Learn how composer John Williams is able to transform the notes of his Yoda leitmotif into a colorful tapestry using themes of elevation, mystique, and uncertainty.
Tag: chromaticism
György Ligeti’s ‘Musica Ricercata’: Is It Possible to Compose with Just One Note?
We look at Ligeti’s famous composition in order to decide how much, or how little, the use of music’s foundational parameters really matter in composing.
What the “Tristan Chord” Is and How to Use It
An in-depth exploration of one of the most storied chords in opera, what makes it so influential, and how to use it yourself in your compositions.
On Alban Berg’s Great Musical Palindrome
Hidden in plain sight in a second act interlude of Berg’s monumental Lulu, sits a full orchestra musical palindrome unlike anything in music history.
Teaching Myself the Bach Chaconne with Ableton Live
From a South American dance to a romantically rubato performance piece, Bach’s Violin Partita in D minor has some funky rhythms and bizarre chromaticism!