Page 27 - Composing Processes and Artistic Agency

16 The topography of composing work

institutions (at least, that is the case in the art music sector in German-speaking
countries). The commission usually contains agreements on the composer’s
fee, on the form in which and the date by which the score is to be delivered,
as well as the performance rights (which tend to be exclusive until the world
premiere). If desired by the client, the commission also includes requirements
that are specific to the piece to be composed: its approximate duration; the
ensemble that is to perform it (which partially or wholly defines the instruments
to be used); thematic references for the composition; the place of performance,
and others.
Our interviewees did not view such contractual content as restrictive. On
the contrary, many emphasised how important it was for them to be given a
clear thematic context and to know the musicians and place of performance
beforehand. “Where that is the case, [composition ideas] often emerge from
the commissions”, said Viola Falb, for example. Judit Varga confirmed this:
“It helps me a lot to be able to link the music with people or places where it
will be performed. Then the music suddenly comes to life.” On the topic of
the performance space and the performers, Katharina Klement added: “Right
now I’m supposed to be writing something for a string orchestra. If I know
that there are only string players, that obviously encourages different ideas.
Because the means are different. I automatically arrive at a different form
than for five wind players, for example.”
In most cases, the requirements formulated by the client are loose enough
to provide structural guidance in generating ideas, but without being artisti-
cally or aesthetically confining. And where a composer disagrees with certain
requirements, there is often room for negotiation. Composers tend to think
practically – or in a way that is sensitive to the context – and adopt the
requirements productively, as a stimulus for generating ideas. This is the dual
meaning of the title of Pierre Bourdieu’s (1980/1990) book, “Le Sens pra-
tique” (“The Logic of Practice”): sens translates as both meaning and direc-
tion. Sens pratique, understood both as a sense for practical things and as a
practical orientation, sums up the context-sensitive attitude of experienced
practitioners of composition.
Of equal importance is the performance space, which is often specified in
the composition commission. It has a dual significance: first, as a social space
with a reputation in the music sector; second, as a physical space with its own
technical and acoustic demands. Developments in specialist sound-processing
software and in the technical equipment of concert halls have opened up new
possibilities for reflecting on spatial aspects during the composition process.
Composers can thus consider the sound space as a separate level of creativity.
In the Espace de projection at the Institut de Recherche et Coordination
Acoustique/Musique in Paris, the performance space can be adjusted in line
with one’s own sound ideas. This concert hall, which is insulated for both
sound and vibrations, is equipped with dividing curtains and ceiling sections
whose height can be adjusted. They can thus be used to modify the volume
and sound scattering. Additionally, the walls and parts of the ceiling consist