Jonathan Rayback, Department of Music
The project for which I received a grant from ORCA consisted of composing a cantata for amplified voices and electronic accompaniment relating the story of the fall of Judas Iscariot. Initially my intention was to produce this piece with the aid of the MAX interactive programming environment as well as a Macintosh Quadra 800 computer, a variety of synthesizer modules, and Performer sequencing software. The text for this work was to be drawn from the following passages of the Bible: Matthew 26:14-16; 27:3-5; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6, 47-48; John 6:70-71; 12:4-6; 13:1-2, 18-30; Acts 1:15-20. The expressive goal of this work was to convey the idea that Judas’ betrayal came as a result of self-deception and was more a sin against himself than against God.
I was enthusiastic as I accepted the commission to work on this project. Academically it was significant because it gave me an opportunity to work in a medium that was new to me (i.e. the electro-acoustic medium). Furthermore, it was intended to be longer than any piece I had written up to that point and, hence, presented me with a new set of aesthetic problems to solve. In this report I will present some of the processes I went through in my effort to complete this project. I would also like to comment on several lessons that I learned in my struggle to write music on a significantly larger scale than I had ever attempted before. Finally, I would like to outline the additional work that I intend to put into this project.
Processes
The first process that I undertook was to create a general timeline for myself to help me complete this project in a timely manner. I also looked ahead and attempted to foresee any problems that might arise due to my following the parameters described in my proposal. Part of this process was to undertake a series of compositional “etudes” which allowed me to become more familiar with the equipment I would be using. This particular stage of the process took a significant amount of time, but was crucial in that it allowed me to begin the compositional process of the cantata with my eyes completely open to the possibilities these devices afforded me. It became clear to me in completing this process that the AM programming environment which I had initially envisioned using was unnecessary and superfluous in light of software like Performer, which is designed specifically for sequencing purposes. I decided to abandon the idea of using MAX in deference to the more practical Performer program.
The next process that I went through was to compile/ edit the text to be used in the cantata. It became clear to me that the outline I had presented in my proposal didn’t lend itself well to a musical setting. Two elements conspired to establish this circumstance. First, there wasn’t enough text to support a complete musical setting. Second, there were no characters represented besides Judas. This caused a lack of interactive potential which would limit the dramatic capacity of the work. It was in solving the second problem that I also solved the first. From the outset I had considered having Peter as a second character-an antagonist to Judas’ protagonist. I added Peter and chose some additional text passages for him to sing. I also expanded Judas’ text to be compatible with Peter’s. The addition of the Peter material gave me plenty of text to work with and also allowed for the type of drama that I wanted in the piece.
The next main process I went through was to create a large-scale dramatic/ formal outline. I identified main points of climax and conflict in the text and mapped this out over the intended formal scheme of the cantata. by doing this I was able to assure myself that the musical structures of the cantata would complement the dramatic ones of Its text. This was a very Important process for me to go through. It forced me to wrestle with abstract issues of large-scale form before tackling the details of the music. I feel that in doing so I have become aware of the Importance of providing for large-scale structural integrity In a piece from the very outset rather than composing intuitively, without parameters, and hoping that the form will take care of Itself.
The next process was to write the musical accompaniment to support the text according to the largescale musical parameters I had established for myself. This was the most time consuming of the processes. It put me through a constant cycle of writing and re-writing, of establishing and revising. It was in this step that I was able to give life to the skeleton I had created in the earlier stages of my compositional process. The final step will be to actually produce the electronic tape that will be used in the performance of this piece. This will include producing the sounds for it with the devices mentioned In the first paragraph of this report and mixing it onto Digital Audio Tape.
Lessons
I have learned several important lessons so far in working to complete this cantata. The first is to trust my intuition In making musical decisions. I feel that before this project I had a tendency to Intellectualize the compositional process. I felt a need to justify every gesture in the context of some supreme system or procedure. With this cantata I had to let go of that and allow for musical gestures which could only be justified by the fact that they sounded right in the context in which they were found. I feel that the Increased confidence In my own Intuition that I have gained by working on this music will be of great benefit to me in my future years as a composer.
The second lesson I have learned was that In large projects !Ike these (the length of this work will approach half an hour, whereas previously the longest piece I had written was ten) things tend to take longer than I would have expected. When I set out to complete this project in January I felt that It would be completed fairly quickly. What I find now, as the due date for this report approaches, is that I still have much to do. Before this cantata I had been used to writing pieces that were much shorter and less sophisticated than this one. Through working on this piece I have learned that the more musical material one has to take Into consideration the more time it takes to hammer it out into an acceptable piece of art. The compositional process in a large work is much slower and requires greater concentration than in a smaller one.
The final lesson that I learned through my work on this piece is the value of daily composition. Since beginning in January, I have composed for at least an hour (usually two to four hours) each day, with few exceptions. My capacity to concentrate on and solve complex musical problems has been greatly enhanced because of this. I believe that daily composition is crucial to the success of a composer and I’m grateful that, through this project, I was able to see that.
Projections
My vision, in terms of the final result of this project, is to have it performed sometime near the end of Winter Semester 1996. I also hope to record it in the BYU recording studios sometime during that semester. For this to happen, I will have to accomplish three things during Fall Semester 1995. First, I need to finish notating the final score for the cantata, this step is very near completion at the time I submit this report. Second, I need to complete the electronic tape. Third, I will have to recruit four singers and give them materials to rehearse with so that they will be prepared to perform in winter.
Conclusion
I have really enjoyed the chance to work on this project. This cantata has grown very dear to my heart. I am very grateful to ORCA for the financial support they have afforded me. More important, though, I’m grateful for the emotional boost it has been to be working on my first real commission. I have made some mistakes in my attempts to complete this project, mostly in the area of accurately predicting the time requirements of various tasks relating to the completion of the project, but have also made some invaluable strides towards maturity as an artist. I look forward to notifying ORCA of a performance of this piece towards the end of Winter Semester 1996.