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Bridging The Gap: A Study Of Compositional Similarities Across Time, The 'Realization' Techniques Of Johann Sebastian Bach And Louis Armstrong, Erin Cheshire

Honors Theses

This study is an examination of certain compositional techniques during the Baroque and jazz eras and how there are unexpected similarities throughout. The premise of this argument draws attention to the notion that, although the world has changed, this particular compositional technique has remained relatively unaltered. Given the aesthetic differences between these two compositional styles, the unlikely conclusion is that some aspects of music truly never go away, they simply change procedures.

By examining the emergence of the figured-bass style in the Baroque period and certain notational features in jazz, the evidence will trace the origins of these compositional techniques …

The Troubadours And The Song Of The Crusades, Haley Caroline Kaye

Senior Projects Spring 2016

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College.

Searching For Modeling Of Stravinsky's Petroushka In Poulenc's Rapsodie Nègre: Poulenc's Use Of Popular Forms And Techniques In His Earliest Work, Jeremy Rover

Senior Theses

Why does the view that French composer Francis Poulenc was a musical hack and a fraud continue to be discussed today? To get to the bottom of this, we need to look at the evidence available and find proof to back up these claims. In the predominant research on Poulenc, many scholars mention musical themes and quotations linked to other composers, but most of these claims aren’t backed up with specific examples or score studies. Therefore, in this paper I attempt to trace the “crime” to its source by showing Poulenc’s possible borrowing of harmonies, thematic material, styles, and rhythms …

That's Debatable!: Genre Issues In Troubadour Tensos And Partimens, Kelli Mcqueen

Theses and Dissertations

The troubadour repertory consists of an elaborate complex of genres, some of which are dialogs that employ argumentation in the form of a debate or contest. The precise classification of these debate songs, especially the tenso and partimen genres, involves a measure of controversy that arose in the fourteenth century and continues today. Modern scholars in both literary and musical disciplines reference the dispute in their study of these songs, but largely gloss over the controversy to uphold the traditional parameters of their own disciplines. For literary scholars, this means treating these dialogs as lyric poetry, and musicologists tend to …

Living In A Gangsta’S Paradise: Dr. C. Delores Tucker’S Crusade Against Gansta Rap Music In The 1990s, Jordan A. Conway

Theses and Dissertations

This project examines Dr. C. DeLores Tucker’s efforts to abolish the production and distribution of gangsta rap to the American youth. Though her efforts were courageous and daring, they were not sufficient. The thesis will trace Tucker’s crusade beginning in 1992 through the end of the 1990s. It brings together several themes in post-World War II American history, such as the issues of race, gender, popular culture, economics, and the role of government. The first chapter thematically explores Tucker’s crusade, detailing her methodology and highlighting pivotal events throughout the movement. The second chapter discusses how opposition from rap artists, and …

Honors Recital Presentation, David Rutter

Honors Projects

The purpose of this project was rooted in the belief that the reception of a piece of music can be altered or enhanced when the audience is given a compelling historical or cultural background of each composition. With sometimes hundreds of years between the audience members and the composers, to deliver an emotionally stirring and relevant performance to a modern audience is an incredible feat. In the spirit of making my senior violin recital more accessible and entertaining to my own audience, I devoted my Honors project to gathering information on the philosophies, personalities, successes and tragedies of each of …

Alexander Glazunov And His Violin Concerto: History, Biography, And Performance Perspective, Gregory Glessner

Honors Projects and Presentations: Undergraduate

Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov, who was born on August 10, 1865, was a highly influential musician and composer in the early 20th century. Despite living well into the 20th century, he adhered to the compositional techniques and ideals of the 19th century. Glazunov generally wrote in a highly romantic style throughout his life, and never gave in to the stylistic pressures of the early 20th century. He worked prolifically in many genres, including symphonies, concertos, tone poems, string quartets, and ballets; however, he wrote relatively little vocal music, and no opera. Glazunov was also a proficient conductor and an excellent pianist. …

Tunes, Textures, And Trends: The Transformation Of Johann Walther’S Geistliches Gesangbüchlein (1524, 1525, 1537, 1544, 1551), Emily Marie Solomon

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the contents of Geistliches Gesangbüchlein, a sixteenth-­‐‑ century German Lutheran hymnal by Johann Walther, published in five editions between 1524 and 1551, the contents of which were substantially augmented, particularly between the 1525 and 1537 editions. Specifically, this project focuses on the twelve hymns with multiple settings, one or more of which were published in the first two editions and replaced by one or more settings in the last three editions, while assessing the characteristics across the original and removed settings and noting discernable trends of revision employed by Walther. Observable revision trends include length increase …

Madrid Me Mata: Regional Identity Politics And Community Building Through The Music Of La Movida Madrileña, Winona A. Bechte

Scripps Senior Theses

Chapter 1: Formation and Early Beginnings of music in la Movida
-In the first chapter I am writing about how the early development of la Movida runs very much alongside political initiatives to stimulate cultural development in Madrid. Specifically I am writing about how popular songs and musicians at the time translated these messages of regional pride and identity that was being heavily stimulated by the government into a way that the general public could understand and support. Citing specific song lyrics and early bands of la Movida, I also track the years leading up to 1975 and how music …

Modifications Vs. Modernization: Korean Gayageum In The 20th Century, Soun Sheen

Honors Theses

After the period of Japanese colonization and the Korean War in early 20th century, Korea rapidly adapted to Western influences as it recovered from the nationwide political and economic turbulence. As Western culture quickly traditional Korean cultures, Korean recognized the importance to conserve their authentic characteristics. Music played an important role during this cultural revival/ Korean musicians began to internalize the imported Western music to create a new traditional music, through which Korea sought to re-establish its national identities. However, this manipulation of traditional music to conform to the Westernizing society has led to dilution of the unique musical qualities …

A Zine Of One's Own: Diy And Alternative Expression Among The Beats And The Riot Grrrls, Lauren Brown

Honors Theses

In my thesis, I investigate the cultural, artistic and political effects of the Beat Generation and a subculture within Generation X known as the Riot Grrrls. Both groups serve as an alternative to their mainstream cultural counterparts-the Beats are a reaction to 1950s post‐war suburbia, and the riot grrrls subvert the pop‐culture overload and the backlash against feminism that is indicative of Generation X. Arising in the midst of the conformist 1950s, the Beats were a group of writers and artists, some of them women, who were willing to fight against the constraints of male‐dominated “Wonder bread” culture. Similarly, the …

Robert Nathaniel Dett And The Music Of The Harlem Renaissance, Daniel Weaver

History Theses

While the contributions of writers and poets to the period of American cultural history known as the Harlem Renaissance are relatively well defined and understood, assessing the contributions of musicians has been more problematic. The topic has been covered indirectly through works of American music history and African American history, but there have been comparatively few works linking music directly to the goals of the movement. Much of the insight into music’s place during this period derives from contemporary writers such as Alain Locke and James Weldon Johnson, both of whom featured discussions of music in their writings. Relatively unknown …

Bill Lowe And The Music Of Eastern Appalachia, Heidi Mckee

All Theses

As the twentieth century progressed with radio and communications technology, the culture of the Appalachian mountains became an unexplored resource of vast cultural proportions. The Old Regular Baptist faith of the mountains had influenced creative thinkers in the area for generations, and the coming of settlement schools brought secular evaluation from outside the culture. As the people living in the mountains began to understand the uniqueness of their musical heritage, radio technology was becoming available on a much larger scale than ever before. Singers and songwriters from the mountains found eager audiences on a national level.
One of these musicians …

“Next Year In Jerusalem”: The Trials And Triumphs Of Music In The Schools Of Preston, Idaho, 1888-1995, Jill Durrant

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Throughout time, music has played a pivotal role in the lives of people. In every country, among every ethnicity, and as part of every culture, music has a presence. Music often acts as a mirror, reflecting aspects of society and history in ways that even the ordinary person can understand. No matter what the form—religious, popular, classical, folk—music has the ability to reveal something about the people who created it, performed it, and enjoyed it. Because of this overarching presence of music in the structure of almost every civilization, it is no surprise that music has always had some part …

Canciones Del Movimiento Chicano/Songs Of The Chicano Movement: The Impact Of Musical Traditions On The 1960s Chicano Civil Rights Movement, Marisa B. Mendoza

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis analyzes resistance songs as key representations of the identity and political formation that took place during the 1960s Chicano movement. Examining particular musical traditions, this thesis highlights the value of placing songs of the Chicano struggle in national narratives of history as well as in the context of an enduring and thriving legacy of political and social activism that continues to allow the Chicano community to recognize and validate their current social realities.

Ballads, Culture And Performance In England 1640-1660, Sarah Page Wisdom

History Theses

Ballads published during the English Civil Wars and Interregnum were a uniquely potent cultural medium. Ballad authors and publishers used the tools of format and genre, music, and available discourses to translate contentious topics into a form of entertainment. The addition of music to what would otherwise have been merely another form of cheap print allowed ballads to be incorporated into many parts of daily life, through oral networks as well as through print and literacy. Ballads and their music permeated all levels of society and therefore the ideas presented in ballads enjoyed a broad audience. Because any given ballad …

Imagining Sri Lanka, Derick Kirishan Ariyam

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Analyzes the works of three Sri Lankan expatriates, the writers, Shyam Selvadurai and Michael Ondaatje, and the artist, M.I.A., giving particular attention to Selvadurai's Funny Boy and Ondaatje's Running in the Family, Anil's Ghost, and The Cinnamon Peeler. Though all three have been charged as "inauthentic" due to their dislocated positions, uncovers the various productive and complicated ways Sri Lanka has been configured by those outside its shores.

California As Music To American Ears: Migration, Technology, And Rock And Roll In The Golden State, 1946–2000, Toby T. Willett

Master's Theses

Migrations and technological advances in California following World War II, spurred radical changes in the production and development of popular music, most notably rock and roll. California largely lacked the entrenched traditions of the American Northeast, and in many ways its exploding population translated into the growth of a culture built around embracing newer methodologies, whether technological innovations or radical artistic departures. In large part owing to its increasing ethnic diversity during the economic expansion, California was uniquely poised to become a center of incredible postwar dynamism, especially when seen in the production, consumption, and stylistic development of music. Nevertheless, …

The Only Common Thread: Race, Youth, And The Everyday Rebellion Of Rock And Roll, Cleveland, Ohio, 1952-1966, Dana Aritonovich

ETD Archive

This thesis is a social and cultural history of young people, race relations, and rock and roll music in Cleveland between 1952 and 1966. It explores how the combination of de facto segregation and rock and roll shaped attitudes about race for those coming of age after the Second World War. Population changes during the Second Great Migration helped bring the sound of southern black music to northern cities like Cleveland, and provided fertile ground for rock and roll to flourish, and for racial prejudice to be confronted. Critics blamed the music for violence, juvenile delinquency, and sexual depravity, among …

The Symphony In America: Maurice Abravanel, And The Utah Symphony Orchestra: The Battle For Classical Music, Alex D. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Between 1947 and 1979 the Utah Symphony Orchestra was transformed from an obscure, part-time, amateur orchestra into one of the major symphony orchestras in America. By 1947 the orchestra, which had begun as a Works Progress Administration organization, was barely hanging on. The symphony struggled to remain financially solvent, performing only a few concerts per year. Thirty-two years later the Utah Symphony Orchestra was one of the most prestigious musical ensembles in the country— receiving rave reviews from critics around the world, touring extensively, and with more than a hundred albums to its credit. The remarkable growth of the Utah …

Pioneer Harmonies: Mormon Women And Music In Utah, 1847-1900, Jennifer L. Fife

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

By drawing on local newspapers and the diaries, journals, and autobiographies of nearly fifty pioneers, this thesis examined the varied musical experiences of Utah's Latter-day Saint women during the years 1847-1900, and sought to determine whether they followed national gender trends in music during this era. Women in nineteenth-century Utah participated in a wide variety of musical activities, including using music in their homes, taking lessons, and teaching. Women also composed and wrote song lyrics. Many women performed in community musical events, such as concerts and operas. Despite their accomplishments, women did face conflict over the demands of family responsibility …

The Rise And Fall Of The Great Music Festivals And The Hippie Culture Of The 1960’S: Monterey, Woodstock, And Altamont, Charles Anthony Gates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

[No abstract provided.]

George Edward Percy Careless: His Contributions To The Musical Culture Of Utah And The Significance Of His Life And Works, Howard Hoggan Putnam

Theses and Dissertations

Through study of the conditions of the past one is often able to appreciate the present a great deal more. Particularly does this seem true when one looks into the early musical activities in our State of Utah. Most people are aware of the great amount of musical activities existing at the present time in Utah, but many fail to stop and realize the background of work and effort applied to bring these musical experiences before the public. Many fail to realize the pioneering work done by individuals to advance music to its present degree of performance. Names such as …

Eighty Years Of Music In St. George, Utah, 1861-1941, Reed Paul Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study has been to trace the development of music in St. George, Utah from its settlement in 1861 to 1941, an eighty-year period of much change. It has been an attempt, therefore, to show the musical heritage which this city now enjoys.

Carlos Chávez: Exponent Of Nationalism, Katharine Ferris Nutt

History ETDs

The purpose of this thesis is to present an account of the endeavors of Carlos Chávez to reveal Mexican nationalism through music. The study begins with a brief survey of Mexico's history with emphasis upon the presence of caciquismo and caudillismo. Politically, Mexican nationalism is a blend of the dynastic nationalism of sixteenth century Spain and the popular nationalism of the late eighteenth century. Ethnologically, Mexican Nationalism includes elements of Spanish, Indian, and mestizo culture. During the century following Independence as well as during Spanish domination the art and music of both Indians and mestizos were thrust aside in favour …

The Development Of Mexican Music, Edith M. K. Tibbets

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Perhaps no country at the present time has a richer unexplored fount of folk music than has Mexico. In fact. her rich store of musical culture, like a vast mine scarcely worked entitles her to a position among those peoples whose folk music has long been firmly established.

Finding the source material on the music of Mexico for the most part, fragmentary and scattered, the writer decided to do serious research in translating from the early Spanish writers, and in reading the chronicles of the travelers of that early period, as well as the historical writings and the legendary lore …