Being graduated as a composer and also working as a composer and instructor of music composition while enjoying writing articles in English has brought me to compare music composition with the composition of non-fiction articles. Excluding the expression, which refers to both aspects, there are other similarities and also some differences which contribute to a deep comprehension of each skill and finding out how beauty is created in music and literature. This article tries to make a comparison between these two skills to gain a better understanding of each and how structures and their elements generally work.

Opening

An announcement is an opening statement that declares the question that the article will try to answer. For instance, this article has already announced that the comparison between two kinds of composition is its main concern. Practically, it is not always that we have such openings in music, but there are famous examples that introduce a motif or a short phrase, from which all developments and upcoming elements are derived. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5‘s infamous opening four notes are undoubtedly one of the most well-known musical announcements. Theoretically, we use this method when our music is created on a fundamental core, which has an excessive potential for growth, and during the music it begins to grow and develop gradually.

Stairs

Many claim that an introduction is similar to stairs that take you up to the first floor of a building; therefore, an article introduction needs to be resistant and attractive enough to

stimulate readers to read the first paragraph. It also includes the overall idea and answers why the subject is important or interesting and why readers should read this piece. Generally, a lot of music pieces start with the introduction, and there are only a few that begin with the main subject. Using a complete piece called “Prelude” as an introduction to an act of opera, suite, or fugue proves how essential this part of music is. Even melodies analysis indicates that often some notes play a prologue role in melody structure to lead to the main subject.

Keynote

After announcing our driving question and motivating our readers to follow us, it is time to present our main subject, which includes various opinions, facts, findings, and even some digressions, which are occasionally allowed. This part, which is always the most extensive one, is called “Presentation” or “Main Body” in article structure; however, its equivalent in music (depending on the aspects) might be named “Main Section,” “Main Subject,” or the sum of several sections such as “exposition,” “bridges,” and “development”. Although there are numerous techniques and inner structures to be used, the composition strategy of this part is totally up to the writer or composer.

Humans’ nature

Whether a composer or writer is goal-oriented or not, if he just believes that his work should be meaningful and consequential, then a conclusion (or recapitulation in music) is absolutely needed to give the whole work a proper meaning. This part does not fully mention the entire idea but instead summarizes significant foregoing information and then asks a question or uses ironic words to make the readers think and resonate deeply. Unquestionably, the need for a conclusion or recapitulation is traced in humans’ nature since after being born and growing up, aging is coming—the period in which old people become similar to children in behaviors and demand and enjoy remembering their early lives.

The answer to the question

Finally, in the evaluation part, the opening question can be answered by the reasoning, which is located in the presentation and conclusion. The other purpose of evaluation is to make suggestions about how the solution would benefit the readers or how it would change an existing perspective from now on. In music, the “Coda” section is commonly used to evaluate the whole given information since the main subjects become simplified to be more compact and catchier; therefore, the crystalline subjects are the direct response to the opening question, and they also give a clear example to work on in the future.

Thus, composers and article writers can be considered like two peas in a pod since they create an organized approach to express their perspectives on questionable topics, even though article writers use words and composers use notes. In the end, trying another kind of composition is highly recommended to all writers and composers who enjoy new experiences.