Because of the lack of information concerning the success or failure of Schubert's bilingual edition and concerning the relationship between the English texts and Schubert's settings, most performers take the conservative route of performing both the songs from Lady of the Lake and the rest of Schubert's English song repertoire only with the German translations. Because of the desirability of performing this repertoire in English for English-speaking audiences, this study examines all of the English songs of Schubert to determine whether the original poems can be successfully substituted for the German translations. Editions of the settings that can be effectively performed with the English texts are included in the appendix, in order to make available editions which reflect Schubert's ambition to make his songs easily accessible to non-German-speaking audiences.

In Nomine Domini is an eighteen-minute composition for two chamber orchestras with two soloists using real-time interactive signal processing techniques. The first chamber orchestra is scored for flute (piccolo), English horn, trumpet in C, trombone, two percussionists (cowbells, wood blocks, tenor drum, suspended cymbal, gongs, tam-tam, temple blocks, tambourine, snare drum, timbales, and bass drum), horn in F (soloist), viola, and string bass. The second chamber orchestra is scored for oboe, clarinet in Bb (bass clarinet in Bb), bassoon, tuba, two percussionists (crotales, two marimbas, vibraphone, chimes, and tom-toms), piano (soloist), violin, and cello. Real-time interactive signal processing techniques are achieved through the use of a stereo multiple-effects signal processor and a personal computer running MIDI interactive software. The work is based upon the four-hundred and seventy-five year old in nomine composition tradition begun by John Taverner in the Benedictus of his Mass Gloria tibi Trinitas (1520) and continued in over one-hundred and fifty Renaissance settings. In Nomine Domini consists of three movements: "Taverner* derived from the Benedictus of the Mass Gloria tibi Trinitas (1520), "Byrd" derived from the Benedictus of William Byrd's Five-voice Mass (1592), and "Tye" derived from Christopher lye's In Nomine XIII "Trust" (1578). In Nomine Domini …

The harpsichord concertos of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710-1784) have suffered undeserved neglect. The four authenticated solo concertos remain in manuscript, with the result that his contribution to the history of the keyboard concerto has been largely overlooked. This study begins to correct this situation by examining these four concertos--F41 in D Major, F43 in E Minor, F44 in F Major, and F45 in A Minor--as well as the published two-harpsichord Concerto in E-Flat Major, F46, and the incomplete Concerto in E-Flat Major, F42 in order to assess W. F. Bach's contribution to the keyboard concerto following its origins in the early 1700s. The results of this investigation show that W. F. Bach took the early keyboard concerto of his father's generation and added many of the characteristics which became associated with the mid-eighteenth century concerto. Friedemann retained the polyphonic interplay between tutti and solo, harmonic language, and tonal plan of his father's compositions and added a wealth of rhythmic ideas and a more modern melodic style. He worked within an established four ritornello/three solo plan for the outer movements, but employed a variety of formal plans for the middle movements. Friedemann heightened the contrast between the solo and the orchestra …

The objective of the dissertation is to examine Cyril Scott's musical language as exhibited in his Piano Sonata, Op. 66. Subjects of discussion include Scott's use of form, rhythm, melody, tonality, and harmony. Also included are a biographical sketch of the composer and his philosophical view of modernism. A comparison of the original version and the revised edition of this sonata, as well as references to Cyril Scott's two other piano sonatas are also included during the examination of his harmonic and rhythmic style.

The purpose of this dissertation is to prepare and present a critical edition of Carl Nielsen's Quintet for Winds, Op. 43, a major work in the woodwind quintet repertoire. Written for the Copenhagen Wind Quintet in 1922, it is also considered a pivotal composition in Nielsen's artistic output. This treatise offers a brief biography of Carl Nielsen, documents the history and significance of the Quintet for Winds, Op. 43, and presents a critical edition that will enable more accurate performances of this important composition.

The purpose of this study is to examine the various signatures of compositional style as manifested in the keyboard percussion trios Rain Tree by Toru Takemitsu and Wind Trace by Toshi Ichiyanagi. Significant personal interaction between the aforementioned Japanese composers and American composer John Cage justifies an investigation of his influence on their compositional styles. Toru Takemitsu is currently one of the most prolific Japanese composers. In 1981, Takemitsu composed the percussion trio Rain Tree. Three years later (1984) the Japanese concert pianist Toshi Ichiyanagi composed Wind Trace using Rain Tree's identical instrumentation of marimba, vibraphone, and crotales. Rain Tree and Wind Trace are very similar in compositional style. Formally, both works are single-movement compositions employing rhythmic tension, harmonic dissonance, and visual imagery created by the use of polyrhythms, aleatory, nonfunctional harmony, and extra-musical references. This study investigates the Japanese philosophy of ma and its influence in Rain Tree and Wind Trace. Ma is the natural pause or interval between two or more phenomena occurring continuously. According to Takemitsu, ma is living space, more than actual space. Both compositions utilize space as an essential compositional technique to either connect compartmentalized activity or to complement melodic material. With the utmost respect …

Temporal Distortions is 18-20 minutes in length and is written for an orchestra including 2 flutes (2nd flute doubling on piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 Bb clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, timpani, 3 percussionists playing tri-toms, vibraphone, snare/tenor drum, medium suspended cymbal, Glockenspiel, bass drum, and large tam-tam; and multiple string parts for violin I a & b, violin II a & b, viola a & b, cello and double bass. Temporal Distortions was inspired by the theoretical concept of "wormholes" in space, where matter is warped through distorted passages connecting distant and diverse parts of the universe. The work is in three sections, connected without break. The first section, Space, emerges as a wide, expansive musical area where themes and gestures are freely presented. Gradually, these materials come into phase with one another, building to a climax. A transition follows, leading into the middle section, Wormholes, where the materials are frequently and suddenly transformed into other temporal elements. The third section, Comets, was inspired by the collision of the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with the planet Jupiter in July of 1993. Driving, underlying rhythms propel the thematic material through a series of statements which split into more …

Louis Cahuzac was one of the most sought-after clarinetists in the first half of the twentieth century. He was also highly respected as a conductor, as a teacher, and as a composer of music for the clarinet. The selections performed and discussed in the lecture depict Cahuzac's use of simple compositional forms and procedures which blend the expressive capability of the clarinet with its technical potential.

Many of the early writings and lectures of the German phenomenological philosopher Martin Heidegger involve investigations into the question of Being. An important part of these investigations is his examination of how we go about the everyday business of existing--doing our jobs, dealing with things in our environment, working through problems, thinking, talking--and what our ways of operating in these everyday activities tell us about our Being in general. Musicians have their own everyday musical tasks, two of the most prominent of which are composing and performing. Composers and performers, like everyone else, have a 'world'--Heidegger's word for the structure of relationships between equipment, persons, and tasks and the way in which a person is situated in that structure--and that 'world' allows them to cope with their musical environment in ways that enable them to make music as composers and performers. Analyzing music is an activity that a Heideggerian approach sees as derived from the primary musical activities of composing and performing. A music analyst trades the possibility of primary musical involvement for a kind of involvement that points out determinate characteristics; hence in adopting an analytical stance, the analyst trades doing something musical for saying something about music. In …

An interpretive approach to performing two works by Franz Krommer for wind ensemble. Including a short history of Harmoniemusik, with origins, development, and chronology of the instruments and repertoire, the roles of "better-known" composers of Harmoniemusik, and its importance in both general music history and history of the wind band. An account of known biographical detail concerning Franz Krommer, his life, his musical involvement and career in Europe, and his place in music history. An overview of his compositions for wind groups other than the Harmoniemusik, including his symphonic music and concertos. Detailed analyses of the two octet-partitas, Partita in F, Op. 57 and Partita in E-flat, Op. 79, with discussion of thematic, harmonic, melodic, articulation, and formal characteristics illustrated through score examples. Examination of issues for a conductor to consider when approaching a performance of these works such as instrumentation (modern vs. period instruments, selecting 16-foot instrument), taking (or not taking) repeats with respect to form, interpreting articulations, determining metronomic tempos, ensemble balance, and style based on wind music of the Classical period. Also, how this music can (and why it should) be used by wind conductors as both a teaching supplement and a compositional model for pieces from …

This dissertation describes the musical and religious support of the Medici family to the Medici Chapel in Florence and the historical role of the church of San Lorenzo in the liturgical development of the period. During the later Middle Ages polyphony was allowed in the Office services only at Matins and Lauds during the Tenebrae service, the last three days of Holy Week, and at Vespers anytime. This practice continued until the end of the sixteenth century when more polyphonic motets based on the Antiphon and Responsory began to be included in the various Office hours during feast days. This practice is documented by the increased number of pieces that appear in the manuscripts. Two of the transcriptions from the church of San Lorenzo included in the appendix are selected from this later repertoire.