Music Theory Commons^™

Three Settings Of "Cruda Amarilli:" Examining Melismatic Cadences And Word Repetitions That Convey Meaning, Peter Richardson

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis was to do a comparative analysis between three settings of “Cruda Amarilli:” one by Monteverdi in 1605, and two by D’India in 1606 and 1609, and to interpret my findings. I focused on each composers use of melismatic cadences and word repetitions in each setting.

Grouping Against The Groove: Metrical Dissonance In Hiromi's "Voice", Sam Falotico

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis engages theories of rhythm, meter, and groove in an analytical study of Japanese-jazz pianist/composer Hiromi Uehara’s tune “Voice.” In doing so, it examines not only the techniques of this specific artist, but it also explores general issues regarding how a sense of embodied, forward propulsion—that is, a “groove”—may manifest in a jazz work that uses odd meters, and how metrical dissonances function in this context.

The Flex Voice In The Soundtracks For The Nintendo Game Boy, Matthew Dineiro

Theses and Dissertations

The Nintendo Game Boy had a sound chip which allowed for only three pitched voices and one unpitched percussive voice. These limitations affected the music that was written for this video game system. Of the three pitched voices, one voice typically performs the melody, and one voice typically is the bass and harmonic foundation. This thesis analyzes the third voice, typically in the middle of the musical texture, and the various functions that it can hold. As is discussed, the middle voice sometimes pairs in harmony with the melody or the bass. In other cases, however, it forms a musical …

The Mathematical Foundation Of The Musical Scales And Overtones, Michaela Dubose-Schmitt

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the question of mathematical involvement in music, a topic long discussed going all the way back to Plato. It details the mathematical construction of the three main tuning systems (Pythagorean, just intonation, and equal temperament), the methods by which they were built and the mathematics that drives them through the lens of a historical perspective. It also briefly touches on the philosophical aspects of the tuning systems and whether their differences affect listeners. It further details the invention of the Fourier Series and their relation to the sound wave to explain the concept of overtones within the …

Broadway Quodlibets As Hybrid Music, Spencer Ann Martin

Theses and Dissertations

Quodlibets are an important facet of the language of musical theater and exhibit musical hybridity, mixing two or more musical elements. Bruno Alcalde’s framework of musical hybridity—including mixture strategies of clash, coexistence, distortion, and trajectory—provides a framework for the analysis, revealing more about the music itself and how the music contributes to the dramatic narrative of each musical scene. Examples of Broadway quodlibets illustrate the relevant mixture strategies; “Lida Rose/Will I Ever Tell You” from The Music Man, “An Old-Fashioned Wedding” from Annie Get Your Gun, “All For the Best” from Gospell, “I Still Believe” from Miss …

Redefining Ornamentation As Formal Functions In 21St-Century Popular Music, Matthew Kolar

Theses and Dissertations

Ornaments are embellishments and decorations of pre-established music; therefore, their existence relies on comparison to that original basis . Because pop music’s text is the recorded track rather than a written score, the determination of what is the main melody is strongly influenced by its first iteration, and ornaments can be found by comparisons of further iterations to the primary source. The goal of this thesis is to categorize the types of ornaments that exist in this repertory as well as define their overall functions. In this sense, ornamentation is being redefined; ornaments are not just decorations to a melody, …

Signal To Noise: Harmonic Temperaments And Patterns Of Interference, Dylan A. Marcheschi

Theses and Dissertations

An audio/visual exploration of historical tuning systems. Most contemporary Western audiences will seldom if ever encounter harmony outside of post-Renaissance tuning conventions. This presentation highlights some of those pre-orthodox harmonic relationships which existed throughout most of history. The corresponding paper documents correlates in recent advances of acoustic ecology.

Lost In Translation? A Comparison Of The Anna Magdalena Bach Manuscript And John W. Duarte Arrangement Of Cello Suite No. 3, Bwv 1009 By Johann Sebastian Bach, Benjamin Riley

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores Anna Magdalena Bach’s manuscript of Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009 and John W. Duarte’s arrangement of this work. The findings of this study show that this arrangement is idiomatic for guitar, incorporates J. S. Bach’s approach to arrangement, and is part of a long musical tradition.

Musical Irony In Selected Piano Sonatas By Ludwig Van Beethoven, Andrew J. Hochler

Theses and Dissertations

In the third variation of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in C Minor, Op. 111, there is an abrupt shift in rhythms that almost resembles an excerpt of early jazz. This passage is so seemingly out of place that it appears to be an ironic commentary on the music that came before. This variation thereby raises an interesting question: how can irony play a role in music?

In an attempt to answer this question, this thesis examines the aesthetic property of irony, suggesting ways in which might be understood to impact three piano sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven: namely, his …

Composition Portfolio, Alexander J. Juhan

Theses and Dissertations

A selection of works. Includes contemporary pieces, as well as music scored to picture.

Electronics And The Music Of Miles Davis, Darren E. Shekailo

Theses and Dissertations

Miles Davis produced a wealth of music relying on the use of electronic instruments and new technology. With their adoption, the famous trumpeter began his “electric” period. Examining the electric period of Davis’s career helps us trace the profound impact of electronic instruments and technological advances on his music.

The Syncretic Art And History Of Vietnamese Vọng Cổ Music, Clair Hoang Khuong Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

This study illustrates the origins and concept of Vietnamese vọng cổ music, its scalar modes, and its form. It touches upon related musical features such as notation, rhythm, and cadences. Altogether, these aspects contribute defining stylistic tendencies specific to vọng cổ musicians of Vietnam and the Vietnamese diaspora.

Webern’S Labyrinth: Contour And Canonic Interaction– An Analysis Of Webern’S Op. 16, No. 2, Scott Saewitz

Theses and Dissertations

Contour can be recognized as an influential device that influences other musical features other than melody, such as canons and form. I introduce the concept of Subcontouric Cells, with the intent to highlight contouric influential potentiality, by thoroughly examining and providing an analysis of Webern’s Op. 16, No. 2.

The Future Of Arabic Music: No Sound Without Silence, Nesma Magdy Khodier Vcuq

Theses and Dissertations

For centuries, Arabic music has been intrinsically linked to Arab culture and by extension bonded to the environmental landscape of the region, reflecting their emotions, moods, and behaviors. Numerous technological advancements in the latter half of the twentieth century, have greatly affected the rich legacy of Arabic music, significantly impacting the natural progression of traditional Arabic musical genres, scales, and instrumentation.

This thesis serves as an introduction to generative methods of music production, specifically music generated through gestures. Through generative music, and its unique ability to map gestures to different musical parameters, music can be produced using computer algorithms.

The …

A Translation Of Chapter Lxvi Of Book I, Part I Of Fra Lodovico Zacconi's Prattica Di Musica, Diran Akmajian

Theses and Dissertations

It is common knowledge that the practice of improvisation, variation, and ornamentation was widespread during the late Renaissance. Numerous authors testify to this, and scores of manuals exist that ''teach11 this particular skill. One of the most important theorists to write such a manual was Lodovico Zacconi, a monk of the order of Saint Augustine. Chapter LXVI of Part I of his Prattica di Musica is one of the most detailed of its kind. Because there is a genuine revival today of performance of Renaissance vocal music, and because sufficient knowledge is yet to be had of the practices of …