A few here have said that the composer I work with shouldn't compose a piece for viola because he's not comfortable writing in the alto clef. How preposterous!
While I appreciate all opinions regarding notation and
historical practice, I find that some opinions
regarding composition and art in general are
absolutely elitist (and not specifically from the few
referred to above). Yes, a lot of us have years and
years of experience along with the fancy paper from a
degree-granting institution saying we're "qualified."
But why can't an inexperienced composer without a
pedigree write for any instrument he "hears" in his
head? This is a matter of notation, not composition.
Would you object to a score that isn't transposed
(i.e. in C) for the inexperienced
composer/orchestrator?
In my composer's case, he hasn't had much of an opportunity to write for viola. Now, his violist friends who have heard his other compositions want a viola sonata from him. He wrote in treble clef because it's faster for him to get his ideas down. He told me to put it in alto clef and change to treble where appropriate when I engrave it. What's wrong with that? Oh wait - apparently everything...
Ryan
There's nothing wrong with what your friend has done. Especially since he has hired you to set things properly, notation-wise.
But as a word of caution, there IS much prejudice against people who claim to be something (a doctor, a composer, a trumpet player) who don't apparently know the basics about what they're doing.
As far as I'm concerned, if the music's great, the composer's great.
But I'm not everybody, and for a lot of people if the music is great isn't nearly as important as how much the composer knows.
I do hope your friend learns how to think in alto clef when writing for violas, though, because viola players outside his circle of friends may not take him seriously if he can't even read the parts he has had you engrave for him.
-- David H. Bailey [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
