Dark Night Of The Soul - Ola Gjeilo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l-smZ9lUEE

I really love this piece. I think it is a beautiful expression of the text, even if it's not set "word for word" text painting... but rather an almost renaissance splattering of emotion that encompasses the whole poem in each section of the piece. 

There is a criticism of Gjeilo's music (who is a graduate of the composition program at JUILLIARD, mind you) that it is too "blah" without direction. Or, isn't about the music, but rather about the emotions it evokes.

I put Gjeilo's music with the likes of Meredith Monk's and/or John Adams. Very much about Emotionalism (which is what I call music like this. John Williams would be in this category. Other composers might be Tarik O'Regan (sometimes), Eric Whitacre, Frank Ticheli, etc.. If it's popular with high school band/choir... it's probably Emotionalism). Even some of Beethoven's pieces where he was just writing glorified banging on the piano are Emotionalism... Where music transcends the actual notes being played, and reaches a level of ecstasy that music can bring out.

What do you think about this piece, and other pieces like it? Do you enjoy it? Even though it is "simple"? Almost "pop" at times? Just something interesting to discuss. :)

-Mori

Our choir has had this piece on the repertoire in 2011 and 2012. I personally believe Ola Gjeilo is a pop music composer wanna-be a composer of art classical music. Over-used copy paste is the most annoying feature in Dark Night of the Soul. It makes me think he wanted to create a long piece without much effort. The slower middle section is much better and I actually loved singing the male unisono part, I find it the most inspiring part of the piece. This suggests Gjeilo might actually be more notable composer.

"emotional" content is merely one element out of a large number of qualities that a piece can have, a good work needs to have more to it than that. The linked piece is full of stereotyped gestures, textures and harmonies.

lol. Yeah. I figured this would be the response. I'll be honest.. I don't really care about that. Ola is a pop composer, but he likes to be in the classical forum. Is that really a crime?

Why does a good work have to have more than the emotional element? And, is there anything wrong with stereotypical gestures?

I think it's fun when people use things that aren't bad to justify why they are bad. 

 I'll be honest.. I don't really care about that. 

Me either, I liked it. Thanks for sharing, never heard of this composer. 

It's nice, but the 7/8 ostinato thing gets a bit annoying after a while. A bit too dance-like for the text and the emotions it's trying to express... not everything has to have a "beat".

I would separate it out into its components (choir and pianos), which work much better on their own:

There, again, look at your language: "not everything has to have a beat"

Yes, but why can't it?

I don't think the beat works for this particular piece, if that's what you mean. I think it would probably be more effective (and "emotional") without it, or with something else instead. Obviously you may disagree.

There, again, look at your language: "not everything has to have a beat"

 

Yes, but why can't it?

Those last three words have convinced me to throw my lot in with you on this one. If one can cast aside reservations and be at peace with the fact that this music is 'emotionalist' (as you call it) and doesn't seek to be more than that, it becomes a very enjoyable experience. I am usually very wary of cliché or stereotype, but you are right. There is nothing wrong with music appealing simply to the emotions.

Shadow, that's a perfectly fine opinion. :)

I was only replying to show that I think a beat could work with this piece. He is forgoing the meaning of the whole work in favor of this blinding moment of ecstasy. 'Ah the sheer grace' to him is like the galloping of a million horses breaking the heavens. In a rapture of epic proportions, it is a sign of transcendence and joy. Much like the climax of an orgasm.

lol. Yeah. I figured this would be the response. I'll be honest.. I don't really care about that. Ola is a pop composer, but he likes to be in the classical forum. Is that really a crime?

 

Why does a good work have to have more than the emotional element? And, is there anything wrong with stereotypical gestures?

 

I think it's fun when people use things that aren't bad to justify why they are bad. 

Morivou, you ask questions like an amateur even though I believe you are asking such questions on purpose. :)

The stereotypical gestures show either the composer's fear of being "too difficult" to understand from the first listening (which prevents the composer to be more creative and original). Even worse, there could be lack of skills as well - I hope this is not the problem with Gjeilo in general even though I have become quite familiar with his music and I generaly don't like it very much. The use of copy-paste is OK unless used too much. And here, you will have to admit it is over-used. Not much development of instrumental lines in these 7/8 metre and strange use of choir.

The emotional element is especially present in atonal music (check the term Expressionism) so this has nothing to do with composition techniques used in Dark Night of the Soul.

I believe the more "crime" about Gjeilo considering himself as a classical composer is the fact the general audience considers him a classical composer. No offense, but it's like you would consider Beatles a classical music band if there would be a violin, piano and classic guitar instead of drums, electric guitars and electric keyboards. I love Beatles though.