Statement of Problem and Analytical Procedures The primary purpose of this study is to examine the song cycle An die ferne Geliebte, by Ludwig van Beethoven, in an effort to provide the performer substantive musical and poetic evaluations leading to a valid interpretation of the songs. The analysis is intended to determine the aesthetic implications of the cycle and their effect on performance.

It is obvious that the Mozart Eb Major Concertos for Piano, K. 271 and K. 482, bear certain resemblances to each other. The primary conclusion of this study is that Mozart consciously looks to K. 271 as a guide for his later composition. Consider the fact that the "Jeunehomme" concerto establishes Mozart as a mature musician and wins him public acclaim. He seeks to regain public favor with the later work.

The preludes as a whole do not conform to any specific formal mold, but offer a variety of form: binary, ternary, one-part, and five-part. As such, no new formal structures have been introduced by this "first" of the nineteenth century and twentieth century "disconnected" preludes. On the other hand, they are a heterogenous collection of styles, moods, and forms--a precedent that was followed by Debussy, Rachmoninoff, and various others. To determine the degree to which Chopin was harmonically advanced would require comparative analyses of works by his contemporaries and later nineteenth-century composers. Suffice it to say that one would be hard put to locate a collection of compositions of similar length and scope, written in the 1820's, that contains the wealth of harmonic innovations found within Opus 28.

The need for a valve mechanism of some type was first felt by French horn players, and after the horn's valve system had somewhat proved itself to composers as well as instrumentalists, it was adapted for the other brass instruments.

Inasmuch as this investigator can determine, no major study has been done concerning music's relation to the "isms" selected for this discussion. The contemporary interest in the movements themselves has been so widespread that the documentation of them, in scattered accounts, is enormous. It is disappointing that these records provide little or no information about the musical aspects of the movements; the graphic and literary accounts, on the other hand, have been accorded generous treatments. Since futurism, cubism, and surrealism, in their origins, were oriented toward the visual and literary arts, it is not surprising that these two aspects would receive the greatest amount of attention. The meager attention to music and the distortion of its role in the movements, as has largely been the case, has created an artistic imbalance, This writer's efforts have been directed toward an exhaustive search for factors which have, in some way or other, linked music with these movements. Musical futurism has been the easiest to identify, although its underlying theories are not always clear, since the futurists, in explaining their theories, were not always convincing, perhaps even to themselves. This writer's main attempt has been to interpret ideas that were frequently vague and …

Since the nineteenth century the Two Part Inventions have become standard repertoire for piano students. However, piano teachers have often failed to give serious consideration to the suitable selection of Inventions for study. Piano students have commonly formed a dislike for Bach's piano music because of an ungratifying initial experience. There is little material written in English dealing with the Two Part Inventions. Those studies of the Inventions which do exist consist mainly of brief articles in periodicals and limited discussions in piano literature books. Therefore, there seemed to be a need for a systematic collection of pedagogical ideas concerning the Two Part Inventions. In addition, it was felt that an analysis of the problems in each piece and a subsequent graded list of the Inventions would be a step toward a more intelligent and more knowledgeable approach in the teaching of these compositions.

In this thesis, Ned Rorem's Poems of Love and the Rain is analyzed, with conclusions being drawn in the sphere of musico-textual relationships within individual songs.

The purpose of this study was to examine the justifications for and production problems of presenting elementary children in public performances.

The purpose of the present study is to determine the stylistic characteristics of Beethoven's early piano trios. For the purposes of this study, the term "piano trio" is defined as any work for three instruments in which a piano participates. Of the twelve such trios written by the composer, the first six are dealt with. There is in addition a brief discussion of a trio of uncertain origin. These six piano trios were composed over a span of about ten years (1785-1795), between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five. Although there is a great deal of uncertainty as to the exact time and place of origin of these trios, the first three are generally considered to have been written in Bonn, and the last three in Vienna.

Although many volumes concerning the life and works of Johannes Brahms have been written, it has been found that the majority of these writings treat the material of the subject in a rather poetic and romanticized fashion. This is especially unfortunate in those volumes where the works of Brahms are analyzed with pragmatic implications, since Brahms himself eschewed the use of extramusical elements in his composition. This investigation, therefore, is an attempt to present a careful analysis of one of these compositions, the Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115, for clarinet and string quartet.

Louis Couperin (c. 1626-1661) was an outstanding member of the seventeenth-century clavecin school and an important link in the Couperin dynasty. His works for the harpsichord, or clavecin, have been neglected. This is due primarily to the fact that there are relatively few of his works, in comparison with those of his nephew, Franois Couperin Le Grand, who greatly overshadows him. Louis wrote no treatise on how his works are to be played, and there are few accounts of him, or his works, that are written in English. There is no biography of Louis Couperin. A more detailed study should be made of his music and its place in the French clavecin literature. Before examiinig the music itself, however, it is necessary to trace the origins and development of the clavecin school and its style.

Because of the nature of the poetry, the interpretation of Banalites in this study has involved certain subjective decisions. These deductions were, nevertheless, colored by statements of the poet, the composer, and authorities on each. This is not to imply, however, that this is the only interpretation. Both poet and composer have given evidence that their creation requires a subjective response on the part of the interpreter. This is perhaps the greatest challenge offered by the work.

Bela Bartok's six string quartets are generally regarded as the next most significant works in the medium after the quartets of Beethoven. Unlike some of his contemporaries in the field, e.g, Hindemith, Milhaud, and Schoenberg, Bartok's quartets are representative of his musical growth and, as such, are worthy of equal status with those of such recognized masters as Haydn and Mozart, as well as Beethoven...

The primary purpose of this thesis will be to examine the orchestration of the trombone section in the Viennese symphonies of the early Romantic period. In order to fully understand the function of the trombone section in these syphonies, a review of the trombones usage in previous centuries is in order.

The purpose of this problem was to select audio-visual materials that would enhance the teaching of music in the primary grades. Since audio-visual equipment and materials have gained a place of prominence in the modern education program, the teachers, administrators, and even the architects need to be cognizant of their possibilities and applications. Audio-visual aids should be investigated to disclose ways of improving their utilization in the learning process through the stimulation of the following human senses: sight, hearing, and touch. The results of many experimental research studies in the field of audio-visual education have proved that the application of audio-visual devices in the classroom greatly improves both understanding and retention as compared to conventional teaching methods. It is hoped that the identification, enumeration, and suggestions for utilization of audio-visual aids presented in this study will motivate the reader to give further attention to audio-visual materials as applied to his specific situation, with the awareness of their unlimited possibilities in increasing understandings through sensory experiences.

There is a need for a systematic collection of ideas concerning blend in choral sound. Many authorities discuss blend, but their concepts of the term are very divergent. These divergent concepts lead to emphasis of various factors which are important to the development or achievement of blend in choral sound. This emphasis in turn leads to various methods of achieving blend. Authorities ascribe several definitions to the term blend, as it relates to choral tone. These definitions should be studied collectively in order that a clearer concept of the term blend in choral sound may be developed. In studying blend in choral sound, several factors are generally deemed important. No study has been made which leads to a consensus concerning the relative importance of these factors. Scientific studies have been made of these factors, but the results have not been compiled and presented in one source. Authorities employ various methods in working with the factors which affect blend in choral sound. No study has been made which includes these methods. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the collecting and organizing of ideas regarding blend, including its various definitions and its important factors. It is also hoped that …

The purpose of this study was to investigate the uses of the falsetto voice in training the male singer. Developing the upper voice is one of the most difficult problems facing the male singers. A most controversial approach to solving this problem is the use of the falsetto. The falsetto has been a subject of mystery among singers and vocal teachers for centuries. Some authorities have ignored it; some have denounced; others have greatly extolled this vocal enigma. Many myths and misconceptions surround the subject of falsetto. Even in the present age of scientific research and knowledge, there is little understanding of the falsetto--of its value and its use. The material dealing with falsetto is very brief and inconclusive in most pedagogy books. Therefore, there seemed to be a need for a systematic collection of pedagogical ideas concerning the male falsetto. This report will attempt to present all sides of the controversy.,

Analysis in relation to performance of the six authentic motets of J.S. Bach: Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied ; Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf ; Fürchte dich nicht ; Jesu, meine Freude ; Komm, Jesu, komm ; Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden.

George Frederick Handel is one of the most important composers of oratorio in musical history. Between the year 1704, when he composed his Passion According to Saint John, and 1757, the year of his last oratorio, The Triumph of Time and Truth, Handel composed twenty nine works which have at one time or another been classified as oratorios. Only those works that are considered by all authorities as oratorios and are based on the Old Testament or Jewish history are included in this study. Handel writes solo roles for the tenor voice in all of the sixteen oratorios included in the study with the exception of the revision of Esther and in Deborah. The musical and dramatic function of the tenor solo roles varies with each oratorio. The significance of the tenor roles fluctuates with the dramatic impact of the story related by the oratorio and is completely dictated by it. Handel used all solo voices with concern for the best over all theatrical effect foremost in mind. To place in proper perspective his use of the tenor voice in relation to the other solo voices, such factors as the musical and dramatic importance of the tenor roles, character types …

The purpose of this study was to analyze for reasons of interpretation the unaccompanied choral music of Felix Mendelssohn. What are the stylistic characteristics in each of the compositions selected for examination in this study? What comparisons and conclusions based on the analyses can be made concerning the character of compositional style in Felix Mendelssohn's unaccompanied choral music? What conclusions can be made concerning the interpretation of Felix Mendelssohn's unaccompanied choral music based on the compositional style of his music and an understanding of his musical attributes?

In order to trace the origin of the chaconne and passacaglia, the much larger classification of basso ostinato, of which the chaconne and passacaglia are two later examples, must be considered. According to one authority, Lili Propper, the earliest beginnings of the basso ostinato can be traced back to the Middle Ages through the use of organ points exemplified in organum purum. A later and more developed use of the basso ostinato can be discovered in the recurring basses of the Montpellier Codex and the masses of the fifteenth century. A freer manifestation of the idea can be found in the reiterated bass motive of the familiar canon, Sumer is icumen in.

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.

This examination of Ralph Vaughan Williams' song cycle to poetry of Alfred Edward Housman, "On Wenlock Edge," will follow primarily two avenues of approach. First, following a brief biographical sketch of Vaughan Williams' career prior to the composition of "On Wenlock Edge," will be a discussion of Vaughan Williams' and Housman's respective aesthetic philosophies. In order to lay the background for certain salient characteristics of this cycle, parallels as well as differences in their artistic thinking will be explained. Secondly, a poetic analysis will precede the musical analysis of each song in order to differentiate between the original intent of the poet and the interpretation of the poetry by Vaughan Williams.

Hugo Wolf drew the strands of form, rhythm, and other elements together to form tightly woven songs, each element of which can be traced to the text as its original inspiration. Truly this was a genius of romantic expression, who took the tools developed by his predecessors in song, tempered them with his own sensitive personality, and used them to the fullest in setting the meaning and the mood, as well as the words, of the poems he had chosen.