Music Commons^™

Concerto For Horn And Orchestra And Sofia Gubaidulina's Serialism, Michael Paul Mitchell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This work is in two parts. The first is a composition for horn and orchestra by the author, using a variety of styles that I have learned while at Louisiana State University and inspired by the pieces I have played on the horn. The second part is an analysis of Sofia Gubaidulina’s works that include twelve-tone serial techniques and the devices she uses in them and how her style changed through composing these three pieces, Piano Sonata (1965), Five Etudes for Harp, Double Bass, and Percussion, and Night in Memphis composed in 1968. After these pieces Gubaidulina leaves the …

A Pedagogical Approach To The Waltzes And Tangos For Piano By Francisca Gonzaga, Ana Paula Machado Simoes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Francisca (Chiquinha) Gonzaga (1847–1935) was an important composer in the development of Brazilian music. She was also a remarkable female personality and broke paradigms in a society dominated by men. In spite of that, her works are not widely performed and studied yet. The goal of this dissertation is to provide a pedagogical approach to her works. This research explores her waltzes and tangos for piano, analyzes their musical, reading and technical difficulties, and provides a graded level for half of them to stimulate their use as repertoire for piano students and performers.

Chiquinha composed 37 waltzes and 30 tangos …

Extended Techniques For Intermediate Violin Students, Mariana Krewer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As we reach the end of the second decade of the 21st century, the performance of contemporary music is not a novelty in any concert hall. American orchestras frequently include contemporary works in their programs, and music schools offer specialized classes, ensembles, and even full degrees dedicated to contemporary music. However, for the violin, there are very few resources explaining extended techniques and other recent aesthetic innovations in a didactic manner. Most of the available material is directed at the advanced student or professional player. On the other hand, traditional instructional material often barely glosses over the 20th century repertoire, …

Klezmer Elements In Paul Schoenfield’S Trio For Clarinet, Violin, And Piano: A Violinist’S Perspective, Hannah Phyllis Urdea Marcus

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Paul Schoenfield’s Trio for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano draws extensively on the traditional Klezmer music of the Ashkenazi Jewish people of Eastern Europe. The blending of three very different instruments, as well as the Klezmer elements, unusual for the classically trained musicians, creat difficulties, as well as opportunities, for the composer and for the performers alike.

Music is often considered a language. As with any language, in order to be fluent, one must understand the cultural aspects that shape that language and the people who speak it. The way the performers present a piece greatly influences the way it is …

The "Missing Audience": A Query Into The Future Of The Orchestra And The Potential Benefits Of Bringing Live Classical Music To The Community Through Informal Performances, Natalie Wei-Ting Chang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I discuss the traditional organizational model adopted by symphony orchestras in the United States as non-profit arts organizations that are struggling to maintain solvency within the current philanthropic, political, and digital contexts. As part of the discussion, I conduct field research within the local area of the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in providing demonstrations of live and informal classical performance in various businesses and institutions while collecting data via surveys from willing adult participants (ages 18 and above) of all demographics, specifically lower income areas. The survey analysis gives important insights into public perception of symphony …

A Performer's Guide To Iosif Andriasov's "Concertino For Trumpet", Andrew K. Gerbitz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Iosif Andriasov’s Concertino for Trumpet is an excellent candidate for study and assimilation into the standard trumpet repertoire. A significant composer of Armenian descent from the former Soviet Union, Andriasov wrote his Concerto for Trumpet in 1960 and dedicated it to Yuri Usov. Timofei Dokshizer performed it on an album released in 1978 under the Melodya label. After immigrating to the United States in 1979, the composer revised the work and retitled it as Concertino for Trumpet in 1995. IMMA Publishing Company in New York made the revised work commercially available in 2001. This paper is presented to increase awareness …

Northern Music Culture In Antebellum New Orleans, Warren Keith Kimball

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the three decades before the Civil War, immigrants from the Northern United States flooded into New Orleans in search of new economic opportunities. These newcomers brought to the Southern city many elements of Northern life, such as Protestant churches, English-language newspapers, public schools, and distinct political views. They also brought with them musical practices specific to that region: Protestant church music, amateur choral societies, instrumental concerts, music publication, and English-language opera all flourished from the late 1830s until the late 1850s. This dissertation situates the musical practices of New Orleans during the decades preceding the Civil War within the …

Selected Works Of Richard Burchard: A Resource Guide, William Floyd Plummer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This document serves as a resource guide for selected choral works of Richard Burchard, including pertinent background information and biographical details about the composer’s life, information concerning the compositional style and musical structure of his choral works, and accessibility and interpretive considerations for the choral conductor. Works were selected for this study chronologically by publication date, from Burchard’s first published work (Miserere mei, published 2009) through the beginning of this project in early 2012. Born in 1960, Richard Burchard is the Chair of the Music Department at Bellarmine University in Kentucky. Burchrd has written over 50 pieces, many of which …

Chamber Ensembles And Web Presence: Best Practices For Creating And Presenting Online Content, Arisia Amalie Gilmore

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study is about creating an online presence for a chamber ensemble. The study takes recommendations from notable books on music entrepreneurship, articles written for classical musicians on the importance of online content for musicians, and articles from select music industry websites. The author compares and combines these recommendations with interviews from members of seven different professional chamber ensembles, and the online presence of seventeen professional chamber ensembles that are based in the United States. The purpose of this study is to introduce to newly formed chamber ensembles how current chamber ensembles are using online media, what content is being …

Prince Rogers Nelson: From "Dirty Mind" To Devout Jehovah's Witness, Cassandra Chaney Phd

Faculty Publications

Prince Rogers Nelson (born: June 7, 1958) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and actor. He was a musical innovator and known for his eclectic work, flamboyant stage presence, extravagant dress and makeup, and wide vocal range. When he passed unexpectedly on April 21, 2016, he had built an immensely successful career that spanned over 30 years. Although Prince is widely known for his highly sexual behavior, we know less about his spiritual beliefs as well as how these beliefs influenced his public persona and private life. Through the lens of social identity theory, this manuscript will examine …

"Leave All That You Have, That You May Take All:" What Hugo Distler's Totentanz Reveals About His Life And Music, Alison Elizabeth Allerton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Hugo Distler (1908-1942) has been described as the most important composer of Protestant Church music in Germany in the early twentieth century—a remarkable epithet given that he was a professional church musician and composer for only about twelve years before his life was abruptly ended with his suicide in 1942. Though he is more well-known in Germany, in the United States public perception of Distler is often limited to two basic “facts:” (1) he is a neo-Baroque composer whose works emulate Heinrich Schütz, and (2) his suicide was an act of resistance against the hated National Socialist regime. This study …

Convergent Styles: A Study Of Dave Brubeck's Points On Jazz, Ethan Loyd Rogers

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The music of Dave Brubeck encompasses diverse classical and jazz styles from around the world. Due to the eclectic nature of Brubeck’s music and the difficulty in categorizing his style, little has been written about his compositions. This document will aid musicians in better understanding his suite Points on Jazz, a work for classical piano.

The first chapter examines the development of Brubeck’s style from his early childhood years until 1958, the year he composed Points on Jazz. The second chapter details the background of this piece and some of its influences, including Dziekuje, the piece upon which Points on …

Symphony No. 1 And The Development Of New Techniques In Contemporary Music Composition, Eric Lacy

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The initial part of this dissertation is a symphony. Symphony No. 1 consists of three movements. Each movement begins with a monumental gesture designed to make a bold and unforgettable statement. Within each movement, there is an interesting array of harmonic and rhythmic schemes. In Symphony No. 1, the diametrically opposed concepts of “simple” and “complex” are featured prominently. These concepts are contrasted thematically, rhythmically, and harmonically. The next part of this dissertation establishes the existence of certain obstacles facing contemporary composers and the benefits of developing new techniques in composition. The music of György Ligeti and Arvo Pärt are …

Aleksander Peçi Before And After The Iron Curtain, Elida Dakoli

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract This research describes the life, compositional style and works of one of the most well-known Albanian composers, Aleksander Peçi, focusing on how the political climate affected his life and his art. Several of Peçi’s techniques are examined, including Carousel structure, Cartesian Production, Kabaoisos, and Polygravité. Albanian iso-polyphony and its influence on Peçi’s work are discussed. The research was done in hopes of reaching a better understanding of the effects Communism and the subsequent period of freedom have had on Albanian music.

Eduardo Gamboa's Life, Music, And Inspiration. Understanding The Influence Of Folk Music On His Work "Transparencias:" An Analysis, Performance Guide, And Violin Transcription, Perla Del Rocio Fernandez Lopez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the life and music of Mexican living composer Eduardo Gamboa. This study intends to fill a void on the research of Gamboa. This document provides detailed biographical information, information about the influences on his music, and an edition of Transparencias for violin. The first chapter provides a broad biography of the composer including his musical formation, folk experience, and a complete catalog of his works. The second chapter is an introduction about Transparencias and contains the point of view of the composer and of the flutist Tadeu Coelho, to whom Gamboa dedicated …

Ghost Rags By William Bolcom: A Descriptive Analysis And Performance Guide, Vera Zholondz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This document is intended to contribute to the ongoing study of William Bolcom’s work by focusing on the Three Ghost Rags. The main purposes of this study and the accompanying public lecture-recital are threefold: 1) to provide a background on William Bolcom’s compositional style and his role in the revival of interest in ragtime, 2) to provide a specific descriptive analysis of the Three Ghost Rags and 3) to provide a detailed discussion of the pianistic challenges and requirements found in the Three Ghost Rags. These are offered as a practical guide for the performer who wishes to attain an …

A Performer's Guide To Joelle Wallach's A Revisitation Of Myth, Lauren Brown

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this document is to serve as a performance guide to Joelle Wallach’s A Revisitation of Myth, a song cycle containing four songs scored for viola, piano and medium voice. Discussed within this guide will be important characteristics found in the songs, overview and analysis of each song, as well as performance recommendations. According to Wallach, this cycle has never been successfully performed to completion. This document will include biographical information about the composer, Joelle Wallach, as well as commentary about the four poets, Luann Keener, Muriel Rukeyser, Denise Levertov, and Delmore Schwartz, whose texts are set in …

Joshua: Symphonic Suite No. 2 And James Aikman, The Violin Concerto, And The Principle Of Limited Economy, Chad Edward Hughes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation is to present an original work that represents this writer’s perspective as a composer and to examine the work, Violin Concerto No.1, by American composer and educator, James Aikman. The first component of this dissertation is this writer’s composition Joshua: Symphonic Suite No. 2. This work, which portrays the Old Testament Bible story of Joshua, son of Nun, is a neo-tonal ballet, which features the violin extensively. The ballet is divided into four movements, each of which corresponds to a segment of Joshua’s story, including “Joshua and Caleb,” “Rahab and the Spies,” “The River Jordan,” …

The Viola In The Twenty-First Century: A Sound Recording And Performance Guide Of Peter Dayton’S "Fantasy For Viola And Piano," Christopher Hallum’S "A Day In Monroe County," And Christopher Lowry’S "Milestone Miniatures For Solo Viola" And "Suite For Viola And Piano", Christopher Daniel Lowry

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The standard repertoire of the viola is quite small when compared to that of the rest of the string family; the instrument came of age in the twentieth century, which brought about the first important virtuosos and compositions for the instrument. In the twenty-first century, the repertoire of the viola continues to grow, and the author, being both a violist and composer, feels it is important to continue contributing quality music to the instrument, both through his own compositions and through working with other living composers. The purpose of this research was to record a full-length CD of new works …

Charting A Path: How A Group Of Urban Elementary Music Teachers Understand Their Career Decisions, Joseph J. Casselberry

LSU Master's Theses

This qualitative study was an investigation of the career journeys of two elementary music teachers employed in a large urban district. The study also examined the job changing experiences of eight other elementary music teachers in the same district. Perceived employment considerations (factors that are weighed when considering working at one school over another), and the detailed employment experiences of two of these teachers, were explored in order to better understand teacher mobility and attrition. An open ended electronic questionnaire was sent to all 28 elementary music teachers employed by the district. Two teachers were later purposefully sampled from the …

Song And Russian Futurism: The Early Vocal Works Of Nikolay Roslavets And Arthur Lourié, Savanna Rigling

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis analyzes Nikolay Roslavets’s Four Compositions for Voice and Piano and Ar-thur Lourié’s Azbuka and Corona Carminum Sacrorum, all works written during the height of the composers’ involvement with the Russian Futurist movement. These works represent oppo-site means of compositional experimentation. Lourié used Russian folk influences to stretch the limits of tonality through the use of peremennost’. Azbuka and Corona Carminum Sacrorum contain equal tonal centers of A minor and C major with secondary harmonic areas of E minor and G major. Roslavets, however, invented his own system of composing with synthetic chords to free himself from past artistic …

In Support Of Nikolai Medtner: An Examination Of Five Of His Art Songs, Daniel J. Liebeskind

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The music of Nikolai Medtner was neglected during his lifetime and has remained so after his death. While his piano sonatas and fairy tales receive occasional exposure, his 106 art songs are almost never heard. This monograph examines five of the 27 songs that he, himself, recorded. It is hoped that these analyses will convince readers that his most neglected genre is worthy of study and performance. A biography of the composer lays out possible reasons for his neglect, including his principled avoidance of the commercial aspects of the music business, writing in a post-Romantic style during an era that …

Colombian Composer Adolfo Mejia, Four Works For Small Ensembles, Alvaro Jose Angulo Julio

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The present document is a requirement for the Doctoral of Musical Arts degree at Louisiana State University. First, I will present the biography of the Composer Adolfo Mejía, ordered in five different cities where his career was developed. Later, I will describe some aspects of Colombian traditions. I do this with the intention to better understand the composer and some of the pieces entitled with indigenous dance and rhythmic names from different parts of the country. There will be an emphasis on two regions out of six, those more closely related to Mejía’s life. In the same way, I will …

Two-Part Invention For Vibraphone By David Stock: An Analysis And Performance Guide, Gustavo Henrique Miranda

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Two-Part Invention (2014) is David Stock’s only work for solo vibraphone. Although Stock has a vast amount of solo and chamber works for percussion instruments, his music is not well known in the percussion community. The primary goal of this document is to serve as a gateway to his percussion music. This document is intended to explore his music through an analysis that highlights the main features of his compositional process. It also explores the technical and musical demands within Two-Part Invention. My research starts with a short bio on David Stock, highlighting the main accomplishments of his career as …

Songs From Liquid Days By Philip Glass: A Performer's Guide, Jonathan Michael Ray

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research project is to provide the reader and the prospective performer with a comprehensive view of the song cycle Songs from Liquid Days by Philip Glass. Chapter 1 of this document gives a brief compositional history of the cycle. Chapter 2 provides biographical sketches of the composer and the cycle’s four poets: Paul Simon, Suzanne Vega, David Byrne, and Laurie Anderson. Chapter 3 discusses performance practice suggestions for Songs from Liquid Days, including commentary on tempo, style, ensemble choices, pacing, and analyses of both text and music. Chapter 4 compares the artistic interpretations of the 1986 …

Concerto For Cello And Orchestra And A Comparative Study Of The Pedagogical Methods Of Nadia Boulanger And Dr. Dinos Constantinides, Harold Curtuss Mims

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The first part of this dissertation is an original music composition for orchestra entitled, Concerto for Cello and Orchestra. In studying the life of pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim (November 15, 1942-), I discovered a recording of his beautiful and gifted wife Jacqueline Mary Du Pré, (January 26, 1945 – October 19, 1987) performing Edward Elgar's Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85. This experience was the beginning of a love triangle between Elgar, Barenboim, and Du Pré. An attraction to Jacqueline goes deeper than just the music and the cello. Her career was not long due to multiple sclerosis …

Bach's Goldberg Variations: Suggestions For Redistributing The Notes Between The Hands To Facilitate Performance On The Modern Piano, Kia Hadipour

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In Goldberg Variations, Bach has written overlapping voices originally intended for bi manual harpsichord. However, playing the piece on the modern piano causes the hands to collide in those segments,creating a technical challenge that remains unresolved in available editions. In this thesis, I propose a method to reduce the hands’ overlap by re-distributing the notes between them. This solution also improves readability of the score by obviating the need for a clef change at each voice cross. I further use a few examples in the piano repertoire to examine how hand and finger re distribution may facilitate performance. As an …

Rachmaninoff's Trio Elegiaque, Op 9: A Performer's Guide, Elisa Braga Galeano

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This document and the accompanying lecture/recital performance aim to call more attention to this intense and deeply emotional work. Focus will be placed on the technical challenges in the piano part while making recommendations for the performer when appropriate. As background, an overview of Rachmaninoff’s early life and work is presented in order to provide a clearer understanding of what led him to compose this trio. Of particular importance in the writing of this piece was the direct influence of Peter Tchaikovsky’s Trio, Op 50, which will also figure prominently in the background discussion.

Compass: A Musical Journey Through Nature, Matthew Depaula

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Ben Moore's "Dear Theo," For Tenor Voice And Piano: A Performer's Guide, Gregory Michael Gallagher

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

American composer Ben Moore (b. 1960) is a well-regarded painter, pianist, and composer whose compositions have been sung by leading singers of the Metropolitan Opera. This document serves as a performer’s guide to Moore’s song cycle Dear Theo. The song cycle utilizes Moore’s own text adaptations of letters written by Vincent van Gogh to his brother Theo. Chapter 1 presents a biographical sketch of Vincent van Gogh and his path to becoming a painter. Chapter 2 provides a brief life history of Ben Moore based on personal interview. Chapter 3 details the process of creating the song cycle Dear Theo. …