Re: Two questions from a lurker

Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 22:07:07 -0500
Newsgroups: rec.music.movies
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"Filmscore" <email-address-deleted> wrote in message
news:email-address-deleted...
>
> >Rock songwriters like Lennon often get a lot
> >of input, and sometimes significant contributions, from other members of
the
> >band, and then crucial help from the producer. The finished piece thus
owes
> >its very existence, not just a particular performance, to the creativity
of
> >more people than just the ostensible songwriter. This doesn't mean Lennon
> >wasn't a great songwriter or perhaps even a musical genius, just that the
> >messiness and fluidity of the creative process in his genre makes it
> >misleading to label him a "composer" in the strict sense.
>
> This is extremely flawed thinking. There is no "strict sense" in labeling
a
> composer a "composer." Orchestral composers do not always work alone, and
pop
> composers do not always work with others. In all fairness, pop composers
often
> have the advantange of performing their music as they intend it to be
heard,
> whereas orchestral compositions are often subject to the interpretations
of the
> conductor and a large number of musicians. However, there is no absolution
in
> either assessment. Examples could be shown for all extremes. But it is
> important to note that Lennon was a composer in every sense.
>
> Cheers. ~~John
>
Why is that "important"? Does being labeled a "composer" confer greater
dignity or importance than being described as a "songwriter," or just a
musician? I've noticed that people who like to slap the composer tag on songwriters
reserve it for those they really, really like. But don't the crappy ones use
the same general methods? Try this: "It is important to note that Jon Bon
Jovi is a composer in every sense." Agree?
Personally, I use "composer" to mean sometime who, in the Western musical
tradition, creates original, notated music. If we're talking about say,
Indian or Persian classical music, then I might use composer differently.
Songwriters can be great makers of music. Improvisers can be great makers of
music. But I don't see why we have to stretch the term composer to cover
them; it seems to imply that they shouldn't be taken seriously otherwise.
Joe Ramirez