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Articles 1 - 30 of 35
Full-Text Articles in Music Theory
Shadows And Stars: How To Bring Student Compositions To Life, Dylan K. Ahrens
Shadows And Stars: How To Bring Student Compositions To Life, Dylan K. Ahrens
SPARK Symposium Presentations
Student composer Dylan Ahrens will present a session titled 'Shadows and Stars: a Symphony for Band,' premiered by the Belmont University Wind Ensemble on April 17, 2026. The composer will provide an analysis of the piece, discuss compositional processes, and outline the experience of learning to conduct one's own work with a collegiate ensemble. This presentation will include audio and video sample of rehearsal and performance, as well as images from the score.
Structuring The Musical Year: Dance, Topic, And Semiosis In Eighteenth-Century Calendar Music, Braden Shaw
Structuring The Musical Year: Dance, Topic, And Semiosis In Eighteenth-Century Calendar Music, Braden Shaw
Theses and Dissertations--Music
In this thesis, I apply a multifaceted analytical approach to examine a niche category of music called calendar music. In chapter one, I discuss Gregor Joseph Werner’s composition, the New and Very Curious Musical Calendar, and specifically address the minuets found within this work. Werner composes irregular measure groupings in his binary minuets and did so to represent the number of hours in day and night. This irregularity of measure groupings might superficially suggest that Werner’s pieces are stylized minuets only, unintended to accompany physical dancing and far removed from any actual choreographic influence of embodied performance. Werner, …
Music Post-Westernism: From Tonal And Post-Tonal Hegemony To Multipolar Decolonization, Mark Jericho Y. Pacia
Music Post-Westernism: From Tonal And Post-Tonal Hegemony To Multipolar Decolonization, Mark Jericho Y. Pacia
Social Transformations Journal of the Global South
Post-Westernism is a transformation in which the West is no longer the hegemonic center but rather projects a new era of music. This research proposes Post-Westernism as the fundamental shift after the post-tonal (contemporary) era in art (classical) music. While the post-tonal era emerged from the rebellion toward tonality, Post-Westernism calls for critiquing the Western nature of both tonality and post-tonality. Through this, Post Westernism investigates the current musical hegemony and proposes a multipolar system via the decolonization and transculturation of music and scholarship. It answers the question: How will composers innovate when innovation is institutionalized and the avant-garde is …
Idiomatic Compositional Techniques In John Rutter’S Requiem, Marguerite Walsh
Idiomatic Compositional Techniques In John Rutter’S Requiem, Marguerite Walsh
Student Publications
John Rutter is an extremely significant figure in choral music, and his 1985 Requiem is one of his most widely performed works. Despite this popularity, it has yet to be analyzed in a rigorous academic capacity. Requiem is a harmonically rich and sophisticated work, and said lack of previous analysis represents a gap in theoretical research. This thesis analyzes Requiem for significant harmonic structures and idiomatic compositional techniques and applies those techniques in an original composition. Subtopics of note included harmonic non-functionality, modulations, and orchestration. The original work is comprised of two movements for choir and piano respectively titled “Requiem …
Music Therapy Techniques In The Commercial Music Industry, Sarah Heath
Music Therapy Techniques In The Commercial Music Industry, Sarah Heath
Senior Honors Theses
Despite the fact that music is commonly described as free therapy with easily accessible content in the modern age of streaming, most people do not realize that music they already listen to contains many legitimate, psychologically tested therapy. This creative artistic research study examines the role that music therapy processes and techniques play in affecting the form, songwriting and creative processes of the modern music industry. These foundational aspects of songs elicit neurological responses, the emotional effect of which is discussed and incorporated through creative research and implementation through a creative artifact. This study explores songwriting techniques found in various …
An Analysis Of Musical Layers And Formal Organization In Takashi Yoshimatsu's Piano Concerto, Memo Flora, Jacob A. Farr
An Analysis Of Musical Layers And Formal Organization In Takashi Yoshimatsu's Piano Concerto, Memo Flora, Jacob A. Farr
Music Theses - Archive
My thesis, An Analysis of Musical Layers and Formal Organization in Takashi Yoshimatsu’s Piano Concerto, Memo Flora, draws on a range of analytical techniques to uncover writhing the work, a deep connection to classical formal norms, that are hinted at by the composer in the program notes and interviews regarding Memo Flora. A driving force behind the analysis is my concept of musical layers, in which the music is separated, according to the perception of the listener/analyst, into various Musical Strata. These Musical Strata can then be represented in a musical analysis of the work via corresponding musical-analytical strata. …
The Flex Voice In The Soundtracks For The Nintendo Game Boy, Matthew Dineiro
The Flex Voice In The Soundtracks For The Nintendo Game Boy, Matthew Dineiro
Theses and Dissertations
The Nintendo Game Boy had a sound chip which allowed for only three pitched voices and one unpitched percussive voice. These limitations affected the music that was written for this video game system. Of the three pitched voices, one voice typically performs the melody, and one voice typically is the bass and harmonic foundation. This thesis analyzes the third voice, typically in the middle of the musical texture, and the various functions that it can hold. As is discussed, the middle voice sometimes pairs in harmony with the melody or the bass. In other cases, however, it forms a musical …
Applications Of Video Game Music Theory For The Highschool/College Theory Curriculum, Daniel L. Thompson
Applications Of Video Game Music Theory For The Highschool/College Theory Curriculum, Daniel L. Thompson
Honors Theses and Capstones
This paper covers the origins of video game audio and the technical limitations that effected what composers could write. Several audio excerpts have been transcribed with roman numeral analysis. The goal of this project was to determine if musical excerpts from video games could supplement an existing highschool/college theory curriculum. Theory techniques ranging from simple cadences to secondary function chords are present throughout the pieces. The pieces are from a variety of games and composers from 1983 - 2014. Overall, many of the compositions contain excellent examples of theory techniques. These excerpts would best be utilized alongside existing theory material. …
A Theory Of Text Setting Contour: A Proposed Theory That Places Text At The Structural Foreground Of The Analysis Of Vocal Music, Grace K. Weaver
A Theory Of Text Setting Contour: A Proposed Theory That Places Text At The Structural Foreground Of The Analysis Of Vocal Music, Grace K. Weaver
Music ETDs
How can contour theory be used to analyze a composer’s setting of a poem? Can this approach provide insights that lead to an interpretation of the composer’s setting of the text? This study presents a new contour theory on text setting by examining two different settings of the same text. This theory examines one aspect of the music, the vocal line, and plots syllable’s locations in two dimensions of music: pitch space and duration. Using these data points, one can suggest an interpretation of the poem. Through the application of this theory to Fanny Hensel and Franz Schubert’s setting of …
Musical Scores And The Eternal Present: Theology, Time, And Tolkien By Chiara Bertoglio, John Wm. Houghton
Musical Scores And The Eternal Present: Theology, Time, And Tolkien By Chiara Bertoglio, John Wm. Houghton
Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature
Review of Chiara Bertoglio, Musical Scores and the Eternal Present: Theology, Time, and Tolkien (2021).
Siren Song: Examining The Lorelei Topos In Nineteenth-Century German Art Song And Its Manifestation And Transformation In Popular Song, Elizabeth Woodall
Siren Song: Examining The Lorelei Topos In Nineteenth-Century German Art Song And Its Manifestation And Transformation In Popular Song, Elizabeth Woodall
Theses and Dissertations--Music
The Lorelei, a German mythical figure, is a popular topic in nineteenth-century German Lieder. However, there are also many overt references to her in the 20th and 21st centuries. Does she continue to manifest in current music in the same ways or has she evolved over time? I will also explore musical settings in which she is not specifically named, but is referenced through musical and mythical descriptors. In order to identify covert references to the Lorelei, one must first classify and understand the musical and literary signifiers that composers of the nineteenth century used to depict her …
Lost In Translation? A Comparison Of The Anna Magdalena Bach Manuscript And John W. Duarte Arrangement Of Cello Suite No. 3, Bwv 1009 By Johann Sebastian Bach, Benjamin Riley
Theses and Dissertations
This study explores Anna Magdalena Bach’s manuscript of Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009 and John W. Duarte’s arrangement of this work. The findings of this study show that this arrangement is idiomatic for guitar, incorporates J. S. Bach’s approach to arrangement, and is part of a long musical tradition.
Theoretical And Compositional Analysis Of Select Metal Works, Jacob Bird
Theoretical And Compositional Analysis Of Select Metal Works, Jacob Bird
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This paper is a comprehensive essay on the history, form, and compositional techniques of Extreme Metal music. Within Extreme Metal this paper will cover three sub-genres using compositions by Burzum, Death, and Gojira. This paper is meant to show a link between the compositional techniques used in Western Classical music and Extreme Metal through analysis of form, harmony, and tonality/modality. The scope of this paper primarily focuses on the popular music form verse/chorus which is compared to a variety of Western Classical music forms. The goal is to promote future research into the Extreme Metal style and other popular music …
Comparing Traditional And Modern Trends In Jazz Improvisation, Ryan M. Johnson
Comparing Traditional And Modern Trends In Jazz Improvisation, Ryan M. Johnson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis compares traditional and modern jazz improvisation through analysis. These analyses discuss various musical techniques and ideas specific to each differing era. The case studies focus on three traditional jazz standards: "Autumn Leaves," "Someday My Prince Will Come," and "Cantaloupe Island." Two solo transcriptions (one traditional and one modern) represent each tune, including performances by Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Paul Desmond, Herbie Hancock, Yohan Kim, and Cory Henry. The older transcriptions showcase classic chord-scale relations, diatonic chord harmony, consistent rhythms with spacious phrasing, and recalled material. The newer transcriptions consist more of dense harmony, scales independent from the composed …
Peculiar Attunements: How Affect Theory Turned Musical [Table Of Contents], Roger Mathew Grant
Peculiar Attunements: How Affect Theory Turned Musical [Table Of Contents], Roger Mathew Grant
Philosophy & Theory
Peculiar Attunements places the recent turn to affect into conversation with a parallel movement that took place in European music theory of the eighteenth century. During that time the affects—or the passions, as they were also called—formed a vital component of a mimetic model of the arts. Eighteenth-century critics held that artworks imitated or copied the natural world in order to produce copies of the affects in their beholders. But music caused a problem for these thinkers, since it wasn’t apparent that musical tones could imitate anything with any dependability (except, perhaps, for the rare thunderclap or birdcall). Struggling to …
Two Analytical Essays, Abigail Rueger
Two Analytical Essays, Abigail Rueger
Theses and Dissertations--Music
These two essays address different issues regarding Lieder. Chapter 1 discusses moon topoi and traces the development of these topics from “naïve” in Gluck’s works to “sentimental” in the songs of Fanny Hensel, based on the philosophical ideas of Friedrich Schiller. Chapter 2 focuses on specific translation theory, drawing on work from Mona Baker and Zhang Qun-Xing, arguing that one cannot compare two song settings of different translations of the same poem, since the translator’s bias is inserted into the poetry, thereby changing the meaning of each song.
Evolving Structures In Peter Klatzow's "Dances Of Earth And Fire", Chris Goulet
Evolving Structures In Peter Klatzow's "Dances Of Earth And Fire", Chris Goulet
Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)
Peter Klatzow’s Dances of Earth and Fire is a staple of modern marimba repertoire. However, there has been no previous music theory-based analysis of this piece, and this thesis is meant to fill that analytical gap. This document will delve into the harmonic techniques utilized by Klatzow in this piece, which is comprised primarily of symmetrical scales such as the Octatonic scale and Hexatonic scale. There will also be an extensive analysis of the unique form of this piece, which Klatzow dubs “Evolving Structures”. Both of these elements are vital to understanding how the music is constructed. The primary focus …
Motivic Voice-Leading In Selected Piano Cycles Of Johannes Brahms, Jacob Joel Gran
Motivic Voice-Leading In Selected Piano Cycles Of Johannes Brahms, Jacob Joel Gran
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
This dissertation identifies a technique used by Brahms to organize the compositional designs of his piano cycles. The technique is motivic voice-leading. By that I mean that certain patterns of triadic voice-leading gain significance through their unconventional use or varied repetition that have implications throughout the cycle. And, in the same way that traditional melodic or rhythmic motives can be developed and reworked, the composer may break these voice-leading patterns into their component stepwise connections. These stepwise dyads may be developed independently of their original triadic context, in the manner of a pitch-class motive.[1] We can understand many …
Electronics And The Music Of Miles Davis, Darren E. Shekailo
Electronics And The Music Of Miles Davis, Darren E. Shekailo
Theses and Dissertations
Miles Davis produced a wealth of music relying on the use of electronic instruments and new technology. With their adoption, the famous trumpeter began his “electric” period. Examining the electric period of Davis’s career helps us trace the profound impact of electronic instruments and technological advances on his music.
Undergraduate Music Theory Terminology Used By Selected Spanish-Speaking Instructors In Chile: Development, Similarities, And Limitations, Enrique Sandoval-Cisternas
Undergraduate Music Theory Terminology Used By Selected Spanish-Speaking Instructors In Chile: Development, Similarities, And Limitations, Enrique Sandoval-Cisternas
Theses and Dissertations--Music
Six Chilean music theory instructors participated in an anonymous survey applied over an online platform between April and October of 2017. These instructors were invited to participate in this study because of their role in teaching music theory at influential institutions, each of which is ranked among the top ten best universities in Chile. The questions included in the survey relate to the terminology used to refer to music elements upon which current American music theory textbooks consistently agree, and that are usually taught during the first two years of undergraduate studies in accredited American music schools: types of cadences, …
An Analysis Of Dvořák’S Symphony No. 6, Ii, Using Neo-Riemannian Transformation Techniques, Mary Hannah Mallett
An Analysis Of Dvořák’S Symphony No. 6, Ii, Using Neo-Riemannian Transformation Techniques, Mary Hannah Mallett
Honors Theses
Music theory is often used to analyze compositions and provide insight into the inner workings of the literature. Any new type of analysis provides a different view of the work and they can all be used to better understand the work, composer, and performance practice. This analysis uses Neo-Riemannian Transformation Theory to highlight some of the voice leading within Dvořák’s Sixth Symphony. The Sixth Symphony currently has never been analyzed using Neo-Riemannian Transformation Theory. The entire second movement was analyzed using a traditional harmonic analysis and then the author selected three excerpts, containing voice leading that could be classified using …
It Can't Be! Faked Functionality And Ambiguity In Brahms's F Minor, Kyle Kostenko
It Can't Be! Faked Functionality And Ambiguity In Brahms's F Minor, Kyle Kostenko
Honors Projects
A performance of any piece of music is not complete if the performer has not looked at the piece from historical and analytical perspectives. Having decided to perform the first movement of Johannes Brahms’s Sonata in F Minor, Op. 120 No.1 on my senior recital, I wanted to analyze the piece so that I had an understanding of how it was composed, hoping that this knowledge would influence my performance. Knowing that Brahms is considered a formalist composer writing in the Romantic era, I hoped to discern how Brahms was able to create a piece that was both Romantic and …
Music Theory For Student Composers: A Course Designed For Engagement By Using Both A Flipped Classroom And Praxial Philosophy, Michelle Nagy
Music Theory For Student Composers: A Course Designed For Engagement By Using Both A Flipped Classroom And Praxial Philosophy, Michelle Nagy
Masters Theses
In a world filled with innovation, technology and hands-on learning, the subject of music theory in the high school classroom has stayed relatively the same for the past fifty years for the student composer. By using the same tried-and-true methods, teachers are introducing concepts through lectures, while students reinforce concepts on their own during their homework assignments. Music examples are given on a regular basis and they are usually played on the piano by the professor or through recording. These methods, while effective, are not meeting the needs of today’s tech savvy and hands-on generation. While students are engaging with …
Preparation For Collegiate Music Theory And Aural Skills Through Repertoire, Caroline E. Dunmire
Preparation For Collegiate Music Theory And Aural Skills Through Repertoire, Caroline E. Dunmire
Senior Honors Theses
Music majors often struggle in first-year music theory and aural skills coursework. These struggles have lead to increased dropout rates among music students. Even those students who succeed in music theory course work often are not able to apply theory concepts to music literature. Some universities have identified this problem and sought to rectify it through offering remedial course work, however the universities should not bear this burden. Success in theory and aural skills is linked to mastery of music fundamentals and basic aural skills. Pre-college studies should focus on these subjects and not place too much emphasis on advanced …
Cello Technique: A Result Of Cello Construction And Its Effect On Virtuosic Playing In The Works Of Dvořák And Pärt, Mineo P. Yasutake Mr.
Cello Technique: A Result Of Cello Construction And Its Effect On Virtuosic Playing In The Works Of Dvořák And Pärt, Mineo P. Yasutake Mr.
Music: Student Scholarship & Creative Works
No abstract provided.
Tone Row Partitions In Schoenberg's Moses Und Aron The Volk Partition And The Zwischenspiel Partition, William E. Johnson
Tone Row Partitions In Schoenberg's Moses Und Aron The Volk Partition And The Zwischenspiel Partition, William E. Johnson
Graduate Thesis Collection
Arnold Schoenberg's development of twelve-tone serial ism in the early 20th Century had profound and far-reaching impact on the musical world. As Schoenberg himself grew and matured as a composer, so did the compositional technique of, and indeed his proficiency with, serialism. The opera Moses und Aron was composed in Schoenberg's third compositional period that lasted from 1923 through Schoenberg's death in 1951 and was characterized almost exclusively by this new technique of twelvetone serialism. Moses und Aron's first two Acts (as well as the libretto for the third) were written from 1930 to 1932 and based entirely on a …
Handel's Bass Solos In His Oratorios, Ronald E. Jones
Handel's Bass Solos In His Oratorios, Ronald E. Jones
All Master's Theses
Handel, recognized as a great Baroque composer, has had his vocal compositions performed by most serious singers. Many of these would agree that his compositions are, in general, very considerate of the singer and seldom vocally awkward. Since Handel wrote for all types of voices, most singers may find appropriate literature in his oratories. All singers should have some acquaintance with Handel's vocal compositions. Unfortunately, much of the present repertoire represents little of the bel canto techniques of the golden age of singing of which Handel was a part. This writer believes every serious vocal student should at least know …
Brahms' Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Handel, Op. 24: A Study Of The Technique Of Harmonic Variation, Richard C. Grant
Brahms' Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Handel, Op. 24: A Study Of The Technique Of Harmonic Variation, Richard C. Grant
All Master's Theses
It is the purpose of this study to isolate as much as possible a single technique, harmonic variation, and explore its techniques and uses through the study of a complete set of variations. The study is limited to harmonic concepts, procedures, and techniques used by the composer in the development of this particular set.
An Investigation Of Italian Singing Practices Of The Seventeenth And Eighteenth Centuries, George C. White
An Investigation Of Italian Singing Practices Of The Seventeenth And Eighteenth Centuries, George C. White
Graduate Student Research Papers
Many contemporary documented sources have substantiated the claims of earlier scholars that singing in the eighteenth century reached such a high point of skill and virtuosity that it has never since been equaled. If the above is true, it would seem that an investigation of the early singing schools would be of value to contemporary teachers and students of singing, in as much as various vocal theories seem to advocate differences of opinion.
Benjamin Britten: Stylistic Devices And Characteristics Of Peter Grimes, Aletha Warring Farrell
Benjamin Britten: Stylistic Devices And Characteristics Of Peter Grimes, Aletha Warring Farrell
Graduate Student Research Papers
It is the purpose of this study to investigate, compile and elucidate techniques, devices, and stylistic characteristics employed by Benjamin Britten in the opera Peter Grimes.