Search Results

The Dramatic Cantatas of Thomas Pasatieri: Heloise and Abelard and Rites de Passage a Lecture-Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works of O. Respighi, J. Canteloube, D. Argento, C. Floyd, A. Schoenberg, and Others
In the past fifteen years, Thomas Pasatieri has become one of America's leading composers. His major output has been dramatic works for voice: opera and song literature. The two dramatic cantatas, Heloise and Abelard and Rites de Passage, are exemplary of his style. Pasatieri draws his formal structures from traditional solo and duo cantatas and combines this with the ability to dramatize the texts of Louis Phillips. Pasatieri s style is conservative and represents a neo-romantic idiom which he models after Bellini, Puccini, and Richard Strauss. This paper presents a brief biographical sketch of Pasatieri and an analysis of the two cantatas. A chronological list of Pasatieri's published vocal works appears in the Appendix.
The Development of Occupational Identity in Undergraduate Music Education Majors
The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of occupational identity in undergraduate music education majors using a Symbolic Interactionist theoretical framework. Three research problems were formulated: (1) The identification of occupational norms and values of undergraduate music education majors; (2) The determination of the commitment of under graduate music education majors to specific skills and knowledge of music education; (3) The determination of career commitment to music education by undergraduate majors. The sample consisted of undergraduate music education majors enrolled in North Texas State University; Denton, Texas, during 1981 and 1982. A questionnaire and interview schedule, which had been developed in a pilot study, were used to gather data. Questionnaire responses from 165 students were analyzed by comparing selected variables by area and by class year. These data were further clarified by information from thirty-eight interviews conducted by this researcher.
Competencies in Piano Accompanying
The purpose of this study was to ascertain what competencies professional accompanists and accompanying teachers deem sufficiently important to be included at some point in the development of a professional accompanist. Research problems were formulated to determine what differences exist between opinions of teachers and professionals regarding necessary skills in preparation of accompanists in (1) pianistic skills, (2) accompanying skills, (3) vocal skills, (4) linguistic skills, (5) knowledge of repertoire, (6) understandings in human relationships, and (7) other competencies. Data were collected by means of a validated questionnaire containing items grouped into the seven categories listed above. It was sent to twenty professional accompanists and thirty-one schools offering accompanying degrees. Seventy per cent of the professionals and 84 per cent of the schools responded. Each competency was rated first for its relative importance to a professional accompanist and then for its appropriate place in the sequence of an accompanist's preparation. A chi square comparison of responses of the two groups regarding the importance of each competency showed virtually no significant differences. Responses on appropriate stages of training were not treated statistically.
The Design and Evaluation of Study Materials for Integrating Musical Information into the Choral Rehearsal
The purpose of the study was to design and evaluate materials for integrating musical concepts and stylistic concepts into the high school choral rehearsal. Need for the study was established by examining related literature and by means of a survey of Texas high school choral directors. A systems approach model of curriculum development, consisting of a ten-step procedural outline, was adopted for formulation of the study. The following criteria for the curriculum, called Integrated Musical Information for Choirs (IMIC), were set: (1) Materials should be in the hands of each student; (2) Materials would relate directly to music being performed by the choir; (3) Use of the materials should assist the teacher in organizing his/her work; (4) Teachers should be able to put materials into use without adaptation; (5) Teachers' out-of-class preparation should be minimal.
Selected Vauxhall Songs of James Hook: A Lecture Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works of B. Britten, J.S. Bach, G. Fauré, G. Rossini, A. Scarlatti, R. Vaughan Williams, F. Schubert, R. Strauss, and Others
James Hook was employed as organist, composer and music director at Vauxhall Gardens in London for forty-six years, from 1774-1820. He was preceded in that position by Thomas Arne, a composer better known to musicians of the twentieth century. Hook had an enormous output including over 2000 songs, most of which were intended for performance at the gardens. Many of these songs were popular enough to be published in New York, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, as well as London. These songs are generally in the lightly textured gallant style popularized in England most notably by J.C. Bach.
A Stylistic Comparison of Aaron Copland's Passacaglia, Piano variations, and Four piano Blues: A Lecture Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works of Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin and Others
During Aaron Copland's long and productive life, he has written many compositions of distinction; among his piano compositions are the Passacaglia, Piano Variations, and Four Piano Blues. These three piano works were composed during a span of over twenty years and reflect many different influences in the composer's musical life. The Passacaglia, an early work, was written under the direction of Copland's teacher, Nadia Boulanger. It was strongly influenced by her and the French neoclassic school. The influence of jazz is most prominent in the Four Piano Blues, whereas the Piano Variations were influenced by Arnold Schoenberg and other composers of the twelve-tone school. This study contains an examination of each of three piano pieces mentioned, with emphasis upon aspects of thematic development, harmony, rhythm, and sonority; then a comparison between the pieces is made.
J.S. Bach's Six Suites for Solo Violoncello, BWV 1007-1012; Their History and Problems of Transcription and Performance for the Trombone, a Lecture Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works by Paul Hindemith, Georg Christoph Wagenseil, Richard Monaco, Darius Milhaud, Nino Rota, Giovanni B. Pergolesi, and Others
The dissertation consists of four recitals: three solo recitals and one lecture recital. The repertoire of all the programs contained both music written specifically for the trombone and transcriptions from various other instruments. The lecture recital, "J. s. Bach's Six Suites for Solo Violoncello, BWV 1007-1012? Their History and Problems of Transcription and Performance for the Trombone," was presented on June 20, 1983. The lecture was an attempt to illuminate the rationale and performance problems of transcribing the Bach 'cello suites to the modern tenor trombone with an F attachment and also to provide background information on the suites and the early solo emergence of the violoncello. The program included the performance of the Suite No. 2_ in d minor, BWV 1008, with the movements: Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Minuets I and II, and Gigue.
The Program Symphonies of Joseph Joachim Raff
Joseph Joachim Raff, a nineteenth-century composer of Swiss-German descent, emerged during the 1870's as one of the leading composers of the symphony and was heralded by his peers as the successor to the symphonic tradition of Schumann. Of the eleven symphonies published between 186U and 1883, nine are program symphonies. Hired as an amanuensis by Liszt during the latter part of 181+9, Raff became involved in the New Weimar School surrounding Liszt, but disenchantment with their dogmas and a need to preserve his own identity caused Raff to resign his position with Liszt in 1856. Although his symphonies reflect the programmatic philosophy of the Weimar school, they also maintain a strong affinity to the classicism of Beethoven, a quality inherent in Raff's more conservative outlook. In order to become familiar with this large body of orchestral literature which is virtually unknown today, both a programmatic and formal analysis for each symphony has been presented, although in some instances the two could not be separated. The symphonies have been grouped according to related programmatic content. Because of the wider acceptance of symphonies 1, 3 and 5 during Raff's lifetime and the programmatic relationship of nos. 6 and 7 to these, form and thematic charts have been correlated with their more detailed, analyses. The other symphonies discussed are nos. 8-11 which comprise the Seasons cycle. These were Raff's last symphonic works which he composed between 1876-79
The Development of Vocal Concepts in Children: The Methodologies Recommended in Designated Elementary Music Series
This study's purpose was to investigate the kinds of instructions provided for teachers by authors and publishers of elementary music series for the development of children's voices. Specifically, the study was 1. to investigate the recommended methodology related to the development of vocal concepts in children, 2. to investigate musical aspects that could be indicators of expected vocal ability in children, and 3. to relate the findings of this study to other research results that give insight into the vocal capabilities of children. To collect the data, the teacher's editions of grades one, three, and five of music series published by the Silver Burdett Company and by the American Book Company during the period circa 1945 to 1975 were subjected to a content analysis and to a musical analysis. Three categories were established for the content analysis: Vocal Characteristics, Singing Objectives, and Teaching Strategies. Validity of the research tool was tested by the jury method and by logical validity. Reliability coefficients of .90 were determined by using two additional coders and by re-coding material.
Two Anonymous Eighteenth-Century Manuscripts for Trumpet with Oboe Ensemble from the Lilien Part-Books (Sonsfeld Collection): A Lecture Recital; Together with Three Other Recitals
The lecture was given on July 27th, 1981. The discussion dealt with two anonymous eighteenth-century works: a Symphonia, Anon. 32b in D for two trumpets, two oboes, two violins, viola and bassoon; and a Concerto, Anon. 3 in D for trumpet, three oboes, and two bassoons. Both works are from part-books, originally owned by the Prussian General Georg von Lilien (1652-1726), which are now part of the "Sonsfeld Collection" housed in the Bibliotheca Furstenbergiana at Schloss Herdringen, W. Germany. The lecture included an examination of the origin of the manuscripts, the historical background for the works, and aspects of mixed style in the music. It also contained an analytical discussion of each work. Both works were then performed. In addition to the lecture recital three other recitals of music for solo trumpet were given. The first recital was given on November 21, 1977 and included the Concerto for Trumpet by Johann Nepomuk Hummel, and works of Henry Purcell, Halsey Stevens, and Eugene Bozza. The second recital was presented on July 3, 1978. It featured the Concerto in A('(FLAT)) by Alexander Arutunian along with works of Georges Enesco, Jean Rivier, and Allen Molineux. The third recital included works of Ernest Bloch, J. G. B. Neruda, Alexander Goedicke, and Fischer Tull. It was given on March 3, 1980. All four recitals were recorded on magnetic tape and are filed, along with the written version of the lecture materials, as a part of the dissertation, at North Texas State University library.
Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński (1807-1867): His Life And Symphonies
Ignacy Feliks , a Polish composer active in Warsaw, is best known for having been a colleague of Frederic Chopin while they were both composition students of Jozef Eisner. As an early nationalist composer, Dobrzynski is examined within the context of nineteenth-century Warsaw's musical culture and political situation. Dobrzynski early training was provided by his father, who was Kapelmeister at the Ilinski court in Romanow. The most important achievements of the career which followed Dobrzynskifs move to Warsaw in 1825 include second place in an 1835 Viennese contest with the Second Symphony, a German tour in I8I8, and the directorship of the Teatr Wielki in 1852. Cast in the late eighteenth-centurv style, Dobrzynski two symphonies were composed in 1829 and 1831. These works show knowledge of Beethoven's music and exhibit Dobrzynski's skill at orchestration. Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 15, is the more important work because of national elements in each movement, as well as its success in a Viennese symphony contest in 1835. Although a precedent for national elements is seen in studying the development of the Polish symphony in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Dobrzynski's contribution shows an intensification of musical patriotism which was inspired by the November Insurrection of 1830-1831. An edition of the Second Symphony and a list of Dobrzynski's works are included in the dissertation.
The Theoretical Treatises of Josef Matthias Hauer
This study makes available in English translations the three most important theoretical writings of the Austrian composer Josef Matthias Hauer (1883—1959), whose experiments with atonal and dodecaphonic music are discussed in the treatises. The treatises are Vom Wesen des Musikalischen: Grundlagen der Zwolftonmusik, Vom Melos zur Pauke: eine Einfuhrung in die Zw51ftonmusik, and Zwftlftontechnik: die Lehre von den Tropen. In addition to the translations and commentary the dissertation includes a sketch of Hauer's career and an examination of his claim that he—not Arnold Schoenberg—was the inventor of the dodecaphonic school of composition.
An Investigation of Hemispheric Specialization for the Pitch and Rhythmic Aspects of Melodic Stimuli
This study's purpose was to investigate the phenomenon of hemispheric specialization for the pitch and rhythmic aspects of melody. Its research problems were to investigate the Influence of pitch, rhythm, and training on hemispheric specialization for pitch-plus-rhythm melodic fragments. A final problem was to examine the relationship between dlchotic ear scores and eye movements evidenced during melodic processing. Twenty musicians and twenty nonmuslcians, right-handed and equally divided as to gender, participated in the project. Accepted dlchotic testing and eye behavior indexing procedures were implemented to investigate each research problem. The dlchotic tape produced for the study contained five subtests In which pitch activity was variously greater than, less than, or equal to rhythmic activity.
An Investigation of the Frequency Modulations and Intensity Modulations of the Vibrato on Selected Brass Instruments
The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency modulations and the intensity modulations of the hand vibrato and the jaw vibrato as they relate to performance on selected brass instruments. Ten trumpet players and ten trombone players were recorded performing a musical exercise which was written in three different registers. Five performers in each group used a hand vibrato and five used a jaw vibrato.
J. F. Daube's "General-Bass in drey Accorden" (1756): A Translation and Commentary
General-Bass in drey Accorden (1756), the first of Johann Friedrich Daube's theoretical works, is a practical instruction manual in thorough-bass accompaniment. It consists of a sixteen page preface followed by 215 pages of text and musical examples. The twelve chapters begin with a presentation of interval classification and a discussion of consonance and dissonance. Daube then explains a theory of harmony in which all "chords" are derived from three primary chords. These are illustrated with regard to their sequence in harmonic progressions, their resolutions—common and uncommon—, and their use in modulation. Seventy-two pages of musical examples of modulations from all major and minor keys to all other keys are included. Particular attention is given to the fully diminished seventh chord, which is illustrated in all inversions and in numerous modulatory progressions. Daube devotes one chapter to three methods of keyboard accompaniment. The subject matter includes textures, dynamics, proper doubling, the accompaniment of recitatives, full-voiced accompaniment, the use of arpeggiation, trills, running passages, and ornamentation in general.
The Lute Music and Related Writings in the Stammbuch of Johann Stobaeus
The Stammbueh or album of Johann Stobaeus, MS Sloane 1021 in the British Library, is dated January 8, 1640. Stobaeus, its owner, was Kapellmeister in Konigsberg, East Prussia. The album contains 164 pieces for ten- or eleven-course lute, including dances, secular pieces with generic titles, and settings of chorale tunes. Other major material includes two short sets of lute instructions; instructions for singers of liturgical music; poems by members of the Komgsberger Diahterkre's; and short rhymes and epigrams, many of which concern the lute. The dissertation presents a complete modern edition of the lute music and lute instructions, with commentary; biographical data concerning Stobaeus, with background material about Konigsberg and East Prussia; a selection of poems and epigrams, featuring all poems concerning the lute; and commentary on the literary material, especially the evidence it provides that the manuscript might have been compiled in its entirety around the written date of 1640, even though the music is old-fashioned.
Liszt's Schubert Lieder Transcriptions: A Study of Liszt Pianistic Idoms in the Transcriptive Procedure. A Lecture Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Works by Mozart, Debussy, Schumann, Griffes, and Other Composers
Franz Liszt, who was the greatest virtuoso pianist in the nineteenth-century, was also a productive composer. But his tremendous technique brought the misunderstanding that his compositions were just flashy and superficial, thus creating an obstacle for appreciating his music. The purpose of this study is to encourage an understanding of the value of Liszt's music, especially his Schubert Lieder transcriptions. The study starts with an introduction, which states the revival of the art of transcription, gives the muscial background of Liszt and describes the instruments that were available to him. Then follows a discussion about his experimentation with the conventional piano techniques and how he applied them to the song transcriptions. Two transcriptions "Hark, Hark, the Lark" and "Der Lindenbaum" are analyzed in detail to show the transcriptive procedure and the relation between the poetry and the musical expression. A conclusion summarizes the study.
Four Organ Chorale Preludes of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) as Realized for the Piano by Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924): A Comparative Analysis of the Piano Transcriptions and the Original Works for Organ. A Lecture Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works of J. Sweelinck, J.S. Bach, W. Mozart, F. Schubert, J. Brahms, and S. Prokofieff
Busoni's contribution to the art of the piano transcription is formidable. His chorale prelude transcriptions make him responsible for giving over to the piano repertoire a small portion of sacred literature. His special admiration of J. S. Bach, evidenced throughout his life, make Busoni's transcriptional practices all the more significant. Bach himself was a prolific transcriber of his own works and the works of others. This paper presents a brief history of keyboard transcriptional practices, emphasizing Busoni's methods by comparing the original works for organ with the transcriptions for piano. Four chorale preludes form the basis for this study: Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (BWV 639), Komm, Gott, Schopfer, Heiliger Geist (BWV 667), Nun komm' der Heiden Heiland (BWV 659), and In dir ist Freude (BWV 615).
The Trombone in German and Austrian Ensemble Sonatas of the Late Seventeenth Century a Lecture Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works of Presser, Bozza, George, Beethoven, Stevens, Wilder, White, Spillman, Tuthill and Others
The dissertation consists of four recitals. Three solo recitals featured a variety of selected works for bass trombone and piano by traditional and contemporary composers. The lecture recital, entitled "The Trombone in German and Austrian Ensemble Sonatas of the Late Seventeenth Century," is a study which examines the role of the trombone, both as a solo and ensemble instrument, and the functions of the instrument in ensemble sonatas of the late seventeenth century. The trombone's use in instrumental ensembles was traced from the fifteenth century to the present. The program included selections by German composers Daniel Speer and Matthias Weckmann, and Austrian composers Autonio Bertali, Johann Heinrich Schmelzer and Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber.
A Comparative Pedagogical Study of American Art-Songs Recommended for Beginning Voice Students
This study's purpose was to examine and compare pedagogical opinions and suggestions regarding teaching American art-songs recommended as suitable for beginning voice students. Specific problems were to determine 1. The ten American art-songs most recommended by voice teachers for beginning students, 2. Pedagogical opinions and suggestions about these art-songs, 3. Voice teachers' general opinions and suggestions regarding teaching American artsong, 4. Ways in which their opinions and suggestions were similar and 5. Ways in which their opinions and suggestions were dissimiliar.
An Examination of Selected Ragtime Solos by Zez Confrey, George Hamilton Green, Charles Johnson and Red Norvo as Transcribed for Xylophone Solo with Marimba Ensemble Accompaniment
This lecture-recital paper deals with some of the music of the early 1900's, examining both original xylophone solos and piano rags arranged for the xylophone. An attempt is made to identify the role of the xylophone in ragtime music and its implications for the present day xylophonist. In this investigation a brief history of ragtime music is presented along with the history of the xylophone. The history of ragtime is traced from its beginnings around 1890 to its decline during the 1930's, developing from cakewalks and folk rags into its various styles of Classic rags, Popular rags, Advanced rags, and Novelty rags. The history of the xylophone is traced from the middle ages to its emergence as an orchestral instrument, popularized by a Polish Jew named Michael Josef Gusikov during the early 1800"s. The popularity of the xylophone in the United States increased along with that of ragtime music; from approximately 1890 to 1935 the xylophone experienced what most refer to as its "golden age." Many solos for the instrument, both original and transcribed, were published toward the end of this era. As the popularity of the xylophone declined, these solos went out of print.
Two European Traditions of Tuba Playing as Evidenced in the Solo Tuba Compositions of Ralph Vaughan Williams and Paul Hindemith, a Lecture Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works of W. Ross, R. Beasley, A. Russell, V. Persichetti, W.S. Hartley, N.K. Brown, J.S. Bach, and Others
The lecture recital was given on June 16, 1980. The Ralph Vaughan Williams Concerto for Bass Tuba and the Paul Hindemith Sonate for Tuba and Piano were performed following a lecture on the historical evolution of the tuba in Europe. The lecture included a history of the predecessors of the tuba and their influence on the development of tuba playing traditions. Tuba performance practices in Europe developed around two playing traditions, one in France and England, and a second in Germany. The ophicleide enjoyed tremendous popularity in France and England during the early nineteenth century. Because this instrument was a major competitor of the tuba in these countries, the tuba was viewed as an ophicleide replacement. Tubists in Europe and England had to develop facility and sound quality equivalent to that of the older instrument. In Germany the tuba's main competitor was the Russian bassoon, a form of upright serpent. At this same time the serpent and its related forms were in decline. This lack of popularity with the older instruments provided an opportunity for the quick adoption of the tuba in Germany.
Johann Nepomuk Hummel's "Concerto a Tromba principale": A Lecture Recital; Together with Three Other Recitals
The lecture was given on April 21, 1980. The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of gathering information on the composer Johann Hummel, the performer Anton Weidinger, the keyed trumpet, for which the concerto was written, the concerto itself, and its ornaments, and in determining the correct performance practices of the ornaments. Sources written in the middle to late eighteenth century and from the first third of the nineteenth century gave valuable insight into the facts and attitudes concerning the composer, the performer, the instrument, and the concerto in question. Other information came from present day authorities writing in texts, periodicals, and reference works.
The Aural Perception of Pitch-Class Set Relations: A Computer-Assisted Investigation
Allen Forte's theory of pitch-class set structure has provided useful tools for discovering structural relationships in atonal music. As valuable as set—theoretic procedures are for composers and analysts, the extent to which set relationships are perceptible by the listener largely remains to be investigated. This study addresses the need for aural-perceptual considerations in analysis, reviews related research in music perception, and poses questions concerning the aural perceptibility of set relationships. Specifically, it describes and presents the results of a computer-assisted experiment in testing the perceptibility of set-equivalency relationships.
The Anthem in America: 1900-1950
During the first half of this century, a wealth of anthem literature was published and performed in the United States that, as a result of the deluge of new publications since those years, has been either forgotten or is unknown to modern church musicians. The purpose of this study is to make the best of this music known, for much of it is still both suitable and desirable for contemporary worship. The research is grouped into six chapters that are entitled: The Quartet Anthem, "Anthems in the Anglican Tradition," "Prominent Choral Ensembles and the Dissemination of the Anthem," "Anthems by Prominent Music Educators," "Anthems in the Russian Style," and "The Negro Spiritual."
For Unto Us…
For Unto Us is a one movement work for soprano and orchestra. The text, by the composer, describes the thoughts and feelings of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as she watches the crucifixion. Mary's process of faith is traced through the sequence of dramatic events which proceed and follow the crucifixion. The work explores symbolic instrumentation, juxtaposition of harmonic languages, and extended techniques for performance and notation. The setting of the text combines traditional operatic idioms with new elements in the music. The duration of this dramatic, quasi-operatic scene is approximately nine minutes.
A Study of Three Related Works by Michael Tippett: A Child of Our Time, The Vision of Saint Augustine, The Mask of Time
Three works by Tippett stand together among his compositions because of their similarity of subject and performance medium. All are large works for soloists, chorus and orchestra, on meditative librettos, and intended for unstaged presentation. Only A Child of Our Time is given the genre designation "oratorio" by Tippett. An in-depth analysis of these works and the model for A Child of Our Time, Handel's Messiah, reveals that though they neither present religious subjects nor, in the case of The Vision of Saint Augustine and The Mask of Time, exhibit traditional formal divisions associated with oratorio, Tippett's works do indeed belong to the oratorio repertoire of the twentieth century.
The Effect of Teacher Approval/Disapproval on Students' On-Task Behaviors in a Selected Beginning Strings Class
The present study explored whether (a) positive or negative reinforcement would produce higher percentages of on-task student behavior at set timed intervals, (b) positive, negative, or total reinforcement would increase student attentiveness after reinforcement, and (c) if natural fluctuations in teacher approval/disapproval would have any bearing on percentages of student attentiveness. Findings of the 15-day study concluded that (a) positive reinforcement maintained significantly higher levels of student attentiveness over negative reinforcement, (b) negative reinforcement did not significantly lower percentages of student attentiveness, and (c) natural fluctuations in rates of teacher approval/disapproval had no apparent effect on the amount of on-task behavior in the beginning strings class.
Techniques of Music Printing in the United States, 1825-1850
Music printing in the United States between 1825 and 1900 was in a constant state of change as older techniques improved and new processes were invented. Beginning with techniques and traditions that had originated in Europe, music printers in America were challenged by the continuous problem of efficiently and economically creating ways of transferring a music image to the printed page. This study examines the music printing techniques, equipment, and presses of the period, as well as the progression from music type to engraved plate and lithograph stone. A study of the techniques of altering music printing plates helps explain the differences occurring in prints from the same edition and will help further our understanding of this important aspect of music historiography.
Cognitive Interference in the Perception of Pitch and Loudness in a Five-note Musical Pattern
The purpose of the study was to explore whether musicians experience Garner interference among the auditory dimensions of pitch and loudness. Specifically, the study explored whether the dimensions of intonation and loudness, when presented to musicians in a five-note musical pattern, were perceived as integral or separable in nature.
Klangfarben, Rhythmic Displacement, and Economy of Means: A Theoretical Study of the Works of Thelonious Monk
The purpose of this study is to investigate the theoretical causes of the stylistic results of both compositions and spontaneous improvisations of jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk. The specific topics chosen for analysis include Klangfarben (sound colors), rhythmic displacement (the relocation or complete removal of expected rhythmic events), and economy of means (the judicious use of silence, simplicity, and economy). All of the above topics are addressed with regard to the composer's original works, his selected renditions of works by other composers, and his improvisations. The musical examples appear in transcription form, as some of them are unpublished. The topics are introduced in the first chapter, and individually addressed in subsequent chapters.
The Sneetches
The Sneetches is a theater piece for children based on the Dr. Suess story The Sneetches (Random House, New York, 1961). It is scored for narrator, flute, B6 clarinet, bassoon, violins I & II, viola, and cello with optional staging. The staged version of The Sneetches requires two to six actors/dancers, appropriate scenery and props, and the active participation of children from the audience, preferably ages eight or under. The Sneetches is essentially through-composed. The overall form of the music is shaped primarily by the events portrayed in the narrative. Although individual subsections may have traditional forms, they should not be viewed as independent movements of a larger work, but rather as fragments of a whole.
Dubuisson: A Study of His Music for Solo Bass Viol
Dubuisson (fl.1666-c.1685) is the sole French viol player-composer between Nicolas Hotman (1613-1663) and Le Sieur de Sainte-Colombe (d.c.1700) whose works are extant. His four suites from a Library of Congress manuscript (1666) are the oldest dated French music for the bass viol; his approximately 125 pieces are contained in five manuscript sources. This thesis brings together, for the first time, all the music from the five sources for study and analysis. Together with the few biographical details, this material is used to assess his position within the French viol school. Brief histories of the viol and the suite in France precede a discussion of Dubuisson's contributions to the evolution of the genre.
Back to Top of Screen