But I am doing pretty well doing that whole "writing music" thing.
It's been a busy year already, and by year I mean "school year." I've already written a trombone quartet, a brass band piece, I'm 4/5ths of the way through my Requiem: foliorum caducorm sketches, and I just received a new commission for a string orchestra piece. Oh, and then there's that whole "teaching" thing as well.
I recently read an article about how almost all composers throughout music history weren't the beneficiaries of the patronage system. I have to admit that this was news to me, as I was taught that most of the powder-wigged types of the Baroque and Classical periods were propped up by fat cats with lots of cash and a desire to look cool by having the hottest new composer on their pay list. But, it turns out that is pretty much bunk. So what was REALLY happening?
Composers had jobs. *gasp* What, Jeffrey? Say it isn't so.
Yep. Jobs. They had 'em. Granted, most of their jobs were actually composing music for their patrons, whether it be church, royalty, or random rich dude, so they were writing music as part of their job, but that's just it. They weren't paid to just "write whatever you want." They actually had to write music for very specific occasions. And, if they didn't do their job, they were fired.
Somehow that gives me a little more hope as a modern composer. It's nice to know that, in addition to chopping wood and boxing the choir boys' ears when they wouldn't sing in tune, Bach had to write cantatas for Sunday's service. That is, Bach had a JOB in which only a part of his gig was writing music. Other composers had various day jobs as well. Mostly they taught lessons or conducted the local orchestra, but they had to supplement their compositional commissions with other work.
So that makes me feel a lot better. Granted, I don't have a powdered wig, but I do have a day job that I love. And it allows me to write great music for people who want to play it.
Now, if you'll pardon me, it's time to get to work. Hand me my wig....
Peace,
Jeffrey
