Composing during difficult times

[Hector J. Guzman 1]

I´ve been thinking this over a couple of years how hard would be for me to write music with a joyful or light-hearted feeling. But looking at history it has happened, and some of the best stuff was written during these times for the composer who wrote it, including our Johnny boy (after Mr. Williams´ wife´s death in the mid/late 70s). I know I have a difficult (and long)time recovering after something like this, among all thing that might happen.

Just a though I had to post

Williams The Reivers

Burgess Meredith, narrator

The Boston Pops Orchestra

John Williams

[FossMan 1]

I think it's these "worst of times" that really make us appreciate the good feelings, hence why a composer can reflect and truly out from inside him what it means to feel good.

[Many 0]

And yet, the opposite can also be true. Gustav Mahler wrote his "Tragic" Sixth Symphony and Kindertodtenlieder (Songs on the Death of Children) during one of the happiest times of his life.

Anthony, who thought some might find this fact interesting.

[Morlock 11]

I saw an analysis of Williams that says the fact that his wife died young- a very tragic and traumatic thing- coupled with his mother being alive through out his career- something that allows him to keep even a very limited amount of innocence- enables him to reach through the spectrum and write both the saddest and most somber music you've ever heard, and the happiest cheeriest music you've ever heard.

I don't really agree with it, but it does make sense, especialy when looking at other composers, like Goldsmith, for instance, who doesn't have a landmark 'sad' score or a landmark 'happy' score. (He must have other demons- to get to something like The Omen, which Williams doesn't have something on the same level- only genre wise, of course)

Taking the Mahler example- Mozart wrote his Magic Flute and his Requiem around the same period, one of his most care free and happy pieces, together with one of his most heavy and dark pieces.