James Douglas writes:
Writing Music in a Changing world...continued.
I was born in 1932. I remember a bit later on hearing music on record from Carnegie Hall and films about the great American bands. But that was then...
Think of what the music world has developed into now. e.g. I was talking to a friend here about a song title. There would have been a time that you would have to go into a music store to try to find out information. Now, with the touch of a button (we tried an example of a title, there were 65 songs with the same one), you can search every kind of music and information about it on the Internet (for example). The mind boggles.
Now musicians from every kind of music can be accessed. It's all there, but how much more? Every type! Think back to early jazz, rock, pop, classical. It has all changed, the sound world has changed and you can listen to it and see it now.
This poses a problem for the composers now. I, a long time ago, used to say: 'I read many books and look at pictures from all over the world and then I write music.' That is what I meant a few Blogs ago but that has now changed. It is now out of date and does now explain clearly enough what I use in concerts and compositions now. Here is my new changed version: 'All my music is of the imagination, my imagination and my feelings. No use is made of other people's thoughts, images or titles. It is all from my mind. And, my mind creates new sounds.'
Music for me, expresses what I can't express in words only in sounds. My Sounds.
James Douglas http://www.caritas-music.co.uk/james_douglas.html
Recommended Listening: 'Doors of Perception' by James Douglas (Caritas Live No. 4)
http://www.caritas-music.co.uk/order_system/live4.html
Caritas Music Publishing