Paul Wittgenstein (1887-1961) made significant contributions to the piano literature for the left hand through numerous commissioned works as well as his own transcriptions. In the transcriptions, Wittgenstein preserved the texture of two-hand music, aiming for the simulation of the original works. This requires special techniques in the performance by the left hand alone. This dissertation investigations technical means and performance problems associated with the transcriptions as well as Wittgenstein's own recordings of selections from his works. Chapter 1 serves as an introduction, providing a historical overview of the role of the left hand in two-hand piano literature. Chapter 2 gives biological information on Paul Wittgenstein and discusses the commissioned works. Chapter 3 investigates special techniques in the transcriptions, in the areas of arpeggios, widespread chords, fingering, pedaling, and others. Chapter 4 discusses Wittgensteins's performance style based on his recordings. Chapter 5 presents a conclusion pointing to the benefits of performing left-hand music in two-hand piano playing.

The purpose of this study is to define the French sonatina of the twentieth century, to expose those works which are most suitable for concert performances, and to provide a resource for teachers and performers. Of the seventy-five scores available to the writer, five advanced-level piano sonatinas of the twentieth century were chosen as the best of those by French composers, in attractiveness and compositional craftsmanship: Maurice Ravel's Sonatine (1905), Maurice Emmanuel's Sonatine VI VI(1926), Noel Gallon's Sonatine (1931), Alexandre Tansman's Troisieme Sonatine (1933), and Jean-Michel Damase's Sonatine (1991). The five works were analyzed, with a focus on compositional techniques used to create unity in the work. In comparison to the classical model of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries, the French sonatina of the twentieth century exhibits four new features. First, it is more expansive in length and has greater philosophical depth. Second, there is an emphasis on unity at the motivic and thematic levels in which the development of material, based on the techniques discussed, occurs throughout a movement instead of being limited to a "development" section. Third, the formal structures are more flexible, allowing for cyclic quotations and the accommodation of varying styles. Fourth, the advanced technical skills …

This document consists of the following elements: (1) an examination of Healey Willan's background in the English Cathedral tradition; (2) a study of the formation of his compositional style based on his knowledge of English composers and treatises of the day; (3) a look at the German influences on his compositional style; and (4) an analysis showing how he merged these styles into a unified whole to create a monumental work for the organ. Included are musical examples of English and German keyboard works compared with examples from Willan's introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue in order to illustrate the use of similar compositional devices and stylistic traits. Also included is a discussion of the evidence of Willan's individuality as a composer in spite of numerous derivative sources.

Sofia Gubaidulina is one of the leading composers in the contemporary music world. Her compositional interests have been stimulated by the exploration of and improvisation with rare folk and ritual instruments, and by a deep-rooted belief in the mystical properties of music. Gubaidulina is the author of orchestral and choral works, compositions for solo instruments, chamber music, as well as electronics music. Gubaidulina's Piano Sonata sums up the composer's thinking within her piano music, and at the same time projects the development of her spiritual vision within other genres that are to come. The analytical approach in this paper is based on the correlation between each of the elements of the musical material (form, rhythm, sound, etc.) and its contextual meaning in terms of musical dramaturgy. Set-theory is applied to the analysis of motivic components of the work. The traditional form is just the basis for the original intonational structure within a modern musical idiom. Varieties of rhythmic patterns, as well as an unconventional sound production, make this work breath with an impetuous power. The examination of the Sonata's musical language and content should give some insight not only into Guabaidulina's piano music, but also into a consequent development of …

This study addresses on facet of Joseph Turrin's compositional oeuvre: his published works for solo trumpet. Complete histories if all six trumpet compositions are chronicles. A discussion of formal organization and significant style features including harmonic language, melodic style and rhythmic features is included. A detailed performance analysis follows. The degree of difficulty of each work is assessed through an investigation of tessitura, range, melodic contour, endurance factors, fingerings, and technical features of the accompaniment. Analysis of tempi and dynamics, articulation and phrasing, and timbral considerations provides additional points of focus to the study. Finally, the importance of Turrin's works for trumpet and his impact on trumpet literature is assessed. Idiomatic aspects of composition that make Turrin's music attractive to performers are investigated and discussed.

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.

An interpretive analysis of Ralph Vaughan Williams' Concerto for Bass Tuba which compares tempi, interpretation of the melodic line, ornamentation, dynamics, pitches, rhythms. phrasing and articulations as utilized by four prominent tuba performers. Performers selected to share their interpretations include Arnold Jacobs, Donald Little, Richard Nahatzki and Harvey Phillips. Little, Nahatzki and Phillips provided a copy of their solo parts with their personal markings. Jacobs gave permission to transcribe his interpretation from the recording he made with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Performers' biological information is included along with musical reviews of Concerto for Bass Tuba.

The intent of this dissertation is to provide a reference guide for any prospective performer of Alec Wilder's four works for marimba: Suite for Solo Guitar (1976), Suite for Trumpet and Marimba (1977), Suite for Flute and Marimba (1977), and Sextet for Marimba and Wind Quintet (1977). The first part of the dissertation provides background information pertaining to Wilder himself, the works for marimba, and theoretical aspects of Wilder's music. The second part addresses specific performance problems contained in the music. The dissertation culminates with the presentation of a performance edition of the marimba part of the previously unedited Sextet. This dissertation will facilitate and enhance future performances of these works. It is hoped that this document will serve to help perpetuate and sustain interest in these important compositions.

While China possesses one of the world's richest musical heritages, it remained unaffected by Western music until early in this century. Subsequently, there was a movement of nationalism in music approximately three decades after the introduction of Western music. This movement, aimed at utilizing Western compositional techniques to create musical works that still would be uniquely Chinese, continues even today. Huang's piano concerto was written in 1982, just a few years after the Cultural Revolution. At the time, most Chinese composers were "handicapped" by their lack of knowledge of Western contemporary music and by their limited study of both Western and Chinese traditional forms. Huang Anlun, a composer-in-residence at the Central Opera House in Beijing, traveled to North America to study at the University of Toronto and Yale University. Subsequently his music is widely performed and well received around the world. After presenting background information on Western music in China and an introduction to basic Chinese music theory, this study has analyzed Huang's piano concerto, with a particular focus on identifying, comparing, and analyzing elements of Western and Chinese music. After a survey of the formal structure of the concerto, this study has discussed Chinese modality and Western harmony--the two …

An analysis of re-orchestrations of Robert Schumann's four symphonies employed by conductor Felix Weingartner (1863-1942). The text includes a brief history of Schumann's orchestral writing career and an overview of Weingartner's life as a conductor. The bulk of the dissertation discusses actual changes suggested by Weingartner (with score examples). Patterns of modifications are identified and discussed as they relate to historically entrenched problems perceived with Schumann's originally employed practices of orchestration. The analysis focuses on overall patterns of alteration imposed by Weingartner and their perceived effectiveness in achieving a noticeably improved aural outcome.

An examination of the musical style, compositional techniques and performance practice issues of American composer Thom Ritter George with special attention paid to his Quintet No. 4 written in 1986. The document also includes a short history of brass instruments in chamber music, history of the brass quintet in America, discussion of the role of the trumpet in the quintet, overview of the composers contributions to music and brass quintet in America, discussion of the role of the trumpet in the quintet, overview of the composers contributions to music and brass quintet, and background information on the composer.

An examination is conducted of the life, career and musical styles of Richmond Matteson, an influential jazz euphonium and tuba performer of the twentieth century. The study includes a brief history of the euphonium's role in concert bands. A description of Matteson's background as a musician and clinician including education, influences and career changes will also be discussed. Analysis of Matteson's improvisational style and a transcription from the recording Dan's Blues is included. A formal analysis of Claude T. Smith's Variations for Baritone is provided, as well as a brief biography of the composer. Matteson's stylistic traits which Smith employed for the composition of Variations for Baritone are illustrated. The conclusion calls for further study of jazz styles by euphoniumists with more frequent performances of Variations for Baritone. Appendices include lists of Matteson's compositions and arrangements, a selected discography and a list of clinics and performances from 1982-1992.

An historical perspective of Theobald Boehm (1794-1881) and his design of the modem alto flute. Chapters I and II discuss the development of design, playing technique and repertoire of the ancestors of the modem alto flute beginning with the Renaissance consorts detailed in the treatises of Agricola, Praetorius and Mersenne, through the Baroqueflate d'amour and its use in the music of J.S. Bach, to Boehm's alto flute design (c. 1855) and its use in early twentieth-century orchestral and chamber repertoire such as Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps (1911), ending with specific aspects of contemporary alto flute design and manufacture since 1950, including the innovations of Dutch flutemaker Eva Kingma. Chapters III and IV concentrate on Boehm's mechanical and acoustical developments for the concert flute in C, the resulting modem alto flute in G, and his career as a virtuoso flutist, teacher, and composer. Chapter V is a critical commentary on Boehm's arrangement of Beethoven's Largo from the Concerto for Piano, Op. 15, No. 1 for alto flute and piano (c. 1858). Appendices A and B include the facsimile of the unpublished Largo manuscript and a list of Boehm's works for alto flute.

A stylistic analysis of John Stevens' second brass quintet, Fabrics, which discusses the composer's use of orchestration, harmonic language, rhythmic activity, melodic and formal considerations, and performance practice issues. Collaboration between composer and performer is investigated, particularly through Stevens' status as member of the Wisconsin Brass Quintet, the ensemble for which Fabrics was composed. Biographical information about Stevens and the Wisconsin Brass Quintet is provided, with appendices providing information regarding Stevens' activities as composer and performer and the activities of the Wisconsin Brass Quintet. Stevens was extensively interviewed as source material for this dissertation.

The intent of this dissertation is to investigate Michael Tippett's eclectic approach to the sonata form in the twentieth century as demonstrated in his Sonata No. 1. Topics of discussion include historical background of English music, particularly the English piano sonata, at the turn of the century (chapter 1), biographical information and a general overview of Tippett's music (chapter 2), a brief examination of Tippett's Sonata Nos. 2, 3, and 4 (chapter 3) and a formal analysis of Sonata No. 1 as well as Tippett's approach to contrapuntal techniques, rhythm, harmony and tonality (chapter 4). In addition to the lecture recital given on February 1, 1999, three others were given: the first recital, on April 3, 1995, contained works by Beethoven, J.S. Bach/Busoni, and Bartok: the second recital, on February 5, 1996, included works by Schumann, Mozart, and Ginastera: and the third recital, on January 2, 1998, featured works by Barber and Chopin.

Virtually disregarded in contemporary discussions of cello performance and pedagogy is the name of Luigi Silva (1903-1961). Though he did not achieve fame as a performer to the same degree as his peers Leonard Rose (1918-1984), Emanuel Feuermann (1902-1942) or Gregor Piatigorsky (1903-1976), Silva had an internationally-acclaimed performing career. Owing to his formidable technique on the instrument, he was known as the "Paganini of the cello." Through Silva's unparalleled ability to analyze technical problems in his students' playing and assist his student have populated faculties of most of the major American post-secondary schools of music and many of the principal chairs in important symphony orchestras. Of even longer-lasting significance is his enormous contribution to the literature for cello of over 100 transcriptions and scholarly editions of standard cello repertoire. By combining his own incredible artistry on the instrument and his extraordinary enthusiasm for teaching with his transcriptions of such works as the 24 Paganini Caprices, Silva helped raise the standard of cello technique to an unprecedented level and has impacted in one way or another every cellist in the twentieth century. This dissertation document describes the influences Silva's transcriptions and editions have had on cello playing and teaching in the …

A little-known chamber work by Benjamin Britten is the dramatic cantata Phaedra, op.93, for mezzo-soprano and small orchestra. Among his chamber works, the solo cantata was a musical form used only once by Britten, thus making Phaedra unique among Britten's oeuvre. Britten chose a genre that flourished in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the cantata - as a vehicle for the story of Phaedra. He employs clear allusions to Baroque music in Phaedra by the use of harpsichord and continuo in the recitatives, ornamentation, and word painting. The text for Britten's setting of Phaedra is a translation of Jean Racine's Phedre by the American poet Robert Lowell. From Lowell's complete play, Britten extracted Phaedra's key speeches that deal with her three confessions of incestuous love for her stepson, Hippolytus. These monologues are set in a series of recitatives and arias that make up the entirety of this chamber cantata. In order to gain complete understanding of Phaedra, this document will begin with an investigation into the historical background of Racine's Phedre and the conventions of French tragedy from which it arose. Lowell's translation method will then be explored in comparison to Racine's play. In turn, Britten's extractions from Lowell's translation …

The songs of Puccini provide another approach to understanding the composer's musical development. The objective of the study is twofold; first to provide a discussion of the musical style of Puccini's songs; and second, to show how Puccini utilized and integrated the preexistent material into the operas. The songs are grouped and characterized in three stylistic periods. In each period, Puccini was concerned with different issues in text setting. They anticipated or corresponded to the musical style of his operas, and this is evident by his use of the earlier songs in the later operas. Three examples of such cases are examined. The details involved in the transformation of self-borrowing are illustrated in terms of recomposition, expansion of the vocal line and orchestration. Each case illustrates the textual and/or musical consideration by Puccini of the original source for the new dramatic context of the opera. The borrowed material, often incorporated with new themes and expressive orchestration, blooms as an effective dramatic piece of music in his operas. In addition to the lecture recital, based on the dissertation and given on June 23, 1997, three other public recitals were performed. The first, on February 27, 1989, included works of Schubert, Brahms, …

George Walker, pianist, composer and pedagogue, composed piano sonatas in 1953, 1957, 1975, and 1984. The Sonata No. 4 demonstrates the composer's continued fascination with a relaxation of traditional forms, coloristic effects of persistent interval combinations, incorporation of folk elements into his thematic material, and harmonic and rhythmic underpinnings as structural bases to his work.

French trumpet works comprise a large portion of the contemporary standard repertoire for the instrument, and they frequently present unique stylistic and interpretive challenges to performers. The study establishes the influence of jazz upon Henri Tomasi, André Jolivet, Eugène Bozza and Jacques Ibert in their works for solo trumpet. Idiomatic elements of jazz style are identified and discussed in terms of performance practice considerations for modern-day trumpeters.

These four sonatas of William Flackton (1709-1798) are probably the earliest collection of sonata literature written for the viola. They exist with a few other string sonatas from the Baroque period in England. It is essential to establish their place in English baroque music and to develop a performance milieu or stylistic preference that leads up to and lasts through the time span of Flackton's sonatas. The final tool to establish an interpretive plan will be to present a general analysis of the four sonatas with special emphasis on the D major sonata (opus 2, no. 4).

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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.

El Polifemo de Oro was written in 1956 and revised by the composer in 1981. This two-fold investigation clarifies the structure of El Polifemo through careful analysis of the work and its revision, and by Smith Brindle's approach to composition based on his interviews and books. The second aspect is aimed toward the pragmatic performance issues of tempo, articulation, timbre, voice leading, and the other details of execution. Although the work was written according to serial techniques, the presence, in the twelve-note row, of triadic formations (minor triad, dominant seventh, fully-diminished seventh) juxtaposed with many tritone intervals suggests the use of tonal devices, which Smith Brindle does employ to effect tension and relaxation. It is assumed that tonal devices such as leading tones, stepwise movement in the bass, fourth and fifth relationships, and triadic constructions are heard against a traditional contextual basis and are therefore ways of implying resolution. Where tonal devices are not present, other structural components, i.e., rhythm, dynamics, timbre, etc., are examined with regard to their functions in creating or dissipating tension. Following the analysis of each of the four fragments is a discussion of performance implications based on the analysis. Both the analysis and performance aspects …