The Collaborative Process: If You Play It, We Will Write.

Well it has been a while, but it isn't really collaborative if I don't write too, so here it goes. Feel free to give me hell if I don't update semi-regularly. Anyways, to the subject at hand. Chris from Iowa sent in this question:

Why are composers writing less for string orchestra, and more for band?

Well let me just do some listing of potential answers here so I don't have to come up with coherent transitions (I, like Bruckner, am opposed to transitional material):

-- There is plenty written for String Ensemble today, it is just that it is mostly educational pieces written for starter through high school groups. Which makes sense, as pure string ensembles haven't exactly been a popular medium for a long time but they are still traditionally segregated from the winds and percussion while they are learning to play. Incidentally, most of the music written for band is also educational, but unless you are a middle or high school band/orchestra teacher, you generally have no reason to keep up on this music.

-- This is purely a matter of opinion and personal experience, but many string players and string-based ensembles are more resistant to playing new music, with the exception of those that decide to focus exclusively on contemporary music. With a focused string ensemble that makes sense, as the main cannon of music for them will be late baroque / early classical music and programming a Ligeti string ensemble piece would be a little odd. The ensemble probably doesn't focus on the needed technique to pull such a piece off and programming considerations may not allow it. Some wind ensemble are starting to fall in to this mold as well, with there now being a large enough canon where they can focus strictly on "classics" if they want.

-- The Wind Ensemble is a younger group in it's modern form. As such most of the music written for it focuses on modern techniques that most modern players are currently familiar with. String ensembles on the other hand, may focus on period appropriate performance technique, which takes considerable scholarship and study to accomplish and may not allow them to also focus on the rigorous demands of much contemporary string music. With much of contemporary music exploring timbral variation, composer's may also be drawn to a more varied group of instruments than a string ensemble. Homogeneous ensembles in general do not get as much written for them (well maybe in small group, but not in large group.)

Really though all this leads to the title of the post (who would've guessed)

-- Composer's will write for what people will play. Unless you are already an established composer of X notoriety (Measured in metric notoriety units), you will write for what you think you can get performed and performed well. If more string ensembles express interest in composer's writing music for them, then rest assured that it will get written. As it stands now, the conventional wisdom among many composers is that wind ensemble is the large ensemble that has the greatest desire for new music (you'll also be competing with less historical titans focusing on wind ensemble.) Mind you, my experience may vary from many others, as I studied at programs where the wind ensembles were the premier ensembles and not the orchestras. Composer's who studied at larger institutions that attract the highest quality string students may have a different experience. Although even those schools will be more apt to focus on full orchestra over string ensemble.

Well that is my rough opinion on the matter, and as always, I have not proof read for logical inconsistencies. Feel free to bring up more questions to either Chris or myself, or to call me retarded in the comments.

email Brian: Bivdub@gmail.com
email Chris: chris@wilsonmarimba.com (look at the big man with his own domain)