The twentieth century has witnessed a renaissance in the composition of choral music. Not since the Baroque, has choral writing held the prominent position with composers that it has today. At the same time, English composers have regained a stature and influence they have not held since the time of Purcell. It was not until the time of Edward Elgar, Gustave Holst, and Ralph Vaughn-Williams that English music began to recover from the decline of the nineteenth century. Benjamin Britten has played a large role in both the choral renaissance and the recovery of English music.

Traditions in orchestration can be described by relating the practices of most of the important composers of a particular time. This was done with great success by two composers of the nineteenth century, Hector Berlioz and Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, in their books on orchestration. These texts are the basis for the traditional uses of brass instruments appearing in the chapter.

In music education today there is a trend toward a greater understanding of the fundamentals of music. Investigations have been undertaken to determine exactly what a musical tone is made of and why individuals respond to it in certain ways. In all fields these endeavors have led to an objective view of what has been primarily a subjective area. A knowledge of why something happens or of a relationship between factors in a situation is always of ultimate value in teaching situations. In this light many studies have been done concerning musical tone analysis, and particularly, clarinet tone analysis. The clarinet has been the center of tone analysis for some thirty-five years, perhaps because it is an acoustical enigma, or perhaps because there are more clarinetists interested in analyzing their instrument. In any case, analyses have been performed dealing with characteristic partial spectrums, design of the bore in relation to the tone, effect of the reed on tone, effect of the player on tone, and comparisons of tones produced by clarinets made of various substances. This paper deals with the latter of these topics: comparisons of tones produced by clarinets made of various substances. The object of this research is …

It now seems necessary to follow the further development of Schoenberg and his first pupils, Berg and Webern. "Starting from their twin conceptions of the dethronement of tonality and the free use of the former 'discords', they produced a series of pieces of which the foremost characteristics were their extreme expressiveness and their extraordinary brevity."

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.

This thesis centers around a certain twentieth-century compositionaI device, the method of composition with twelve tones. There are many terms to designate this device, for example: "basic set," "tone-row," "note-series," "serialism," "serial technique," "twelve-note series," "twelve-tone technique" or "twelve-tone method." TI is thesis is a methodical research demonstrating the contemporary conventional way of scientifically and artfully manipulating twelve equal tempered degrees of the chromatic scale to produce a desirable system. In order to arrive at any substantial conclusions, it is necessary to make a critical examination and evaluation of known twelve-tone compositional procedures from as many angles as possible, so as virtually to exhaust every practical and speculative potentiality included in the technique, that is, within the range and limits of our present needs. This examination and evaluation will also involve a comparative investigation of various uses of the device, in order to produce and suggest ideas for further theoretical insights. The ultimate purpose of this thesis is to pinpoint the "hows" and "whys" of Rochberg's use of the twelve equal tones in Sonata-Fantasia.

The object of this study was to compile a list of solo literature for beginning college voice students and analyze these solos for pedagogical and performance purposes. There is no lack of printed material on the subjects of singing and voice culture. But it is not readily accessible to teachers since it is extremely diversified and rather diffusely distributed throughout a variety of sources, such as books, periodicals, and scientific papers. Several lists and books containing songs for beginners have been compiled.

Computers are used in the music field for generation of sound, for composing music, for analysis of music, and for musicological applications, such as cataloguing a bibliography of music literature. These areas are relatively new aspects of computer usage, and research is being conducted to stay abreast of current technological advancements. Avant-garde composers are challenged by new advances in music. Computer-generated music is one of the new trends, but the composer is usually limited in the use of the medium for two reasons: there are no computers to which he may have access, and/or there is not enough knowledge about computer-generated music. The composer sometimes feels that he must have vast knowledge of the computer before he can attempt to use it in musical composition; however, a limited amount of investigation of computer-generated music has shown that methods can be codified to the point where great technical knowledge is not required of the composer.

Computers are used in the music field for generation of sound, for composing music, for analysis of music, and for musicological applications, such as cataloguing a bibliography of music literature. These areas are relatively new aspects of computer usage, and research is being conducted to stay abreast of current technological advancements. Avant-garde composers are challenged by new advances in music. Computer-generated music is one of the new trends, but the composer is usually limited in the use of the medium for two reasons: there are no computers to which he may have access, and/or there is not enough knowledge about computer-generated music. The composer sometimes feels that he must have vast knowledge of the computer before he can attempt to use it in musical composition; however, a limited amount of investigation of computer-generated music has shown that methods can be codified to the point where great technical knowledge is not required of the composer.

Not only did Debussy find the Symbolist movement a source of inspiration for his artistic aims, he often selected his literary collaborators from them. Pelleas et Melisande, Prelude a l'Apres-midi d'un Faune, Chansons de Bilitis, Trois Pomes de Stephane Mallarme, Fetes Galantes, Ariettes Oubliees, all had Symbolist authors. Moreover, the poetic style of the Proses Lyriques, of which Debussy himself was the author, is in the Symbolist manner.

Most of Domenico Scarlatti's harmonic progressions are quite orthodox when considered abstractly or free of their positioning in the score. The harmonic movement is given interest by subtle alterations in time; for example, (1) simultaneous upper and lower voices of different lengths, when repeated several times, change their relationship with each other; (2) one voice may be simply delayed so that it lags behind the other voice, thus combining to produce irregular harmonic sound on many succeeding beats; (3) the combination of two or more chords appearing on one beat is similar to number (2) but does not necessarily occur more than once.

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.

The selected works by the composers studied in this thesis might well stand as illustrative of the normal development of the use of the bass trombone near the close of the nineteenth century. Although notable progress was made by the cited composers in increasing the bass trombone's usefulness in the orchestra, each composer also continued to use the bass trombone as it had been used in previous years, such as in doubling bass parts, harmonic backgrounds, and for strong rhythmic punctuations.

The purpose of this study is to trace the development of a practically extinct woodwind instrument, the basset horn, and its use by composers as both a solo and an orchestral instrument. The first chapter concerns the development of the basset horn from the earliest imperfect specimen to the modern-day instrument. The second chapter deals with the physical characteristics that are peculiar to the instrument. The third chapter discusses the literature and musical history of the basset horn. An appendix provides a comprehensive listing of literature for the instrument.

The first chapter outlines the history of percussion instruments used by Béla Bartók, The second chapter deals with the use of percussion by various composers from Bach's time up to the period of Bartók. Chapter three outlines how Bartók uses percussion instruments.

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 …

Born April 2, 1873, on the estate of Oneg in the province of Novgorod, Russia, Sergei Vassilyvitch Rachmaninoff was the fifth of the six children of Vassili and Lyoubov Boutakova Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff's aristocratic descent was traced to the Hospodars Dragosh, rulers of the realm of Molday from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century. One of the daughters from this family had married a son of the Grand Duke Ivan III of Moscow. The son's nephew was named Rachmanin, and from this source the family name originated.1 Rachmaninoff's mother was the daughter of a general, head of Araktcheyev Military College in Novgorod and the owner of a number of estates in the district. It was with a dowry of five of these estates that Lyoubov Boutakova married Vassili Rachmaninoff, and on one of these estates, Oneg, the couple settled down to married life.

Instead of putting the emphasis on color in his orchestration, Brahms felt that the music was more important; not the orchestration. However, it would be a mistake to feel that he was deaf to orchestral color. When discussing color in regard to Brahms' orchestration it is necessary to realize that his use of color is much different than that of his contemporaries. This thesis discusses the four symphonies of Brahms and his usage of brass instruments within these symphonies, specifically the french horn, trumpet, trombone and tuba. It is apparent that he used considerable care in writing for the brasses as well as the other instruments and had complete command of the use of their individual colors.

The London British Museum Manuscript Additional 35087, hereafter referred to as London Add. 35087, is an important parchment manuscript in large octavo choirbook arrangement from the beginning of the sixteenth century. Its measurements are 19.4 x 29.3 centimeters. The manuscript contains ninety-five folios and one stub where a leaf has been torn out (f. 4).1 The last composition in the manuscript is incomplete, which indicates that one leaf is lacking at the end (f. 96). Two sets of foliation are shown: the original Roman and a more recent Arabic. Both are placed in the upper right hand corner of folio recto. The sets agree in folios 4-93. Folios 1 and 2 show no Roman figures now; folio 3 has "ii," and therefore the missing leaf probably had "iii." The Arabic numbering does not account for this missing leaf. This folio might have been assigned "4," but this number is given on the next complete leaf to coincide with the Roman "iiii." At the end, by mistake, folio 94 has "xciii" and folio 95 has "xciiii."

This study outlines the life of Carl Nielsen, and explores the symphonic elements of his work The Commotio.

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.

This dissertation consists of four programs: one lecture- recital, two recitals for piano solo, and one (the Schubert program) in combination with other instruments. The repertoire of the complete series of concerts was chosen with the intention of demonstrating the ability of the performer to project music of various types and composed in different periods.

The purpose of this study was to investigate, through stylistic analysis, the choral problems in twelve selected choruses from George Frederick Handel's oratorio, Messiah. The twelve choruses were selected for analysis in this study after consultation with several authorities in the field of choral music and on the basis that they are representative of problems encountered in the remaining choruses. Each of the twelve choruses was analyzed individually. Chapter I of this study presents the purpose of the study, the sub-problems involved, definitions of terms, delimitations, the basic hypothesis of the study, the basic assumptions of the study, methodology and the plan of the report. Chapter II of this study contains a brief biographical sketch of Handel, a discussion of the circumstances surrounding the composition of Messiah, and a survey of the Handelian oratorio Chorus. Chapter III presents the results of the analysis relevant to a discussion of each of the twelve choruses followed by a sectional presentation of the choral problems. In Chapter IV, a summary, some conclusions and recommendations are offered. Appendices A and B present reviews of selected recordings and vocal-piano editions of Messiah respectively.

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.