The Development of Bands from the Baroque Period to the Present (open access)

The Development of Bands from the Baroque Period to the Present

The following chapters concern the development of bands of musical wind instruments in Europe and America. These groups may be most conveniently divided into two main classes of bands, military and civilian. Military bands may be defined as those organizations directly under governmental or army rule. This large class of bands includes: brigade bands, regimental bands, post bands and service bands. Brigade bands in early English history comprised two or more regimental bands, each regiment maintaining several bands. These groups were also popular in colonial America. In turn, each regiment of the military (army) had units of companies including troops, batteries, or cavalries. The units were authorized to maintain bands in their respective companies; fife and drum bands were also included. Certain bands of these companies were stationed permanently at military headquarters; these are referred to as post bands. In this country an increase in the number of regular army bands (infantry, cavalry, and artillery) has been marked since the latter part of the nineteenth century. These army bands and those of other branches (navy, marine corps, air force, coast guard, etc.) are included under the general name of service bands. The second main class includes a large group of …
Date: August 1951
Creator: Lee, Noah Aquilla, Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Development of Baptist Hymnody with Particular Emphasis on the Southern Baptist Convention (open access)

The Development of Baptist Hymnody with Particular Emphasis on the Southern Baptist Convention

This thesis undertakes a study of some of the historical origins and developments of the Southern Baptist Convention in relation to its music.
Date: August 1955
Creator: Wall, Woodrow Wilson
System: The UNT Digital Library
A History of the Oboe from Antiquity to 1750 (open access)

A History of the Oboe from Antiquity to 1750

The purpose of this study is to trace the development of the oboe and its use from the primitive double reed instruments to the oboes of the Baroque Period. Toward the end of this period the oboe became thoroughly established as an important section in the symphony orchestra and has remained so to the present time.
Date: August 1955
Creator: Stephens, Perry O.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Accompanied Solo Song of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries (open access)

The Accompanied Solo Song of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries

The purpose of this thesis is to discuss the changes and developments of the accompanied solo song throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, including instrument usage and song types.
Date: August 1953
Creator: McCarty, Hurshelene Journey
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dichterliebe by Robert Schumann (open access)

Dichterliebe by Robert Schumann

The purpose of this work, an analysis of the song cycle Dichterliebe (Op. 48) by Robert Schumann, is to recognize the special features of the songs which will contribute to their understanding and musical interpretation and performance. The Dichterliebe was chosen as the composition to be analyzed because of its prominent position in the vocal literature of the Romantic period.
Date: August 1957
Creator: Davidson, Hubert Neil
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Analytical System of Hindemith and Schenker as Applied to Two Works of Arnold Schoenberg (open access)

The Analytical System of Hindemith and Schenker as Applied to Two Works of Arnold Schoenberg

This thesis uses two different musical analytical systems, one of Heinrich Schenker and one of Paul Hindemith, to analyze tonality within "Die Gurre Lieder" and "Fourth String Quartet" by Arnold Schoenberg.
Date: January 1956
Creator: Miron, Nathan (Nathan Ben)
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Vocal Solos from the Incidental Dramatic Music of Henry Purcell (open access)

The Vocal Solos from the Incidental Dramatic Music of Henry Purcell

In this study, every effort has been made to cover the principal factors in the solos from the incidental music which are peculiar only to this part of Purcell's work. The melody and text have been of primary concern. The effects of the social and economic background of the times and the actual dramatic setting of the songs are given careful attention. It is not the purpose of this work to study the harmonic style of Purcell. This is admittedly a most intriguing and attractive subject. However, as the principal accompaniment is the continuo and the implied harmonies of his figured bass are not always clear the harmonic style will not be treated as an element of the solos. It is fully worthy of individual treatment which would be free to draw upon the vast instrumental examples of his work in a comprehensive study of his style. A complete survey of the songs is included in Appendix D for reference and for the information of the reader. It is hoped that the reader will be encouraged to pursue a closer study of these songs, and to consider their possible use today.
Date: August 1959
Creator: Stone, Edgar Norman
System: The UNT Digital Library
Gustav Holst as a Choral Composer: His Life, Factors Influencing His Compositions, His Place in English Music, and a Consideration of the Principal Stylistic Elements of His Choral Music (open access)

Gustav Holst as a Choral Composer: His Life, Factors Influencing His Compositions, His Place in English Music, and a Consideration of the Principal Stylistic Elements of His Choral Music

"An amiable personality, not himself an unusually passionate man, HoIst has excited more violent passions than any other contemporary English composer. How difficult he is to assess as a creative artist is perhaps indicated by the extraordinary fluctuations in his reputation." For a number of years he was completely unknown and ignored, living a quiet and unhurried life as an obscure teacher. Then with a momentary flash, after outstanding works such as "The Planets," and the "Ode to Death," he was caught up in a wave of public approval that made him, for a time, the recipient of national and even international honors. He was awarded the gold medal by the Royal Philharmonic Society, was made a Fellow of the Royal Col.ege of Music, and was offered honorary degrees by American universities.
Date: June 1959
Creator: Daugherty, Leonard Valson
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Descriptive Analysis of the Preludes (Book 1) of Claude Debussy (open access)

A Descriptive Analysis of the Preludes (Book 1) of Claude Debussy

The purpose of this thesis is to discuss and give a descriptive analysis of twelve of the twenty-four preludes written by Claude Debussy. This paper also includes a brief history of preludes as well as possible influences upon Debussy and his compositions.
Date: January 1956
Creator: Hudgins, Mary Nan
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Organ Works of Healey Willan (open access)

The Organ Works of Healey Willan

Although Willan is first and foremost a musician of the church, it is obvious that he has not cloistered himself in the organ and choir loft, as it were. As a composer he has written significantly in many fields, and as a teacher he has had a major influence in shaping the musical thought of a boundless number of Canadian musicians. As a musician of the church he has kept alive the great English traditions and made his own laudable and abundant contributions to church music practices. One of the first Canadian musicians of wide eminence, he has set an example worthy of the attention of younger Canadians who will contribute to the musical development of the nation.
Date: August 1957
Creator: Massingham, Robert Louis
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Comparative Study of Three Sonatas for Solo Brass Instruments and Piano by Paul Hindemith (open access)

A Comparative Study of Three Sonatas for Solo Brass Instruments and Piano by Paul Hindemith

In the years during the writing of The Craft of Musical Composition, and for the next few years afterwards, Hindemith was engaged in writing a solo sonata for each of the instruments of the orchestra. Muser states that this series of sonatas continues a definite policy of providing music for people who want to play music, and not merely to listen to it. The three sonatas for solo brass instruments and piano were written during this period. The sonatas, written for trumpet, horn, and trombone, were written in the following order: Sonata for Trumpet and Piano—1939; Sonata for Horn and Piano—1939; Sonata for Trombone and Piano—1941. These sonatas, being written rather closely together, should have certain stylistic characteristics in common, and there should also be certain features peculiar to each sonata. To study these sonatas and compare them with each other structurally and stylistically is the purpose of this work.
Date: June 1957
Creator: Alley, Edward Lee
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Survey of the Musical Background of Representative Students at North Texas State College (open access)

A Survey of the Musical Background of Representative Students at North Texas State College

"The purpose of this thesis is to compare the musical background prior to college of one-hundred music majors and one-hundred non-music majors made up of students from each department." leaf 1
Date: August 1950
Creator: Clinton, Robert L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Earliest Operas of Giuseppe Verdi with Emphasis Upon Ernani (open access)

The Earliest Operas of Giuseppe Verdi with Emphasis Upon Ernani

This thesis provides a brief history of opera as well as analysis of the operas of Giuseppe Verdi.
Date: August 1958
Creator: Johnson, Mary Jo, 1935-
System: The UNT Digital Library
Beethoven's Choral Fugal Technique (open access)

Beethoven's Choral Fugal Technique

It is the purpose of this thesis to offer some pertinent information in the form of a documentary symposium and analytical study in which historical and technical matters relative to Beethoven's fugal techniques in his choral compositions will be presented. References to specific musical examples in this composer's works will be illustrated by diagrammatic and verbal analyses, and correlated with the pagination of the scores of his complete works as published by Breitkopf and Hartel.
Date: January 1958
Creator: Doering, Harold Owen
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Analysis of William Walton's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (open access)

An Analysis of William Walton's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra

The rhythmic analyses (derived from the rhythm tables of Chapter II) reveal: 1. Walton used rhythms sparingly. 2. Walton's rhythms constitute an evolutionary state of re-creation, i. e., Walton's rhythms are in empathy with each other. The harmonic analyses (derived from the harmonic fluctuation tables of Chapter II) reveal: 1. The most frequent chords of any classification occur in groups III and IV (chords of the highest tension). 2. The most frequent dissonant interval used is that of the major seventh.
Date: January 1957
Creator: Pipkin, Robert Joseph
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Survey of Musical Background and an Analysis of Mexican Piano Music 1928 to 1956 (open access)

A Survey of Musical Background and an Analysis of Mexican Piano Music 1928 to 1956

The Revolution of 1910 in Mexico marked a great political and social upheaval. At the same time a recasting of Mexico's music occurred. Modern Mexican music is a unique combination of the influence inherited from Europe and the indigenous music of the country. This work attempts to trace the development of that combination. Chapter I gives a background of music in Mexico through Pre-Cortesian times, the colonial period and the operatic nineteenth century. Chapter II deals with the men who shaped present day music in Mexico. Chapter III is an analysis of selected twentieth century piano works. The analysis shows the tendencies of ten Mexican composers in their use of melody and rhythm. It includes a discussion of harmonic structure and tonality. The composers whose works were chosen for consideration in the analysis range from Manuel M. Ponce, considered the father of modern Mexican music, to Carlos Chavez, recognized as the outstanding exponent of music in Mexico today.
Date: June 1957
Creator: Slight, Charlotte Frances
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Concert Arias of Mozart for the Bass and Tenor Voices (open access)

The Concert Arias of Mozart for the Bass and Tenor Voices

The concert arias of Mozart are probably among the least known works of this genius among composers, yet they represent no small part of his musical output and are scattered throughout every period of his life. He composed a total of fifty-seven in all, the first when he was only nine years old and the last one in the final year of his life. Mozart's fifty-seven concert arias are divided among the four voice groupings as follows: one for alto, eight for bass, ten for tenor and thirty-eight for soprano. Of these soprano arias one (K. 569)l is lost and two (K. 307 and K. 308) are merely ariettas on French texts. It is with the eighteen arias for normal male voice that this discussion will be primarily concerned; arias for the castrati voice will not be considered.
Date: August 1955
Creator: Smith, Charles Temple
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Early Piano Sonatas of Prokofiev (open access)

The Early Piano Sonatas of Prokofiev

The purpose of this thesis is to give a descriptive look at modern Russian music, specifically the early piano sonatas of Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev, with focus on style and style influences.
Date: January 1955
Creator: Meeks, Ida Ledale
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Report and Evaluation of a Graduate Internship in Music Education (open access)

A Report and Evaluation of a Graduate Internship in Music Education

Advanced courses, more or less related, resulting in a research problem and a thesis are the procedures for graduate work as prescribed and accepted in most fields of study. Is it worth while to try other and possibly less accepted procedures, and then attempt to evaluate the results? For example, would it be profitable for a prospective teacher to spend the major part of his graduate work in actual teaching, to have an opportunity to do intensive work over a long period of time in collaboration with an experienced teacher or supervisor, and to choose his graduate courses so as to relate them to the teaching being done? Is there justification in giving a graduate student the opportunity to try out in a laboratory the ideas gained from academic and professional training, to have further experiences in working with boys and girls, and to develop skills in working with students and other teachers? Would the personal and professional growth of the graduate student, from his related courses, his preparation and planning for the teaching job ahead, his experiences with his students, his adaptation of previous plans to meet the needs of the actual teaching situation, the assembling of materials as …
Date: May 1950
Creator: Keel, Earl Tom
System: The UNT Digital Library
Music and Information (open access)

Music and Information

The application of information theory to music may provide both a means for measuring the information content of the messages .of the system and for studying the effects of such messages in the field of psychology of music (e.g., the group at Iowa University which is carrying on work commenced by Carl Seashore 3 ). Before the techniques of information theory may be applied to a study of music much statistical data about the music system must be compiled. Masking data must be compiled dealing with many simultaneous tones as are encountered in music; the effects of timbre in overcoming or adding to masking effects must be investigated; the effects of masking on and by the singing voice must be tabulated; and similar data must be compiled dealing with the effects of other types of tonal interactions. This data of the effects of tonal interactions may be used both to reduce the effects of such auditory phenomena and to determine which components of a message pass through the communication channel (i.e., the ear). The masking problem, as illustrated in Figures 19 and 20, may be so acute in some compositions that the part of the signal carrying the information content …
Date: August 1956
Creator: Lawes, Robert Clement
System: The UNT Digital Library
Treatment of the Leading Soprano Roles in Selected Operas of Benjamin Britten: Peter Grimes, The Rape of Lucretia, Albert Herring, and Gloriana (open access)

Treatment of the Leading Soprano Roles in Selected Operas of Benjamin Britten: Peter Grimes, The Rape of Lucretia, Albert Herring, and Gloriana

Benjamin Britten is one of the foremost contemporary English composers. He has successfully revived English opera, dead since Purcell, and this is one of his most significant contributions to the contemporary music world. Therefore, the purpose of this document is to give the reader some insight into Britten' s operatic style. The first chapter contains a sketch of Britten's life with particular reference to his operas, along with general characteristics of his writing. The following chapter has been devoted to a closer consideration of four of his2 operas: Peter Grimes, ;Theof. Lueretia, Albert Herring, and Gloriana. Since an analysis of entire operas would exceed the limitations of this paper, the soprano role has been selected as representative of Britten's operatic style. The vocal score of Turn of the Screw was not available for this study, and his other operas do not contain soprano roles. With each analysis a brief synopsis of the plot is included as a background for the musical analysis. Following the plot is a general treatment of the outstanding style features of the role. In order to present another facet of Britten's writing, the specific analysis of each soprano role is handled from a thematic standpoint. That …
Date: August 1956
Creator: Davis, Dolores Su
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Appraisal of Six Series of Music Textbooks for Grades One, Two and Three (open access)

An Appraisal of Six Series of Music Textbooks for Grades One, Two and Three

The education program in America began with the self-contained classroom and is today gradually moving back to that concept. It is believed that more attention can be given to the interests, needs, and abilities of the pupil if he is allowed to remain in his home room with his teacher throughout the school day. This is especially true in the primary grades. In many cases the primary teachers have only the minimum requirement by law of six hours credit in music.9 Furthermore, it is known that many primary teachers have little or no supervision from a music specialist. It is with these facts in view that this tabulation is needed for aid in the appraisal and selection of textbooks available for the teaching of music in grades one, two and three.
Date: August 1953
Creator: Webb, Gladys H. (Gladys Heyser)
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Digest of Published Opinions About the Teaching of Music Reading in the Elementary School (open access)

A Digest of Published Opinions About the Teaching of Music Reading in the Elementary School

Throughout the history of public school music in the United States, one of the problems which has continually been in the foreground is that of music reading, It is primarily a problem for the elementary school as that is the place where reading must begin in order for the children's interest and ability to be balanced. The elementary school is the focal point for the teaching of all skills and tools in learning. Certainly, reading is one of the major tools in the process of musical learning. In many cases the ability of the students to read music has been the basic criterion of the entire music program. Davison states that the aim and end of a large percentage of instruction has for so long been to train students to sing music at sight that it has grown to be a fetish. While such a standard as that is an over-emphasis of reading, most music educators will agree that the place of music reading in the elementary school is of utmost importance. The differences of opinions lie not so much in the goals to be reached as in the methods of reaching them. The purpose of this study is not …
Date: June 1950
Creator: Hill, Frankie Jean
System: The UNT Digital Library
Television in Education: a Survey of Current Practices and a Consideration of Its Applicability to the Field of Music (open access)

Television in Education: a Survey of Current Practices and a Consideration of Its Applicability to the Field of Music

The use of television as an aid to music education is a relatively new and unexplored field. It is so new, in fact, that to undertake a study of what has been accomplished until the present may seem at first rather premature and unfruitful. It is my belief, however, that if television is to become the prominent factor in education that has been predicted, there is a definite need for a study of what has been done to date toward the development of this new medium. This will provide the background and foundation for further experiment and use. The study shall include, therefore, a brief history of television itself, general educational experiments in television, experiments in televised music education, problems involved in presenting musical television programs, and suggestions for the development of this newest of teaching aids.
Date: May 1950
Creator: Phillips, Hattie Lucile
System: The UNT Digital Library