Harry Partch: And on the Seventh Day Petals Fell on Petaluma (open access)

Harry Partch: And on the Seventh Day Petals Fell on Petaluma

Harry Partch's tuning system is an important contribution to tuning theory, and his music is original and significant. Part One of this study presents a brief biography of Partch, a discussion of his musical aesthetics (Monophony and Corporeality), and a technical summary of his tuning system. These elements are placed in historical perspective. Part Two presents a comprehensive analysis of "And on the Seventh Day Petals Fell on Petaluma," discussing the organization of formal, textural, rhythmic, linear, and tonal elements in the thirty-four "verses" of the work. Part Two concludes by showing how large-scale structure in the work is achieved through an overlay process.
Date: August 1982
Creator: Nicholl, Matthew James
System: The UNT Digital Library
Alban Berg as Liedkomponist: An Analytical Study of his Two Settings of "Schliesse mir die Augen beide," 1907 and 1925 (open access)

Alban Berg as Liedkomponist: An Analytical Study of his Two Settings of "Schliesse mir die Augen beide," 1907 and 1925

Alan Berg's two musical settings of Theodor Storm's poem"Schliesse mir die Augen beide" have received little in the way of scholarly analytical attention. The three major chapters of this thesis deal with the two settings on three different levels. Chapter II surveys the political and cultural milieu in which Berg functioned as a young composer of Lieder in the years 1900-1910. Chapter III examines the special quality of lyricism which is often attributed to Berg and his works. Chapter IV provides more definitive and complete musical analyses of the two settings than have heretofore been available. The question of what role songwriting played in the development of Berg's compositional process is addressed in the conclusion.
Date: May 1986
Creator: Ray, Karen, 1951-
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Analysis of William Walton's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (open access)

An Analysis of William Walton's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra

The rhythmic analyses (derived from the rhythm tables of Chapter II) reveal: 1. Walton used rhythms sparingly. 2. Walton's rhythms constitute an evolutionary state of re-creation, i. e., Walton's rhythms are in empathy with each other. The harmonic analyses (derived from the harmonic fluctuation tables of Chapter II) reveal: 1. The most frequent chords of any classification occur in groups III and IV (chords of the highest tension). 2. The most frequent dissonant interval used is that of the major seventh.
Date: January 1957
Creator: Pipkin, Robert Joseph
System: The UNT Digital Library
Drama and Characterization in Opera Settings of "A Midsummer Nightʼs Dream" by Britten and Siegmeister (open access)

Drama and Characterization in Opera Settings of "A Midsummer Nightʼs Dream" by Britten and Siegmeister

Although Shakespeare deliberately downplays characterization in his moonlit dream fantasy, both Britten and Siegmeister exploit this dramatic element as the basis of their opera settings of the play. Through the operas, the shallow characters take on new dimensions, creating musical experiences existing quite independently of Shakespeare, while at the same time retaining the atmosphere of a dream-fantasy. Placing emphases upon varying aspects of the play, the two composers create entirely different revelations from the Bard's dream. This paper presents a study of the way in which drama and characterization are treated in the operas, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Night of the Moonspell.
Date: August 1982
Creator: Allen, Debra K. (Debra Kaye)
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Earliest Operas of Giuseppe Verdi with Emphasis Upon Ernani (open access)

The Earliest Operas of Giuseppe Verdi with Emphasis Upon Ernani

This thesis provides a brief history of opera as well as analysis of the operas of Giuseppe Verdi.
Date: August 1958
Creator: Johnson, Mary Jo, 1935-
System: The UNT Digital Library
Elements of Verismo in Selected Operas of Giuseppe Verdi (open access)

Elements of Verismo in Selected Operas of Giuseppe Verdi

In music, the term verismo usually refers to a realistic or naturalistic movement in Italian operas of the late nineteenth century. From the dawn of Italian opera four features have been manifested--umanita (humanism), sincerity (sincerity), passione (passion), effetto (not only theatrical effect but the supreme dramatic moment). The elements of verismo are among the characteristics present in the operas of Giuseppe Verdi where they reached a zenith of development. It is upon these veristic aspects, as identified in the second chapter, that the operas Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci were based. Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, and La Traviata richly exhibit these elements of verismo which have been identified in the fourth chapter.
Date: August 1968
Creator: Morgan, Ann Shands
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Lady of the Lake: a Reconstructed Piano-Vocal Score, with Commentary on the Historical Background (open access)

The Lady of the Lake: a Reconstructed Piano-Vocal Score, with Commentary on the Historical Background

The document consists of a commentary on the historical background of the work and an edition of the restored score. The commentary treats its relationship to the ballad opera, sources and alternate settings of the music and libretto, a history of the development of "Hail to the Chief," biographical sketches of the primary composers, and a section on early productions in England and America. The commentary includes a history of the English and American premieres, lengths of the first-runs, and the names of the theatres in which the performances were mounted. The reconstructed score is a piano-vocal performance edition with dialogue, cues, scenery, costume and property plots indicated in detail.
Date: May 1979
Creator: Knox, Robert E., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Piano Sonatas Six, Seven and Eight of Prokofiev (open access)

Piano Sonatas Six, Seven and Eight of Prokofiev

The Sixth, Seventh, and E Piano Sonatas of Prokofiev illustrate the composer's more mature style. In these works there is a definite return to the classic forms and contrapuntal devices which have been called Neo-classicism. Prokofiev, himself, has said that form is one of the basic elements of his style. It is the purpose of this thesis to discover the' formal organization and make a comparison of these sonatas with the works of Beethoven and his contemporaries.
Date: January 1956
Creator: Allen, Daniel Joseph
System: The UNT Digital Library
Choral Problems in the Unaccompanied Music of Francis Poulenc (open access)

Choral Problems in the Unaccompanied Music of Francis Poulenc

The purpose of this study, ve to analyze the stylistic characteristics in the unaccompanied music of one twentieth century composer, Francis Poulenc, in order to discover the choral problems which would confront choruses and conductors as they performed his music. It is hoped that this study will not only enable choral conductors to better understand, interpret, and appreciate the music of Poulenc, but also will serve as a guide toward the investigation of other twentieth century composers and their works.
Date: January 1966
Creator: Barnard, Jack Richard, 1932
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Organ Works of Jehan Alain (open access)

The Organ Works of Jehan Alain

This study looks at Jehan Alain's music itself. However, it does not propose to analyze every bar of every composition but rather to point out certain melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic traits that are peculiar to this composer's style. It will also set forth facts concerning Alain's registrations and other items of special interest to organists. Upon such investigation an attempt will be made to reach a critical evaluation of Alain as a composer for the organ.
Date: May 1952
Creator: Barron, Richard Errol
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Development and Evaluation of a Guide to Teach Selected Elements of Commercial Singing (open access)

The Development and Evaluation of a Guide to Teach Selected Elements of Commercial Singing

The purpose of this study was to develop a commercial singing guide that could be used as an aid in teaching selected elements of commercial singing. It addressed itself specifically to the following problems: determining how the selected elements of the commercial vocal style are produced, developing a guide for teaching the production of this vocal style to trained and untrained singers and evaluating the effectiveness of the guide.
Date: August 1980
Creator: Lebon, Rachel L., 1951-
System: The UNT Digital Library