Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Development Of Renaissance Era Counterpoint: Senseless Stipulations Or Scientific Study, David J. Anderson Iii

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Music of today is composed using countless rules that have developed over the years. During the Middle ages, basic harmony was first used, but it was not until the Renaissance that harmony really flourished to become standard in most music. Counterpoint is, at its core, the study of harmony or quite literally point against point (note against note.) This paper delves into the conception of counterpoint and shows how it progressed to become a widely used technique that has unequivocally changed music to this day by exploring the different facets of counterpoint and studying the music theorists who pioneered and …

J. S. Bach: The Good Lord Of Influence, Christa K. Johnson

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Many musicians stand in awe of J. S. Bach’s ability to create a masterpiece. In fact, few question his greatness as a musician, but the source of that greatness is a different discussion altogether. Was Bach’s excellent musicianship a result of good DNA, or did other causes inspire his excellence? My paper aims to identify the external influences that shaped Bach into the musician that he was. What environmental factors influenced Bach? Did his education play a role in his composition style? How did his career positions affect his works? Did Bach unite his religious beliefs with his music?

Many …

Slashes, Dashes, Points, And Squares: The Development Of Musical Notation, Carolyn S. Gorog

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

The development of musical notation has long been a popular topic of discussion among musicologists. All cultures in the world have music and different cultures had methods of notating music. The purpose of the research was to trace the development of music notation and to see if the modern methods of notation are superior to the older methods. The development of music notation in western music was closely tied to the church and the Gregorian chant. Early neumes resembled points and slashes, which developed into squares when the staff stated to develop. The first staff was only four lines where …

The Woman Composer: Culture And Social Ideologies Behind Her Success In Music Composition, Julia K. Brummel

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Music is an art that has been enjoyed since almost the beginning of time. This art has carried many traditions and ideologies with it that are still prevalent today. One such idea that began early on and is still an attitude that must be fought in today’s musical culture, is that women are unable to be quality composers. For as long as music has been composed, men have dominated in writing and performing their own works. The lack of women composers throughout history is a subject that has interested many music historians. There are reasons behind this issue and many …