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- Genre: Academic theses
Description
This study focuses on three songs from stage works of Kurt Weill (1900-1950): “September Song” from Knickerbocker Holiday (1938), “Speak Low” from One Touch of Venus (1943), and “Lost in the Stars” from Lost in the Stars (1949). All from Weill’s time in the United States, these songs are adaptable as solos and have become American standards performed in various arrangements and styles of popular music by many different artists.
The first part of this study is a biographical sketch of Weill’s life and music. It is intended to provide context for the three songs by tracing his beginnings as a German composer of stage works with volatile political messages, to his flight to the United States and his emergence as a composer of Broadway successes.
The second part is a commentary on the composition of the three selected songs. The lyrics and musical content are examined to show how Weill’s settings convey the dramatic mood and meaning as well as the specific nuances of the words. Description of the context of these songs explains how they were textually and musically intended to advance the plot and the emotional arc of the dramatic characters. The popularity of these songs endures beyond their original shows, and so there is discussion of how other artists have adapted and performed them, and available recordings are cited.
Weill’s songs, his little masterpieces, have proven to be truly evocative and so attractive to American audiences that they have undergone myriad adaptations. This study seeks to provide the personal and historical background of Kurt Weill’s music and to demonstrate why these three songs in particular have proven to have such lasting appeal.
The first part of this study is a biographical sketch of Weill’s life and music. It is intended to provide context for the three songs by tracing his beginnings as a German composer of stage works with volatile political messages, to his flight to the United States and his emergence as a composer of Broadway successes.
The second part is a commentary on the composition of the three selected songs. The lyrics and musical content are examined to show how Weill’s settings convey the dramatic mood and meaning as well as the specific nuances of the words. Description of the context of these songs explains how they were textually and musically intended to advance the plot and the emotional arc of the dramatic characters. The popularity of these songs endures beyond their original shows, and so there is discussion of how other artists have adapted and performed them, and available recordings are cited.
Weill’s songs, his little masterpieces, have proven to be truly evocative and so attractive to American audiences that they have undergone myriad adaptations. This study seeks to provide the personal and historical background of Kurt Weill’s music and to demonstrate why these three songs in particular have proven to have such lasting appeal.
ContributorsKimball, Abigail S (Author) / May, Judy (Thesis advisor) / Holbrook, Amy (Committee member) / Kopta, Anne (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description
The Sonata for Cello and Piano (1915) was one of the last three sonatas written by Claude Debussy (1862–1918). When Debussy composed the sonata, France was involved in World War I and Debussy was influenced by political dogmas that sought to advance nationalism as well as the use of French traditions in musical compositions. By discussing the political impact of World War I on French music, this paper will place the Sonata in a context that strengthens the understanding of the work.
Debussy, who participated in the political project of seeking out tradition as the protector of French culture, also presents his understanding of what French tradition is in this sonata. An analytical description of the structure, thematic materials, harmonies and intervallic relationships of the Sonata reveals Debussy’s approach of combining the elements that he observed from his French predecessors, as well as his own innovations in the work as he negotiated musical world that was controlled by political dogma
Debussy, who participated in the political project of seeking out tradition as the protector of French culture, also presents his understanding of what French tradition is in this sonata. An analytical description of the structure, thematic materials, harmonies and intervallic relationships of the Sonata reveals Debussy’s approach of combining the elements that he observed from his French predecessors, as well as his own innovations in the work as he negotiated musical world that was controlled by political dogma
ContributorsSong, Peipei (Author) / Ryan, Russell (Thesis advisor) / Campbell, Andrew (Committee member) / Feisst, Sabine (Committee member) / Landschoot, Thomas (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description
Guitar Hero III and similar games potentially offer a vehicle for improvement of musical rhythmic accuracy with training delivered in both visual and auditory formats and by use of its novel guitar-shaped interface; however, some theories regarding multimedia learning suggest sound is a possible source of extraneous cognitive load while playing so players may score higher with sound turned off. Also, existing studies have shown that differences in the physical format of interfaces affect learning outcomes. This study sought to determine whether (a) the game’s audio content affects rhythmic accuracy, and (b) the type of game controller used affects learning of rhythmic accuracy. One hundred participants were randomly assigned in approximately equal numbers (ns = 25) to the four cells of a 2x2 between-subjects design. The first variable was the audio content of the game with two levels: on or off. The second variable was the type of game controller: the standard guitar-style controller or tablet interface. Participants across all conditions completed a pre- and post-test with a system that required them to tap along with repeated rhythmic patterns on an electronic drum pad. Statistical evidence showed better outcomes with a tablet controller with respect to input time error, reduction of extra notes played, and reduction of missed notes; however, the guitar-style controller produced superior outcomes in terms of avoiding missed notes and was associated with higher satisfaction by participants. When audio was present better outcomes were achieved at multiple factor-levels of reduction of missed responses, but superior outcomes in input time error were seen without audio. There was no evidence to suggest an interaction between controller type and the presence or absence of audio.
ContributorsThomas, James William (Author) / Zuiker, Steven J (Thesis advisor) / Atkinson, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Savenye, Wilhelmina C (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
By examining the cognitive mechanisms behind human memory, the author hypothesizes that instrumental conductors can more quickly and effectively internalize music scores. With this theory, conductors could offer more informed and nuanced communications to their ensembles. Furthermore, these ideas could be incorporated into how conducting is taught to younger students by cultivating a more in-depth understanding of the music being studied.
This research paper surveys current trends in cognitive science related to the interactions of long-term memory (LTM) and short-term memory (STM) concerning score study and memorization employed by instrumental conductors. The research is divided into three sections, beginning with an examination of the key literature from the field of cognitive science. It continues with an overview of current musicological research and applications and finally concludes with a review of current instrumental conducting pedagogy that include discussions of memory. Moreover, recommended steps and a potential framework to incorporate cognitive science research into future conducting pedagogies are further outlined. The primary cognitive theory of focus is the Working Memory Theory of Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch.
This research paper surveys current trends in cognitive science related to the interactions of long-term memory (LTM) and short-term memory (STM) concerning score study and memorization employed by instrumental conductors. The research is divided into three sections, beginning with an examination of the key literature from the field of cognitive science. It continues with an overview of current musicological research and applications and finally concludes with a review of current instrumental conducting pedagogy that include discussions of memory. Moreover, recommended steps and a potential framework to incorporate cognitive science research into future conducting pedagogies are further outlined. The primary cognitive theory of focus is the Working Memory Theory of Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch.
ContributorsLucas, Cullan Baynes (Author) / Caslor, Jason (Thesis advisor) / Gardener, Joshua (Committee member) / Hill, Gary (Committee member) / Rogers, Rodney (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
The notion that a singer’s voice is an expression of their personality serves as the catalyst for an examination of the relationship between the continuum of introversion and extraversion, and the pathologies of muscle tension dysphonia, vocal nodules, and performance anxiety. This paper begins with a brief introduction defining extraversion and introversion, followed by a review of personality studies identifying opera singers as primarily extraverted. Definitions of vocal nodules and muscle tension dysphonia are then given along with a list of recommended therapies. These elements tie in with two studies in speech pathology that suggest that behaviors of extraversion contribute to the development of vocal nodules, and behaviors of introversion contribute to muscle tension dysphonia and a higher laryngeal placement. Performance anxiety is shown to compound the behaviors that lead to vocal pathologies in singers. Additional therapies are recommended to address anxiety management in vocal lessons. Finally, since personality factors that contribute to vocal pathology are psychological, it is recommended that voice teachers refer their students to a psychotherapist for proper treatment.
ContributorsCurtis, Paul Josef (Author) / Norton, Kay (Thesis advisor) / Hawkins, Gordon (Thesis advisor) / Dreyfoos, Dale (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017