A SYMPHONY WORK A COMPOSITION PROJECT PRESENTED

ABSTRACT

Music composers have taken the task upon themselves to create sonic materials that are so appealing and irresistible to the human ears. From studies in Western music scholarship, which labels the different music types as Classical/Art, Folk, Popular, and World Music, all these genres involve different processes of conception, organization, production, presentation and even appreciation. Art Music, symphonies in particular are fashioned within the paradigms of Classical/Art, Folk and World Music depending on what the composer wants to achieve. It is the responsibility of the music maker to create masterpieces that will appeal to his listeners’ base on their musical needs. This composition is a symphony work titled Nseseng (meaning wisdom). Its an original composition and it consist of three movements. Each movement is presumably woven around a melodic phrase which is resounded in all the movements. Some elements of the classical music (articulation, phrasing, rhythmic regularity, ornaments, tonal variations and diatonic harmony) are deployed. After the composition, the work is sequenced digitally in a studio and produced on an audio CD.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Music is an entity that cuts across all facets of life. It exists in our religious practices, ethnic/cultural practices, social and corporate life. It totally engulfs our human existence. Blacking (as cited in Onyeji, 2016) defines music as humanly organized sound. This definition is quite penetrating and captures in totality the ramifications of musical application in human life as well as points to the limits of musical arts as human creative work.

In music, composition is seen as a deliberate and conscious act by a composer to write well-organized, structured and logical ideas that end up being masterpieces. Nwamara (2009) asserts that:

Composition is one of the many important aspects of the musical art. As a branch in the music discipline, it serves or better still functions a mediator between the spiritual and the physical (the unseen and the seen…a composition can be the creation of a unique musical event that may or may not be based on original musical materials, whether reference is to the process or to the completed works (p. 20-21)

Achinivu, (as cited in Nwosu, 2005), is of the opinion that music composition is generally an elaborate notated piece of work, the successful outcome of which presupposes creative musical aptitude and extensive training which  reckons  with  the  live  performances  for  the  study  of  composition, instruction in the elements of composition (harmony, counter-point, 12 tone technique,   rhythm, meter, form, and orchestration/instrumentation) is of use; nevertheless, the composer begins, above all with the work of those  masters whom he chooses (in certain details and fundamentally) as his models. The composition  itself  must,  in  order  to  be  valid,  satisfy  the  requirement  of  the newness of originality. (p. 3)

Thomas (2003) affirms that composition is the creation of original musical work. Music composition has served as one of the root forms of musical practices. Without a composition, there will not be any performance, listening or even dancing. Onyeji (2016) views composition as an aspect of cultural expression that reveals deliberate efforts by the composer to capture social, cultural and sometimes, abstract phenomena in sonic forms in various cultural locations.

In Western art music, several genres were composed from the times before the 12th century to this 21st century—operas, cantatas, oratorios, fugues, masses, motets, madrigals, chamber music, the symphony etc. Amongst these various genres, some are vocal music while others are instrumental music. The symphony is one of the earliest multi-movements orchestral works. Using the model of the Italian opera overture, consisting of three sections in the order of fast-slow-fast, classical composers expanded the sections and generally added a fourth, organizing each movement according to the principles of a chosen instrumentation form. The symphony presents the composer with the opportunity to show his music artistry, which allows him to presents at least one complete musical idea, which has a coherent and organized form with a clear beginning, middle, and end, which uses musical elements to organize musical ideas or the form. The ending normally feels final and uses at least one musical element to organize the musical ideas and overall form. A musical composition should present one complete musical idea. However, compositions sometimes lack overall completeness when they fail to use musical elements to organize musical ideas or forms. It gives no sense of a completed musical idea, exhibits no clear beginning, middle, or end section. The form appears to be random rather than organized. Musical elements (range, timbre, rhythm etc…) do not connect well or are not used to organized musical ideas or the form.

The symphony has been the most notable instrumental music of the classical period has been replicated and further developed over the various musical periods; how it moved from Mozart to Mahler in the space of 100 years. By the end of the Romantic period, the sensible forms and delicate order of the Classical period had given way to almost incomprehensibly large orchestral forces, as music became the vehicle to express even the most complex of emotions.

1.2 Statement of the research problem

The Nigerian art music industry has over the years grown and evolved. This has seen the emergence of new contemporary forms of the different genres of music; thereby given birth  to  new  sub-genres.  In  the  academia,  music  composition  is  mostly  prioritized amongst the art and folk idioms while other genres are widely practiced by the so-called

‘nonacademic’ musicians. It is in line with this that the researcher, therefore, saw the need to take up the composition of symphonic music to add to what some academia has done in the past, thereby creating an enabling environment for the appreciation of art music in northern Nigeria.

1.3 Aim and objectives

This research work is an original composition. It is aimed at presenting an original symphony composition in three-movement (fast-slow-fast).   The first movement being Allegro, will have a lively mood, the second movement Adagio in a walking pace and the last movement Presto, which comes in more lively and jovial with animated themes. It follows the structures and elements of the Classical period. Its tonal materials are largely drawn from Western culture. The melodic patterns are music-borne while the harmonic structure is drawn from diatonic and chromatic scales. This work also aims at bringing out the efficacy of the composition of symphonic music in the academics and adding to the library of symphony composition in Nigeria.

1.4 Significance of the study

This research work will provide a landing base for upcoming scholars to diversify their compositional skills into the numerous genres of music that are available especially in the northern part of Nigeria where art music is not well appreciated. It will also enhance the teaching and learning of existing knowledge in the field thereby creating more opportunities.

1.5 Need for Study

According to University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2013) stipulation of the M.A. Degree Programme 2013/2014 Session Department of Music University of Nigeria, Nsukka Course Outline) it states thus:

Students of music can take Theory and Composition as a field of study so as to enable the students for self-employment and professional practices in organizations having a pressing need for highly qualified Nigerian musicians, scholars, composers, educators, technologists, etc.

It is in line with the above assertions that the researcher saw the eminent need for the academia to explore and diversify compositional skills to other genres such as the symphony music, to be able to set the pace as numerous music sub-genres are emerging and to be relevant outside of the academic environment and move with the current trends in society especially in northern Nigeria.

1.6 Methodology

This research adopts a historical approach. This is to enable the researcher to consult relevant materials in the style of composition, which will include a critical examination of symphonic  scores  by  Beethoven  and  Haydn  and  their  recordings.  The  study  also reviewed related literature on Western art music with much preference giving to the symphony and digital MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) recording. The systematic rationalization for this research implies that the researcher must have certain qualifications to be able to turn in relevant, valid and efficacious compositional skills.

1.7 Scope and limitation of the study

The researcher tends  to  compose a  symphony  work.  It  is  going  to  consist  of  three movements—First movement: Allegro (fast) in sonata form second movement: Adagio (slow), third movement: Presto (very fast). Instruments deployed for this purpose are: Violin  I &  II,  Cello,  Double Bass,  Trumpet,  Trombone,  French  Horn,  Flute,  Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Snare drum, Cymbals and Timpani. This symphony composed and recorded digitally through MIDI.

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