Studying compositions.

[bilgekaana]

Hi everyone I want to study composers and their beautiful works to learn composition. But how do one study compositions for example I want to study mozart's Great mass in C -k.427 , but what should I do ? I don't know how to study a piece.

[klavieronin]

If you're really serious, one thing you might try is copying it out by hand.

[quantum]

Copying out music was an exercise we did in composition class.  Also transcribing music for different instruments is an excellent study.

For example, you might want to try transcribing parts of the Mozart Mass for 2 Pianos 4 hands.

[bilgekaana]

thank you for you answers but what do you mean by copy ?
Do I just write whole the 300 page orchestra parts in to page ?
That doesn't seem like a good analyze.

[brogers70]

I think it's a bit hard to give you advice, since we don't know anything about where you are starting from. If you have a good background in theory, some keyboard skills, and good sight singing, then copying out a composition will make you pay attention to all sorts of details you might not notice just listening to it a few times. But everything depends on where you are starting from.

[bilgekaana]

thank you for your answer.
I can sight sing, and I am studying Counterpoint right now. ( contrapunto de fux. ) Also reading some harmony books. But I am not satisfied and I really need to study composers work. Altoough don't know how..

[klavieronin]

The idea behind copying music is that you do your analysis while you copy it. Writing music out by hand forces you to spend time with the music and look at (and into) it more deeply than you would by simply listening or reading. If composition is your goal, this really is a good exercise (assuming you have a good grounding in music theory), as is quantum's suggestion to transcribe music for other instruments.

I would like to point out, however, that no amount of analysis on its own is going to make you a better composer. For that you need to practice composing. Composing every day for two years will make you a far better composer than merely analysing other composer's music for 20. I'm not saying analysing music isn't useful but you should be spending most of your time composing (if that's your gaol). IMHO

[quantum]

thank you for you answers but what do you mean by copy ?
Do I just write whole the 300 page orchestra parts in to page ?
That doesn't seem like a good analyze.

You can just do sections of an entire piece.  There is a surprising amount of things you can learn by just taking a small section and copying or transcribing it.  If you want to make a playable transcription (not just an exercise) you will have to do at least a section that works as a complete piece.

If you want to be a composer, working with 300 page scores is something you should get accustomed to.  Managing the workload and being able to isolate things to work on is part of the job. 
 

[bilgekaana]

thank you !
Do you think transcibing from a piano sheet to orchestral work would be good too ?

[quantum]

thank you !
Do you think transcibing from a piano sheet to orchestral work would be good too ?

Yes, that is good as well.  It will require you to do the orchestration. 

When doing these exercises it is beneficial not to use any software aids.  Meaning, you work through the transposing instruments, clef changes, adaptations, etc. in your own head.  You can use software to notate, just avoid using any of the built in orchestration, reduction, harmonic rules checking, or similar functions. 

[bilgekaana]

Thank you , altough it will be hard for me not to use a software. I have some trouble with transcibing and orchestration ..


Thanks!

[quantum]

Yes, I know it is difficult if it is not something you are used to doing.  However, that is how you learn about what the composer is doing.  If you let the software do the work it is defeating the purpose of doing the exercise, which is to learn more about the music.