This study investigates the effects of frequency variance on duration perception, using musically trained subjects. In the experiment three silent duration intervals were examined (4.75, 5.00, and 5.25 seconds); each interval was preceded and followed by tone markers. The onset marker was preceded by seven discrete tones one second apart, on the frequency 174.968 Hertz. This established a pulse or an external standard time measure. The subjects made judgments as to whether the offset marker fell "before," "on," or "after," the pulse. The offset marker had a variable frequency. In the study, the direction of the frequency change, the distance of frequency change, and the mathematical intervallic relationships of the two frequencies show possible influence on duration perception.

Arnold Schoenberg viewed himself as an extension of the German Romantic tradition. Schoenberg's early unpublished songs prove his indebtedness to nineteenth century music, but they also show a great deal that is strictly Schoenbergian. This paper investigates the musical elements that Schoenberg assimilated from tradition, especially from the great Lied tradition of the nineteenth century. lements that may be associated with his later works are also investigated, namely the 2rundgestalt principle, and his use of the "primal cell," a trichord set that appears in works of all his periods. This paper shows how these elements are manifested in seven early songs. These songs are from the Nachod collection, an assemblage of correspondence and early unpublished music manuscripts by Schoenberg. This collection is owned by North Texas State University.

The study of Bela Bartok's Four Dirges for piano (1909- 1910) is significant in that this period of 1908 to 1910 was particularly experimental and formative for Bartók, especially in tonal aspects of his compositional style. Furthermore, very little research and analysis has been done on these smaller works. This thesis contributes an analytical study of this early style and also shows its influence on larger mature works in subsequent years. A complete analysis on each dirge contains graphs of tonal structures and patterns constructed by Bartok within each composition. The concluding chapter summarizes overall characteristics of the dirges.