ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at gradformat@asu.edu.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 12
Filtering by
- All Subjects: Music
Description
The Serenade (after Plato’s “Symposium”) was composed by American composer, Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) in 1954. The instrumentation of this piece is for solo violin, string orchestra, harp, and percussion, and the only existing piano reduction was arranged by the composer himself. Musical expression markings are exceptionally crucial in Bernstein’s music because these markings can indicate the complexity of the rhythmic patterns, grouping of notes, and musical textures more directly to the performers. This piano reduction has many unplayable and awkward passages due to the technical challenges and oversized chords. Additionally, it is missing some of the musical expression markings such as breath marks and slurs from the full score. It also does not have any instrumentation markings which leads to the fact, the piano, at times, may have difficulties imitating the orchestra.My aim for the newer piano reduction is to make it sound more acoustically similar to an orchestra by adding missing musical components and also modifying the technically challenging passages to be more comfortable to play. My paper demonstrates the process in creating the new piano reduction while explaining the modifications and selections of the voices. Many approaches I used in this project are also applicable to other orchestra reductions. This Serenade is a wonderful piece for both violinists and pianists, I hope my revised piano reduction could benefit more performers in the future. A complete piano reduction will be in the appendix.
ContributorsGuo, Hongzuo (Author) / Ryan, Russell (Thesis advisor) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Campbell, Andrew (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
During my career as an oboist I have only had the opportunity to play four piecesfor oboe by Peruvian composers. It was not until I started my doctoral degree that I found out how difficult it is for people, not only to find copies of these pieces, but also to find the pieces themselves. Due to this obstacle, it is time for a bibliography of Peruvian oboe music to exist. This document annotates a list of oboe (and English horn) music by Peruvian composers detailing 130 works, for solo oboe, as well as chamber works up to 8 players, by thirty composers. Each entry includes a brief biography of the composer, original title of the piece, composition date, instrumentation, publishers, commissions, dedications, and duration of the piece in minutes and seconds. Some entries also include miscellaneous notes on the piece. Incipits of each movement are included as well as the movement title and tempo markings. Works by composers born and educated in Peru who emigrated to other countries, or changed nationalities is included. This bibliography includes all the music found up to October, 2021.
ContributorsEspinoza Masias, Diego Angel (Author) / Schuring, Martin (Thesis advisor) / Micklich, Albie (Committee member) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
Chamber music is a burgeoning part of the modern guitarist’s repertoire, and few instruments compliment the guitar as well as the viola. Through production of an album of music for viola and guitar, this repertoire is showcased. While the duo works together very well, there is still not too much repertoire written for it. By examining each of the recorded works and discussing their successful compositional ideas, as well as some flaws and solutions to those issues, a groundwork for writing for viola and guitar can be laid. Also included is a discussion of general ensemble considerations, a new original composition for the duo, and information regarding recording set-up. The pieces recorded and discussed are Echoes of Autumn by Stephen Dodgson, 5 Fachadas by Javier Farías, One Stops Searching, One Grows Silent by Klaus Hinrich Stahmer, Folklore III by Gilbert Biberian, Sonate by Érik Marchelie, and 2 Pieces After Danielewski by Bill White.
ContributorsWhite, Bill (Author) / Kim, Ji Yeon (Thesis advisor) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Rotaru, Catalin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Frank Zappa considered “The Adventures of Greggery Peccary” hismasterpiece. It contains every aspect of his melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic language. These techniques include: folk-influenced songs, quartal melodies, asymmetric meters, speech-influenced rhythms, octave-displaced chromaticism, “conceptual continuity,” and creative studio techniques. He considers these aspects and weighs them against each other to maintain a sense of balance on both a micro- and macroscopic scale.
The first chapter of this dissertation explores the events that led up to the creation of the composition. A chronology of historical events precedes a synopsis of the piece’s narrative. The second chapter examines a rehearsal tape from March of 1972, which was released posthumously, that contains the song that will eventually become the fourth movement of the piece: “The New Brown Clouds.” That song, as well as others on the recording, contains several examples of Zappa’s musical vocabulary. These excerpts are also included in the two albums that were released and are also heard in Zappa’s magnum opus.
The third and fourth chapters examine the first version of “The Adventures of Greggery Peccary.” The third chapter focuses on musical analysis and identifying key components of Zappa’s compositional style. The fourth chapter talks about he Grand Wazoo’s tour, the Petit Wazoo tour a month later, and the subsequent tour in 1973. Zappa wrote new music for these tours, and those pieces became part of the large revision that is discussed in chapter 5.
The sixth chapter examines the recording process, locations, and the innovative techniques Zappa uses in the studio. Every time he released a recording of the composition, there was always a notable revision— including shortly before his death in 1993. Finally, the Ensemble Modern’s posthumous recording of “The Adventures of Greggery Peccary” is also scrutinized.
ContributorsOxford, Josh (Author) / Temple, Alex (Thesis advisor) / Meyer, Jeffery (Committee member) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
This research paper investigates the relationship between orchestration and harmony in Prokofiev’s orchestral works through selected case studies drawn from his symphonies and several of his symphonic suites. The research focuses on moments where the combination of orchestration and harmony stand out from the orchestral texture. Prokofiev uses these two elements of music to create both a large range of orchestral colors as well as to highlight structurally important moments in thematic development. Through the selected music examples, I highlight how the two elements are mutually dependent, even synergistic. I also argue that Prokofiev uses the two elements in a highly inventive manner to create unique timbral/harmonic effects. Drawing on recent theories related to timbre and perception, the chosen segments of music are analyzed in detail within the context of the works’ form and narrative. The study of these combinations suggests further research and interpretative possibilities for composers, music theorists, and performers.
ContributorsTay, Yun Song (Author) / Meyer, Jeffery (Thesis advisor) / Schmelz, Peter (Committee member) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Pacific Suite (2016) is a four-movement work for solo piano composed by the author of this paper, Holly Kordahl, that incorporates elements of several musical idioms, including Impressionism, tintinnabuli (as in the music of Arvo Pärt), post-modernism, minimalism and improvisation. This Doctorate of Musical Arts project consists of a descriptive paper, analysis, score and recording. The piece features varying levels of performer independence and improvisation along with notated music. Each movement is named after a different environment of the Pacific Ocean: Great Barrier Reef, Mariana Trench, Sunlit Zone, and Bikini Atoll.
Pacific Suite is engaging to mature pianists and accessible to students. The score of Pacific Suite is a blank canvas in some ways; almost all dynamics, tempi, pedaling, and fingerings are to be determined by the performer. The first movement, Great Barrier Reef, presents different musical vignettes. The second movement, Mariana Trench, requires the performer to improvise extensively while following provided instructions. The third movement, Sunlit Zone, asks the performer to improvise on a theme of Debussy. The final movement, Bikini Atoll, illustrates events of nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll in the 1940s.
Pacific Suite is engaging to mature pianists and accessible to students. The score of Pacific Suite is a blank canvas in some ways; almost all dynamics, tempi, pedaling, and fingerings are to be determined by the performer. The first movement, Great Barrier Reef, presents different musical vignettes. The second movement, Mariana Trench, requires the performer to improvise extensively while following provided instructions. The third movement, Sunlit Zone, asks the performer to improvise on a theme of Debussy. The final movement, Bikini Atoll, illustrates events of nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll in the 1940s.
ContributorsKordahl, Holly (Author) / Meir, Baruch (Thesis advisor) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Campbell, Andrew (Committee member) / Hamilton, Robert (Committee member) / Ryan, Russell (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
Patterns and Soundscapes explores the concept album format, popularized in the late 1960s and into modern times by artists such as the Who, Pink Floyd, and Frank Zappa. Specifically, I sought to adapt this format as a compositional process aimed towards the completion of a large-scale work that can be presented in album format and live performance. Further influenced by the concept album, I sought to create pieces consisting of similar musical techniques, motivic ideas, and harmonic language, so that each piece could be performed on its own or be combined as a multi-movement work.
I began writing this work in the spring of 2019, with “Colored Red Currents” for string quartet and “Conspiracy Wall” for two drum sets. After realizing that both pieces had a similar sound and style, I began to consider how they could function within an album format, and how they could also work together to form a large-scale musical work. I then decided that each subsequent piece, in addition to being composed of similar musical ideas, would be written in a manner that allowed for seamless transitions between the end of one and the beginning of another, and would also introduce the instrumentation making up the full ensemble in the last movement.
This work begins with the sparkling and rapid string quartet, “Colored Red Currents,” then moves to the energetic and groove based “Conspiracy Wall” for two drum sets, the meditative “Interlude” for solo viola and electronics, and the quick and mechanical “Beat Frequency” for alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and electronics. The work ends with “ALL IN,” where the full ensemble is finally formed, and all of the patterns and soundscapes come together to form a bombastic and wild finale.
I began writing this work in the spring of 2019, with “Colored Red Currents” for string quartet and “Conspiracy Wall” for two drum sets. After realizing that both pieces had a similar sound and style, I began to consider how they could function within an album format, and how they could also work together to form a large-scale musical work. I then decided that each subsequent piece, in addition to being composed of similar musical ideas, would be written in a manner that allowed for seamless transitions between the end of one and the beginning of another, and would also introduce the instrumentation making up the full ensemble in the last movement.
This work begins with the sparkling and rapid string quartet, “Colored Red Currents,” then moves to the energetic and groove based “Conspiracy Wall” for two drum sets, the meditative “Interlude” for solo viola and electronics, and the quick and mechanical “Beat Frequency” for alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and electronics. The work ends with “ALL IN,” where the full ensemble is finally formed, and all of the patterns and soundscapes come together to form a bombastic and wild finale.
ContributorsGrossman, Brendan Patrick (Author) / Rockmaker, Jody (Thesis advisor) / Norby, Christopher (Thesis advisor) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
Noting a lack of solo repertoire for two popular keyboard percussion instruments, the glockenspiel and xylophone, I set out to bring the two instruments up to a level where both could be recognized as vehicles for solo performance. I decided to collaborate with three composers who are not percussionists: Nick Bentz (fitful machinery for solo glockenspiel and fixed media), Ashlee Busch (Elements for solo xylophone and crotales), and Hunter Long (We’ve always had time on our side for solo xylophone and percussion ensemble). By collaborating with these three young composers, I hope to elevate the stature of these underutilized percussion instruments. This document provides information about each composer, the commissioning process, and examinations of each work. In addition, I will discuss some of the challenges of working with non-percussionist composers, issues on performance practice, and my solutions to those challenges.
ContributorsKusuma, Egha (Author) / Compitello, Michael (Thesis advisor) / Smith, J.B. (Committee member) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
When rock music began to appear on Broadway in the 1960s with Bye Bye Birdie and Hair, it opened up the door for new styles to be notated into musical theater scores. Since then, a wide variety of rock and pop genres have been incorporated into Broadway shows. Musical theater scores are representations of the show structure, and how rhythm and syncopation are notated in musical theater score affects how they are interpreted and performed.The past twenty years have seen a growth in popularity of both revivals and jukebox musicals. A revival is a show that appears on Broadway again after the original production; jukebox musicals take an already produced pop rock album or artist and create a loosely structured narrative around it. By analyzing rhythmic notation and syncopations in revivals and jukebox musicals, this paper demonstrates how popular culture and rhythmic notation interact with each other to create complexity in musical scores and performances. Centering around the musical Godspell as a core example, this paper examines rhythmic notation in pop rock musical theater, investigating how revivals and jukebox musicals can contribute to increased rhythmic complexity in scores.
This paper articulates the possibilities of a rhythmic notation system that would simplify the complex and frequent syncopations in pop rock musical scores. Eastman professor David Temperley’s work in rock syncopation and deep structure representation is discussed as it relates to musical theater scores. Expanding on Temperley’s theoretical foundation, the appendices demonstrate a proposed original arrow notation with an original song composed for these research purposes.
ContributorsRudolph, Randi Ellen (Author) / DeMaris, Brian (Thesis advisor) / Meyer, Jeffery (Committee member) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
While much has been written on the history of Education Concerts in the United States, there is a void in research focused on actual content, structure, and purposes of these concerts. This document seeks to fill this void through a detailed examination of salient aspects of Education Concerts, including programming, structure, rehearsal, and performance considerations. In conjunction with my research, I will draw on my first-hand experience as Associate Conductor of the Seattle Symphony, providing a glimpse into the creative challenges and solutions that confront a contemporary orchestra. Additionally, my research endeavors to discover ways of transforming the historically rigid model of orchestral operations into a structure that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion, encourages connections, and sparks curiosity. The goal of this research, therefore, is to provide tangible references and practical guidance to the conductor or administrator who is venturing into the richness of Education Concert programming and performance in today’s everchanging orchestral landscape.
ContributorsXia, Sunny Xuecong (Author) / Caslor, Jason (Thesis advisor) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Feisst, Sabine (Committee member) / Meyer, Jeffery (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023