Preparing to teach a unit on Copland’s Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson to a class of composers who will, in turn, compose the “thirteenth song” as a style-study exercise. Thanks to Robert Maggio for the genesis of this unit and for most of these ideas!
And, for a quick link, here are the complete poems of Emily Dickinson.
When studying these songs, be sure to consider…
What characteristics make the song “special” or “distinctive”
Accompaniment texture:
- Types/approaches to composing for piano
- Variety, pacing of changes, and relationship of changes to vocal phrases
- Use of ornaments or effects
- Registral span and use of middles or extremes
- Connections (or lack thereof) between voice and piano
- Harmony, voice-leading, use of seconds or dissonant tones
- Chord voicings
- Moments when there is piano but no voice
Voice:
- How syllabic accents align (or do not align) with meter; use of syncopation
- Registral span and use of middles or extremes
- Leaps vs. stepwise singing
- Use of melisma
- Moments when there is unaccompanied voice
- Moments when melody resolves but piano does not
- Repetition of text
- If phrases begin on, before, or after downbeat (for good or ill effect)
- If voice creates closure (or if that is left to piano)
- Melodic phrasing and use of elision, extension, breath, silence, etc.
Text painting
Meter & changing phrase lengths
Modulations: abrupt? brief? smooth?