WRITING I  (Spitzer-Laurance)

(F-09)

 

Goal of class:  To outline the process of writing the final paper

 

1.  Choosing a topic (EL)

Start with reading and listening

Two models:

a) specific to general

“Here’s a document no one has noticed”

“There’s a contradiction in what Quantz says”

             “I didn’t know Haydn used that harmony”

       Need to put specific observation into broad context

b) general to specific

“I’m interested in Verdi’s early operas”

 “I’d like to look into 18th-century bows”

                               Need to find specific case to illuminate topic of interest

Alternate between general and specific – i.e. read and listen broadly, then follow up on specific leads

Be alert for “leverage” – i.e. a document, a piece, an insight, a contradiction . . .  that seems to bring things into focus

Estimate availability of sources – Don’t choose a topic where sources are unavailable to you – Don’t be over-optimistic – The internet can make sources look more available than they are

When to give up on a topic – not really interested, hate the piece after all, nothing to say right now, sources unavailable – Talk to seminar instructor about whether it’s time to give up

 

Gathering sources (JS)

Brief! – We’ll cover this later

What is a “source”? – facsimile of score or book, modern score, contemporary book, modern book or article, online information, etc. etc.

            chain from one source to the next (read the footnotes!)

appropriate sources:  xerox, copy out, bookmark, save URL etc. – label everything (per last week)

            alternate between gathering and thinking – “to xerox is not to know”

 

Formulating ideas / hypotheses / theses  (JS)

            We formulate ideas by interacting with sources

dialogue with reading – commentary, responses (discussed last week)

dialogue with music (scores, recordings) – Here the means of interaction may be less obvious or less explicit – But this is the starting point for a lot of research we undertake – especially repertory we’re performing – Example to come

Test out your ideas in writing – provisional arguments, sample hypotheses, commentary on potential musical examples

Go back a step and gather some more sources against which you test your arguments and hypotheses

All this is provisional - Everything will change – Any hypothesis you formulate at this stage will turn out to be wrong – In my experience you know you’re starting to get somewhere when you abandon your original hypothesis

EXAMPLE of dialogue with music (scores, recordings)

PLAY Haydn Symphony 23 in G major, minuet and trio (JS)

            What do you notice? (canon)

            What questions does this raise?

                        common in Haydn? in other composers?

                        why minuet?  (sometimes just trio)

                        what did it mean to audiences?

                        is canon used elsewhere in symphonies, quartets?

 

Pre-writing – How much to shape before you write? (EL)

We have no prescription – Every writer develops his or her own strategies – Find out what works for you (perhaps you already have)

            Continuum from flying blind to super-detailed outline      

            HANDOUT Spitzer vs Laurance writing processes

                        Emily interrogate John about his process

                        John interrogate Emily about her process

 

Timetable for the paper (EL)

            12 Oct – Paper topic (thesis? questions?)

            9 Nov – Sources (also re-state thesis)

            23 Nov – Draft of paper

            14 Dec -  Finished paper

    We’ll specify what we want more closely in each seminar