TECHNIQUES
of the
CONTEMPORARY
COMPOSER
DAVID COPE2
B.
CONTENTS
Introduction xt
BASICS 1
Approaches to Composition 1
Skills and Tools 4
The Profession 7
Rudiments of Orchestration and Form 8
‘THE TONAL LEGACY 2
Basic Key Concepts. 12
Chromaticism 15
Expansions and Planing 17
Polytonality 19
NEW ROLES OF MELODY 26
Seales 26
Motives 28
Basic Melodic Concepts 29
Extended Melodic Lines 32
Accompaniments 34
HARMONY, COUNTERPOINT, AND HIERARCHY 38
‘The Overtone Series 38
Texture 39
Consonance and Dissonance 39
Interval Strengths 40
Roots 41
Progression Strengths and Chromaticism 42.
INTERVAL EXPLORATION 46
Basic Concepts. 46
Fifth and Fourth Chords
Second and Seventh Chords. 50
Interval Combinations 5518,
19.
20.
CONTENTS
MEDIA FORMS: 206
Multimedia 206
Mixed Media 209
Intermedia 212
Vireual Reality 214
MINIMALISM 216
Silence as Minimalism 216
Concept Music 217
Brevity Works 218)
Continuivies 218
Phase and Pattern Music 219
EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC 222
Situation and Circumstance Music 222
Soundscapes 223,
Biomusic 224
Antimusic 22
DECATEGORIZATION 230
Fclecticism 231
Quotation 22
Sectionalization 233
Overlays 234
Integration 236
Bibliography 239
Indes 247
INTRODUCTION
If there is one characteristic ofthe arts that remains constant, itis change. Although,
‘Western Classical music, co the inexperienced listener, may seem predictable and reli-
ably consistent, i is not. Over the course of centuries, harmonic vocabularies that
‘originated in medieval organum with open parallel fourths and fifths have proceeded
through triads and seventh and ninth chords to the dissonant, clusterlike chords of
the twentieth century. Melodic vocabularies have likewise developed from stepwise
4istonic chants through triadic leaping to extreme chromaticism and pointlism
Rhythm, timbre, and texture have followed similar paths from simple to complex,
though less quickly.
“Those who refuse to accept change, or who canonize common-practice music of
the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries to the detriment of contemporary music,
Jack the vision necessary to understand the inevitable nature of change. Though
‘many a masterpiece was produced during Western music's tonal centuries, biliance
‘of craft and musicianship are evident in thousands of works written before and afer
those years.
“Techniques ofthe Contemporary Composer covers many of the changes that have
taken place recently and even suggests afew that may yet occur. Central to the book
are three basic concepts
1, There is no right way to compose music, no righ style, only different ones.
Each individual must decide on his or her own mode of expression.
2. There is no progress in art. While it may at frst seem plausible that, for
‘example, a late Romantic symphony is superior to a simple tenth-century
3, careful consideration may prove the contrary. A comparison of
ogress in the arts to, for instance, progress inthe sciences is inappropriate.
3. However musi is defined (and it macters little in the final analysis), i pos
sesses elements that make craftand consistency fundamental to its quality.
‘Techniques of the Contemporary Composer is designed to cover the techniques,
esources, and technologies of composition of the twentieth and early ewenty-ftst
‘centuries while placing an emphasis on the music of more recent years. Most music
‘omposition books deal almost exclusively with traditional techniques, inclusive of
Principal music of the early to middle ewentieth century. Those that do include
ontraditional techniques usually cover only 2 few contemporary idioms. The pre
book, however, includes as many areas of contemporary composition as possible