The Best Scores For A Music Student To Study?

[Thatfabulousalien]

I'll put no context on this because I don't think it should be necessary, but I'll restate:

What are The Best Scores For A Music Student To Study? 

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Das Wohltemperierte Klavier

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

In that case, also Tristan und Isolde. Also, any Hildegard.

[Monsieur Croche]

A quick glance at the syllibi for the progression of theory classes you are going to be taking would be a good (and sequentially progressive) guide.  Ditto for the one or more later required music analysis classes that will be part of the same program.

Generally, this is chronological, i.e. Bach chorales, then continuing through rep of the subsequent eras.  The material, and understanding it in any practical way as to functions and forms, is entirely of a cumulative nature.  That means in one way there is no 'kick-starting' or jumping ahead of much real benefit.  (Unfortunately, often, all the modern / contemporary stuff you are most interested in does not come until the last year of the required undergrad music theory sequence, and that analysis class -- usually the pre-req for which is all the harmony courses -- might just start with your color-pencil mapping out of the heads and tails and Roman Numeral analyses of fugues from the WTC, which I found I could do three-quarters-asleep and get perfect marks, and therefore 'boring.' lol.  If that one semester is 'fast,' you'll start with Bach and end up maybe on Mahler.)

For yourself, no particular order: anything that interests you, though I would recommend not going first for the large-scale orchestral works of longer duration, but music for chamber groups and / or smaller ensembles... for easier-readier tracking / viewing of what is going on.

I'd like to remind you that some urgent feeling of 'not being adequately prepared,' or wanting to be that much ahead of the coursework requirements does only so much good.  You strike me as the sort who will often enough do a simple theory assignment twice, once 'by the rules,' and another 'for yourself.'  Since that is so, about every assignment will trigger some idea about another piece or aspect of music you want to investigate, and I'm pretty certain you will do that.

IF you get an actual comp class or private comp teacher from the get go, most of any worth are going to be directing you to scores right and left anyway, those recommends having something very specific in the way of how someone handled or 'solved a problem,' and very pointed toward what you can use in the way of your own work.

Please try to not go through school with "The "White Rabbit Syndrome" constantly on your mind and echoing in your head, "I'm Late! I'm Late...."  That would be something between a waste of time to utterly counterproductive, since you can only do one thing at a time, and start from where you are.


Best regards.


P.s. If you were not both excited and anxious about beginning the undergraduate program, I would worry if you were doing the right thing :-)

P.p.s. Please remember that for any composer, piano skills at the least near the first level of 'advanced,' are so desirable as to be considered a necessity, and leave room to accommodate furthering those.

[Spineur]

I have a scientific profession, so if I had time I would study scores which make some use of mathematics in their composition.
I was told that Debussy's "dances sacrées et profanes" are based on the golden mean.  So this is a score I would pick.

The music of Guillaume de Machaut is also said to be based on mathematical patterns.  Since it predates renaissance, it looks to me like some of his sacred music may be an interesting subject of investigation.

[James]

4'33", or any Yoko Ono score. Heavy reading, take your time.

[Mahlerian]

When I first started studying scores (on my own, without anyone telling me to or any classes or degrees to guide me), I found the Mahler symphonies to be an endless source of fascination.  From them, I learned all about the sound of the orchestra and of various combinations of instruments, about the possibilities of form without repetition, and also about development of themes and ideas.  More than anything, Mahler in particular helped because of the way the ideas will appear anywhere and everywhere on the page.

But, echoing M. Croche above, the hypothetical student should really focus on a broad swath of music, limited only by the proviso that it interests them.  Something of little interest will likely provide little stimulation and thus little benefit.  Of course there is much to be gained by looking at specific scores of the masters, such as:

Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 23 in A (the current version of Piston et. al's Harmony text cites this work more than any other; the first movement is a veritable primer of every harmonic trick possible in the Classical style)

Debussy - Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (the orchestra has never been quite the same since)

Schoenberg - Pierrot lunaire (the subtle and varied use of the chamber ensemble has been extremely influential; more so than the use of voice, which is something of a throwback to the melodramas popular in the 19th century)

[Monsieur Croche]

Find a teacher who will correct your counterpoint exercises and go through the Fux book.  Much better, imo, for learning how to compose than studying scores.

[asin]0393002772[/asin]

Lol. Have no fear.  Unless undergrad music programs have radically changed, two of the required courses are modal counterpoint and 18th century (North European) counterpoint.  Finding out about the Fux text / manual and working from it are nigh to unavoidable.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

This is also worth getting



Although considering you habitually study scores I wouldn't be surprised if you already find much of the stuff in this book rather basic, or at least stating things that you've already picked up on.

[Monsieur Croche]

the hypothetical student should really focus on a broad swath of music, limited only by the proviso that it interests them.  Something of little interest will likely provide little stimulation and thus little benefit.

The sequence and prerequisites of undergraduate theory classes has it thus:
depending upon a student's taste and interests -- long term or of the moment -- there is a veritable truckload of rep you must study that may not at all be either to ones tastes or interests.  "What I like and want to study" is completely put aside while in undergraduate (especially) study toward becoming a well-trained and well-informed musician... you learn something from it all, even if it is not to your taste or will not [seem to] directly apply to your specific needs as per your particular interests.

...which is why I recommended, if not a complete knuckle down, getting both used to it and a head start on what will be required.  I.e. learning about secondary dominants in play via a score of Sibelius, modal counterpoint via Fux, set theory ala Carter and later composers may not be exactly the points of interest as their cuppa for a comp student with an already somewhat formed aesthetic, nor joyously fulfilling, but they do impart knowledge and give you tools -- even indirectly, for what you do / will be wanting to do later, which is by definition, "fulfilling."

A head start in some of that required coursework allows more time for independent study and projects while taking those courses.

Self-study on the side before or while in school?  Of course look at and study what most personally interests you :-)


Best regards.

P.s. my only academic advice is, even if modal counterpoint is not a prerequisite for that 18th century counterpoint course -- often the case -- take modal counterpoint first.

[TSWO]

Chopin's 24 preludes for piano!

For me it has everything both a pianist and a composer needs to know to start understanding how music works. Some of the 24 are really accecible, the durations are short enough to get the structure with one quick glance, it covers every possible mood, the harmony is monumental, the counterpoint is great (if you are not interested in writing fugues today), and it actually is a musical masterpiece, not a set of exercises or rules... Priceless!

[Cato]

The first scores I perused were Mozart symphonies and Beethoven symphonies, piano sonatas, and string quartets.

The first scores I ever bought were the symphonies of Bruckner.

Rimsky-Korsakov's treatise on orchestration is not to be ignored.