Beginning/Class Composition I (MUCP 1180/3080) 02/01/09
Mr. Jay Walls
COMPOSITION PROJECT #2
(tonal melody/text setting)
Follow the steps below to compose a melodic setting of the James Joyce text on the back of this sheet:
1. Pre-compositional work—Create a rhythmic and contour outline of the text:
a. On a sheet of graph paper or lined notebook paper, write out the complete text, marking each
syllable with the appropriate stressed (´) or unstressed (˘) symbol.
b. Above the text create a strictly rhythmic setting, following the natural patterns inherent in the
text by using longer values for stressed syllables and shorter values for weak syllables.
c. Group these rhythmic patterns into meters and add barlines and time signatures accordingly.
d. Above this rhythmic/metric framework, draw a rough contour outline representing the natural
pitch inflections inherent in the text.
e. Determine a key for the melody. Using the contour outline in the previous step as a guide,
sketch out some melodic motives that might be used in the text setting.
2. Composition—Set the James Joyce text to music, keeping in mind the rules of proper text-setting
and good melodic shape discussed in class:
a. On a piece of music manuscript paper, create a tonal melody for this text, using the sketch
created in step 1 as a model.
b. Don’t limit yourself—allow the actual music to transcend the patterns worked out in the
sketch! Consider both syllabic and melismatic approaches as you interpret the text.
c. Include the text below the music, following correct notational practices (refer to Stone).
3. Commentary/Analysis—Analyze this setting, discussing the following items:
a. Range: What did you find to be the best voice type for this setting? Why? What are the
highest and lowest pitches? On what words are they used?
b. Tessitura: Where does the melody primarily lie?
c. Contour: How are conjunct and disjunct motion used in the setting? Where is the climax
point?
d. Accent patterns: How are the four types of accents (dynamic, tonic, agogic, metric) applied in
this setting?
e. Harmonic implications: What is the key of this setting? What chords are implied at cadence
points? What is the relationship between the first and final pitch?
f. Identify the phrases and periods in your setting. How do these relate to the original text?
g. Discuss the following, as they might apply to this setting: motive, sequence, word painting,
and syllabic vs. melismatic treatment of text.
• The project will be discussed in class on Friday, February 6. Be prepared to sing your melody for the
TF during the lab time on Friday, February 13; individual meeting times will be scheduled at the
next lab meeting. It is not necessary to sing the words, but you must correctly realize the pitches
and rhythms. Each student will be expected to sing his/her melody for the TF, and will be graded
on the ability to do so—if you don’t know how your own music sounds how can you know if
somebody else is performing it correctly?
• The correctly notated and neatly copied text setting, the pre-compositional sketch, and the analysis are
due in class on Wednesday, February 18. (NOTE: you will need to keep a copy of this setting
for Project #3.)
