John Lyon wrote:
Where did you learn about composing using the 12-tone row?
Various books and scores, atonal ear-training, listening to a lot of
freely and not-so-freely chromatic music.
From the book by Schonberg? (sp?) From another source?
I started with Reginald Smith-Brindle's Serial Composition. Later I
studied useful texts by Charles Wuorinen, George Perle, Pierre Boulez,
many others. I'm also a big fan of Elliott Carter and Stefan Wolpe,
their music and their theoretical writings.
I'd like to learn something about this concept, but have never run across a source...
IMO the best approach is to get familiar with some of the early
classics, especially the major works from Schoenberg and his students.
You can really help yourself by studying free-interval ear-training
(Modus Novus coupled with Solfege). Move on to Boulez's Le Marteau Sans
Maitre, his second piano sonata, and Pli Selon Pli. Check out how
differently the row concept was used by composers as diverse as Milton
Babbitt, Roger Sessions, and Aaron Copland.
Berg's operas are also mines of possibilities.
Best,
dp
