Matching Items (25)
Description
The versatility of the bassoon has always been a signature trait, noticeable both inthe diversity of canonic works conceived for the instrument and in transcriptions. While
Russian composer and pianist, Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953), is well-known for his
orchestral and piano compositions, outside from moments in his compositions for
orchestra, most woodwind musicians have been unable to experience his solo repertoire
and writing style. Prokofiev did not write any solo compositions for the bassoon. In fact,
his only solo work for woodwinds is his Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 94. The purpose
of this project is to transcribe Prokofiev’s Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 94 for bassoon
and piano as an addition to the bassoon solo literature. The project begins with an
historical overview of both composer and composition, then turns into a description of
the rationale and process of transcription, followed by the transcription for bassoon and
piano itself as well as a complete recording.
ContributorsJin, Leon (Author) / Micklich, Albie (Thesis advisor) / Schmelz, Peter (Committee member) / Gardner, Joshua (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
The composition Fold is a multi-movement work for flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano, and percussion. The music develops from one simple gesture that generates many variations. The gesture symbolizes a folding technique in origami, the pleat fold. The pleat gesture goes through many transformations and evolves into different musical ideas that carry various metaphorical meanings such as the concept of time, the devotion to craftsmanship, and the physical and mental deterioration of a person. The musical materials form a piece about the changing relationship between a craftsperson and their craft over the span of their creative life. Chinese ci poetry informs the structure of this piece on macro and micro levels. This document examines the compositional processes of Fold and explains how musical metaphors and cultural references are used in her creative output.
ContributorsWang, Ziyu (Author) / Rockmaker, Jody (Thesis advisor) / Navarro, Fernanda (Committee member) / Schmelz, Peter (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
This research paper investigates the relationship between orchestration and harmony in Prokofiev’s orchestral works through selected case studies drawn from his symphonies and several of his symphonic suites. The research focuses on moments where the combination of orchestration and harmony stand out from the orchestral texture. Prokofiev uses these two elements of music to create both a large range of orchestral colors as well as to highlight structurally important moments in thematic development. Through the selected music examples, I highlight how the two elements are mutually dependent, even synergistic. I also argue that Prokofiev uses the two elements in a highly inventive manner to create unique timbral/harmonic effects. Drawing on recent theories related to timbre and perception, the chosen segments of music are analyzed in detail within the context of the works’ form and narrative. The study of these combinations suggests further research and interpretative possibilities for composers, music theorists, and performers.
ContributorsTay, Yun Song (Author) / Meyer, Jeffery (Thesis advisor) / Schmelz, Peter (Committee member) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
William “Count” Basie (1904-1984) is one of the most beloved and imitated figures in American music. His name has long been ubiquitous among jazz scholars, critics, and practitioners. Basie’s sparse, minimalistic piano idiolect is immediately recognizable, and the 4/4 swing aesthetic of his Kansas City-born jazz orchestra is a cornerstone of the big band idiom. “Stories and Significations” critically examines prevailing narratives about Basie’s biography and musical output, many of which have not been substantively reconsidered since the 1980s. Through an interdisciplinary synthesis of methods ranging from Afrodiasporic modes of musical analysis, archival research, critical historiography, and African American literary theory, this project serves to enrich Basie’s legacy while also critiquing the mythology surrounding it. By signifying on the traditional “Life and Music” paradigm of jazz biography, in “Stories and Significations” I use preexisting scholarly and critical discourses as points of departure for critique while also offering scholars and practitioners new ways to write, talk, and think about Basie. In doing so, I bring Basie, the stories of his life, and the Significations in his music into the rich scholarly discourse of the New Jazz Studies that has added such valuable depth and detail to the legacies of numerous other figures in jazz history such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Miles Davis.
ContributorsDavis, Jayson Owen (Author) / Wells, Christi J (Thesis advisor) / Kocour, Michael (Committee member) / Saucier, Catherine (Committee member) / Schmelz, Peter (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
This project focuses on Samarkand Pictures, a cycle for solo piano composed by the Uzbek composer Dilorom Amanullaeva. She currently serves on the faculty of the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan in Tashkent where she received her musical education. As Uzbekistan was once a part of the Soviet Union, there is no doubt Amanullaeva was influenced by Russian and Soviet composers, but traditional Uzbek melodic inflections and unique rhythmic patterns can be found prevailing in her writing. The recorded part of the project will include approximately thirty minutes of playing. The written commentary includes a chapter about the composer’s biography and compositional style, and also the historical background of the recorded compositions. Most importantly, the commentary features a guide for performers that is based on the interpretational choices I made when recording this cycle. One of the main purposes of this project is to diversify the modern piano repertoire. With this project, I intend to promote Dilorom Amanullaeva’s piano works and advocate for women composers in classical music in general.
ContributorsKosminov, Vladislav (Author) / Meir, Baruch (Thesis advisor) / Creviston, Hannah (Committee member) / Schmelz, Peter (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024