to start in terms of transcription. I don't know if the Rite of Spring will be as useful to me currently as Isle of the Dead.
     
  4. All tschaikowsky / rachmaninoff imo
     
  5. My good mate Alexander beat me too the punch, I'll 100% agree with Tchaikovsky + Rachmaninoff any day of the week!

    If you're looking for something specific to study I can recommend pieces or sections more specifically. But for starters you should have imprinted in your DNA Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Overture. It's is a perfect showcase of introduction, melodies, modulations, orchestration and a COMMAND of structure. If I had only 1 piece of music on my desert island it would be this one. The more I study it the more I'm just amazed how genius Tchaikovsky was.

    P.S.
    Isle of the Dead is great man. :D
     
  6. Glad to hear that! I'll add that to my list.

    I've always favoured minor tonalities for whatever reason, so Mozart's Requiem and pieces like Isle of the Dead and Verklarte Nacht have always really drawn my ear, especially because they feel a bit more accessible than i.e. Daphnis and Chloe. I love that symphony but it feels out of my league.

    And please feel free to add any more you can think of to the "masterworks" thread, I'll throw them in the list and organize it. I was thinking by name but I think by era makes more sense. Doesn't really make sense to have Scarlatti mixed in with Debussy.
     
    Dillon DeRosa likes this.

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