The purpose of this dissertation is to provide an introduction to the composer, Lawrence Weiner, and to his Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra, one of the many neglected guitar concerti that merits closer study and more frequent performances. Weiner, a prolific and prominent composer in the South Texas region, composed the concerto in 1986. The concerto was never published. This dissertation is the first attempt to study Weiner's Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra to date. This study provides insight into the compositional style of Weiner, and the understanding and performing of this work. The compositional language of this concerto is examined through an analysis of the aspects of form, harmonic/tonal scheme and thematic development. A performance edition and suggestions that are approved by the composer are also presented.

The popularity of the clarinet in Spain is second only to that of the guitar, and there is a rich tradition of clarinet playing that is accompanied by an equally rich repertoire of music for the clarinet by Spanish composers. The works for clarinet and piano by Miguel Yuste (1870-1947) are among this little known repertoire. In the early twentieth century it was thought that Miguel Yuste wrote over one hundred works for clarinet. However, current research suggests that this is incorrect. What is known is that seven works for clarinet and piano have been published. Miguel Yuste and his music are pivotal in the establishment of the strong clarinet tradition for which Spain is presently known. In his thirty years as the clarinet professor at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid (1910-1940), Miguel Yuste's music and pedagogical ideas became, and continue to be among the foundations of Spanish clarinet playing. This project discusses each published work and presents current research on the works composed for clarinet and piano by Miguel Yuste. After a brief history of Spain's music and social climate in which it developed (Ch. 2), this document discusses the introduction of the clarinet in Spain, …

During the years of the Holocaust, song literature was needed to fulfill the unique needs of people caught in an unimaginable nightmare. The twelve years between 1933 and 1945 were filled with a brutal display of man's inhumanity to man. Despite the horrific conditions or perhaps because of them, the Jewish people made music, and in particular, they sang. Whether built on a new or an old melody, the Holocaust song literature continues to speak to those of us who are willing to listen. This body of work tells the world that these people lived, suffered, longed for vengeance, loved, dreamed, prayed, and tragically, died. This repertoire of songs is part of the legacy, the very soul of the Jewish people. This study contains a brief look at the historical circumstances, and through the song literature of Hirsh Glick, Mordechai Gebirtig and Simon Sargon, life within the ghetto, the concentration camp, the decisions families had to make, the choices to fight back against incredible odds, the place of faith within this nightmare, and a look at the lives and works of the composers themselves.