tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post5773773415847977357..comments2024-03-27T23:06:03.736-05:00Comments on The Music Salon: Mensuration and the Old Ways of Composing.Bryan Townsendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-6787533309224727452015-05-28T15:53:58.374-05:002015-05-28T15:53:58.374-05:00Oh yes, a lot of different theories but not much r...Oh yes, a lot of different theories but not much research, I suspect. But I am going to go with your voice teacher here. It is most likely the cultural milieu that has the biggest influence. That is, on the general style of composition. But the instrument and the kind of training also has an influence. For example, Taruskin notes the differences in the approach of Rachmaninoff vs Stravinsky, some of which he attributes to their early training. From an early ago Rachmaninoff was given the finest training and exposure, whereas Stravinsky's parents refused to allow him to study music seriously when he was young. This may account for the fact that Rachmaninoff was much more wedded to the immediate musical influences of his time, which Stravinsky was more easily able to throw off.<br /><br />Since the 17th century most composers have played piano (or occasionally, as in the case of Vivaldi, violin or Mozart, both). One of the rare exceptions was Berlioz who only played the guitar and a little flute. Theorists have been attributing his unusual harmonies to this.<br /><br />A lot of recent composers are not really instrumentalists, in that they are not accomplished on any instrument: Stockhausen and Cage come immediately to mind.Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-43073793055479963332015-05-27T10:09:30.623-05:002015-05-27T10:09:30.623-05:008-)8-)Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-63884521194550371512015-05-27T09:27:08.423-05:002015-05-27T09:27:08.423-05:00Thank you!Thank you!Ken F.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08296737421194767997noreply@blogger.com