Claude Debussy pioneered the world of sound in western classical music, and I revere him as the head of the sound-as-such movement that includes Varèse, Ligeti, and many, many recent composers. In this post, I’ll explore a single piece of Debussy’s, focussing narrowly on one aspect of the piece to demonstrate how he created music using… Continue reading In Praise of Debussy (Musical Energy: Register)
Category: None
As more posts appear, categories will become necessary, but I see no need for categories just yet!
Musical Energy: Horizontal Density
An important, time-honored way to increase the energy of music is by speeding up. Of course, speeding up the tempo, the speed of the beat, is a very familiar means of doing so. I want to explore a larger concept here, horizontal density, which refers to the number of events per unit of time. Events… Continue reading Musical Energy: Horizontal Density
Grateful for Being Noticed
This spring I was awarded a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to support my workshop, Just Listening. It matters deeply to be noticed, recognized for what one does. I’ve been working on a new venture for several years now, always returning to the idea that I am bringing an experience of value to others.… Continue reading Grateful for Being Noticed
Music and Spirit
When you get right down to it, the essential reason I am following a thread deep into the workings of music is that I sense the connection between music and spirit. I have even said in recent memory that music is spirit. Before the pandemic, my spouse (Vivian Montgomery) and I had a conference all… Continue reading Music and Spirit
Sounds that make me move my mouth
I’m very interested in the way sound affects us, especially in music. One way that sounds affect me is that I tend to move in relation to certain ones, especially those sounds that are filtered and in the vocal range. I wonder how many of you might share this reaction, so I want to take… Continue reading Sounds that make me move my mouth
Beginner’s Mind
Beginner’s Mind is a term widely known in the general population, but how much do we understand this phenomenon? My workshop, Just Listening, aims to provide a glimpse of beginner’s mind by engaging with new music, and it’s something I’ve thought a lot about. Here is a set of my thoughts on the topic, with… Continue reading Beginner’s Mind
Power of Sound
For a long time, I have carried around a conviction that sound itself is the fundamental expressive medium. Obvious, yes, but true and often overlooked. It’s not just the obvious nature of it, it’s something much deeper than that. I’ve spent a large part of my life trying to comprehend exactly what I mean by… Continue reading Power of Sound