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Emulating The "Country Fiddler": A Performance Analysis Of Fiddle Parodies And Impressions In Charles Ives's Second Violin Sonata, Emily Vold Weiss

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In his violin sonatas, Charles Ives frequently parodies fiddling style, both through overt quotes of fiddle tunes, as well as inventive compositional devices that mimic the fiddler’s style of bowing, ornamenting a melody, or generally rustic performance. Given the breadth of these fiddling allusions, it is important that violinists who perform Ives’s sonatas understand the distinctive aesthetics of fiddle performance, including the numerous ways in which it diverges from classical performance. In this dissertation, I survey pedagogical writings on fiddling, notated tunes, and recorded fiddling performances in an effort to characterize the performance practices of fiddlers from Ives’s native New …

The American Symphony Orchestra Today: Problems In Community, Diversity, And Representation, Hilary Slade Jansen

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines the symphony orchestra and its socio-political context in the United States. Using three orchestral case studies—the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Venezuela’s El Sistema—I examine the ways in which American symphony orchestras have responded both today and in the past to the public and academic discourse around social inclusion. Interweaving musicology, sociology, urban anthropology, cultural studies, education, economics, ethnomusicology, economics, data from grant-giving institutions, and from symphony orchestras themselves, I seek to situate the wider discourse on social justice in the arts (which has, until recently, lived largely outside of academia) within a musicological …

The Singing Self: An Exploration Of Vocality And Selfhood In Contemporary Vocal Practice, Emily C. Eagen

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Every vocal training technique relies on understandings of how a singer’s “voice,” both literal and metaphorical, participates in the act of interpreting the works of composers. Western classical singing, as codified by the early twentieth century, typically puts the singer in the role of the “medium” or “channel” for the composer. Later twentieth-century reactions promised liberation from the composer’s “voice” with a validation of the singer’s “authentic” or “natural” voice. This dissertation questions both sides of this binary and asks: what alternative models are possible? This work is in three parts. The first section provides an overview of pedagogical constructions …

Extracting Theory From Practice: A Computational Analysis Of The Persian Radif, Sepideh Shafiei

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation studies radif, the repertoire/system of Persian classical music, by developing a framework for computational research on vocal music performance. The radif consists of seven dastgāhs and five āvāzes (secondary dastgāhs). Each dastgāh consists of several pieces (gushes). Throughout this research, I draw on three areas of knowledge to study each subject: the historical aspects, the current theories, and the practice. When possible, I attempt to bridge the gap between theory and practice by extracting the relevant information from practice. To this end, I use and modify existing computational methods for analyzing audio and symbolic data. The main subjects …

The Alphorn In North America: “Blown Yodeling” Within A Transnational Community, Maureen E. Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

Musicians in North America have adopted the alphorn as a tool that builds community, enhances musical training, and interprets the Swiss tradition for a new generation. Meaningful combinations of experiences and identities combine to create a robust relationship and kinship among alphorn players in an intentionally international community.

Death Of The Composer: How Mahler’S Preoccupation With Death Reveals Itself In His Orchestral Works, Reid Cox

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

Gustav Mahler is a man of juxtapositions, and it shows in his compositions. Between the deaths of his siblings, his parents, eldest daughter, and a fatal heart condition, Mahler was surrounded by ideas and the possibility of death. This likely motivated many of his works, with pieces such as Das Lied von der Erde ending with Mahler confronting his own mortality. Throughout these works, death is treated differently, for example, in the Fourth Symphony, Death is personified and is presented as a solo fiddle. However, many of these pieces end with a hopeful note, such as in the Second Symphony …

Trail Trax 2.020: Tracking The Electoral Soundscape, Dana Gorzelany-Mostak

College of Arts and Sciences

Trax on the Trail is a Georgia College-sponsored website devoted to the study of American presidential campaign music. The interdisciplinary team that I assembled for this project includes students as well as academic experts from the fields of political science, musicology, sociology, history, media studies, and ethnomusicology, across the U.S. and Canada. Committed to the ethos of public history, the Trax on the Trailteam develops accessible scholarship on the subject of music and elections.

I have supervised the publication of over forty essays and podcasts, collaborated with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Clinton Presidential Library …

01 Traditional Songs Introduction, William Donner

Sikaiana Traditional Songs

This is an introduction to Sikaiana songs. It includes a discussion of the social cultural context of song composition and singing. There is a discussion of the different features of song production and a list of different song genres. Most of the discussion is concerned with traditional song expression that are part of derived form changes associated with colonialism and modernization.

Examining The Neoclassicism In Ravel’S Composition: Annotated Bibliography, University Of Denver

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

This article mainly analyzes the neoclassicism in Ravel's works to have a deeper understanding of Ravel. The first part of this article will discuss the definition of neoclassicism and roughly analyze the elements of neoclassicism in other arts, such as architecture and painting. Ravel's works include neoclassical elements. The third part carefully analyzes which parts of the score reflect neoclassicism and explains the reasons in detail.

How Music Theory Sequencing Can Improve Classroom Management And Attention Issues In Beginner Students' Piano Lessons, Greta Dilyte

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

This research has been inspired by an observation of the different music-theoretical concepts and their sequencing in different piano methods. After working in three different countries as a piano teacher I wanted to explore differences and similarities as well as improve my lesson engagement level by beginning students, which is admittedly the most complicated level to teach mainly due to the focus maintenance issues. This is the evidence of my preliminary research which can be used and explored by any piano teacher who is interested in incorporating music theory concepts in their classroom, to help with attention issues, more all-rounded …

Focal Dystonia: Roads To Rehabilitation Annotated Bibliography, University Of Denver

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

A look into the different pathways of rehabilitation of musicians of developed focal dystonia in terms of different types of treatment and ways to cope with the condition.

The Unfaithful Bride: A Musical Exploration Of The Jewish Prayer Modes And Comparable Modern Instrumentation, Claire Smith

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The Unfaithful Bride is a piece of Western art music written with the intent of acclimating westernized ears to the sonic landscape of Judaism, while simultaneously exploring a difficult and allegorical passage of Scripture that intersects with the composer’s religious traditions. The primary objective, however, was to create a beautiful work of art. To create this work, research on Jewish music (specifically on the ancient liturgical modes) was utilized to both inform and inspire.

Once the text was selected and analyzed, composition began, and rhythmic values and a prayer mode were assigned to each movement. Melodic materials were written at …

The Evaluative Rubric Of 19th Century Parisian Operagoers: Annotated Bibliography, University Of Denver

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

My research seeks to identify the rubric used by 19th century Parisians to evaluate the quality of a given “Grand Opéra.” The works listed below shed light on that rubric. They particularly emphasize the importance of formal adherence, cultural relevance, totality, and sexual gratification to the Parisian operagoer.

The Evolving Philosophical Stance Of Richard Wagner And The Effects On His Female Characters From Senta To Kundry, Aoife Shanley

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

This bibliography analyzes the multiple effects of the philosophers Hegel, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche on the works of Richard Wagner. By analyzing the contradictions of these philosophers and the different manifestations of their ideas in the different works of Wagner, it is easy to see which philosopher held the greatest hold on Wagner at a certain time. Wagner marries the philosophies of Hegel and Schopenhauer despite the fact they considered themselves to be on polar opposites of the philosophical spectrum. However, asceticism and a quest for purity ultimately seem to be the driving forces behind Wagner’s operas and depictions of women …

Works Cited, Lucy Prichard

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Parts Of The Voice - Why Learning Vocal Structure Early Makes A Difference: Annotated Bibliography, University Of Denver

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

This annotated bibliography describes the sources used to support the statement that vocal anatomy should be implemented into early music education.

Annotated Bibliography, University Of Denver

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

This is an annotated bibliography in regards to Baroque Ornamentation in The Bach Partita No. 2 in D Minor.

The “Jazz Chopin”: How Bill Evans’ Music Was Influenced By French Impressionists: Annotated Bibliography, Lucas Larreau

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

This is an annotated bibliography of sources which identify, support, and analyze the connection between French Impressionist music and Bill Evans' musical style.

Tunesmith Terror Techniques: Identifying Patterns In The Music Of Horror Video Games: Annotated Bibliography, Sean Kelliher

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

Ludomusicology, the study of music in video games, is a relatively new field in musicology that faces unique obstacles, like the lack of a standardized analytical method. This paper will use the ALI model proposed by Isabella van Elferen along with techniques suggested by Tim Summers to analyze various video games in the horror genre. Along with using analysis of other games as sources, this paper will compare the compositional techniques used to identify patterns that do or do not show up.

Maria Schneider’S Voicing Techniques: Annotated Bibliography, Aaron Fradin

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

Since her emergence on the jazz scene, Maria Schneider has made a name for herself all around the world with her unique compositional voice. Despite her ever-increasing prominence and influence as a jazz composer, there is a startling lack of scholarly work on how she writes for her ensemble. It is my aim to begin to fill that gap by examining how she voices chords at critical moments in her pieces and juxtaposing the techniques in her earliest works, latest works, and traditional writing techniques.

The Progression Of The Musical Theatre Belt In Upper Voices: Annotated Bibliography, Kathryn Cymerman

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

A pedagogical look into the progression of the musical theatre belt in upper voices, with emphasis on the introduction of the mix.

Memorizing Music: A Problem That A Pianist Has To Face, University Of Denver

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

As we all know, now the piano is usually an instrument that needs to be played by memory. Except piano ensemble pieces, most solo piano pieces are required to be performed by memory, even including piano concerto works. For a long time, many pianists have had mixed attitudes towards memorizing music.

Incongruous Surrealism Within Narrative Animated Film, Daniel Mccabe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

A pop music video is a form of media containing incongruous surrealistic imagery with a narrative structure supplied by song lyrics. The lyrics' presence allows filmmakers to digress from sequential imagery through introduction of nonlinear visual elements. I will analyze these surrealist film elements through several post-modern philosophies to better understand how this animated audio-visual synthesis resides in the larger world of art theory and its relationship to the popular music video. This analysis coincides with the practical and theoretical experimentation evident in the film companion to this thesis, Slapper the Cat: A Musical Cartoon. A long-form animated music video …

The Awakening Of Islamic Pop Music, Jonas Otterbeck

Music & Performance in Muslim Contexts

Awakening – an Islamic media company formed in London – has created the soundtrack to many Muslim lives during the last two decades. It has produced three superstars (Sami Yusuf, Maher Zain and Harris J.) among a host of other artists. As the company celebrates their first 20 years in the industry, Jonas Otterbeck examines their remarkable rise to success and their established reputation as one of the most important global enterprises producing pop music inspired by Islam.

Otterbeck thoroughly describes the history and development of new Islamic popular music genres, in particular pop-nashid and Islamic pop, for the first …

Journal Policies, Jucr Staff -

Journal of Urban Culture Research

No abstract provided.

Correlations In Acquiring Musician’S Dystonia Amongst Professional Musicians: Annotated Bibliography, University Of Denver

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

Dystonia happens at a remarkable rate amongst musicians. The definition of acquired dystonia are types of dystonia that develop from other factors that cause damage or degenerate to the body the brain. Dystonia is a disease that is not fully understood by science and requires more research to uncover the disease’s abundance in professional musicians. Many medical studies have been done in regards to dystonia in the general population but there is still large questions about why dystonia is a crisis in the musical world. It is a topic misunderstood by most musicians and largely mysterious to the majority of …

Bollywood Production: Cultural Values And Studio Decisions: Annotated Bibliography, Tyler Thom

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

As India’s popular music, Bollywood has been used to discuss cultural representation and diffusion of ideas throughout India and the world. Musical, video, and pop culture analysis have widely been conducted but far less research has been done on the recording methods applied. Studio “magic” has been credited for the correction and production of modern music but editing decisions and mixing techniques are consciously chosen by an engineer and thus can be studied as an artistic endeavor. How are recording and mixing methods influenced and reflective of the cultural audience? While many techniques of music production originated in the West, …

Voiced Gender Signifiers Within ‘As One’ A Chamber Opera: Annotated Bibliography, Samuel Sherman

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

‘As One’, a popular modern chamber opera by composer Laura Kaminsky, presents the transition of transgender woman, Hannah. Hannah, however, is casted and composed as two separate voices, a baritone and mezzo-soprano, thus creating “Hannah before” and “Hannah after”. In doing so, a dichotomy of thought surrounding the attributes of a binary based practice of vocalization and character representation is created. Through the analysis of gender theory, voiced gender theory, and the ‘As One’ chamber opera, storytelling of complex gender-based characters may be solidified within biased gender compositional and musical tools. In discovering these repetitive actions through socially constructed stereotypes …

Narrative In Debussy’S Sonata For Flute, Viola And Harp: Annotated Bibliography, University Of Denver

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

An annotated bibliography to a proposed paper on narrative in Debussy’s Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp.

Relationship Between Vocal Technique, Classification, And Appropriate Repertoire For The Tenor Voice, Joan Sebastian Marquez Unda

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

Within the training and career of a lyrical singer, it is necessary to approach a question: Why is it important to know the vocal classification and the technique for the correct assignment of the repertoire? Although the answer forces us to delve a little deeper into the history of the classification of voices by sex, we will also focus on characteristics that section lyrical voices by their tessitura, timbre and intensity, with a special emphasis on the tenor voice.