Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Trombone In Wind Band: An Analysis Of Excerpts From Seminal Works By Dr. David R. Holsinger, Kyle Aaron Davidson

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The preparation of excerpts from the orchestral canon is a standard part of musical pedagogy. For trombones, the “standard, first-round” excerpts come from a selection of orchestral masterworks, including works such as Mozart’s Requiem, Ravel’s Bolero, Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries, and Saint-Saëns’ Third Symphony. Such excerpts are often used for wind band auditions despite being rarely, if ever, performed in a wind band setting. Rather than only learning excerpts written for an orchestral setting, the author proposes that excerpts from music written for wind band be used as well.

Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive overview of …

How Spirituals Influenced Both Resistance To Nazis And Civil Rights Protests, Chandi Plummer

Theses and Dissertations--Music

How have American Negro Spirituals inspired later generations of oppressed and marginalized people? Which songs of suffering and hope were particularly poignant in providing courage and inspiration? Questions such as these sparked my research journey, reaching a crescendo during a lecture recital on November 10, 2023, and now culminating in a dissertation.

Spirituals inspired Albert Franklin Fisher and Dietrich Bonhoeffer in New York City in 1930 during the Harlem Renaissance and traveled (via phonograph and music books) with Bonhoeffer to Nazi Germany during World War II. In America, spirituals influenced Myles and Zilphia Horton, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King, …

Ecuadorian Vocal Anthology In Four Rhythms, Wagner Mauricio Pástor Pazmiño Dr.

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Ecuador is a pluricultural and multilingual territory with four natural regions, several musical genres, and interpretations. Amazon, Galápagos, Mountain Range, and Coastal region. In the following dissertation, the author develops concepts of four traditional rhythms, their composers, and harmonic and phonetic characteristics from the mountain range region of his homeland, Ecuador.

The present document is a descriptive study of vocal Andean music and the application of the operatic style in classical vocal technique for performance practice.

The dissertation will support a lecture recital to fulfill the doctoral program's requirement in voice performance from the University of Kentucky.

Blending European And Latin Sounds: A Study Of French Horn Repertoire In Mexico, Aj Bernal

Theses and Dissertations--Music

As a first generation Mexican-American, it is crucial that I advocate and promote music of the culture I grew up in. This project aims to unearth Mexican compositional techniques that derive from the fusion of European and Indigenous roots in an effort to promote diversity within the realm of Western Classical music. Music in Mexico is characterized by a unique blend of indigenous rhythms, European classical structures, and regional folk influences. This project will discuss how the bold timbre of the French horn intertwines with traditional Mexican and indigenous melodies, rhythms, and forms that create a unique style. The horn’s …

Sculpting Time: A Performance Guide To Four Fragments Of Time By Marcus Siqueira, Luis Felipe Vargas Magdaleno De Moraes

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This dissertation investigates the musical and phenomenological aspects of Four Fragments of Time by Marcus Siqueira (b. 1974) and provides a performance guide for this work. Furthermore, this dissertation analyzes previous guitar works by the composer, seeking to understand Siqueira’s compositional idiosyncrasies and to provide context for the interpretation of Four Fragments of Time. This dissertation includes a biography of the composer, an analysis of the compositional process of Four Fragments of Time, an analysis of the recurrent idiomatic procedures in Siqueira’s guitar works, and an overview of the collaborative process between the composer and the author. Additionally, an analysis …

Conceptual Blending: A Singer’S Analysis Of Libby Larsen’S Try Me, Good King: Last Words Of The Wives Of Henry Viii And A Conversation With The Composer, Kelsey Paige Ann Loeslie

Theses and Dissertations--Music

American composer Libby Larsen is celebrated for her versatility and expertise in crafting intricate text-music relationships, notably exemplified in her song cycle Try Me Good King: Last Words of the Wives of Henry VIII. This research explores Larsen's innovative compositional techniques in this cycle using Cross-Domain Mapping and Conceptual Blending Theory. Drawing from Lawrence Zbikowski's work, the study employs Conceptual Integration Networks to analyze Larsen's music, revealing the intricate interplay between text and music. By synthesizing these methodologies, the research comprehensively examines Larsen's song cycle, enhancing our understanding of her composition both from a music theory perspective and from a …

Border Bones – Between Borders: A Performer’S Guide To The Formation Of A Music Ensemble, Commissioning, And Recording, Juan Saldivar Jr

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Border Bones, a trombone duo formed in 2023, is committed to encouraging marginalized and underrepresented composers from Mexico and the United States. In its first project, Border Bones commissioned ten new works for the trombone repertoire. The focus and representation of this projected included Mexican, female, and LGBTQ+ composers. Once commissioned, Border Bones recorded these works through New Branch Records and released them as an album titled, Between Borders.

This dissertation is a performer’s guide to forming an ensemble, commissioning new works, and recording an album. It also includes interviews with well-known individuals from the music industry that have commissioned, …

A Practice-Led Investigation Into Applying The Pianistic Qualities Of Guitarist Lenny Breau’S Artificial Harmonics To A Contemporary Music Setting, Joshua Luke Fairweather

Theses : Honours

Canadian jazz guitarist Lenny Breau (1941-1984) has long been revered for his innovative style and stellar approach to technique on the instrument. In his short career, he developed a reputation for emulating musical traits typically only associated with the piano. A key technique that allowed him to achieve this was his signature take on artificial harmonics, a guitar technique involving the displacement of a note by silencing a string’s fundamental frequency and isolating one of its overtones. Breau thoroughly explored this technique as a soloist over a range of jazz repertoire, but he was rarely heard playing outside of this …

Steve Grossman, The Catalyst: A Practice-Led Research Investigation Into Developing A Chromatic Approach To Improvisation, Joshua Parker

Theses : Honours

Steve Grossman was a tenor saxophonist from Brooklyn, New York, who passed away in 2020, leaving a catalogue of recordings and improvisations that are largely overlooked and under-appreciated by the mainstream jazz culture. Inspired heavily by the modal and free jazz improvisations of John Coltrane during his later period (which heavily utilised a chromatic approach to generate intensity), Grossman developed his own unique and powerful approach to the post-Coltrane style. This voice began to solidify from a young age, as is evident on recordings during the 1970s, such as Miles Davis’ Black Beauty Live at Fillmore West (1973) and Live …

Piano Wisdom From Two Great Masters: Heinrich Neuhaus And Walter Gieseking, Xiaohan Hu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores the pedagogical insights and piano techniques of Heinrich Neuhaus (1888-1964) and Walter Gieseking (1895-1956), two iconic figures in 20th-century piano performance and education. Through a detailed analysis of their writings and teaching methods, the research highlights their shared focus on the foundational principles of piano technique, as well as their unique contributions to interpretation and musical expression.

Neuhaus’s The Art of Piano Playing provides an in-depth discussion on the importance of artistic imagery, posture, sound production, and emotional depth in performance. Gieseking, along with his former teacher Karl Leimer, emphasizes ear training, mental visualization, and technical precision …

Past What You Can See: Innocence, Experience, And Realization In Stephen Sondheim’S Into The Woods, Brock Adam Terry

Theses and Dissertations--Music

A deeper appreciation of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods may be achieved by examining the work under a new magnifying glass. After a synopsis of background information of the musical itself, the assertion is made that Into the Woods shows three basic stages of life that occur in a cycle: innocence, experience, and realization. This is supported by the proposition that the idea of innocence is represented by a recurring five-note motive (commonly referred to as the “bean theme”), and that the ideas of experience and realization are revealed through particular musical numbers. The overarching entity that binds the work …

Jakub Polaczyk And His Kentucky Bluegrasp, Hyangwoo Lih

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This dissertation examines the contemporary composer, Jakub Polaczyk and his recent work, Kentucky Bluegrasp for Solo Viola. The dissertation is divided into seven chapters. Chapter I serves as an introduction. Chapter II presents interviews with Polaczyk conducted via Zoom and email. Chapter III explores two parts: Jakub Polaczyk’s early years of life, and education and career. Chapter IV, “Influences,” is further divided into three parts: Slavic music, Polish, heritages, and Diverse inspirations. Chapter V, “Unique Artistic Language,” delves into five parts: Exploration of Timbre, Unique Instrumentation, Extended Techniques, Cross-Cultural Influences, and Other Versatile Sources of Inspiration. Chapter VI, focuses on …

Ben Moore's "Ode To A Nightingale" For Baritone Voice And Piano: A Performer's Guide, Jeremy Kelly

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This project is a performance guide of Ben Moore’s (b. 1960) Ode to a Nightingale (2014), a song cycle for baritone set to the poetry of John Keats. Song cycles are an important fixture in classical voice performance, as well as academia, and there is a need to promote new works by American composers. Moore’s Ode to a Nightingale is a unique contribution to the song cycle catalog as it sets John Keats’s eight stanzas of the singular poem to eight separate songs, something that is exceedingly rare in practice. Combining analysis of Moore’s songs in Ode to a Nightingale …

Mapping The Double-Tongue: Incorporating Body Mapping Into The Double-Tonguing Learning Process, Camilla Yoder

Theses and Dissertations--Music

As the articulation technique of double-tonguing is becoming more necessary and desirable for oboists to learn, this document explores the benefits of incorporating Body Mapping methods and kinesthetic awareness exercises into the double-tonguing learning process. These methods of body exploration are applied only to the areas of the body deemed highly relevant to accomplishing double-tonguing: the atlanto-occipital joint, the temporo-mandibular joint, the throat, the tongue, and the roof of the mouth. To explore the effectiveness of this approach, an Institutional Review Board approved research study was conducted, in which eight oboists learned double-tonguing with a preliminary iteration of this method. …

Uncovering The Emotional Line: An Analysis Of Three David Maslanka Wind Ensemble Works Using Formal Emotive Intensity Analysis, Michael John Kahle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

David Maslanka (1943–2017) was a prolific American composer who wrote most frequently for the medium of concert band/wind ensemble. His music is frequently performed by ensembles around the world. Due to his more intuitive and idiosyncratic compositional style, Maslanka would center what he described as the “emotional line” of the work, certain aspects of his music are undetected by traditional analytical models. Formal Emotive Intensity Analysis bridges that gap to focus on the supposed emotional line within Maslanka’s work. Through a case study of three of Maslanka’s works for wind band, The Seeker, Concerto No. 3 for Piano and Wind …

Sibelius’S Scaramouche: A Comparative Production History Of A Tragic Pantomime, 1913–1977, Karl E. Toepfer, Eija Kurki

Open Educational Resources

The book describes the historical context for the Scaramouche tragic pantomime created by Poul Knudsen and Jean Sibelius in 1913. The pantomime had numerous productions in various European countries between 1922 and 1977, and the book examines all of them according to all available evidence. The text explains the historical and cultural significance of the pantomime and how it uniquely explores a dark and complex intersection of female sexuality, marriage, and class control of erotic desire. The authors examine all productions of Scaramouche from the premiere production in Copenhagen in 1922 to the last major production in Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany …

Joley Seitz, Soprano In A Graduate Recital, Joley Seitz

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Selected Piano Etudes From The Mid-20th To 21st Centuries: A Catalogue, Min Ji Baek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Etudes, which initially appeared in the seventeenth century as small collections of exercises, have evolved into significant concert pieces, showcasing the development of virtuosity over time. This study compiles a selected catalog of piano etudes from the mid-20th century to the 21st century, accompanied by brief biographies of each composer. Beginning with a historical overview of piano etudes, this paper catalogs etudes by 50 composers, divided into two chapters that respectively present etudes from the 1940s–1980s and the 1980s–2020s, listed alphabetically by the composer's last name. The final chapter provides a concise summary of the catalogue’s contents, highlighting its potential …

When The Right Man Rings Them?, Alan Wayne Cline

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research aims to outline the suitability of Vaughan Williams’s songs to a broader selection of performers, including singers in academic settings and professional musicians around the globe. The significance of Ralph Vaughan Williams's impact on the music world is difficult to question. Among his considerable accomplishments are the editing of the Anglican English hymnal, the advocation for traditional British folk songs as national works of art, the composition of the same number of symphonies as Beethoven and Dvořák, and, most notably for singers, the writing of song cycles and collections of songs. While these accomplishments are significant, his songs …

Selected Chinese Art Songs From The 20th And 21st Centuries, Xinxin Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This paper presents Chinese art songs from the early 20^th century to today and highlights selected composers from each of the five traditional eras of recent Chinese social history. It is intended as an introductory guide for singers and collaborative pianists who are interested in Chinese art songs and the development of the genre in China. Selected composers include Youmei Xiao (1884-1940), Yuanren Zhao (1892-1982), Er Nie (1912-1935), Hanhui Zhang (1902-1946), Xinghai Xian (1905-1945), Deyi Shang (1932-2020), Zhongrong Luo (1924-2021), Zaiyi Lu (b. 1943), Jianfen Gu (b.1935), and Cong Liu (b.1956). The paper provides brief biographical information for each …

Incorporating Keyboard Literature In The Undergraduate And Graduate Piano Performance Curriculums, Yangyang Cao

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper presents suggestions for the incorporation of piano literature and performance practice courses into university curricula. The prevalence of piano literature in American universities is examined, highlighting the necessity to promote its inclusion in Chinese universities. The significance of piano literature and performance practice courses for piano performance students is explored for both undergraduate and graduate programs. Included are selected readings and detailed sample syllabi of potential courses to be offered by college and university music programs.

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’S Sonata In C Minor, Wq. 65/31: A Study Of Performance Practice, Weiyang Sun

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation discusses concepts of performance practice in Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's keyboard works, including historical instruments, fingering, articulation, ornamentation, dynamics, rhythm, and other related topics. It provides an interpretive analysis of C. P. E. Bach's Sonata in C Minor, Wq. 65/31, for keyboard, as a way to discuss the application of these issues. Additionally, this dissertation includes a brief biography of C. P. E. Bach, a list of his keyboard works, and a discography of current and historical recordings of the Sonata in C Minor, Wq. 65/31.

Ann Bradfield, Alto And Soprano Saxophones, Friday, December 21, 2023 [Program], University Of Northern Iowa. School Of Music.

Music Recital Programs

Program of a music recitals given by faculty, students, or guest artists from the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa.

Response To “Spontaneous Wellsprings Of Music” By Nicholas Mcnair, Michael Hamman

Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

The Spontaneous Wellsprings Of Music, Nicholas Mcnair

Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Inquiry in Education

Western Classical Music has traditionally been described in terms of fixed structures, carefully built up by the composer and presented to the performer in the form of a score. This has crystallised over the centuries into an ideological position which, in the last analysis, gives absolute authority to the composer over the performer, severely limiting the freedom of expression of the latter. In this article I seek to reverse this position by pointing to the essential spontaneity, represented by improvisation, that lies at the heart of all music-making, albeit fiercely opposed by the fundamentalism of an endless number of structural …

Selected Lieder Transcriptions Of Franz Liszt And Leopold Godowsky: A Comparative Analysis, Jeremiah Padilla

Dissertations, 2020-current

Musicians have held differing views regarding the art of transcription. Purists, who are against the very idea of transcribing existing works, think of the genre as being disrespectful to the composer(s) of the original work. Conversely, musicians who appreciate the art of transcription welcome the opportunity to perform works not originally written for the piano. This document will examine Lieder (German art songs) transcriptions, which is is a valuable genre for transcription. The Lied has historically appealed to many composers, particularly Liszt and his contemporary, Leopold Godowsky, as a source of transcription material.

Chapters one and two will primarily compare …

The Art Of Sustaining Orchestras Through Intentional Educational Experiences, Kimberly Souther

Dissertations, 2020-current

The purpose of this study is to identify the most current and successful advances in audience engagement that champion connection and result in sustainability through purposeful educational experiences.

The Symphony Orchestra currently serves an audience which represents a multiplicity of perspectives, background, and understanding. In an era of expanded canon and outreach to local communities, the orchestra must acknowledge that change is necessary if we are to truly create fulfilling experiences for our listeners. Unfortunately, many orchestras fail to connect their outreach to the concert hall, woefully categorizing their patrons into pre-determined subsets. What if all patrons were trusted with …

An Examination Of Maria Schneider’S Big Band Artistry Through The Lens Of Wind Band Arranging, Amy Birdsong

Dissertations, 2020-current

Within the world of instrumental music there tends to be strict adherence to styles and genres that have historically been connected to a standard collection of instruments. Wind ensembles are expected to perform contemporary art music, orchestral transcriptions, or military marches, with little expectation of individual creative interpretation. Jazz ensembles, or “big bands,” are expected to perform styles of music such as “swing,” which cannot be properly notated using western notation, while also being rigidly glued to reduced instrument choices, repetitive chord cycles and standard song forms. While wind ensemble performers are confined to read and perform all aspects of …

Effect Of Selective Memory And Use Of Triangulation To Critique Songwriting, Maxwell A. Ramsey

Recital Papers

The cowriting of three successful popular songs is reconstructed through blind interviews with each of the contributors. In addition to insights into the actual compositional aspects, the interview questions were designed to reveal what role music industry executives may have played in arranging, inspiring, or promoting the songs throughout their journey to find success. The process of triangulation was applied to the interview answers in accordance with previous successful qualitative research methods to uncover the decisions and techniques that proved pivotal in best serving the respective song idea. The ultimate success of the songs is examined through chart and sales …

Gabrielle Flannery, Soprano, In A Graduate Recital, December 14, 2023 [Program], University Of Northern Iowa. School Of Music.

Music Recital Programs

Program of a music recitals given by faculty, students, or guest artists from the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa.