Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes both ASU Theses and Dissertations, submitted by graduate students, and the Barrett, Honors College theses submitted by undergraduate students.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3
Filtering by
- Creators: Norton, Kay
Description
The purpose of this project is twofold: to contribute to the literature of chamber ensembles comprising mixed wind, string, and percussion instruments by producing arrangements of three piano rags by William Bolcom; and to highlight Bolcom's pivotal role in the ragtime revival of the 1960's and 1970's. Through his influence as a scholar, composer, and performer, Bolcom (b. 1938), one of the most prominent American composers of his generation, helped garner respect for ragtime as art music and as one of America's great popular music genres. Bolcom's 3 Ghost Rags were written in the tradition of classic piano rags, but with a compositional sensibility that is influenced by the fifty years that separate them from the close of the original ragtime era. The basis for the present orchestrations of 3 Ghost Rags is the collection of instrumental arrangements of piano rags published by Stark Publishing Co., entitled Standard High-Class Rags. More familiarly known as the "Red Back Book," this publication was representative of the exchange of repertoire between piano and ensembles and served as a repertory for the various ragtime revivals that occurred later in the twentieth century. In creating these orchestrations of Bolcom's piano rags, the author strove to provide another medium in which Bolcom's music could be performed, while orchestrating the music for an historically appropriate ensemble.
ContributorsMelley, Eric Charles (Author) / Hill, Gary W. (Thesis advisor) / Bailey, Wayne (Committee member) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Rogers, Rodney (Committee member) / Russell, Timothy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Phantom Sun is a ten-minute piece in three sections, and is composed for flute, clarinet in b-flat, violin, cello, and percussion. The three-part structure for this work is a representation of the atmospheric phenomenon after which the composition is named. A phantom sun, also called a parhelion or sundog, is a weather-related phenomenon caused by the horizontal refraction of sunlight in the upper atmosphere. This refraction creates the illusion of three suns above the horizon, and is often accompanied by a bright halo called the circumzenithal arc. The halo is caused by light bending at 22° as it passes through hexagonal ice crystals. Consequently, the numbers six and 22 are important figures, and have been encoded into this piece in various ways.
The first section, marked “With concentrated intensity,” is characterized by the juxtaposition of tonal ambiguity and tonal affirmation, as well as the use of polymetric counterpoint (often 7/8 against 4/4 or 7/8 against 3/4). The middle section, marked “Crystalline,” provides contrast in its use of unmetered sections and independent tempos. The refraction of light is represented in this movement by a 22-note row based on a hexachord (B-flat, F, C, G, A, E) introduced in measure 164 of the first section. The third section, marked “With frenetic energy,” begins without pause on an arresting entrance of the drums playing an additive rhythmic pattern. This pattern (5+7+9+1) amounts to 22 eighth-note pulses and informs much of the motivic and structural considerations for the remainder of the piece.
The first section, marked “With concentrated intensity,” is characterized by the juxtaposition of tonal ambiguity and tonal affirmation, as well as the use of polymetric counterpoint (often 7/8 against 4/4 or 7/8 against 3/4). The middle section, marked “Crystalline,” provides contrast in its use of unmetered sections and independent tempos. The refraction of light is represented in this movement by a 22-note row based on a hexachord (B-flat, F, C, G, A, E) introduced in measure 164 of the first section. The third section, marked “With frenetic energy,” begins without pause on an arresting entrance of the drums playing an additive rhythmic pattern. This pattern (5+7+9+1) amounts to 22 eighth-note pulses and informs much of the motivic and structural considerations for the remainder of the piece.
ContributorsMitton, Stephen LeRoy (Author) / DeMars, James (Thesis advisor) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Rogers, Rodney (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
This research paper is a study of Sergei Taneyev’s Concert Suite for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 28 and includes Taneyev’s biography, a brief musical analysis which benefits the interpretation, and performance suggestions from the perspective of a concert violinist. The purpose of this paper is to enable performers to achieve a better understanding of this artwork and make informed musical choices.
Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev (1856-1915) was a Russian composer. As a composition pupil of Tchaikovsky, and a teacher of Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Lyapunov, and Glière, Taneyev is an important figure in Russian music. His compositions include operas, symphonies, chamber music, songs, and piano music. Taneyev’s style was influenced by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Wagner and various European composers. His cosmopolitan style, and wide-ranging compositional interests do not easily lend themselves generalization. This difficulty in categorizing his music along with his self-criticism and aversion to self-promotion, contribute to his lack of recognition when compared with his contemporaries.
The Concert Suite for Violin and Orchestra, composed six years before his death, is his only work for Violin and Orchestra and was his last large composition. This work is cast in an unusual five-movement structure and embodies various brilliant violin techniques and rich Romantic-era harmonies. Taneyev’s interests in “old fashioned” style and folk music are evidenced by some of the movements titled “Prelude,” “Gavotte,” and “Theme and Variation” which contains a double fugue. He also utilizes folk dances such as the mazurka and tarantella. This performance guide provides practical interpretational advice based on an analysis of harmony, form and structural divisions, stylistic considerations and violin techniques. A brilliant and charming work, it has sadly been neglected. Through the study and performance of this piece, the author hopes to provide performers with useful information that enables more musicians to know and enjoy this valuable masterwork.
Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev (1856-1915) was a Russian composer. As a composition pupil of Tchaikovsky, and a teacher of Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Lyapunov, and Glière, Taneyev is an important figure in Russian music. His compositions include operas, symphonies, chamber music, songs, and piano music. Taneyev’s style was influenced by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Wagner and various European composers. His cosmopolitan style, and wide-ranging compositional interests do not easily lend themselves generalization. This difficulty in categorizing his music along with his self-criticism and aversion to self-promotion, contribute to his lack of recognition when compared with his contemporaries.
The Concert Suite for Violin and Orchestra, composed six years before his death, is his only work for Violin and Orchestra and was his last large composition. This work is cast in an unusual five-movement structure and embodies various brilliant violin techniques and rich Romantic-era harmonies. Taneyev’s interests in “old fashioned” style and folk music are evidenced by some of the movements titled “Prelude,” “Gavotte,” and “Theme and Variation” which contains a double fugue. He also utilizes folk dances such as the mazurka and tarantella. This performance guide provides practical interpretational advice based on an analysis of harmony, form and structural divisions, stylistic considerations and violin techniques. A brilliant and charming work, it has sadly been neglected. Through the study and performance of this piece, the author hopes to provide performers with useful information that enables more musicians to know and enjoy this valuable masterwork.
ContributorsZhang, Aihua (Author) / Jiang, Danwen (Thesis advisor) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Rogers, Rodney (Committee member) / Swartz, Jonathan (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019