After considering Petrouchka's historical and compositional background and the orchestral revision of 1947, this thesis analyzes the composition, dealing specifically with formal, harmonic, and melodic aspects. The study's most important discovery is of a common formal design for all the scenes and the piece as a whole, where the outer thirds of ternary structures are equal in length. The thesis also examines Stravinsky's transcriptional procedures, cataloging and contrasting them with those of the nineteenth century. The solo transcription of Petrouchka is fully discussed in the light of Stravinsky's singular treatment of and writing for the piano. In addition to the recorded performance of Trois Mouvements de Petrouchka, this dissertation includes three tape recordings of selected piano works of J. P. Rameau, L. V. Beethoven, F. Chopin, F. Liszt, C. Franck, A. Scriabin, and G. Crumb.

This dissertation deals with Respighi's output for the organ which consists of the Three Preludes for organ solo, a Suite in G for strings and organ, two transcriptions (the Vitali Ciaccona, and a Suit by Bach), both for violin and organ, and various organ parts in the symphonic poems, operas, and orchestral works. If Respighi was not an innovator, he was at least creative in his use of the organ in his orchestral works. The organ was used primarily for color by adding depth, body, and novelty to the ever-growing orchestra. Respighi paid great attention to the smallest detail in his orchestrations, which were varied, delicate, and precise. Why did this interest in color and sonority not result in similar treatment of the organ in his music? The answer is suggested already in the description of the late romantic/orchestral organ. Its stops had lost their individuality, and they blended together in such a way that no particular color was distinguished. The though is not that Respighi's music, or the music of any other composer, caused the decline, but rather that the direction of organ-building in its search for modernity, machinery, and the industrial age, lost its identity, its characteristics personality …