Music Performance Commons^™

Creating And Implementing Community-Based Performance Programs: A Guide For The Applied Studio Teacher, Lauren Watkins

Theses and Dissertations

As performers, many professionals in the fields of chamber music and orchestral playing participate in educational and community programming. In an effort to help graduates meet these new challenges, 21st century music schools are creating diverse performance and education experiences for their students to gain skills for success beyond graduation. Until recently, not many music schools offered opportunities for students to learn and develop skills in the area of community programming. In the current music school curriculum, there exists a largely untapped potential for applied teachers to create and institute community performance-based programs for their students. Participation in these programs …

A History Of The Plagal-Amen Cadence, Jason Terry

Theses and Dissertations

Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, most hymns in the Anglo-American tradition ended with the congregation singing amen following the original stanzas, almost always framed within a plagal cadence. Helping this tradition take root was Hymns Ancient & Modern (1861), an Anglican hymnal that published the “amen” cadence after every modern hymn. This practice was heavily adopted among other denominational hymnals throughout England and the United States, peaking around the turn of the century. By the middle of the twentieth century, a decline in the number of hymnals including this cadence was noticeable; however, it would take until the end of …

A Comprehensive Examination Of The Saxophone Chamber Music Of John Fitz Rogers, Gabriel Michael Anthony Fadale

Theses and Dissertations

The body of classical saxophone chamber repertoire is an ever-evolving collection of music. Presently, many contemporary composers endeavor to write for the saxophone, some more successfully than others. Modern musical language can be overly obtuse and convoluted with avant-garde techniques and sounds that, when performed, may cause an emotional and intellectual disconnect between the performer and the audience. When new pieces are composed that are of high quality and use language that is accessible to performers and audiences alike, it is important for saxophonists to be aware of these compositions and the composers creating them. This document presents the music …

Post-Genre: Understanding The Classical-Jazz Hybrid Of Third Stream Music Through The Guitar Works Of Frederic Hand, Ralph Towner, And Ken Hatfield, Andrew Jurik

Theses and Dissertations

Gunther Schuller coined the term “third stream” in 1957 as a reference for a style of music that blends the practices of both the classical and the jazz traditions. Despite a fair critical reception and the efforts of like-minded musicians and composers, third stream as a musical concept failed to achieve much commercial success, and by the 1970s it was considered a passing modernist fad. Nonetheless, the fusion of classical and popular musical genres that embodies spirit of third stream thrives today, although most practitioners tend to neglect the term itself. The purpose of this document is to examine the …

The Electric Marimba: A Study Of Selected Works For Marimba With Electronic Effect, Brett Bernard Landry

Theses and Dissertations

Over the course of the last century, literature for the solo marimba has been greatly expanded by a wide variety of composers to include nearly every contemporary style and genre. One such area of expansion is the use of electronic effect, defined as the augmentation of the acoustic marimba using looping and delay technologies in live performance. This study illuminates the history of electronic effect technology and briefly describes the technological options employed in the genre of marimba with electronic effect. Concepts specific to the genre are also addressed; specifically, the terminology of rhythmic delay and harmonic delay. To introduce …

Exploring The Life And Music Of Percy Grainger Through Transcription, Francisco Javier D. De Alba

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this lecture recital was to demonstrate how Percy Grainger’s life affected his compositional works and arrangements, as well as the stylistic choices made in my transcriptions of his music. This was achieved through a discussion of the different occupations that Percy Grainger had throughout his life, such as a pianist, composer, and ethnomusicologist. In addition, the lecture included an analysis of five pieces by Percy Grainger: Country Gardens, Eastern Intermezzo, Mock Morris, Spoon River, and Handel in the Strand. Transcriptions of these pieces were performed and comparisons were made to Percy Grainger’s original scores.

The Evolution Of The Clarinet And Its Effect On Compositions Written For The Instrument, Victoria A. Hargrove

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this lecture recital was to reflect upon the rapid mechanical progression of the clarinet, a fairly new instrument to the musical world and how these quick changes effected the way composers were writing music for the instrument. There are many factors to the contribution of the clarinet repertoire in which some are explored in the following research. This research revealed that the evolution of the clarinet depended on many individuals both composers, performers, and instrument makers alike.

The Prepared Flute: A Survey Of Its History, Techniques, And Repertoire, Stacey Lee Russell

Theses and Dissertations

Beginning with Varese’s Density 21.5 in 1936, composers have been experimenting with extended techniques to expand the flute’s range of sound. In an attempt to increase the timbral possibilities of the instrument, contemporary composers are writing for the prepared flute: adding objects on or inside the flute, or subtracting parts of the flute to alter its sound.

is the first written document to focus on the prepared flute. Deborah Fethers, in her major project discussing contemporary flute design in 2005, mentions the use of prepared flute by Michael Pestel, and states that “to my knowledge the only use of such …

Paul Jacobs, Elliott Carter, And An Overview Of Selected Stylistic Aspects Of Night Fantasies, Alan Michael Rudell

Theses and Dissertations

This study concerns the life and career of Paul Jacobs, focusing in particular on the role Jacobs played in bringing about new American works for piano in the second half of the twentieth century. Jacobs was a key figure in the New York new music scene of the 1960s and 1970s and a personal friend to many composers who were active during this period. The study provides an overview of historical events which brought about the musical climate of late twentieth century America, a climate that was not entirely hospitable to native-born American composers. It examines Jacobs’ collaboration with Elliott …

The Music Of Nicola Ferro: A Description And Performance Guide To Tetralogy Of The Sun Suite And Annotated Guide To Published Works, Bradley James Keesler

Theses and Dissertations

The subject of this research document is the music of Italian trombonist and composer Nicola Ferro (b. 1974). The main purpose of this document is an attempt to initiate scholarly research of Ferro and his compositions. While much of his music has been performed and recorded by some of the world’s greatest musicians (most notably Joseph Alessi, New York Philharmonic Principal Trombonist), there is very little written research on the subject of Ferro or his music.

Part of this document will serve as a performance guide to one of his most important compositions, the Tetralogy of the Sun Suite for …

Samuel Barber’S Settings Of James Joyce’S Chamber Music: A Proposal For A Posthumous Song Cycle, Michael Pierre Laroche

Theses and Dissertations

Samuel Barber’s Opus 10 songs are some of his most well-known vocal works. These settings from Chamber Music by James Joyce were published in 1939, but posthumous research by biographer Barbara Heyman and a complete vocal recordings project by Thomas Hampson, Cheryl Studer, and John Browning led to the discovery and recording of ten additional songs, including three more Joyce settings. Schirmer published these Ten Early Songs around the same time as the Deutsche Grammophon. Research has shown the dates of composition to be within days of the published Opus 10 songs, but no other information on these songs exists …

A Performance Practice Guide For Select Baroque Transcriptions For Clarinet, Michael Brady Hough

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to provide a performance practice guide of selected works from the Baroque period that are transcribed for clarinet.

The Baroque period has an important but often overlooked wealth of literature for clarinet players. Although there are few original works for the clarinet that were composed during this period due to the clarinet's later development, there is still much that clarinet players can learn from this important body of work.

Performance practice of Baroque transcriptions is particularly significant. For instance, taking music written for a string instrument and transcribing it for a wind instrument brings …

Finding Meaning In Detachment: An Analysis Of Kevin Volans' Asanga, Jordan Taylor Walsh

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the undeniable importance of Kevin Volans' music, there has been little academic research done on his work. This is especially true of his pieces for percussion. This paper both dissects the form and structure Volans' piece for multiple percussion Asanga and explores the different interpretations by players from around the world that have contributed to the accepted performance practice for the piece. The ultimate goal of this project is to achieve a detailed understanding of how Asanga works and record this knowledge for the benefit of any future percussionists who add the piece to their repertoire.

The Influence Of Romantic Poetry On The Career And Music Of Nicolas Medtner, Denise Rudell

Theses and Dissertations

Nicolas Medtner was a composer born out of his time. He was a true Romantic in the Russian Silver Age and his creative ideology owes much to the Romantic poetry that he was devoted to all his life. This poetry put a decisive stamp on his music and influenced his career decisions. Medtner was exposed to the most renowned literature from an early age. Influenced by his father, and his oldest brother Emil, he developed a lifelong love for literature and especially poetry. Literary connections are apparent throughout Medtner’s music, including (and not limited to) references to Goethe, Pushkin, Lermontov, …

Archival Enactment, Retelling 'The Big Book': Alison Knowles, Something Else Press And Fluxus, Meghan A. Dellacrosse

Theses and Dissertations

"Archival Enactment, Retelling 'The Big Book': Alison Knowles, Something Else Press and Fluxus," positions Knowles’ Big Book (1966) as a case study of historical methodology and interdisciplinary artistic practice in the post-war period. This comprehensive analysis of Big Book, a work of art no longer extant, contextualizes its publisher, Something Else Press through Dick Higgins’ concept of “intermedia,” and important lesser-known junctures relevant to Fluxus and the group’s leader George Maciunas are illuminated. Knowles' early and lesser-known silkscreen paintings are also examined.

Frank Martin's Arranged Works For Flute: Sonata Da Chiesa And Deuxieme Ballade, Jessica Dixon Leeth

Theses and Dissertations

The Swiss composer Frank Martin (1890-1974) wrote three major works for flute—Ballade for flute and piano, Sonata da Chiesa for flute and organ, and Deuxième Ballade for flute and piano. Of these, both the Sonata da Chiesa and Deuxième Ballade were arrangements of two of his previously written works, Sonata da Chiesa for viola d’amore and organ and Ballade for saxophone and piano (or string orchestra, piano, and percussion), respectively. Martin wrote both works in their original versions in 1938, a time in his career when he realized his true individual style, embracing the chromaticism of twelve-tone serialism while maintaining …

An Annotated Bibliography Of Saxophone Works By Taiwanese Composers, Po-Fang Chang

Theses and Dissertations

Saxophone works by Taiwanese composers are, as yet, rarely researched nor introduced to the Western saxophone community. The purpose of this research paper is to create an annotated bibliography of works by prominent Taiwanese composers as a practical resource for pedagogues, researchers, and performers. Each work is introduced with background information, compositional ideas, performance length, a performance guide, and level of difficulty. In addition, a short biography and contact information for each composer is also included. It is the author’s goal to increase the exposure of these important contemporary works to the wider saxophone community, so that there will be …

Metamorphoses After Oboe: An Examination Of The Evolution Of Oboe Part Writing Through Music History, Patrick Quinn

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout Western music history, the oboe has served as one of the primary members of the orchestra. From its beginnings in the Baroque consort to the modern day orchestra, the instrument's story is one of unique ups and downs between being a staple and being a necessity. Though the instrument has weathered much through Western music history, it has endured and evolved into the instrument that is so familiar today. What is not as familiar, however, is the progression the oboe took to get to its modern iteration. The modern oboe represents years of development, both technologically and musically, on …

A Survey Of The Career Of Baritone, Josef Metternich: Artist And Teacher, Diana Carol Amos

Theses and Dissertations

Joseph Metternich, (1915- 2005) a prominent, internationally acclaimed opera singer of the mid-twentieth century, distinguished himself primarily in Italian baritone bel canto roles. In a career that spanned four decades, he performed in the major opera houses of the world, becoming one of the premiere operatic recording artists while portraying the heroes and villains of the operatic repertoire. At the height of his career, from 1946 to 1952, he was contractually bound to five opera houses at the same time, including theaters in Vienna, Austria as well as in East and West Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich in Germany.

From 1952 …

Two Pieces For Bassoon By Dan Welcher: A Guide To Performance And Analysis, Including A Survey Of Welcher’S Chamber Music With Bassoon, Reed Aaron Hanna

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a performance guide that traces the compositional style of Dan Welcher, a well-known composer and former principal bassoonist of the Louisville Symphony and professor of bassoon at the University of Texas, through an examination of two works in which the bassoon is a prominent solo instrument: Concerto da Camera (1975) and The Wind Won’t Listen (2002). These works, a concerto and a chamber piece, span a period of almost 30 years in Welcher’s career. The study also includes a survey of other chamber music by Welcher involving the bassoon. It relates the two focal pieces to the …

The Social And Cultural Changes That Affected The Music Of Motown Records From 1959-1972, Lindsey Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Motown Records produced many of the greatest musicians from the 1960s and the 1970s. During this time, songs like "Dancing in the Street" and "What's Going On?" targeted social issues in America and created a voice for African-American people through their messages. Events like the Mississippi Freedom Summer and Bloody Thursday inspired the artists at Motown to create these songs. Influenced by the cultural and social circumstances of the Civil Rights Movement, the musical output of Motown Records between 1959 and 1972 evolved from a sole focus on entertainment in popular culture to a focus on motivating social change through …

Folk Influences Of Aaron Copland And Britten, Tyler Krug

Theses and Dissertations

In the more recent past, nationalism, or a pride in one's country, has been the dominating factor for much of the world's historical events. Wars have been propagandized, countries have been fundamentally built, destroyed and reinvigorated, and for better or worse, this principle influences one's beliefs today as one's knowledge of the world expands in conjunction with technology. Folk music has always been a form of national pride and has been used as an exploit for the reasons listed above; therefore composers have maintained an interest in a national sound. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, composers began to use …

Claude Debussy: Harmonic Innovations In Historical And Musical Context, Ford Joseph Forqurean

Theses and Dissertations

Claude Debussy's music developed as a product of his environment and culminated in the creation of a unique harmonic vernacular that permeates the twentieth century's tonal language. Through a historical and musical context, his early life through his formative years as a composer will be examined as a natural progression of his environment. The first section of this work will discuss these developments while the second part will analyze the structure and form of the Premiere Rhapsodie for clarinet and piano to illustrate the culmination of this trajectory.

Late Romanticism pushed tonality to its breaking point. Composers were forced to …

The Conscious Guitarist: Alexander Technique And Body Mapping For Guitarists, Alma Sehic

Theses and Dissertations

Musicians “move” for a living, yet many guitarists (among other instrumentalists) seem to be unaware of the quality of their movements in playing and teaching the instrument. This may simply be due to the lack of appropriate movement training and body awareness incorporated into current teaching practices, which leaves guitarists vulnerable to playing-related injuries, pain, and frustrating technical limitations. The purpose of this dissertation is to introduce somatic education into guitar pedagogy and performance, as a means of enhancing performing abilities and preventing injury.

After introducing the basis and principles of Alexander Technique and Body Mapping, the author provides practical …

The Music Of James Reese Europe For Vernon And Irene Castle, Ralph G. Barrett

Theses and Dissertations

James Reese Europe (1881-1919) was one of the leading African American musicians of the first two decades of the twentieth century. He was renowned as a conductor of theater and dance orchestras, a composer of syncopated dance music and popular song, and an advocate for improved opportunities and remuneration for African American professional musicians in New York. From late 1913 until mid-1915, Europe was musical director for the popular exhibition dance team of Vernon (1887-1918) and Irene (1893-1969) Castle. During their brief career, the Castle's were instrumental in changing the sordid image of social dancing during America's 'dance craze' of …

Piano Music Of Elisenda Fábregas: A Stylistic Analysis, Jinha Park

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to present a stylistic analysis of the piano music by American-Spanish composer and pianist Elisenda F├â┬íbregas (b.1955). F├â┬íbregas' compositional output includes more than forty works for solo, chamber ensemble, vocal, chorus and orchestra; her large-scale piano works consist of Mirage (1997), Portraits I (2000), Homenatge a Mompou (2006), and Hommage ├â┬á Mozart (2006). Chapter I consists of an introduction, including the purpose of the investigation and a literature review. Chapter II covers brief biographical information, compositional genre and style, and compositional output of piano, vocal and chamber music. Chapter III provides a stylistic analysis …

Chamber Music In Alternative Venues In The 21st Century U.S.: Investigating The Effect Of New Venues On Concert Culture, Programming And The Business Of Classical Music, Sarah May Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates chamber music performances outside of traditional concert venues in the 21st-century U.S. The literature review traces the use of non-traditional venues throughout history from Bach's coffee house concerts to the gallery and loft concerts, which first emerged in the 1950s and 60s. The literature review will also look at the business of classical music established in the 20th century.

The study explores whether new venues have changed the landscape of classical music by interviewing players and concert promoters who present concerts in non-traditional venues as well as owners of popular music venues, which host classical music. Using …

Made In Japan: Kumi-Daiko As A New Art Form, Anna Marie Viviano

Theses and Dissertations

Japanese taiko ensemble drumming, known in Japan as kumi-daiko, is an art form that has only taken shape within the past fifty years. This new performance style involving taiko seems, on the surface, to have much in common with traditional Japanese court and theater music, regarded by scholars as the art music of Japan. Using drums that have a long history in Japan, however, does not necessarily make that ensemble part of ancient Japanese tradition. By studying the most famous groups in Japan, such as Kodo, it is easy to discern that kumi-daiko has many different inspirations, but is not …

Conrad Susa's Discovery And Praises: A Conductor's Guide To Performance Considerations, Keith Harry Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Conrad Susa (b. 1935) is an American composer who has contributed over thirty choral works that are of high quality incorporating texts written by well-known literary figures. His choral works are usually spiritual in nature though not strictly liturgical. Discovery and Praises is a presently unpublished cantata in four movements for mixed chorus, solos for two sopranos, an alto, a tenor, and a baritone. The accompaniment is scored for organ, harp, percussion, flute and handbells. Susa chose to set ancient poetry by Caedmon, Wipo of Burgundy, John Donne, and St. Patrick. Although the piece was composed in 1966 and revised …

The Wind Chamber Works Of Ernst Toch: A History And Comparative Analysis, C. Nicole Gross

Theses and Dissertations

Ernst Toch (1887-1964) is one of the forgotten composers of the twentieth century. Paul Hindemith, Arnold Schoenberg, and Kurt Weill were contemporaries, while Wilhelm Furtwängler, and Erich Kleiber championed his early works. Toch lamented his lack of notoriety to Nicolas Slonimsky two years prior to his death. Forgotten or underappreciated were his numerous compositions of art music written in the decades prior to his immigration to the United States and in the final years of his career; remembered only were his lighter works and American film music.

Toch composed one work for military band: Spiel für Blasorchester, Op. 39 (1926), …