Hey ChopinAddict

Your reference to rules and the role they play in composition is perfectly valid and I should think one thing that has plagued most composers. My only advice is to make sure others have listened to your work, as I have done, this way you can be confident that your work is at least original and perhaps in some cases admired; worry about the rules if a publishing deal is on the horizon because flaws are easier to spot on manuscript!

Cheers Chopinforte

Thanks, Chopinforte.
I was thinking about Mozart the other day.... Surely when he composed his first minuet (at 5) he didn't know much about rules per se? Obviously not everyone is Mozart, but as you said, if others like what you do and think it is original, this is the most important thing....
I do follow some rules by the way, but measure for measure is restrictive rather than helping in creativity...

Cheers,
CA

Mozart's early compositions were guided heavily by his father, who knew the rules very well.

It's been a VERY long time since I used any kind of "rules" from other people or periods.

I just make my own "rules" (so basically I compose and I try to make it coherent than random notes being played by a cat), and my own guidelines, as well as my own forms, etc.

While I can't preclude I will compose a sonata at some point, I find that I will atttempt to 'enrich' it with something new (at least new to me). Same goes for harmonic language, voicing, etc.

I see absolutely no reason for someone to follow any kind of 'classical rules' when composing TODAY! Unless they want to resemble older styles (of yesteraions) and thus they are important. Rules also provide insights on how composers used to work, and offer alternatives to todays practices.

But that's about it.