The purpose of this document is to examine Richard Strauss's 1918 song cycle Der Krämerspiegel in order to discern compositional intent and to address problems performers may face in communicating the work to a contemporary audience. Examining the existing literature, it is never clearly stated why Strauss composed such an anomalous song cycle that defied aesthetic and generic norms of the day. The premise taken in this study is that Strauss, who was litigiously forced to write the work in order to fulfill a contract with the publisher Bote & Bock, composed certain difficulties into the cycle to make it less marketable and thus less profitable for the firm. Furthermore, he commissioned a text that lampooned the publishing industry in general and certain firms and individuals in particular. Following a brief history of Strauss's involvement with the publishing industry, general considerations for interpretation are examined. The individual songs are then explored, keeping in mind the text's word play and parody, Strauss's use of self-quotation, and the challenges performers and audiences face when confronting Krämerspiegel. Finally, the individual songs are explored, and suggestions for preparation and performance of Krämerspiegel are given suggesting a more operatic understanding of the piece, especially given …

This comprehensive study of Inventio for Piano and Electronic Sound by contemporary Korean composer Sukhi Kang focuses on how the composer transforms music with Korean traditional rhythmic elements into electronic sound, and how he combines the electronic sound with piano. The study aims to aid performers and audiences in understanding and appreciating the work. Besides providing a biography of Kang, including lists of his other compositions and significant performances and recordings, this study provides detailed information about books, articles, and academic publications by and about Kang. Interviews with the composer provide first-hand instructions for performers on how to play Inventio. All examples are from the score.

Park "Pepper" Adams, III (1930-1986) is one of the most influential baritone saxophonists in the history of modern jazz. In addition to his time feel, his timbre, and other conceptual techniques, a great deal of Adams's improvisational style and vocabulary can be illustrated by his use of three motivic devices. These three motivic devices are: (1) his utilization of the sixth degree of the major scale as an important melodic pitch; (2) his use of a paraphrased portion of the melody of the popular song "Cry Me a River;" and (3) his use of the half-whole octatonic scale when the rhythm section sounds a dominant chord. This dissertation traces the way in which Adams applies these three motivic devices through four of his original compositions, "Enchilada Baby," "Bossallegro," "Lovers of Their Time," and "Rue Serpente." All four of these compositions were recorded by Adams on his 1980 album, The Master. In addition to the motivic analysis, a biography of Adams is included. Complete transcriptions by the author of Adams's improvised solos on the four compositions are included in the appendices.

The clarinet works of Marcel Mihalovici (1898-1985) represent significant contributions to the twentieth-century clarinet repertoire. Metric and rhythmic variability, melodic primacy, counterpoint, structural clarity, and elements of Romanian folk music permeate his writing and reflect a highly developed musical language. Mihalovici's educational background and cultural heritage provide important clues toward understanding his artistic legacy. His clarinet works are musically demanding and contain some of the most technically challenging passages in the repertoire, while at the same time, exhibit a distinctively French style influenced by traditional Romanian music. Mihalovici's writing follows familiar but variable formal procedures and conveys a diverse, modally influenced approach to tonality. While his harmonic language is frequently dissonant, his clarinet music offers a unique variety of musically rewarding styles.

Kirke Mechem (b. 1925), American composer, has a musical output which includes a variety of genres, the most prolific being choral music. This document examines selected choral works by Mechem that are set to the poetry of Sara Teasdale (b. 1884, d. 1933). Included are biographical sketches of Mechem and Teasdale. Selected choral works examined include Christmas Carol (1969) SATB and guitar, The Winds of May, five movement choral cycle (1965) SATB, Birds at Dusk, from the choral cycle Winging Wildly (1998) SATB, and Barter (1995) SA, trumpet, piano 4-hands. Analysis of the poetry involved as well as musical attributes and compositional techniques, including meter, form, harmonic structures, wordpainting, rhythmic treatment and melodic characteristics are included in the discussion.

Nicknamed "Mr. Bass Trombone" for his role as a prominent, trailblazing recording artist, George Roberts (b. 1928) has often been recognized as redefining the role of the bass trombone in popular music as well as setting new standards for technical refinement and expressive possibilities of the instrument. Through two interviews and a comparison between ten recorded performances by Roberts and corresponding lead sheets, I make observations about Roberts' performance techniques and illustrate various examples of those techniques. The document includes 35 pp. of interview transcriptions.

China's role in Western music is ever-expanding. Echoing the growth of classical music in China is the importance of Chinese musicians in the global music world. However, it is easy to forget that Western classical music is a foreign import to China, one that has been resisted for most of its history. The intent of this study is to evaluate the role of Chinese music in the Western classical world. This includes Western education, Western repertoire, and also a historical exploration into the mutual influence of the two styles. One Chinese composition in particular, Huang An-lun's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 57, is selected to analyze the Western and Chinese elements present in the work. This analysis will shed light on the relationship of the two styles and how they amalgamate in modern Chinese music. Although Western classical music today has a strong foothold in China, Chinese contributions to piano literature are largely unknown to the West. China possesses one of the richest musical histories in the world, one which until the twentieth century has largely remained unaffected by Western elements. Its musical heritage extends over thousands of years, deeply rooted in tradition and nationalism. Over the …

Olivier Messiaen and Naji Hakim are both representative composers of the twentieth century. For the performer this "modern" music is difficult to analyze because of the increased complexities of its harmonic language. Therefore the purpose of this study is to demonstrate a way to approach Naji Hakim's Le Tombeau d'Olivier Messiaen through Messiaen's own musical language. This study examines how Hakim has borrowed Messiaen's theory and used it in his own piece. Chapter I outlines the purpose and motive of this study. Chapter II briefly outlines the piece, introduces the meaning of Tombeau in music history, and presents Messiaen's modes of limited transposition, one of the main sources used in the composition of Le Tombeau d'Olivier Messiaen. Chapter III details Messiaen's influence in Hakim's piece. This influence consists of four elements: melody, mode, harmony, and extra-musical ideas. This chapter is the primary portion of the document. After examining the influence of Messiaen, a conclusion of this study is offered in Chapter IV. Four appendixes are attached to this document: an interview with Naji Hakim about Le Tombeau d'Olivier Messiaen; the modes of limited transposition in Le Tombeau d'Olivier Messiaen; a biographical sketch of Naji Hakim; and program notes from Le …

Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908) contributed to the development of violin performance through his innovative virtuosic techniques and popular Spanish characteristics, and his influence on violin performing style remains even in the present day. He composed virtuosic compositions to showcase his excellent technique, and well-known composers of the time such as Camille Saint-Saëns and Edouardo Lalo composed for him as well. These compositions include not only virtuosity but also Spanish characteristics that were suitable to Sarasate's nationalistic heritage. The combination of Spanish and virtuosic characteristics made these pieces as standard violin repertoire for modern violinists. At the end of the nineteenth century, it was his distinct performance style that broke the boundary of technical virtuosity in violin performing. The following generations - Kreisler, Heihetz, and in the present day, Isaac Permann - developed their performance techniques based on Sarasate's performance style. To examine Saraste's influences and contributions to the development of violin performing style, this dissertation focuses on Sarasate's performance practices, his technical developments, his unique style of playing, and his music to discuss his influences on composers and violinists alike. This study places Sarasate's performance style in the context of nineteenth- and twentieth-century violin performance practices through a discussion of …

Traditional scholarship has stated that the serpent and ophicleide (as well as their successor, the tuba) were developed and added to the standard orchestra to add a bass voice to the brass, allowing a tonal compass to match a similar downward expansion in the strings and woodwinds. A closer reading of the earliest scores calling for these instruments reveals a more coloristic purpose, related to timbre as much as to compass. Indeed, the fact that composers rarely wrote for serpent and ophicleide makes two points: it proves them to be inadequate choices as a brass bass, and when they were called for, they had an expressive, often descriptive purpose. Despite his conservative musical education supervised by Carl Friedrich Zelter, the seventeen-year-old Mendelssohn, under the influence of A. B. Marx, used the Corno inglese di basso, an upright version of the serpent, in his Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream to give a more rustic flavor to Bottom's ass-braying. Even when the English bass horn functioned as a bass voice, it was playing in contexts that were descriptive, where it often demonstrated its musical inadequacy. Berlioz's descriptive writing for the serpent and ophicleide are well known. A remarkable feature which Symphonie …

An investigation of current practices in the teaching of the bass tuba in the applied studios of U.S. colleges and universities as determined by survey. Survey recipients were low brass teachers at American colleges and universities who were members of one or more of the following professional organizations: International Tuba Euphonium Association, College Music Society, National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors. Topics examined are: general practices among teachers, including performance usage and literature, pedagogy and equipment. The survey instrument as well as a list of the respondents is included.

Sonatas for oboe in the classical period are classified as 'solo sonatas.' These 'solo sonatas,' which originated in the baroque period, consist of a melody instrument and basso continuo. Solo sonatas for oboe, which account for a sizeable repertory in the baroque period, continued to be composed in the classical period but in the baroque style. The basso continuo setting for sonatas gradually disappeared toward the end of the period, developing into the duo sonata in which a solo instrument and piano played an equal role in presenting melodic material. While the fully developed classical sonata was written for piano alone, and duos for violin and piano and cello and piano, the sonatas for oboe did not make this transition. The duo sonatas for oboe and piano by Jacques Christian Michel Widerkehr are exceptions to the baroque style 'solo sonatas.' Widerkehr's sonatas are the only true 'duo sonatas' for oboe and piano written in the classical period. François Devienne's sonatas deserve special recognition as the only 'solo sonatas' for oboe written predominantly in the classical style. In addition to presenting an overview of sonatas for oboe, biographical information on Widerkehr and Devienne, current state of research of Widerkehr's sonatas, changes …

The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate and document the compositional components and innovations in the compositional style of Jean-Michel Defaye as they relate to two of his works for solo trombone, Deux Danses (1953, trombone and piano) and Fluctuations (1980, trombone solo, six trombones and two percussionists.) This document investigates the circumstances surrounding the creation of each piece as well as the compositional processes of Monsieur Defaye. Jean-Michel Defaye is an important composer for his commitment to the quality and challenge of the trombone literature he creates. The importance of Deux Danses is in the fact that it was this piece that put Defaye in the international spotlight. Solo works with chamber ensemble, such as Fluctuations, must be more seriously considered for performance if the standard solo repertoire for trombone is to be further expanded. Jazz style is an integral part of both of these important works and a necessary component to fully realize the composer's intent. Monsieur Defaye has demonstrated a commitment to composing for the instrument over the long term and has a sustained interest in participating in the further development of serious literature for all brass instruments. This study will add to the limited published …

The significance in Jung-Sun Park's Arirang Mass is the discovery of artistic value in folk song and its applicability to art music. By using fragments of the Arirang folk songs, or by imitating its musical character, composer could create and develop musical characteristics that are recognizably Korean. The work exhibits his remarkable compositional style, which shows a relationship between Korean traditional style and Western style. This analysis demonstrates specific examples of the elements of Korean traditional folksong, such as Sikimsae, Jangdan, Han, and pentatonic scales which are permeated into this mass setting, and how composer uses fragments of the Arirang tune.

Performance practice is a term familiar to serious musicians. For the performer, this means assimilating and applying all the education and training that has been pursued in a course of study. Performance practice entails many aspects such as development of the craft of performing on the instrument, comprehensive knowledge of pertinent literature, score study and listening to recordings, study of instruments of the period, notation and articulation practices of the time, and issues of tempo and dynamics. The orchestral literature of Eastern Europe, especially Germany and Russia, from the mid-nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century provides some of the most significant and musically challenging parts for the tuba. The works of Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Prokofiev, and Dmitri Shostakovich, along with their orchestral contemporaries, represents a significant portion of this literature. This study examines a seminal work in the orchestral genre from each of these three Russian composers. The role of the tuba in each work is discussed. Excerpts of the tuba part are examined in terms of performance issues such as range, rhythm, phrasing, and scoring. Comparisons and contrasts are drawn as to how each composer used the tuba and the effectiveness of the utilization.

This document discusses the relationship between trumpet and percussion over the past centuries, the development of music for trumpet and percussion ensembles, trumpet and percussion in twentieth-century chamber music and the creation of music for trumpet and marimba. A listing of all known trumpet and percussion duos is included. An exploration of the development of the Wilder Duo and a listing of all known trumpet and marimba duos is also included. There are analyses of works by Gordon Stout, Paul Turok and Alec Wilder. These analyses examine sound, form, harmony, melody and rhythm for each piece. Musical illustrations are included. These analyses are divided into chapters. Each chapter begins with a short biography of each composer. A short description of each work is also given. Summaries are included at the end of each analytical chapter.

Embouchure dysfunctions, including those from acute injury to the obicularis oris muscle, represent potential and serious occupational health problems for trumpeters. Forces generated between the mouthpiece and lips, generally a result of how a trumpeter plays, are believed to be the origin for such problems. In response to insights gained from new technologies that are currently being used to measure mouthpiece forces, belief systems and teaching methodologies may need to change in order to resolve possible conflicting terminology, pedagogical instructions, and performance advice. As a basis for such change, the purpose of this study was to investigate, develop and propose an operational definition of mouthpiece forces applicable to trumpet pedagogy. The methodology for this study included an analysis of writings by selected brass pedagogues regarding mouthpiece force. Finding were extracted, compared, and contrasted with scientifically derived mouthpiece force concepts developed from scientific studies including one done at the UNT Texas Center for Music & Medicine. Results characterized five mouthpiece force principles as the basis for an operational definition of mouthpiece force. This definition recognizes the relationships between average mouthpiece force and mouthpiece force variability. Mouthpiece force principles as presented in this study may contribute to a better understanding of mouthpiece …

This document focuses on the formal structures and tonal language of four trios that include horn by American composer Simon A. Sargon: "Huntsman, What Quarry?" Two Poems of Edna St. Vincent Millay for Soprano, Horn, and Piano (1990); Trio for Horn, Violin, and Piano: "The Legacy" (1993); A Clear Midnight: Six Songs Set to Poems of Walt Whitman for Baritone, Horn, and Piano (1996); and Sonic Portals: Trio for Oboe, Horn, and Piano (2003). Comparisons with precedent works of like instrumentation demonstrate that Sargon's trios, though musically unique, merit a place alongside masterworks like Carl Reinecke's Trio, op. 188, for oboe, horn, and piano; Franz Schubert's Auf dem Strom for soprano, horn, and piano; and especially Johannes Brahms's Trio, op. 40, for violin, horn, and piano. Other precedent, contemporary, and related works are also mentioned. Sargon's ability to write idiomatically for the horn and other instruments is discussed, and consideration is given to some elements required to create a good performance of Sargon's chamber music. Included are a brief biography of Simon Sargon, letters from colleagues with whom he has worked closely, lists of his instrumental music and recordings of some of these pieces, and lists of other works in …

In discussing the music of Karl Weigl (1881-1949), it is essential to estimate the state of research regarding the composer and his professional life. Although a copious account and collection of Weigl's papers exists at Yale University, much contribution in the form of editions, recordings, and scholarly texts is needed. Schooled by Adler, Schoenberg, and Zemlinsky, Weigl graduated from the Musikacademie of Vienna in 1899 with high honors, with later employment in the Vienna Opera as a vocal coach (where he worked with such figures as Bruno Walter, Friedrich Weidemann, and Lotte Lehmann.). A theory and composition appointment to the New Vienna Conservatory after 1918 dramatically opened Weigl's professional horizons. With the rise of anti-semitism in Nazi Germany, Weigl and his family escaped to New York in autumn 1938. Eventually, Weigl obtained positions in the Hartt School of Music, Brooklyn College, Boston Conservatory, and finally, the Philadelphia Academy of Music in 1948. Although Weigl's music has been commented upon by Stephen Davison, Wendell Davis, and Michael Kater, much literature in the form of published analysis, commentary, and biography has yet to come forward. This paper principally covers Weigl's Night Fantasies, Op. 13 as well as the 28 Variations for Piano, …

The purpose of this study is to provide scholastic research on Robert Muczynski's Second Piano Trio (1975) by presenting his biographical background, discussing influences and his musical style, and analyzing the work. Robert Muczynski (b.1929), a composer-pianist of Polish descent, studied with Alexander Tcherepnin (1899-1977). From traditional forms and techniques, he fashioned his own unique and innovative compositional style. The second piano trio, in particular, was deeper and more complex in its conception and affect than previous compositions. The first movement Andante molto opening leads to an allegro section, and the somber second movement builds to a heavy climax. The third movement is highly rhythmic and dramatically driven. Chapter I outlines the purpose of the study and the composer's biography. Chapter II describes Muczynski's compositional influences and the evolution of his musical language. Emphasis in this respect will be placed on the pedagogical role of Alexander Therepnin, as well as the important connections between Prokofiev, Tcherepnin and Muczynski. An exploration of other elements that have informed Muczynski's style is offered. Chapter III details the circumstances, general characteristics, and compositional technique of the Second Piano Trio. Detailed analysis of all three movements will be provided, with particular attention paid to aspects …

Performance issues related to Soli by Carlos Chávez and Two Little Serious Pieces by Silvestre Revueltas. Chapters one and two provide a brief biography of each composer. Chapter three is an examination of their musical style and the influence that indigenous Indian music, popular music and nationalism had on their styles. Chapter four provides an investigation of Soli by Carlos Chávez, a chamber piece written for oboe, B-flat clarinet, bassoon and B-flat trumpet. Chapter five offers an examination of Two Little Serious Pieces by Silvestre Revueltas, a wind quintet for piccolo, oboe, C trumpet, B-flat clarinet and baritone saxophone. Chapters four and five contain an analysis of these pieces with regard to melodic and harmonic material, tonality, texture, range, phrase structure and form. Performance issues, such as tempo, dynamics, articulation, rhythm and style are likewise addressed with the result being an interpretive analysis of each piece. The final chapter offers a comparative analysis of Soli and Two Little Serious Pieces relative to the topics discussed in chapters four and five.

Scriabin's piano miniatures are ideal for the study of evolution of his style, which underwent an extreme transformation. They present heavily concentrated idioms and structural procedures within concise form, therefore making it more accessible to grasp the quintessence of the composer's thought. A plethora of studies often reviews isolated genres or periods of Scriabin's legacy, making it impossible to reveal important general tendencies and inner relationships between his pieces. While expanding the boundaries of tonality, Scriabin completed the expansion and universalization of the piano miniature genre. Starting from his middle years the 'poem' characteristics can be found in nearly every piece. The key to this process lies in Scriabin's compilation of certain symbolical musical gestures. Separation between technical means and poetic intention of Scriabin's works as well as rejection of his metaphysical thought evolution result in serious interpretive implications. Music of Scriabin provides an excellent opportunity for a performer to find a proper balance between rational and intuitive. The lack of any of these qualities will impoverish his works, making their interpretation incomplete. Following one of main Scriabin's ideas - synthesis of all arts - this study approaches his music not from the narrow analytical, but broad synthetic standpoint. The …

Flutists have reported musculoskeletal pain from practicing and performing their instrument. This study was a statistical approach to investigate potential causal risk factors for flute related pain among high school and college students. The study focused on the relationship between flute related pain and musical background or anthropometric measurements including size, strength and flexibility. Subjects included thirty high school and college-aged flutists who were assessed using a questionnaire, bi-lateral anthropometric measurements of the upper-extremities, upper-extremity performance tests for range of motion, isometric strength and rotation speed, and instrument specific questions. Four questions regarding pain associated with flute playing were treated as dependent variables and used for correlation and regression analyses with other independent variables. A six-factor regression model was created and each model was statistically significant. Results of this study show that strength, flexibility, pain spots, and exposure are risk factors for flute related pain. Both left and right pinch strength and right isometric pronation strength were significantly correlated to flutists experiencing pain while playing. Knowledge of these factors in relationship to pain is needed in flute pedagogy to help teachers and performers understand why flutists report pain during and after playing. Additional studies are warranted for replication of this …

The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze Concerto No.3 "Ave Maria" by Alemdar Karamanov (1934-2007) and to elucidate the work through historical background and the composer's ideas. This concerto is presented as a significant gesture of dramatic emotion, religious belief, romantic spirit and universal feeling. The subtitle "Ave Maria" relates to a set up already present within the music program. An analysis of interval relationships will help performers better realize Karamanov's music language. In view of the complicated nature of this piece, an analytical study is considered necessary. The study centers principally on analysis, with an emphasis on the developments of form, tonality and motives to help performers better understand the work, and how to best approach this concerto.