Urban Modes
Music and Life in New York

Photo: L. Gabrielle Penabaz

Well, it will be hard for me to compete with superstar Hilary Hahn, who has just started a great new series of video interviews with composers on the Sequenza 21 website, but I hope readers might be interested in a series of composer interviews on this blog as well.

After seeing the premiere of his strange and beautiful piece, Thirteen Near-Death Experiences, I felt compelled to ask Corey Dargel some questions. Here goes...


Dufallo: Who are a few of your musical influences?

Dargel: Probably Conrad Cummings, Eve Beglarian, Robert Ashley, Meredith Monk, and Pamela Z -- for the ways they commingle words and music. And John Luther Adams because his epic, ninety-minute pieces do exactly what I think epic pieces should do -- but I can't explain what that is.

Dufallo: What comes to you first -- the subject matter or the song? Can you describe your creative process?

Dargel: I usually start projects with a general theme or concept, but for individual songs I almost always start with the music. I write the instrumental parts first, not the vocal part, just the "accompaniments." I don't like that word, "accompaniment," because, to me, the instrumental parts are just as important, if not more important, than the vocal part... Anyway, then I write the lyrics -- writing lyrics is the hardest part for me -- but I don't think about how the lyrics will fit with the instrumental parts. So when I try to put the lyrics and melodies on top of the pre-existing accompaniments, there are these interesting problems about how to make them work together. Sometimes I'll rewrite one or the other, but more often I'll try to come up with odd ways of forcing them to fit together, which usually results in the vocal parts sounding kind of peculiar and lopsided.

Dufallo: What is it about voluntary amputation and hypochondriasis that makes you want to sing?

Dargel: Nothing. I almost always start a project by coming up with a challenging subject matter. Some topic that makes me think, "How the hell am I going to make music about that?" This was the case with Removable Parts and Thirteen Near-Death Experiences, and it was also the case with my most recent album, Other People's Love Songs, custom-made love songs for real-life couples whose relationships I was charged with portraying in a meaningful way.

Dufallo: Do you have any advice for young composers?

Dargel: Yes: Pyramid schemes! If anyone wants to know more, give me a call.

Dufallo: Seriously, though, what's your advice?

Dargel: Focus on cultivating your relationships with individual musicians, and write music for them and with them. Try to do this for a while, before working your way up to groups/ensembles where the personal relationships are less intimate. Perform your own music, if possible. Try to only write music that you know will be performed. If and when it gets rough, don't be discouraged. If you are discouraged, don't despair.

First, I must apologize to the handful of people who actually read this blog. Where have I been for three weeks?

The simple answer is that, after the intensity of the CD release (and all that self promotion stuff), I just needed a break from myself. For the last two weeks I have spent my free time on activities that have clear, satisfying results: organizing my closet, getting a new stylus for my turntable, etc.

The more interesting answer is that the rise in popularity of twitter has caused me to rethink the purpose of blogging. Twitter has an "instant gratification/short attention span" vibe that makes it appealing. One sentence is all we need to get a glimpse of your thoughts, the instant you are having them. One sentence and a link is really all we need to know when your next concert is and what you will be playing. For these subjects, twitter is more effective than blogging, because each twitterer has a dedicated audience. It's quick, easy, interesting, and you know who your readers are. Why blog?

Well, there is no reason to blog anymore, unless you really have something you want to communicate that requires more than 140 characters. These days, most of what we have to say can be communicated in fewer than 140 characters - that's the twitter revolution: embracing our attention deficit. However, there will always be some subjects that require more characters. Things like composer interviews, essays on creativity, program notes, descriptions of new work, etc., can't be effectively communicated through twitter. I will make those subjects the main focus of this blog.

So, I'm sorry to have disappeared for three weeks. I needed to sort out my feelings about blogging. Starting today, the subject of my twitter entries will be ME, and the subject of this blog will be MUSIC, and life in New York. Hope you'll join me!

Well... we've finally reached the last sneak preview. As of this Wednesday, dream streets will be officially released. It's been a little over two years since I first decided to record a solo CD - soon I will write about the whole process.

It would make sense to post transcendence, the last track on the album. Unfortunately, that track is too long to post here. I'll be playing it on Wednesday, in case you want to hear a live version.

Instead, I'm going to end this series of sneak previews with the first track from the album. Here's introduction:

introduction

I know I have said this a few times, but if you are reading this blog, I really would love to see you at the show Wednesday. Here is a link to the Time Out New York listing with all the info you need: click here. I think it will be a fun evening - I'll play selections from the album, and my amazing colleagues from ETHEL will also join me for a special version of lighthouse.

And here is a link to WNYC's New Sounds, episode #2939 from Wednesday, May 20 - they were kind enough to play about ten minutes of the CD on air.

onefivesix

The album's penultimate track is a short, pensive piece entitled onefivesix. In the context of dream streets, this composition serves as a bridge between the very dark ending of the suite for electric violin and the intensely meditative final track, transcendence.

Only ten days until the official CD release concert!! I hope you can be there.

Rockwood Music Hall is located at 196 Allen Street, between E. Houston and Stanton. You can take the F and V subway to 2nd ave.

I think it will be a fun evening. I will play some material from the CD, talk a bit about the CD, and Dorothy and Mary from ETHEL will join me on stage for a very special version of lighthouse!

Rosslyn Chapel.


Holyrood Abbey - one of the main sources of inspiration for Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony.


Gaita is Scotland's premier medieval music ensemble. We were lucky enough to hear them play at Stirling Castle.


The view from Stirling Castle.



Amy and Leah on top of Edinburgh Castle.

Just three more Sunday previews... Here's passacaglia - one of the more serious tracks on the album. It is movement five of the suite for electric violin. (Yes, I was influenced by Arvo Pärt).

passacaglia

Buy dream streets on iTunes. While you're there, feel free to write a review!!

See you on May 27, 8PM Rockwood Music Hall in NYC!!

Can't wait to hear new works by Kenji Bunch, Ned Rorem, and Jed Distler!!

lighthouse

suite: interlude

Click here to purchase dream streets on itunes.

Hope to see you May 27, 8PM at Rockwood Music Hall for the official CD release concert!!

Today and Monday WQXR is having CD giveaways of some of the artists featured on Zaidee Parkinson's May 11th concert at Weill Recital Hall - "Songs by Friends and Family." They will also be giving away 2 tickets to the performance!

Zaidee is my mother, so I qualify as "family." I'll be presenting a short piece for violin and piano called Three Poems. I am thrilled to be joined by the excellent pianist Jenny Lin!

Read more about the program here.

And please tune in to WQXR for CD giveaways (dream streets is included in the giveaway).

Rockwood Music Hall was rated "Best Small Music Venue" by New York Magazine.

Seems like the perfect place for dream streets...