Music with Words: A Composer's View

by Virgil Thomson

Virgil Thomson reveals how he learned to compose music for English poetry and prose.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

112 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 1989

About the author

Virgil Thomson (November 25, 1896 – September 30, 1989) was an American composer and critic.

Reviews

[Steve]

Mr. Thomson is here writing for the artist, especially the composer. Still, I found his thoughts interesting; I was intrigued with his idea of creating a choral tune from the Communist Manifesto, for instance. He encourages the composition of more English-language operas, also reflecting on his own efforts to put Gertrude Stein’s words to music. I don’t think his plea met with much success. How many English-language operas of recent vintage can you name? Then again, how many operas of recent vintage in any language can you name?

There’s reason to believe that classical music composition, including opera, is dead in America and everywhere else, despite Mr. Thomson’s wishful encouragement, the sole exception being film accompaniment. Even attendance at live performances of the standard repertoires is threatened now that digital recordings can satisfy much of our listening pleasure on-demand. Further, how many digital recordings are needed? Once we have Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in Beethoven’s nine symphonies, it seems the utility of further recording efforts falls off a cliff. All this is to suggest that young musicians considering a career in the realm of classical performance might be well advised with another pursuit, like, say, investment banking.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

This short book consists of Thomson's musings on text setting, vocal music, and opera, plus an appendix of musical examples taken from his own work. It's not very methodical or instructional, and Thomson is a bit old-fashioned in his outlook, but there is still some potentially useful and interesting material.

[Breck Mcgough · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very useful information if you can swim through his sea of (rather dated and closed-minded) opinions.