[Anneloes Wolters]

Hi Don,

Thank you very much for sharing your music, I will be back with a full reply, I have to think about it more thoroughly.

What you describe is somehow at the roots of the ‘problem’ of learning how to write music, starting from analysed fragments of other works and learning systems. I found that good ‘systems’ will sound automatically when you know them so well you can use them unconsciously, but can’t be used to write something ‘new’, nor invent a new creation.

Because music theory is a summary of all the music that has sounded until now. It doesn’t help finding your own ‘Gestalt’ to write. It doesn’t help envision your own idea of music nor your personal musical identity. In that sense, music theory is more like a Craft, not an Art. But you might need the Craft to write the Art, depending on what Gestalt you See.

I have the habit of seeing the music first, before writing, especially forms, so I use a lot of analogies with vision. I like that about the books Iain wrote, the importance of words. Words matter, especially when thinking about Music.

But I will have to really listen to your music better, to understand the difference in your music and stort better.

I’ll be back soon,

Kind regards,

Anneloes