The importance of Piano for Orchestration/Composition

[Aeterna]

I think that the Piano is a powerful tool for the beginning composer, because you can quickly and easily hear how notes sound together. That said, once you have a more developed idea in your head of how notes sound together in general, I think it's better to step away from the piano and let your mind do the work. I've found that using piano or notation software during the actual composition process tends to make my music less cohesive, the ideas shorter and more disjointed. That's because when I'm on the piano or on Finale, I tend to think linearly -- what comes next? Whereas when all I'm using is my head and some staff paper, I think globally work out the details within a larger context.

[dpc]

My reference to the piano and Stravinsky's remark did not actually contain the approach to composing but rather the point that any composition can be heard or stated at that instrument. The many references in this thread to the importance of a linear approach compositionally (melodic lines) are exactly true. It depends on the style.

Most of the great composers composed at the piano in this sense: they checked their work with it. No matter the style they would simply play and listen to their parts at the piano. Also remember whenever a new work was published or even in the manuscript stage, the way people (producers, other composers, friends etc.) would hear the new work would be at the piano. In fact very accurate and succint judgements were made about a new work's worth or value from piano realizations. The decision to produce a new work (say a ballet) would be made soley from a piano rendition. This was Stravinsky's point about everything being able to be said on the piano.

[greatgreybeast]

My reference to the piano and Stravinsky's remark did not actually contain the approach to composing but rather the point that any composition can be heard or stated at that instrument.

I completely understand that. Actually, for clarity, I see this thread as leaning in at least three different directions - piano in the sense Stravinsky means it, to demo one's work / piano as a tool for composition / piano as computer interface.

And, I wonder to what extent piano is still valuable in the first case. After all, creating preview renditions of music is one of GPO's primary functions.

-Robin