Constraint and creative decision making in the composition of concert works, film and video-game soundtracks

Marshall, George A.

Abstract

This PhD research investigates the types, implications and origins of constraint within the contexts of various music composition projects. It then presents the practical value of this deeper understanding as a contemporary music composer.

To explore the topic of constraint, the doctorate contains a portfolio of original music compositions and a reflective commentary on those compositions. The music spans a wide range of purposes, including works for concert hall, film and videogame. This breadth, across 33 musical works for 17 different projects of both collaborative and independent types, facilitates the extension of our understanding of constraint and its role in the process of music-making. The commentary, focussing on each composition individually or in small groups, extrapolates how constraint emerges within different circumstances.

Analysing the music, in tandem with an account of their contextual backgrounds, demonstrates how different constraints influence music composition. The result of this research is that one can start to generalise the creative challenges a contemporary composer faces in the form of constraint. The research does this by proposing a series of labels: intrinsic, extrinsic, functional and aesthetic. These categories emerged through the creative practices of the portfolio, delineating and searching for constraint as a means of grounding creative decisions. The commentary and portfolio, taken together, will offer insights into the four proposed categories of constraint while explicating my compositional practice.

Citation

Marshall, G. A. (2019). Constraint and creative decision making in the composition of concert works, film and video-game soundtracks. (Thesis). University of Hull. Retrieved from https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4222714

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Oct 21, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 23, 2023
• Keywords: Music
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4222714
• Additional Information: Department of Music, The University of Hull
• Award Date: Nov 1, 2019