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- All Subjects: Music
- Creators: Rockmaker, Jody
- Creators: Swoboda, Deanna
Description
Bright Summer, a one-movement piece for orchestra, was composed in Arizona, and completed in February 2013. The piece is approximately twelve minutes long. The motivation for writing this piece was the death of my mother the year before, in 2012. The prevailing mood of this work is bright and pleasant, expressing my mother's cheerful personality when she was alive. It also portrays bright summer days which resemble my mother's spirit. Thus, soundscape plays an important role in this work. It depicts summer breeze, rustling sounds of leaves, and, to translate a Korean saying, "high blue skies." This soundscape opens the piece as well as closes it. In the middle section, the fast upbeat themes represent my mother's witty and optimistic personality. The piece also contains the presence of a hymn tune, The Love of God is Greater Far, which informs the motivic content and also functions as the climax of the piece. It was my mother's favorite hymn and we used to sing it together following her conversion to Christianity. The piece contains three main sections, which are held together by transitional material based on the soundscape and metric modulations. Unlike my earlier works, Bright Summer is tonal, with upper tertian harmonies prevailing throughout the piece. However, the opening and closing soundscapes do not have functional harmonies. For example, tertian chords appear and vanish silently, leaving behind some resonant sounds without any harmonic progression. Overall, the whole piece is reminiscent of my mother who lived a beautiful life.
ContributorsKim, JeeYeon (Composer) / DeMars, James (Thesis advisor) / Hackbarth, Glenn (Committee member) / Rogers, Rodney (Committee member) / Levy, Benjamin (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978) is highly regarded as an accomplished and prolific composer of choral music. His creative output includes works for chorus, solo piano, and wind symphony. His unique style infuses elements of cinematic music, jazz and improvisation, with particularly intriguing selections of text. This study examines the factors that influence Gjeilo's compositional techniques, and the musical interpretations of conductor Charles Bruffy in his preparation for The Phoenix Chorale's recording Northern Lights: Choral Works by Ola Gjeilo. The eleven works discussed in this study are: The Ground, Evening Prayer, Ubi caritas, Prelude, Northern Lights, The Spheres, Tota pulchra es, Serenity, Phoenix (Agnus Dei), Unicornis captivatur, and Dark Night of the Soul. As a relatively new and young composer, there is very little published literature on Gjeilo and his works. This study provides an intimate glance into the creative process of the composer. By composing in multiple styles and with a variety of inspirational sources, Gjeilo creates a fresh approach toward composition of new choral music. His style is revealed through interviews and numerous collaborations with conductors and performers who have prepared and performed his music, as well through an examination of the eleven works recorded by The Phoenix Chorale.
ContributorsGarrison, Ryan Derrick (Author) / Reber, William (Thesis advisor) / Saucier, Catherine (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Doan, Jerry (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
This thesis presents a new arrangement of Richard Peaslee's trombone solo "Arrows of Time" for brass band. This arrangement adapts Peaslee's orchestration - and subsequent arrangement by Dr. Joshua Hauser for wind ensemble - for the modern brass band instrumentation and includes a full score. A brief biography of Richard Peaslee and his work accompanies this new arrangement, along with commentary on the orchestration of "Arrows of Time", and discussion of the evolution and adaptation of the work for wind ensemble by Dr. Hauser. The methodology used to adapt these versions for the brass band completes the background information.
ContributorsMalloy, Jason Patrick (Author) / Ericson, John (Thesis advisor) / Oldani, Robert (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
The German pianist and composer Johannes Brahms (1883-1897) wrote more than 122 works for a wide variety of ensembles and genres. Despite this remarkable productivity, and his widely heralded talent for innovation and technique as a composer, few of his works have been arranged for solo guitar, and these have focused primarily on his simpler, more melodic works. Conventional wisdom is that his music is "too dense" to be played on the guitar. As a result, there are no arrangements of orchestral works by Brahms in the standard repertoire for the guitar. In arranging Brahms's Serenade in D Major, movt. 1 for the guitar, I provide a counter argument that not all of Brahms's orchestral music is too dense all of the time. In Part I, I provide a brief overview of the history of, and sources for, the Serenade. Part II describes a step-by-step guide through the process of arranging orchestral repertoire for the solo guitar. Part III is an examination of the editing process that utilizes examples from the guitar arrangement of the Serenade in order to illustrate the various techniques and considerations that are part of the editing process. Part IV is a performance edition of the arrangement. In summary, the present arrangement of Brahms's Serenade, op.11 is the beginning of a conversation about why the "guitar world" should be incorporating the music of Brahms into the standard repertoire. The lessons learned, and the technical challenges discovered, should help inform future arrangers and guitar performers for additional compositions by Brahms.
ContributorsLanier, William Hudson (Author) / Koonce, Frank (Thesis advisor) / Micklich, Albie (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born July 18, 1918 into the Madiba clan in Mvezo, Transkei, South Africa. Mandela was a lawyer by trade and a freedom fighter who envisioned freedom and equality for all South Africans regardless of race. In 1965, Mandela was imprisoned at Robben Island for twenty-seven years for treason and terrorist activities against the South African apartheid regime: he was assigned prison numbers 46664. In 1992, Mandela was released from prison and two years later not only became the first democratically elected president of South Africa, but also its first black president. "Madiba 46664" is an eight-minute chamber work scored for flute, oboe, clarinet in B-flat, and bassoon; vibraphone, and two percussionists; piano; violins, violas, and celli. The work blends traditional South African rhythms of the drumming culture with elements of Western harmony and form in contrasting textures of homophony, polyphony and antiphony. "Madiba 46664" utilizes Mandela's prison number, birthdate and age (at the time the composition process began in 2013) for the initial generation of meter, rhythm, harmony, melody, and form. The work also shares intercultural concepts that can be seen in the works of three contemporary African composers, South Africans Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph and Andile Khumalo, and Nigerian Ayo Oluranti. Each section represents a period of Mandela's life as a freedom fighter, a prisoner, and a president. The inspiration stems from the composer's discussions with Mandela soon after his release from prison and prior to his presidency. These lively discussions pertained to the state of traditional music in then apartheid South Africa and led to this creation. The conversations also played a role in the creative process.
ContributorsMabingnai, Collette Sipho (Composer) / DeMars, James (Thesis advisor) / Hackbarth, Glenn (Committee member) / Humphreys, Jere (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Rogers, Rodney (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Preservation Symphony is a short, multi-movement, orchestral composition that explores the versatility of the [016] pitch class set as the dominant unifying force of this cyclical work. The composition is scored for Piccolo, two Flutes, two Oboes, English Horn, two Clarinets, Bass Clarinet, full complement of Brass, Timpani, two Percussionists, and Strings. Movement one is in sonata form; the [016] set is used in structuring its overall formal scheme. The primary focus of the movement is on the tritone [0 6] as a replacement for the traditional tonic and dominant polarity. The movement features a driving force that alternates between pulse subdivisions of even sixteenth notes and sixteenth-note triplets. Movement two is in simple binary form with a central tonality of A. An English Horn solo functions as both the opening of the movement and a transition from the tonality of movement one (F) into the new tonal center of A. The unifying pitch class set [016] is used in this movement in a Phrygian context. Movement two has a contemplative and dark tone, which is in stark contrast to the outer movements. Movement three has a lighter, upbeat nature. The movement is in rondo form with its main theme written in a folk-like character. This movement returns to F as the central tonality, completing the overall tonal plan of the work. As in movement one, it explores the tritone polarity of F and B. The movement also revisits the chromatic mediant relationship found in the middle of movement two in the oboes. The pitch class set is now used in the context of a Lydian-Mixolydian (or acoustic) scale, from which both the central and secondary themes of the rondo are derived.
ContributorsKemp, Tyler (Composer) / Rogers, Rodney (Thesis advisor) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
The C.G. Conn instrument manufacturing company is known as one of the most successful and innovative band instrument manufacturers in the history of the United States. Many of C.G. Conn's instrument product lines have undergone significant changes throughout the company's history, especially in the brass family. The C.G. Conn tuba product lines are no exception to this company's extraordinary success, and have been significantly redesigned since the company began manufacturing these instruments in circa 1880. This research project investigates the tuba product lines that C.G. Conn manufactured between 1880 and 1940. C.G. Conn designed six different tuba product lines during this timeframe, including an unnamed tuba product line with Stölzel valves, the Wonder Valve line, the New American line, the Wonder Model line, the 20-J, and the 22-J instrumental product lines. These tuba product lines have been investigated using extant publications and patent information because the majority of C.G. Conn's internal records prior to 1970 have been lost. In addition to investigating each of C.G. Conn's early tuba product lines, this project also explores the particularly anomalous design in the top-action valve apparatus of the Conn Wonder Model tuba product line. This anomalous design was implemented in the all of C.G. Conn's top-action tuba and tuba-like product lines from circa 1890-1940. This author's measurements of period instruments and analysis of data taken from these measurements indicates that this anomalous top-action valve apparatus design utilized interchangeable parts with other front-action C.G. Conn tuba product lines.
ContributorsEarll, David Michael (Author) / Swoboda, Deanna (Thesis advisor) / Ericson, John (Committee member) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / Yeo, Douglas (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
In 1808, Heinrich Domnich (1767-1844) published his book, Méthode de Premier et de Second Cor, in which he credited the invention of hand horn to Dresden hornist Anton Joseph Hampel (1710-1771). The notion that Hampel was the first horn player to experiment and teach hand horn technique has persisted to the present day. This assumption disregards evidence found in Telemann's compositions and Baroque instrument design, where hand horn technique was clearly in use before Hampel.
This paper presents evidence that before Hampel, hand horn was in use and called for by composers. Because of the number of works for horn he generated before and during Hampel's life, Telemann's pieces provide powerful insight into the use of Baroque horn. Musical examples originate from passages in Telemann's works where the horn performs in a solo capacity and the music requires the performer to produce pitches outside the harmonic series. By necessity, the performer must use either the hand or bend the note with the embouchure in order to produce the correct pitch with the hand being the logical choice. The paper also examines published interviews from horn pedagogues, history books, method books from the classical and baroque eras, baroque and hand horn design, as well as articles written by some of the world's foremost baroque and hand horn experts.
By indentifying the number of non harmonic series tones in Telemann's music, combined with the opinions of hand horn experts, this paper suggests that horn players during the Baroque era must have known about, and used, hand horn technique. This knowledge will influence performer's interpretation of baroque pieces by providing a more historically informed performance, clearer understanding of intonation, the variety of tone colors expected, and create a better understanding of the development of the horn from foxhunting to the concert hall.
This paper presents evidence that before Hampel, hand horn was in use and called for by composers. Because of the number of works for horn he generated before and during Hampel's life, Telemann's pieces provide powerful insight into the use of Baroque horn. Musical examples originate from passages in Telemann's works where the horn performs in a solo capacity and the music requires the performer to produce pitches outside the harmonic series. By necessity, the performer must use either the hand or bend the note with the embouchure in order to produce the correct pitch with the hand being the logical choice. The paper also examines published interviews from horn pedagogues, history books, method books from the classical and baroque eras, baroque and hand horn design, as well as articles written by some of the world's foremost baroque and hand horn experts.
By indentifying the number of non harmonic series tones in Telemann's music, combined with the opinions of hand horn experts, this paper suggests that horn players during the Baroque era must have known about, and used, hand horn technique. This knowledge will influence performer's interpretation of baroque pieces by providing a more historically informed performance, clearer understanding of intonation, the variety of tone colors expected, and create a better understanding of the development of the horn from foxhunting to the concert hall.
ContributorsGilbert, Joel Gregory (Author) / Ericson, John Q (Thesis advisor) / Swoboda, Deanna (Committee member) / Saucier, Catherine (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Since 1999, a small group of groundbreaking orchestral works for turntables and orchestra has surfaced on the concert stage. These compositions explore the possibilities of the turntables and invite an intriguing fusion of musical cultures of the classically trained musician and the hip-hop DJ. Since DJ turntablists typically follow an improvised tradition and do not read music, the composer must find an effective means of notating the turntables and collaborate with the turntablist in the execution of the work. As interest in turntables composition grows, there is a need for discussion and a compositional guide with advice based on present day works. In effort to contribute a guide for turntablism composition, my research includes a historical and composer perspective that discusses turntables techniques, operation of the equipment, digital technology, hip-hop background, history of the instrument, and works of the past and present with musical excerpts pertaining to the notation and use of the turntables. Specific sources include: RPM by Nicole Lizée, Concerto for Trumpet, Turntables, and Orchestra by Paul Leary, Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra by Gabriel Prokofiev, and Stephen Webber's turntable method book The Art of the DJ Turntable Technique. Interviews with composers Prokofiev, Lizée, and Leary have provided important primary source information regarding their experience with turntablism composition and performance. Unrelated to the above research and attached as an appendix, my composition Andrew's Ritual for Bedtime for chamber orchestra is a single movement for choreographed dance that depicts a mother preparing her energetic young son for bed. The title references the nightly rituals parents undertake in order to prepare their children for bedtime.
ContributorsOuper, Jeffrey Thomas (Author) / Hackbarth, Glenn (Thesis advisor) / Standley, Eileen (Committee member) / Feisst, Sabine (Committee member) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Four new duets by different composers were commissioned for this project that utilize the clarinet and bass clarinet with tenor saxophone and bassoon. The pieces are Three Southwest Landscapes by Dan Caputo, Gestures by Michael Lanci, Connotations and Denotations by Jeffery Brooks, and Lyddimy by Thomas Breadon, Jr. The present document includes background information and a performance guide for each of the pieces. The guide gives recommendations to aid musicians wishing to perform these works. Also included are transcripts of interviews conducted with each composer and performer, as well as full scores of each piece. In addition to the document there are recordings of all four pieces.
ContributorsMiller, Audrey Jakub (Author) / Spring, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Gardner, Joshua T (Thesis advisor) / Creviston, Christopher (Committee member) / Hill, Gary (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014