Matching Items (81)
Filtering by
- All Subjects: Music
- Creators: Feisst, Sabine
- Creators: DeMars, James
Description
Gloria is a work written for SATB choir and brass quintet that uses the traditional Latin text of the Gloria found in the ordinary of the Mass. The piece is approximately fourteen minutes and explores a variety of textures, colors, and timbres of the brass quintet and choir. The composition uses quartal sonorities mixed with upper tertian structures while avoiding simple triads and stable root position voicings until the most important climactic moments. The Gloria opens with a fanfare presenting the initial rhythmic motive in a call and response between the brass and choir before the irregular meters of the A section enter. The piece develops a variety of sonorities, pitch collections, and timbres before arriving at the first climactic moment on the text "Rex" (King). The music slowly comes to a point of repose with a brass interlude revealing the motives used in the B section. The choir begins the B section a cappella on the text "Dómine Fili unigénite, Jésu Chríste" (Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son). The section features a dialogue between the brass and choir, though the two groups never sound together. The section includes a lyrical soprano duet incorporating dissonant intervals preceding the choir's response on the text requesting the mercy of the Lord. The section comes to a somber, penitential rest ending with the brass quintet response. The piece gradually builds and accelerates to the second climactic moment on the word "Jésu." From there it once again gains momentum toward the return of the A section on the text "Cum Sáncto Spíritu" (With the Holy Spirit). After a climactic "Amen" section, the composition concludes with a return to the material found in the introduction followed by an affirming brass postlude.
ContributorsRichard, Nathan Daniel (Author) / Rogers, Rodney (Thesis advisor) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / Gentry, Gregory (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Technological advancements in computers and audio software and hardware devices in the twenty-first century have led to the expansion of possibilities for music composition, including works for acoustic instruments and live electronics. Electroacoustic composition is rapidly and continually evolving, and much that has been written about compositional techniques for percussion and live electronics is becoming outdated. Live electronics include performer-triggered events, audio processing, electronic responses to various inputs, and electronic decision-making during live performances. These techniques can be employed in a variety of ways. This project sheds light on how modern composers of different musical and cultural backgrounds reimagine the use of percussion through the lens of new technologies.
Through the commission, examination, and recording of three new works for solo percussion and live electronics, the author seeks to further explore and highlight electroacoustic compositional techniques for solo percussion. A specific compositional element to be included in these commissioned works is the activation or manipulation of the acoustic properties of percussion instruments by electronic components. The three artists who contributed works are percussionist-composer Jeremy Muller, composer and multimedia artist Jordan Munson, and composer, sound artist, and performer Garth Paine. The creativity demonstrated in their previous works made them desirable candidates for this project. Each of them approached their composition in different ways. In Hysteresis, Muller utilizes a loudspeaker underneath a vibraphone to expand the sound palette of the instrument with microtonal electronic sounds that match the instrument’s timbre. In Where Light Escapes You, Jordan Munson layers various electronic sounds with the vibraphone to create a slowly evolving texture that also incorporates a bass drum and the buzzing of snare drums. In Resonant Textures, Paine spatializes vibraphone, cymbal, and electronic sounds to create a meditative and immersive listening experience. Ultimately, each of the three composers implemented distinctive compositional and performance tools to create new works that provide a glimpse into the future of percussion music.
Through the commission, examination, and recording of three new works for solo percussion and live electronics, the author seeks to further explore and highlight electroacoustic compositional techniques for solo percussion. A specific compositional element to be included in these commissioned works is the activation or manipulation of the acoustic properties of percussion instruments by electronic components. The three artists who contributed works are percussionist-composer Jeremy Muller, composer and multimedia artist Jordan Munson, and composer, sound artist, and performer Garth Paine. The creativity demonstrated in their previous works made them desirable candidates for this project. Each of them approached their composition in different ways. In Hysteresis, Muller utilizes a loudspeaker underneath a vibraphone to expand the sound palette of the instrument with microtonal electronic sounds that match the instrument’s timbre. In Where Light Escapes You, Jordan Munson layers various electronic sounds with the vibraphone to create a slowly evolving texture that also incorporates a bass drum and the buzzing of snare drums. In Resonant Textures, Paine spatializes vibraphone, cymbal, and electronic sounds to create a meditative and immersive listening experience. Ultimately, each of the three composers implemented distinctive compositional and performance tools to create new works that provide a glimpse into the future of percussion music.
ContributorsWier, Alexander Carl (Author) / Smith, Jeffrey (Thesis advisor) / Feisst, Sabine (Committee member) / Schuring, Martin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
Description
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, musicologists have been delving into formerly inaccessible archives and publishing new research on Eastern Bloc composers. Much of the English-language scholarship, however, has focused on already well-known composers from Russia or Poland. In contrast, composers from smaller countries such as the Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia) have been neglected. In this thesis, I shed light on the new music scene in Czechoslovakia from 1948–1989, specifically during the period of “Normalization” (1969–1989).
The period of Normalization followed a cultural thaw, and beginning in 1969 the Czechoslovak government attempted to restore control. Many Czech and Slovak citizens kept their opinions private to avoid punishment, but some voiced their opinions and faced repression, while others chose to leave the country. In this thesis, I explore how two Czech composers, Marek Kopelent (b. 1932) and Petr Kotík (b. 1942) came to terms with writing music before and during the period of Normalization.
The period of Normalization followed a cultural thaw, and beginning in 1969 the Czechoslovak government attempted to restore control. Many Czech and Slovak citizens kept their opinions private to avoid punishment, but some voiced their opinions and faced repression, while others chose to leave the country. In this thesis, I explore how two Czech composers, Marek Kopelent (b. 1932) and Petr Kotík (b. 1942) came to terms with writing music before and during the period of Normalization.
ContributorsJohnson, Victoria K (Author) / Feisst, Sabine (Thesis advisor) / Oldani, Robert (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
Description
To be a versatile violinist, one needs interdependence of aural, visual and kinesthetic skills. This thesis introduces aural, visual and kinesthetic learning modalities, and explores the way each is used in the Suzuki, Paul Rolland, Orff, Kodály, and Dalcroze methods, as well as in Edwin Gordon’s Musical Learning Theory. Other methods and pedagogical approaches were consulted and influential in developing the curriculum, such as the teaching of Mimi Zweig, but were not included in this paper either because of an overlap with other methods or insufficient comparable material. This paper additionally presents a new curriculum for teaching beginning violin that incorporates aural, visual, and kinesthetic learning in a systematic and comprehensive manner. It also details a sequenced progression to learn new repertoire and develop proficiency with rhythm, solfège, reading and writing musical notation, and left- and right-hand technique.
ContributorsTang, Tee Tong (Author) / Swartz, Jonathan (Thesis advisor) / Schmidt, Margaret (Committee member) / Feisst, Sabine (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Traditional consensus in duos with grand piano has been that issues of balance between piano and the other instrument can be corrected through lowering the lid on the piano, particularly when the other instrument has been thought of as less forceful. The perceived result of lowering the lid on the piano is to quiet the piano enough so as not to overwhelm the other instrument, though the physics of the piano and acoustics suggest that it is incorrect to expect this result. Due to the physics of the piano and natural laws such as the conservation of energy, as well as the intricacies of sound propagation, the author hypothesizes that lowering the lid on the piano does not have a significant effect on its sound output for the audience of a musical performance. Experimentation to determine empirically whether the lid has any significant effect on the piano's volume and tone for the audience seating area was undertaken, with equipment to objectively measure volume and tone quality produced by a mechanical set of arms that reproduces an F-major chord with consistent power. The chord was produced with a wooden frame that input consistent energy into the piano, with measurements taken from the audience seating area using a sound pressure level meter and recorded with a Zoom H4N digital recorder for analysis. The results suggested that lowering the lid has a small effect on sound pressure level, but not significant enough to overcome issues of overtone balance or individual pianists’ touch.
ContributorsLee, Paul Allen (Author) / Campbell, Andrew (Thesis advisor) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / FitzPatrick, Carole (Committee member) / Ryan, Russell (Committee member) / Swoboda, Deanna (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Even in the most despondent situations, the arts find a way to flourish. This research document examines the vocal music that Viktor Ullmann composed in the concentration camp-ghetto of Theresienstadt in German-occupied Czechoslovakia, and the notable aspects of his compositional writing style. Although his opera Der Kaiser von Atlantis has been performed globally, the remainder of his oeuvre has rarely been recorded or performed. Singers often shy away from twentieth-century composers such as Ullmann, with claims that the music is not lyrical or relatable. Perhaps the irregularity of the meter, rhythms, or intervals seem too daunting for many to consider attempting a performance. With Confined, But Not Silenced: Vocal Music of Viktor Ullmann from the Theresienstadt Ghetto, I hope to open the door to music that is both accessible and uniquely beautiful. Not intended as a performance guide, this document aims instead at unearthing the appeal of music that is often perceived as unusual and difficult to perform through analysis that emphasizes relatable aspects of the compositions. By exposing colleagues to relatable music by a composer such as Ullmann, that has not normally been integrated in the canon, the boundaries of standard vocal repertoire can be expanded to include unconventional contemporary compositions. In addition to highlighting specific musical examples, Confined, But Not Silenced focuses on music’s positive effects for World War II prisoners in Theresienstadt.
ContributorsGoglia, Adrienne Ruth (Author) / FitzPatrick, Carole (Thesis advisor) / Feisst, Sabine (Committee member) / Ryan, Russell (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
As one of the composers living in an era filled with innovations, Anatol Konstantinovich Lyadov (1855-1914) has been relatively ignored by scholars and pianists to date. He is an unusual composer with multiple characteristics: solitary but expressive, talented but indolent. His compositional style never lacked critics—especially with respect to his persistent preference of miniatures. Nonetheless, his piano works embody the breathtaking beauty of the composer’s independent musical ideas and colorful musical language. Compared with the flourishing, dazzling, and nationalized music from other composers living in the same era, these light, flowing musical pieces from Lyadov have irreplaceable value.
Through the study of these small-scale piano works, one finds important connections with the music of other renowned composers (e.g. Chopin and Scriabin), and the employment of traditional aspects such as Russian folk tones and fairy tales. Stylistically, Lyadov was a representative of 19th-century Romanticism; however, his compositional style changed during his late period (after 1900), presenting a unique use of dissonance.
The scholarly research on Lyadov’s piano works remains limited. Most of the related resources can be found only in the Russian music literature. No in-depth study or dissertation on the complete piano works of Lyadov could be located, and therefore my research paper is intended to provide useful information to piano performers and teachers, hopefully encouraging more study and performance of Lyadov’s piano works. Despite their lyrical melodies and deep emotion, these works are thus far relatively unpopular and unknown, with only a few played occasionally as encore pieces.
Through the study of these small-scale piano works, one finds important connections with the music of other renowned composers (e.g. Chopin and Scriabin), and the employment of traditional aspects such as Russian folk tones and fairy tales. Stylistically, Lyadov was a representative of 19th-century Romanticism; however, his compositional style changed during his late period (after 1900), presenting a unique use of dissonance.
The scholarly research on Lyadov’s piano works remains limited. Most of the related resources can be found only in the Russian music literature. No in-depth study or dissertation on the complete piano works of Lyadov could be located, and therefore my research paper is intended to provide useful information to piano performers and teachers, hopefully encouraging more study and performance of Lyadov’s piano works. Despite their lyrical melodies and deep emotion, these works are thus far relatively unpopular and unknown, with only a few played occasionally as encore pieces.
ContributorsZhang, Xiaoyu (Author) / Hamilton, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Creviston, Hannah (Committee member) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / Meir, Baruch (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
Hungarian composer, Miklós Rózsa, is primarily known for his career as a film composer, but he wrote over forty-five pieces for the concert hall. The most famous of these works, Theme, Variations, and Finale, was composed in 1933 and premiered the following year, ushering in a long history of performances throughout Europe and abroad in the 1930s and 1940s. This document serves as a guide for performers of Theme, Variations, and Finale by offering biographical information about Rózsa, the compositional history and performance history of the work and recorded legacy, details about its two versions, and a detailed analysis of the score. This document also clarifies important details about the work's performance history, which have previously been recorded inaccurately.
ContributorsAlpizar, Mark Daniel (Author) / Meyer, Jeffery (Thesis advisor) / Feisst, Sabine (Committee member) / Spring, Robert (Committee member) / Caslor, Jason (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
It wasn’t long after the Chicago Opera Company postponed staging The Love for Three Oranges in December of 1919 that Prokofiev decided to create The Fiery Angel. In November of the same year he was reading Valery Bryusov’s novel, “The Fiery Angel.” At the same time he was establishing a closer relationship with his future wife, Lina Codina. For various reasons the composition of The Fiery Angel endured over many years. In April of 1920 at the Metropolitan Opera, none of his three operas - The Gambler, The Love for Three Oranges, and The Fiery Angel - were accepted for staging. He received no additional support from his colleagues Sergi Diaghilev, Igor Stravinsky, Vladimir Mayakovsky, and Pierre Souvchinsky, who did not care for the subject of Bryusov’s plot. Despite his unsuccessful attempts to have the work premiered, he continued working and moved from the U.S. to Europe, where he continued to compose, finishing the first edition of The Fiery Angel. He married Lina Codina in 1923. Several years later, while posing for portrait artist Anna Ostroumova-Lebedeva, the composer learned about the mysteries of a love triangle between Bryusov, Andrey Bely and Nina Petrovskaya. It was then that Prokofiev’s characters took shape, reflecting the conflicting relationships in Bryusov’s real life and characters from the novel, as well as themes from Prokofiev’s own life.
This paper will discuss Prokofiev’s third opera, The Fiery Angel. In addition to brief biographical, character, and plot information, topics will include issues Prokofiev encountered with creating the libretto, the relationship between his real-life love triangle and that depicted in the opera, and the impact Prokofiev’s ever-evolving relationship with religion and the occult had on the work.
This paper will discuss Prokofiev’s third opera, The Fiery Angel. In addition to brief biographical, character, and plot information, topics will include issues Prokofiev encountered with creating the libretto, the relationship between his real-life love triangle and that depicted in the opera, and the impact Prokofiev’s ever-evolving relationship with religion and the occult had on the work.
ContributorsNikolovski, Vanja (Author) / DeMaris, Brian (Thesis advisor) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / Dreyfoos, Dale (Committee member) / Caslor, Jason (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
Reverend Stormfield Goes to Heaven is an operetta in six scenes for seven vocalists and
flute, clarinet, horn, percussion, piano, violin, cello, and double bass. The work’s approximate length is 40 minutes. The libretto is written by the composer and based on the short story by Mark Twain titled “Captain Stormfield Goes to Heaven.” The short story features the typical biting sarcasm of Mark Twain. The libretto combines part of the original text with alterations to satirize modern day Christianity and religious values in general. The story follows Reverend Stormfield as she arrives in Heaven and quickly learns that the locations and people she expected to see and meet are shockingly different. The journey takes her through comical scenarios and deeper philosophical dilemmas, and in the end she is left to confront her own disturbing past.
The musical elements of the operetta include traditional and octatonic scales, twelve- tone rows and set theory based on the overriding intervallic relationship of the perfect fourth. The sets implemented as motivic ideas: 0-1-4-5, 0-1-6-7, and 0-2-5-7 are based on the perfect fourth and serve as the framework for many of the melodic ideas. The instruments provide an accompanimental role often incorporating melodic fragmentation and contrapuntal textures and techniques. Instrumental solos are featured prominently in arias and the instrumental interludes between scenes.
flute, clarinet, horn, percussion, piano, violin, cello, and double bass. The work’s approximate length is 40 minutes. The libretto is written by the composer and based on the short story by Mark Twain titled “Captain Stormfield Goes to Heaven.” The short story features the typical biting sarcasm of Mark Twain. The libretto combines part of the original text with alterations to satirize modern day Christianity and religious values in general. The story follows Reverend Stormfield as she arrives in Heaven and quickly learns that the locations and people she expected to see and meet are shockingly different. The journey takes her through comical scenarios and deeper philosophical dilemmas, and in the end she is left to confront her own disturbing past.
The musical elements of the operetta include traditional and octatonic scales, twelve- tone rows and set theory based on the overriding intervallic relationship of the perfect fourth. The sets implemented as motivic ideas: 0-1-4-5, 0-1-6-7, and 0-2-5-7 are based on the perfect fourth and serve as the framework for many of the melodic ideas. The instruments provide an accompanimental role often incorporating melodic fragmentation and contrapuntal textures and techniques. Instrumental solos are featured prominently in arias and the instrumental interludes between scenes.
ContributorsSakamoto, Dale Toshio (Author) / Rogers, Rodney (Thesis advisor) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Suzuki, Kotoka (Committee member) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019