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Articles 1 - 30 of 37
Full-Text Articles in Fine Arts
The Dilemma Of Empty Halls, Joanna Lauer
The Dilemma Of Empty Halls, Joanna Lauer
Musical Offerings
Today, live classical concert attendance is low, a fact which threatens the careers of professional musicians. This paper examines recent statistics of classical concert attendance, theories as to why attendance rates are low, marketing methods for target audiences, and finally, recommendations to solve the dilemma of empty concert halls. To encourage concert attendance, classical music must be tastefully marketed to present-day audiences through the experience of technically excellent, musical, and interesting live performances. Ultimately, the relationship between art and its audience (the consumer) reveals that the key to the dilemma is the audience.
Singing Planets Don't Sing; They Speak, Joanna R. Lauer
Singing Planets Don't Sing; They Speak, Joanna R. Lauer
Musical Offerings
Ancient Greek philosophers conceived a theory called Music of the Spheres. This ancient theory progressed for almost one thousand years before finally proving itself untrustworthy. However, this examination uncovers an overlooked fact: the large amount of natural order in sound and music existing before the creation of man. Scripture reveals that God is a God of order, and an extensive amount of natural order is found in the universe. Evidence points to God being the creator of the universe. Specific examples of such evidence are the inherent order of sound laid out in pitches, interval ratios, the overtone series, the …
Joyful, Joyful! The Musical Significance Of Beethoven's Ninth, Allison N. Zieg
Joyful, Joyful! The Musical Significance Of Beethoven's Ninth, Allison N. Zieg
Musical Offerings
Almost everyone is familiar with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and the famous four note motif that represents fate knocking at the door. His Third Symphony, or “The Heroic Symphony” that was originally written for Napoleon Bonaparte, enjoyed great success and helped shape the future of classical music. However, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony which contains the well-known tune “Ode to Joy” most drastically impacted classical music’s future. Beethoven was a master at taking simple ideas and combining them with past musical traditions to create something extravagant and new. This is most evident in his Ninth Symphony. In this work, Beethoven did something that …
Medieval Methods: Guido D’Arezzo’S Innovative Approaches To Music Education, Lydia C. Kee
Medieval Methods: Guido D’Arezzo’S Innovative Approaches To Music Education, Lydia C. Kee
Musical Offerings
Music education has been influenced by many people throughout history, but arguably none of them have done so as much as the monk, Guido D’Arezzo. His teaching methods have been embraced and developed by music educators throughout the centuries. For example, it is recorded that Guido was the first to use the five-line staff as we use it today. This was especially groundbreaking in a world of rote memorization. Today it is used globally in music education. The roots of solfege are also found in Guido’s writings; his syllables have been adapted by Zoltan Kodály. Not only that, but John …
Total Artwork: Wagner's Philosophies On Art And Music In The Ring Cycle, Soraya A. Peront
Total Artwork: Wagner's Philosophies On Art And Music In The Ring Cycle, Soraya A. Peront
Musical Offerings
Richard Wagner is one of the most renowned composers of the Romantic period, due to his intensely emotional music, captivating operatic plots, and his unique idea to combine visual art, vocal music, and instrumental music in an unprecedented way. His music is acclaimed for being highly progressive for its time; Wagner also held unique philosophical beliefs which formed the foundation for his music. Wagner’s pioneering ideas about art, music, and the way they should be paired together led to the composition of many operas that still have a place in the permanent repertoire today, including Der Ring des Nibelungen, or …
Re-Forming Music: Martin Luther’S Impact On Church Music Through The Lutheran Reformation, Soraya Peront
Re-Forming Music: Martin Luther’S Impact On Church Music Through The Lutheran Reformation, Soraya Peront
Musical Offerings
Martin Luther is regarded as a seminal figure in 16th-century Europe, having a profound impact on the development of the Protestant Church as it separated from the Roman Catholic Church. Though Luther is most commonly known for his theological influences during the time, his upbringing and musical education strongly influenced his theological beliefs. Not only did this result in a development of a new Christian denomination, but Luther permanently changed the way music was written and performed in the church. How is it, though, that we can credit this musical change to Luther? Through an examination of Luther’s musical understanding …
The Rise Of Opera In Monteverdi's Orfeo, Allison N. Zieg
The Rise Of Opera In Monteverdi's Orfeo, Allison N. Zieg
Musical Offerings
Late Renaissance composer Claudio Monteverdi is known by scholars as the father of opera. While Monteverdi did not directly invent the production, we honor him as the first to successfully produce three major operas that have survived to this day. His works set the stage for future opera composers, and he drastically influenced the rise of such a large scale production. He is most known for his opera "Orfeo," which has continued to be adapted to the modern stage, and performed frequently in several opera houses. What led to the creation of such an extravagant production and never before heard …
Hildegard: A Trailblazer?, Emilie Schulze
Hildegard: A Trailblazer?, Emilie Schulze
Musical Offerings
Hildegard von Bingen, a Christian mystic, influenced theology, philosophy, and music during the Middle Ages. Some people today claim her as a forerunner for women’s rights because her works gained such prominence people assume she had the authority to teach men in the church. However, this assertion places unnecessary strain on Hildegard, misreading her works and her place within the structure of the medieval Catholic church. Hildegard’s writings did not seek to equalize men and women. Rather, in her life and in her works, she appealed to her humility, virginity, and close relationship with the Holy Spirit to minister. This …
Johannes Brahms’S Horn Trio And Its Unique Place In The Chamber Music Repertoire, Chloë A. Sodonis
Johannes Brahms’S Horn Trio And Its Unique Place In The Chamber Music Repertoire, Chloë A. Sodonis
Musical Offerings
The purpose of this research is to explore the elements in Brahms’s Trio for Piano, Violin, and Horn in E-flat Major, op. 40, that contribute to its unique position in the vast and revered library of chamber music. These include Brahms's use of folksong, five-measure phrases, a variation on sonata form, developing variation, emotional elements, and unique instrumentation. The German folk song, Es soll sich ja keiner mit der Liebe abgeben is almost identical to the opening fourth movement theme of the horn trio. Brahms incorporates portions of this melody throughout all four movements of his horn trio which demonstrates …
Fighting The Philistines: Robert Schumann And The Davidsbündler, Stephen J. White
Fighting The Philistines: Robert Schumann And The Davidsbündler, Stephen J. White
Musical Offerings
Robert Schumann was an eccentric composer and musical critic who influenced the Romantic-era musical community through the formation of the Davidsbündler. This “league of David” was Schumann’s idea of a musical society which exemplified a distinctly pure style of modern musical composition. The style of the Davidsbündler was based on the idea that music must reflect the personal life experiences of its composer. Needing a journal to publish musical writings of Davidsbündler, Schumann created the New Journal for Music. Having himself suffered from mental instability throughout his life, Schumann’s music often displayed unique levels of polarity and passion …
Henriette Renié: A Threefold Legacy, Jacy A. Stahlhut
Henriette Renié: A Threefold Legacy, Jacy A. Stahlhut
Musical Offerings
In 1810, Sébastien Érard patented a double-action mechanism that would dramatically alter the trajectory of the pedal harp. While this invention granted the harp a newfound voice in orchestral music, the harp still struggled to gain ground as a solo instrument. The harp’s increased complexity necessitated that harpists themselves explore the instrument’s abilities and demonstrate these to the musical world. It is to one such harpist, Henriette Renié, that the harp owes much of its credibility as an instrument worthy of the solo stage. From her prodigious beginnings at Paris Conservatoire, Renié’s concerts captivated musicians and the public alike. Her …
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: A Composer On The Fault Line Of Ideological Change, Stephen J. White
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: A Composer On The Fault Line Of Ideological Change, Stephen J. White
Musical Offerings
While there has been a renewed interest in recent years on Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and his place as a transitional figure in Western music history, little academic thought is given to his musical philosophy. Emanuel’s father, Johann Sebastian Bach, taught him the German-Protestant view that the primary purpose of music was to highlight scripture. Through his education, Emanuel gained an appreciation for the secular philosophies of humanism and the Enlightenment. In contrast to J. S. Bach’s Protestant views, the philosophies of the Enlightenment asserted that the primary purpose of music was to highlight the essence of humanity through emotions …
Nuper Rosarum Flores: The Cathedral Conundrum, Jacy A. Stahlhut
Nuper Rosarum Flores: The Cathedral Conundrum, Jacy A. Stahlhut
Musical Offerings
In 1436, Pope Eugenius IV consecrated the newly-completed Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly known as Florence Cathedral. The completion of the cathedral’s dome was an incredible feat of great significance to the city of Florence, whose cathedral had remained unfinished for over one hundred years, and the splendor of the dedication ceremony reflected this reality. Franco-Flemish composer Guillaume Dufay was commissioned to write a motet for the occasion, and the resulting work, Nuper rosarum flores, has sparked a great deal of controversy in the musicological realm. In 1973, musicologist Charles Warren claimed that the isorhythmic proportions of …
Gustav Mahler The Protomodernist, Austin M. Doub
Gustav Mahler The Protomodernist, Austin M. Doub
Musical Offerings
Steeped in a cultivated European tradition and burdened by several personal tragedies, Gustav Mahler undeniably shaped the course of classical music leading into the twentieth century. Holding fast to late Romantic stylistic conventions including complex rhythmic concepts, emotional and expansive melodies, and a strict adherence to form allowed the forward-thinking composer to seamlessly introduce modern elements into his symphonies. Through Mahler’s commanding symphonic output, the composer successfully maintained strong Austro-German stylistic principles while propelling the genre forward. In these symphonic writings, modern techniques of tonal decentralization, chromaticism, quotation, and paraphrasing are met with cohesive and compelling narratives to create balanced …
Understanding The Cultural And Nationalistic Impacts Of The Moguchaya Kuchka, Austin M. Doub
Understanding The Cultural And Nationalistic Impacts Of The Moguchaya Kuchka, Austin M. Doub
Musical Offerings
This paper explores Russian culture beginning in the mid nineteenth-century as the leading group of composers and musicians known as the moguchaya kuchka, or The Mighty Five, sought to influence Russian culture and develop a "pure" school of Russian music amid rampant westernization. Comprised of César Cui, Alexander Borodin, Mily Balakirev, Modest Mussorgsky, and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, this group of inspired musicians opposed westernization and supported Official Nationalism by the incorporation of folklore, local village traditions, and promotion of their Tsar as a supreme political leader. In particular, the works of Balakirev, Cui, and Mussorgsky established cultural pride and contributed …
Emanuel Bach: A Composer Ahead Of His Time, Tyler Dellaperute
Emanuel Bach: A Composer Ahead Of His Time, Tyler Dellaperute
Musical Offerings
Up until recently, many musicologists perceived music history through the lens of what is known as the “linear view.” This is the idea that one “musical period” seamlessly gave way to another, with brief transitionary periods to bridge the gaps. As a result, composers were expected to fall neatly into categories depending on their chronological placement. For this reason, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the eldest son of J. S. Bach, was (and still is) regarded as merely the bridge between the late Baroque style and that of the Viennese Classicists. In the past half-century, however, scholars have begun to study …
The Battle Between Impeccable Intonation And Maximized Modulation, Timothy M. True
The Battle Between Impeccable Intonation And Maximized Modulation, Timothy M. True
Musical Offerings
Equal temperament represents a way of completing the musical circle, and systematically compensating for the Pythagorean comma. Pythagoras discovered this acoustical problem around 550 B.C., and since that time music theorists have debated how to deal with it. The problem is that no perfect solution exists—something must be compromised. As musical styles developed, specific factors and harmonic tendencies led to the gradual adoption of equal temperament. Early in music history, theorists preferred systems which kept acoustical purity relatively intact. Pythagorean intonation and just intonation serve as two examples. However, the move from modality to tonality decentralized the melody as the …
The Federal Music Project: An American Voice In Depression-Era Music, Audrey S. Rutt
The Federal Music Project: An American Voice In Depression-Era Music, Audrey S. Rutt
Musical Offerings
After World War I, America was musically transformed from an outsider in the European classical tradition into a country of musical vibrance and maturity. These great advances, however, were deeply threatened by the Wall Street crash of 1929 and the consequent Great Depression. The nation that, for the first time, was developing an international reputation in the arts now faced a crisis of how to support them. Government sponsorship of the arts through the New Deal Federal One projects allowed struggling artists to survive economically during this era. In the realm of music, however, the Federal Music Project (FMP) had …
The Unifying Strands: Formalism And Gestalt Theory In The Musical Philosophies Of Aristoxenus, Descartes, And Meyer, Amanda N. Staufer
The Unifying Strands: Formalism And Gestalt Theory In The Musical Philosophies Of Aristoxenus, Descartes, And Meyer, Amanda N. Staufer
Musical Offerings
In every age, philosophers deal with inquiries concerning musical meaning and the effect of music on the listener. Instead of answering the formidable question of musical meaning, this essay demonstrates the parallel aspects of three musical theories from ancient, Enlightenment, and modern times. Using the two criteria of musical formalism and Gestalt Theory, this essay systematically connects the philosophies of Aristoxenus of Tarentum, René Descartes, and Leonard Meyer. Musical formalism holds that music’s nature is innate, self-evident, able to be systematically deduced, and rational. According to formalism, musical meaning is defined by things objectively ‘there’ in the music, musical experience …
The Doctrine Of Affections: Where Art Meets Reason, Sharri K. Hall
The Doctrine Of Affections: Where Art Meets Reason, Sharri K. Hall
Musical Offerings
The Doctrine of Affections was a widespread understanding of music and musicality during the Baroque era. The Doctrine was a result of the philosophy of reason and science as it coincides with music. It aimed to reconcile what man knew about science and the human body, and what man thought he knew about music. It was a reconciliation of practical musicianship and theoretical music which had begun to rise in the time. Though it is generally understood as being apart from Enlightenment thinking, the Doctrine is a result of Enlightenment-style philosophy. As the Enlightenment sought to explain why things occurred …
Music And The Mind: Music's Healing Powers, Carolyn S. Ticker
Music And The Mind: Music's Healing Powers, Carolyn S. Ticker
Musical Offerings
Music makes you smarter: or at least that is what the "experts" are saying. CDs are sold of Mozart's Sonatas for babies, and parents are urged to give their children music lessons in the belief that music does something to our brains which in turn makes us more intelligent. But is this really true? Does music really affect the brain in the powerful way that scientists are suggesting, or is it hearsay? In this paper I investigate the effects of music on our brain's plasticity and cognition by looking at several different experimental studies. Specifically I will address how music …
A Blend Of Traditions: The Lute’S Influence On Seventeenth-Century Harpsichord Repertoire, Audrey S. Rutt
A Blend Of Traditions: The Lute’S Influence On Seventeenth-Century Harpsichord Repertoire, Audrey S. Rutt
Musical Offerings
The close relationship between the harpsichord and lute traditions is commonly claimed but rarely elaborated upon, and many experts disagree on the manner in and extent to which the two are related. Often, texts covering the early harpsichord literature will limit discussion of the lute’s influence to a brief mention of the style brisé, if the important connection between the two traditions is even mentioned all. The lute’s impact on the harpsichordists of the seventeenth century is not a facet that can be ignored; rather, an understanding of the lute tradition is essential to an understanding of the harpsichord tradition. …
From Silence To Golden: The Slow Integration Of Instruments Into Christian Worship, Jonathan M. Lyons
From Silence To Golden: The Slow Integration Of Instruments Into Christian Worship, Jonathan M. Lyons
Musical Offerings
The Christian church’s stance on the use of instruments in sacred music shifted through influences of church leaders, composers, and secular culture. Synthesizing the writings of early church leaders and church historians reveals a clear progression. The early musical practices of the church were connected to the Jewish synagogues. As recorded in the Old Testament, Jewish worship included instruments as assigned by one’s priestly tribe. Eventually, early church leaders rejected that inclusion and developed a rather robust argument against instruments in liturgical worship. The totalitarian stance on musical instruments in sacred worship began to loosen as the organ increased in …
The Effect Of Richard Wagner's Music And Beliefs On Hitler's Ideology, Carolyn S. Ticker
The Effect Of Richard Wagner's Music And Beliefs On Hitler's Ideology, Carolyn S. Ticker
Musical Offerings
The Holocaust will always be remembered as one of the most horrific and evil events in all of history. One question that has been so pervasive in regards to this historical event is the question of why. Why exactly did Hitler massacre the Jewish people? Why did he come to the conclusion that the Jews were somehow lesser than him, and that it was okay to kill them? What and who were his influences and how did they help form Hitler’s opinions leading up to the Holocaust? Although more than one situation or person influenced Hitler, I believe that one …
From Bows To Sound-Chests: Tracing The Ancestry Of The Violin, Janelle R. Finley
From Bows To Sound-Chests: Tracing The Ancestry Of The Violin, Janelle R. Finley
Musical Offerings
The ancestry of the violin is a subject that has been studied, researched, debated, and written about in great detail. However, despite all of the research and study, the ancestry of the violin is still not certain. This paper presents two schools of thought that propose different theories as to how the ancestry of the violin should be determined and what instruments should be included in the ancestry of the violin. The first school of thought proposes that the violin’s ancestry should be traced through the bow. The second theory proposes that the violin’s ancestry should be traced through the …
The Interwoven Evolution Of The Early Keyboard And Baroque Culture, Rachel Stevenson
The Interwoven Evolution Of The Early Keyboard And Baroque Culture, Rachel Stevenson
Musical Offerings
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact that Baroque society had in the development of the early keyboard. While the main timeframe is Baroque, a few references are made to the late Medieval Period in determining the reason for the keyboard to more prominently emerge in the musical scene. As Baroque society develops and new genres are formed, different keyboard instruments serve vital roles unique to their construction. These new roles also affect the way music was written for the keyboard as well. Advantages and disadvantages of each instrument are discussed, providing an analysis of what would …
Coursing With Coils: The Only Orchestral Instrument Harder Than The French Horn, Sarah R. Plumley
Coursing With Coils: The Only Orchestral Instrument Harder Than The French Horn, Sarah R. Plumley
Musical Offerings
Playing the horn has become not only more sophisticated and accurate, but simpler and more efficient for the horn player. The natural horn, used in a variety ways in early history, demanded an incredible level of skill and precision, more than our valved horn today in some ways because it required a more accurate ear, more embouchure dexterity, and the necessity of wrangling crooks for different keys. Thus, it required many practiced skills of the player that are no longer as necessary as they once were. This paper discusses each of these demands along with the history of the horn, …
Development And Dissemination: Deliberations On Spanish Renaissance Music, Lindsey E. Pfeifer
Development And Dissemination: Deliberations On Spanish Renaissance Music, Lindsey E. Pfeifer
Musical Offerings
Every musical culture grows and developed under a specific set of influences, whether political, philosophical, or geographical. Varying sets of influences create likewise varying types of music. Spanish music, in particular, enjoyed an especially unique array of influences during the fifteenth century. My presentation explores these influences. How did the interaction of Spain’s three major religions—Christianity, Islam, and Judaism—affect musical development? How did the newly unified government, ruled by Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, influence the musical culture? How did Spain’s discovery and conquest of the New World facilitate the spread of Spanish music beyond its …
Give My Regards To The Book, Kevin A. Hicks
Give My Regards To The Book, Kevin A. Hicks
Musical Offerings
This project is an analysis of the construction of American Musical Theatre. The research for this project has been drawn from direct quotes and writings from Musical Theatre writers, scores and scripts, and from historical books. Reading of these sources reveal principles of Musical Theatre writing which the authors use and the audience expects. This project analyzes how the book, lyrics, and music to a show are written and demonstrates that the writing of Musical Theatre has developed its own unique craft which is grounded in the book.
Oral Transmission: A Marriage Of Music, Language, Tradition, And Culture, Emma E. Patterson
Oral Transmission: A Marriage Of Music, Language, Tradition, And Culture, Emma E. Patterson
Musical Offerings
There are a number of misunderstandings about ancient oral transmission that negatively affect the way musicians view music history but also the process of how music was and currently is conceived, recorded, and shared. A common misconception is that oral transmission of music is an ancient practice that occurred before written notation of music was developed. However, I seek to prove that there is a false dichotomy between oral transmission and written notation and I focus on the changing definition and importance of oral tradition. Firstly, I discuss the misconceptions of ancient oral transmission. Secondly, I examine the continuing development …