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William Bolcom's 3 ghost rags: an orchestration for chamber ensemble with commentary on the history and propagation of ragtime

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

Symphonic movement: on works of H. P. Lovecraft

Description

Symphonic Movement: On Works of H. P. Lovecraft is a single movement

composition for wind band lasting approximately 11 minutes. The instrumentation

for the work is as follows: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 3 clarinets, bass

clarinet, contrabass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, soprano saxophone, alto

saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 2 trombones,

bass trombone, euphonium, tuba, string bass, timpani, 5 percussionists, and piano.

Symphonic Movement: On Works of H. P. Lovecraft is inspired by the horror

fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft. Lovecraft was famous for his ability to create a sense

of creeping dread and terror in his stories. The composition evokes this dark

atmosphere and uses a combination of melodic, harmonic, and orchestrational

devices to imitate this ambience.

The primary musical material of the work is a melody consisting of all twelve

tones. The composition explores this melody through motivic development and

phrase segmentation derived from the source material. This heavy use of

chromaticism helps to create a dissonant and brooding atmosphere throughout. The

work fluctuates between soft, lyrical passages and loud, cacophonous sections. The

alternation of exposed melodic lines with large bombastic climaxes is a major

component of the overall structure of the composition.

ContributorsLamb, Christopher John (Author) / Rogers, Rodney (Thesis advisor) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / Hill, Gary (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2016

American primitive: for wind ensemble

Description

American Primitive is a composition written for wind ensemble with an instrumentation of flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, piano, and percussion. The piece is approximately twelve minutes in duration and was written September - December 2013. American Primitive is absolute music (i.e. it does not follow a specific narrative) comprising blocks of distinct, contrasting gestures which bookend a central region of delicate textural layering and minimal gestural contrast. Though three gestures (a descending interval followed by a smaller ascending interval, a dynamic swell, and a chordal "chop") were consciously employed throughout, it is the first gesture of the three that creates a sense of unification and overall coherence to the work. Additionally, the work challenges listeners' expectations of traditional wind ensemble music by featuring the trumpet as a quasi-soloist whose material is predominately inspired by transcriptions of jazz solos. This jazz-inspired material is at times mimicked and further developed by the ensemble, also often in a soloistic manner while the trumpet maintains its role throughout. This interplay of dialogue between the "soloists" and the "ensemble" further skews listeners' conceptions of traditional wind ensemble music by featuring almost every instrument in the ensemble. Though the term "American Primitive" is usually associated with the "naïve art" movement, it bears no association to the music presented in this work. Instead, the term refers to the author's own compositional attitudes, education, and aesthetic interests.

ContributorsJandreau, Joshua (Composer) / Rockmaker, Jody D (Thesis advisor) / Rogers, Rodney I (Committee member) / Demars, James R (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2014