Can a Composer Create Music without Original Pieces? Exploring Appropriation and Commentary

The realm of music composition often revolves around the creation of new, original pieces. However, this might not always be the case. Can a composer create music without any original pieces? This article delves into the practice of appropriation—legitimate use of existing music to create something new. We'll explore how composers can use this technique to comment on and reinterpret existing works while maintaining their own unique voice.

This exploration includes historical examples and contemporary practices. One of the most celebrated works of this technique is Luciano Berio's Sinfonia, demonstrating how a composer can appropriate and comment using existing musical quotations to create a new, postmodern composition.

Luciano Berio's Sinfonia: A Postmodern Masterpiece

Sinfonia by Luciano Berio, commissioned for the New York Philharmonic, is a prime example of appropriation and commentary. Composed in 1968-69, the piece incorporates musical quotations that represent an abstract and distorted history of culture. Berio’s innovative approach is inclusive of spoken texts and the voices of other composers, which he reshapes into new musical forms.

"Leonard Bernstein states in his Charles Eliot Norton Lectures from 1973 that Sinfonia was representative of the new direction classical music was taking after the pessimistic decade of the sixties." - Wikipedia

Here, Berio's incorporation of diverse musical and textual elements reflects the postmodernist ethos of the time, emphasizing the recontextualization of the past to comment on the present. This practice is central to postmodernism, a movement marked by deconstruction, intertextuality, and the blurring of traditional boundaries.

Contemporary Examples of Musical Appropriation

Contemporary composers have also employed this technique to great effect. Peter Schickele, known for discovering the works of P.D.Q. Bach, created a collage of well-known themes from other composers overlaid in counterpoint onto Mozart's Serenade. This work, A Little Not Music, demonstrates how existing themes can be transformed and used creatively to form new compositions.

Other examples include:

The Good-Humoured Ladies - a ballet composed by Thomas Tommasini using Domenico Scarlatti keyboard sonatas. Les Sylphides - originally a ballet with music by Chopin, orchestrated by composers like Glazunov and Stravinsky. The Wise Virgins - a ballet by Walton, created from movements selected from Bach’s cantatas. Pineapple Poll - a ballet by Charles Mackerras, based on Gilbert and Sullivan operettas.

These works highlight the creativity that can emerge when composers select and recontextualize existing musical material. The creative component lies not just in the selection of melodies but in how they are orchestrated and integrated into a new whole.

The Art of Appropriation: A Celebration of Creativity

The practice of appropriate and commenting on existing music is not just a postmodern technique; it's also a testament to the ingenuity and adaptability of musicians. It challenges the notion that originality is the sole domain of music creation. Instead, it opens up new avenues for musicians to express their ideas and perspectives.

"When he arrived in the Western Afterlife, he was straight away inducted into the Pantheon of Musicological Jesters at a celebrity roast in his honour thrown by Haydn, Rossini, Satie, Schulhoff, Victor Borge, and Peter Ustinov. The MC was Offenbach with Mozart performing his usual role of Heckler-in-Chief." - Off-topic fantasia

These examples illustrate the playful and sometimes satirical nature of appropriation in music. Composers like Peter Schickele, who died earlier this year, embodied this spirit of humor and creativity. His works not only challenged the traditional boundaries of composition but also celebrated the joy of music in a unique and innovative way.

Conclusion

In conclusion, composers can create music without original pieces by appropriating and commenting on existing works. This approach, while contentious at times, has become an integral part of the modern music landscape. Examples like Luciano Berio's Sinfonia and contemporary works by Peter Schickele showcase the power and flexibility of this practice. It is a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and the recontextualization of the past to inform the present and future.

By embracing this technique, composers can broaden their artistic horizons and continue to push the boundaries of what is considered original in music.