Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Shakespeare's Philosophy Of Music, Emily Sulka

Music and Worship Student Presentations

Shakespeare is one of the most widely read figures in literature, but his use of music is not usually touched on in literary discussions of his works. In this paper, I discuss how Shakespeare portrays music within the context of his plays, both through dialogue and songs performed within each work. In Shakespeare’s time, Boethius’ philosophy of the music of the spheres was still highly popular. This was the idea that the arrangement of the cosmos mirrored musical proportions. As a result, every aspect of the universe was believed to be highly ordered, and this idea is prominent throughout Shakespeare’s …

The Partimento Tradition In The Shadow Of Enlightenment Thought, Deborah Longenecker

Music and Worship Student Presentations

This presentation investigates the relationship between partimento pedagogy and Rameau’s music theories as influenced by Enlightenment thought. Current research on partimento has revealed its importance in Neapolitan music schools of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Along with counterpoint, partimento was a core subject in the study of composition in the Neapolitan schools; however, as pedagogy and theory began to be influenced by Enlightenment ideals such as the scientific method or a preference for clear systemization, the partimento tradition began to wane. In this presentation, I examine Rameau’s music theory as an example of Enlightenment thought in music, juxtaposing the central …

Promise That You Will Sing About Me: Kendrick Lamar In Posterity, Brandon Apol

Music and Worship Student Presentations

Sometimes it would seem that the quietest moments turn out to have the loudest repercussions. This would seem to be a consistent case for twenty eight-year old Kendrick Lamar, whose career has been defined by surprise and unannounced publications of music that shortly afterward are spun into respected works of art. With an album that no one anticipated going to the 2013 Grammy awards, another album that leaked a week ahead of schedule (and brought Kendrick 5 Grammys), and an album that was released with almost no warning whatsoever, Kendrick Lamar Duckworth makes headlines with his art; of this there …

Development And Dissemination: Deliberations On Spanish Renaissance Music, Lindsey E. Pfeifer

Music and Worship Student Presentations

Throughout history, every musical culture grew and developed under a specific set of influences, whether political, philosophical, or geographical. Varying sets of influences created 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 …

Ruling The Market: How Venice Dominated The Early Music Printing World, Elizabeth M. Poore

Music and Worship Student Presentations

This presentation attempts to prove that Venice was the main geographical center of music printing and publishing from the 1300s to the late 1500s using several economic, legal, and cultural factors. The primary research method was examining secondary sources on music printing, publishing, and European and Venetian history.

From the 1300s to the late 1500s, Venetian commercial trade and activity, including book publishing, reached unheard of levels. Venice held a powerful position in the European economy and its merchants were able to leverage this to great advantage when the new technology of printing became available. The specialized business of music …

J. S. Bach: The Good Lord Of Influence, Christa K. Johnson

Music and Worship Student Presentations

Many musicians stand in awe of J. S. Bach’s ability to create a masterpiece. In fact, few question his greatness as a musician, but the source of that greatness is a different discussion altogether. Was Bach’s excellent musicianship a result of good DNA, or did other causes inspire his excellence? My paper aims to identify the external influences that shaped Bach into the musician that he was. What environmental factors influenced Bach? Did his education play a role in his composition style? How did his career positions affect his works? Did Bach unite his religious beliefs with his music?

Many …

The Woman Composer: Culture And Social Ideologies Behind Her Success In Music Composition, Julia K. Brummel

Music and Worship Student Presentations

Music is an art that has been enjoyed since almost the beginning of time. This art has carried many traditions and ideologies with it that are still prevalent today. One such idea that began early on and is still an attitude that must be fought in today’s musical culture, is that women are unable to be quality composers. For as long as music has been composed, men have dominated in writing and performing their own works. The lack of women composers throughout history is a subject that has interested many music historians. There are reasons behind this issue and many …

Music During The Reformation: Changing Times And Changing Minds, Carolyn S. Ticker

Music and Worship Student Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Violin’S Solo Voice: J.S. Bach’S Contribution To The Violin’S Development, Samantha Grelen

Music and Worship Student Presentations

The solo violin sonatas and partitas of Bach are a staple of any classical violinist’s repertoire. The high technical and artistic ability required to perform these works reflects the growing emphasis placed on instrumental performance during their time of composition. This increased interest was due in large part to the strides made in the violin’s development, ushering in with it a completely new method of playing, and therefore a new method of composing for the instrument. Bach composed his solo violin works while serving as the kapellmeister in the court of Prince Leopold at Cöthen, which, due to his extraordinary …

A New Approach: The Feminist Musicology Studies Of Susan Mcclary And Marcia J. Citron, Kimberly Reitsma

Music and Worship Student Presentations

One of the currently prevalent analytic approaches in academia is feminist theory and criticism. Its combination with musicology has influenced the field for the past four decades. The goal of the new approach, loosely termed “feminist musicology,” has been to discover, analyze, discuss, and promote the representation of women and the “feminine” essence in various disciplines of music. Today, feminist musicology is highly researched, published in books and journals, and presented as scholarly papers at various musicological conferences around the world. This new approach introduces the ideologies of feminism to the study of music.

On The Power Of Music: Using 'Cosmos' And 'Anthropos' To Articulate A Holistic Approach To Discussing The Power Of Music, Brian R. Cates

Music and Worship Student Presentations

Throughout history music has played an integral role in shaping both societies at large and individuals who are a part of these societies. Many of these individuals have sought not only to enjoy music by listening to it from an aesthetic paradigm, but by understanding it from a metaphysical one, probing its sonic depths and studying its emotive qualities, starting with the doctrines of music proposed by ancient Greek philosophers. However, from the doctrines of music in the ancient era up to the doctrines of music in the baroque era, one can observe a shift in the way music was …

Russian Jewish Art Music: The Voice Of A People, Delora Neuschwander

Music and Worship Student Presentations

There is nothing so binding and connecting as the language of music. It is a language so deep that it goes beyond mere words and links individuals and entire societies together in a way that nothing else can. It gives outsiders a glimpse into the hearts and emotions of a people group and unites them with a single identity which is still displayed in a variety of ways. We see an example of this in the study of the music of the Jewish people. Music in Jewish culture is a complex and diverse topic, and there are several different traditions …

Music In The Third Reich, Delora Neuschwander

Music and Worship Student Presentations

Music is one of the most powerful entities in the universe. It has the ability to speak to the deepest part of the human psyche. Because of this ability, music can be used in countless ways to bring about the desired effects of anyone from a televangelist attempting to elicit an emotional response from an audience to a business professional endeavoring to sell more of his products to a dictator scheming to change the course of history. As has been clearly demonstrated throughout the history of civilization, music has been a driving force in the development of culture, society, and …

The Establishment Of Equal Temperament, Alisa Daum

Music and Worship Student Presentations

Equal temperament is the foundation for modern music, yet most musicians have no concept of its meaning. In a modern culture that treats music solely as a means of entertainment, there is no need to understand the complex mathematical foundation on which music was created. However, hundreds of years ago, there existed an entire culture that integrated these numbers into their philosophies and way of living. Unfortunately, there were flaws in the relationships between the numbers that were kept secret for several centuries. These imperfections could not be hidden forever, and as the years wore on, people began to fight …

The Development Of The Flute As A Solo Instrument From The Medieval To The Baroque Era, Anna J. Reisenweaver

Music and Worship Student Presentations

As one of the oldest instruments known to mankind, the flute is present in some form in nearly every culture and ethnic group in the world. However, in Western music in particular, the flute has taken its place as an important part of musical culture, both as a solo and an ensemble instrument. The flute has also undergone its most significant technological developments in Western musical culture, moving from the bone keyless flutes of the Prehistoric era to the gold and silver instruments known to performers today. During the Renaissance and Baroque periods in particular, however, the flute rose to …