This was a great video. I often think about the mystery of creativity in so-called “creative” people and have many theories. Sometimes I feel I’m most creative at the beginning of a project, but then rely on my practical knowledge when I’m deep in said project. I guess this is sometimes referred to as the difference between art and craft. It can’t all be new ideas; no human can consistently create something that has literally never been created before, but how can we do something new with what we already have? The professional film composers I know work much like this, where they think creatively and artistically about what the score can be at the beginning but then promptly have to turn into sausage-making factories once they’re actually creating the music. There just merely isn’t time to think of what comes next, they just do what they need to! I feel the same in some small degree. I sometimes feel like my ideas are fresh but when I’m actually working on something, I just have to show up each day and agonizingly pound out the notes, even if I don’t feel I have anything to say. Sometimes after mulling over it for a long time, then taking a small break, my brain can figure out the solution, but not until I actually try and muster something down. I think most creative people struggle with this, even (especially) the prolific ones. P.s. thanks for the cameo of my channel in this video! I’m honored :)
I thought of your work a lot throughout writing this, actually, as the few encounters I’ve had with film/game music always have put me in that place of not really knowing when to sort of switch mental spaces in terms of creativity. It’s a much more finicky balance than a lot of other music making, and I’m always so impressed with the people that have to flex those muscles almost every day. And yeah, there’s totally something to be said for the more calculated music that aims at not musical creativity but simply putting the pieces together for a project that simply has x amount of days to be completed (the Star Wars sequels and spin-offs come to mind, with a few exceptions). Anyhow, I’m glad you appreciated the video, thanks very very much for watching as always!!
I don't care about having a style... I do have one, but that's just a result of me being me and liking what I like... I also like being many different things, so my style has a lot of sides to it... Basically.
Bravo Jordan, this was one of the best videos yet. I particularly love the insight into your second symphony, and I cannot wait for the DVSO premiere of that one, whenever it may happen ;)
I also want to give you a huge shout out for breaching that Third Rail, which is performance requiring some evolution to reach new audiences. The accessibility of symphony concerts and performance opportunities to certain people is an issue. I've seen some of our local ensembles do programs through schools and even at prisons or parks. Some have even done smaller concerts in unusual places like pubs. But, diversifying to include a robust internet-based venue is also quite wise. I'd like to add my own thoughts that the older, prescriptive, European forms (which I, too, got beguiled by for their ease in organization) don't fit everybody's lifestyle or listening penchant. Honestly, I have to have an intrinsic reason to sit still and listen to an hour long opera or symphony in one sitting. Doesn't mean I won't. Just means, if it's going to take that long, it better be really worthwhile. I'm more likely to take in smaller meals more frequently, because I like the taste of variety. I once challenged myself to write a full piece lasting 30 seconds tops. That was more challenging than I thought. The responses I got were, "Why don't you develop that into a whole piece?" Then I thought, defiantly, it says all it needs to say, prescriptions be "darned to heck." I guess, to sum up, I'm agreeing wholeheartedly that we have to be prepared to retool and reimagine in order to freshen the interest of and expand audiences. Not everything we throw at the wall is going to stick, but I'd say many of the points you made regarding what you had to do to adapt your process and delivery during the pandemic were spot on. Wow. I wrote a lot. 😬
Thank you so much for watching and for the response! I’m with you on the listening thing to some degree; I’ll have times where I just decide to sit down and take something in completely, but I have to be confident that the piece won’t get boring to my 21st century brain. That automatically knocks out almost every opera and early romantic symphony for me, which is sort of a bummer. I feel like I can only enjoy those types of pieces if I’m actually playing them. That’s not to say that all long pieces are like that for me; I love listening through multiple Mahler symphonies while I work and especially 20th century symphonic works are really easy for me to engage with. Whenever I write a longer piece (like my symphony), I try to aim for that somewhat faster pacing that newer works seem to have. I love the idea of writing a 30 second piece, maybe I’ll try that on stream sometime soon! Not every musical idea under the sun needs to be developed :)
@Jordan M Holloway - Composer Yes yes yes! If you do the 30 second piece, I'll be so curious to hear and I'll consider that I started a new trend! Hehe. I can't listen to full Classical Era pieces anymore without breaks. Too prescriptive. Romantic Era, it depends on the composer. Romantic Era Beethoven was a wholly different beast from Romantic Era Verdi. Renaissance, it depends, as I *love* modal harmony and intentional parallel 5ths. On the modern side, I just can't seem to get into Reich. I'm usually curious enough to dip my toes in, but after 3 minutes of intentionally mechanical ostinato, I'm a foot out the door. 😂 (Then again, I used to struggle with early Penderecki and now absolutely adore him.)
I've been utterly freed by my decision to steal without a second thought. Cool chord provision? Mine, now! I need a good buildup? Yoinked directly from a favorite (Exit Music for a Film, in one instance). These thefts never survive their insertions completely (neither notes, nor timbre), and are obliterated by the time they're fully integrated anyway, so why think twice?
@1:16 is exactly me reading the dictionary *and* the reason why your videos will live in perpetuity.
This was a great video. I often think about the mystery of creativity in so-called “creative” people and have many theories. Sometimes I feel I’m most creative at the beginning of a project, but then rely on my practical knowledge when I’m deep in said project. I guess this is sometimes referred to as the difference between art and craft. It can’t all be new ideas; no human can consistently create something that has literally never been created before, but how can we do something new with what we already have? The professional film composers I know work much like this, where they think creatively and artistically about what the score can be at the beginning but then promptly have to turn into sausage-making factories once they’re actually creating the music. There just merely isn’t time to think of what comes next, they just do what they need to! I feel the same in some small degree. I sometimes feel like my ideas are fresh but when I’m actually working on something, I just have to show up each day and agonizingly pound out the notes, even if I don’t feel I have anything to say. Sometimes after mulling over it for a long time, then taking a small break, my brain can figure out the solution, but not until I actually try and muster something down. I think most creative people struggle with this, even (especially) the prolific ones.
P.s. thanks for the cameo of my channel in this video! I’m honored :)
I thought of your work a lot throughout writing this, actually, as the few encounters I’ve had with film/game music always have put me in that place of not really knowing when to sort of switch mental spaces in terms of creativity. It’s a much more finicky balance than a lot of other music making, and I’m always so impressed with the people that have to flex those muscles almost every day.
And yeah, there’s totally something to be said for the more calculated music that aims at not musical creativity but simply putting the pieces together for a project that simply has x amount of days to be completed (the Star Wars sequels and spin-offs come to mind, with a few exceptions).
Anyhow, I’m glad you appreciated the video, thanks very very much for watching as always!!
I don't care about having a style... I do have one, but that's just a result of me being me and liking what I like... I also like being many different things, so my style has a lot of sides to it... Basically.
Bravo Jordan, this was one of the best videos yet. I particularly love the insight into your second symphony, and I cannot wait for the DVSO premiere of that one, whenever it may happen ;)
Jordan, you're SO creative :) ♥♥♥♥
Thanks Enrique :)
I also want to give you a huge shout out for breaching that Third Rail, which is performance requiring some evolution to reach new audiences. The accessibility of symphony concerts and performance opportunities to certain people is an issue. I've seen some of our local ensembles do programs through schools and even at prisons or parks. Some have even done smaller concerts in unusual places like pubs. But, diversifying to include a robust internet-based venue is also quite wise.
I'd like to add my own thoughts that the older, prescriptive, European forms (which I, too, got beguiled by for their ease in organization) don't fit everybody's lifestyle or listening penchant. Honestly, I have to have an intrinsic reason to sit still and listen to an hour long opera or symphony in one sitting. Doesn't mean I won't. Just means, if it's going to take that long, it better be really worthwhile. I'm more likely to take in smaller meals more frequently, because I like the taste of variety. I once challenged myself to write a full piece lasting 30 seconds tops. That was more challenging than I thought. The responses I got were, "Why don't you develop that into a whole piece?" Then I thought, defiantly, it says all it needs to say, prescriptions be "darned to heck."
I guess, to sum up, I'm agreeing wholeheartedly that we have to be prepared to retool and reimagine in order to freshen the interest of and expand audiences. Not everything we throw at the wall is going to stick, but I'd say many of the points you made regarding what you had to do to adapt your process and delivery during the pandemic were spot on.
Wow. I wrote a lot. 😬
Thank you so much for watching and for the response!
I’m with you on the listening thing to some degree; I’ll have times where I just decide to sit down and take something in completely, but I have to be confident that the piece won’t get boring to my 21st century brain. That automatically knocks out almost every opera and early romantic symphony for me, which is sort of a bummer. I feel like I can only enjoy those types of pieces if I’m actually playing them. That’s not to say that all long pieces are like that for me; I love listening through multiple Mahler symphonies while I work and especially 20th century symphonic works are really easy for me to engage with. Whenever I write a longer piece (like my symphony), I try to aim for that somewhat faster pacing that newer works seem to have.
I love the idea of writing a 30 second piece, maybe I’ll try that on stream sometime soon! Not every musical idea under the sun needs to be developed :)
@Jordan M Holloway - Composer Yes yes yes! If you do the 30 second piece, I'll be so curious to hear and I'll consider that I started a new trend! Hehe.
I can't listen to full Classical Era pieces anymore without breaks. Too prescriptive. Romantic Era, it depends on the composer. Romantic Era Beethoven was a wholly different beast from Romantic Era Verdi. Renaissance, it depends, as I *love* modal harmony and intentional parallel 5ths. On the modern side, I just can't seem to get into Reich. I'm usually curious enough to dip my toes in, but after 3 minutes of intentionally mechanical ostinato, I'm a foot out the door. 😂
(Then again, I used to struggle with early Penderecki and now absolutely adore him.)
i love a good video essay!! great job cousin :)
Thank you for watching 😭
Fantastic video!
Thanks Jon!!
Great video!
Thank you so much for watching!!
What's the next DVSO Summer project?
Could it be this Dover Symphony by an aspiring composer?
Not quite yet! We’re about to announce it very soon though :)
14:43
I've been utterly freed by my decision to steal without a second thought. Cool chord provision? Mine, now! I need a good buildup? Yoinked directly from a favorite (Exit Music for a Film, in one instance).
These thefts never survive their insertions completely (neither notes, nor timbre), and are obliterated by the time they're fully integrated anyway, so why think twice?
Cheers to that! I do much of the same; it’s going to be just as manipulated as every other element of the music, and that’s what makes it yours!
where can i hear ur oboe sonata
It’s coming out this spring on an album with my cello sonata and an oboe and cello sonata by Nelson Walker!!