Music Through His Own Lens: the Music and Writings of Ronald Barnes - Brunston Poon

I present a musical analysis of some of the carillon compositions and arrangements of Ronald Barnes with a framework derived from his writings on composing music for the carillon. In addition to wholly original compositions, it examines in further detail one piece which he described as an original composition in the style of a chorale prelude (like those of Bach; Barnes composed many pieces in this style), and two works which were “remodeled,” the intricacy of which is also explored.

It is of great interest to use a composer’s writings as a framework to look at their works from a critical musical angle, as it enables us to analyze the works in a reasonably similar frame of reference to that of the composer.

I identify key composition principles which he outlines in his published articles on the subject and show that these principles were established and can be found in his works from early on and trace the evolution and application of these principles in later works. Among other results, the analyses show that the long decay time of the Taylor and Paccard bells which were used in the carillons most associated with his career has an impact on the way that he conceived of the sound of his music and influenced his composition principles.

Key among these composition principles include making a piece captivating from both the perspective of carillonist and audience, idiomatic composition for the instrument, deliberate purpose and avoiding superfluity, detailed scoring, and the role of the “vertical sonic haze” in the timbre of carillon music. An examination of composition, arrangement, “remodeling”, and chorale prelude-like original composition is also included.