Dorian Landscape
Barry E. Kopetz

Dorian Landscape was composed in 1997 for Oquirrh Hills Middle School Band (Utah) and their fine conductor, Sandy McKilligan. The composer resided but a few miles away and often would work with these young musicians. Impressed by their dedication and musicianship, Kopetz decided to compose a selection that would challenge the group musically.

Modes have always held a peculiar interest for the composer, dating back to his music theory training in high school. Their effect upon the ear, while different than the scales learned in lessons, seemed to present unique harmonic possibilities. It occurred to the composer that few pieces for intermediate ensemble have been written using a specific mode as the fundamental starting point (all of the lovely folk song settings aside) and decided to sketch ideas of a modal flavor, unconcerned where the sketches seemed to lead. The resultant work all lead toward the Dorian mode and the piece began to rapidly take shape.

The note “d” has always seemed to vibrate with a unique state of tension for the composer. Most works in d minor (or modal works in d) contain this nervous energy that seems so very special to him. While this particular key center does not seem to have the same affect on all listeners, it contains elements of tension and dissonance that seem to grow naturally from the tonic pitch. It is for this reason that d Dorian was selected for Dorian Landscape, along with the fact that it is a fairly easy key for young musicians to learn and perform.

Over the past decade, the young band compositions of the composer have gravitated toward a combination of modal/minor key centers. Many of these compositions have been driven by the fictitious characters and scenery in his novel, “The Land of the Lochrians,” and Dorian Landscape is no different in this respect. Vivid imagery of a serene, plain landscape was foremost in his mind as he began work upon the selection. Rather than striving to compose a number of pieces with a specific modal flavor, it has been pictorial imagery that has provided the inspiration. Certainly, young musicians seem to thrive on this imagery as they have not lived enough years to become hardened against the idea of using their imaginations freely.

Dorian Landscape portrays different emotional states in the course of its formal structure. Ranging from stark simplicity to a Renaissance-dance flavor, the open scoring coupled with the simple counter melodies provides an exceptional opportunity for young ensembles to engage in music making of the highest level. While the piece is cross-cued to allow bands of imperfect instrumentation to perform the piece, the straightforward scoring allows young ensembles to make the most of the unique orchestration. It is relatively simple in its design, but there is ample opportunity for an expressive approach to the music.

Dorian Landscape began as a single tone, d. Humming this note always conjures images of tension in the mind of the composer, and the theme seemed to grow from this root tone. Almost simultaneously, the flute counter melody seemed to answer this doleful melody. The seventh tone of the Dorian scale (c) sounded natural from the very beginning, and the primary theme had taken shape within the span of a few minutes. It was this theme that seemed to dictate the nature of everything that followed.

The purpose of the melodies in Dorian Landscape is to transport the listener to a distant place. This musical place has a simple, serene quality, and the vocal quality of the melodic line is primary. Use of simple percussion colors (tambourine and triangle), unencumbered through intentional avoidance of the snare and bass drum colors, removes the percussion section from their traditional occupation of “keeping the beat.” Rather, their role within the texture is to set the proper mood. Visions of Renaissance dance appear in places where the rhythmic activity seems to spring to life. Such moments are interspersed with moments of relative calm.

In the final analysis, Dorian Landscape sounds much like a piece of music written during a different time period other than the late twentieth century. The composer envisions a plain landscape by a spectacularly beautiful and serene lake. A beautiful young woman has come to the shore to gather water for the family, is captivated by the scenery, and pauses to sing her simple melody. Its flow brings her to her feet to engage in a simple dance, the birds around her joining in with their beautiful, natural counterpoint. She returns to her chore of filling the water bag, and departs the shore with a song in her heart, knowing that when she next returns, the soothing nature of the water will again bring peace to her existence.

(Note: For a more detailed analysis of Dorian Landscape, refer to the pages 139-150 of the book, “Teaching Music through Performance in Band,” Volume 5. This excellent resource is edited by Richard Miles and available through GIA Publications, Inc.).