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Composition Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Composition

Amy Beach: Tenacious Spirit, Ariel Foshay Bacon Apr 2012

Amy Beach: Tenacious Spirit, Ariel Foshay Bacon

B.A. in Music Senior Capstone Projects

Nineteenth-century composer Amy Beach is one of the first of her gender to successfully compose in the large orchestral forms. She was also one of the first American musicians to be trained entirely in the U.S and receive international acclaim. Incredibly, these achievements took place against the backdrop of a patriarchal society that confined women to the domestic sphere. Also, in the musical community, large orchestral forms were considered the exclusive creative property of men and any women who attempted them were immediately ascribed the status of a dilettante. In order to illustrate Amy’s unique place in this setting, I …


The Influence Of The Unaccompanied Bach Suites, Meredith Lawrence Mar 2012

The Influence Of The Unaccompanied Bach Suites, Meredith Lawrence

Music and Worship Student Presentations

Bach was very influential in changing the function of the violoncello from an accompanying instrument to a solo instrument, showing the cello’s potential in his writing of the unaccompanied cello suites. Throughout the cello’s history, the instrument was considered to be primarily an accompanying instrument, playing the basso continuo line of most music. Through research of primary and secondary sources, it was found that during Bach’s time in Cöthen, he was given freedom and the resources to compose what he wished. These resources included excellent musicians such as the gambist, played by Abel and the cellist, Linigke. It was most …


Improvisation: Performer As Co-Composer, Kyle Schick Jan 2012

Improvisation: Performer As Co-Composer, Kyle Schick

Music and Worship Student Publications

Elements of musical improvisation have been present throughout the medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras; however, improvisation had the most profound recorded presence in the Baroque era. Improvisation is inherently a living practice and leaves little documentation behind for historians to study, but however elusive, it is still important to trace where instances of this improvised art appear throughout the eras listed above. It is also interesting to trace what role improvisation would later have in realizing the Baroque ideals of emotional expression, virtuosity, and individuality. This paper seeks to focus on a few of the best-documented mediums of improvisation within …


The Influence Of The Unaccompanied Bach Suites, Meredith Lawrence Jan 2012

The Influence Of The Unaccompanied Bach Suites, Meredith Lawrence

Music and Worship Student Publications

Bach was very influential in changing the function of the violoncello from an accompanying instrument to a solo instrument, showing the cello’s potential in his writing of the unaccompanied cello suites. Throughout the cello’s history, the instrument was considered to be primarily an accompanying instrument, playing the basso continuo line of most music. Through research of primary and secondary sources, it was found that during Bach’s time in Cöthen, he was given freedom and the resources to compose what he wished. These resources included excellent musicians such as the gambist, played by Abel and the cellist, Linigke. It was most …