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1
Williams, Jeremy Huw. "Serialism, modality and poetic rhetoric in Alun Hoddinott's Five Poems of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Op. 152 no. 2 (1994)." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2013. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/49267/.
Full textAbstract:
The last fifteen years of Alun Hoddinott’s life witnessed an unprecedented outpouring of works for solo voice, which seemed to coincide with a notable change of style – towards simpler textures, melodic lyricism and a greater concision of musical thought. This thesis examines the context and nature of this apparent change of style, focusing on text setting, poetic rhetoric, and harmonic and rhythmic vocabulary, with particular reference to the song cycle Five Poems of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Op. 152 no. 2 (1994). Chapter 1 contextualizes the vocal music since 1994 within Hoddinott’s oeuvre, considering whether the later songs mark a genuine ‘late style’ or merely a shift of emphasis within an already established compositional approach. Chapter 2 examines in detail the rhetoric and structure of the poetry chosen by Hoddinott and the reflection of these poetic devices in the musical settings. Chapter 3 investigates the combination of modality and serialism in Hoddinott’s harmonic language, concluding with an analysis of the opening Andante of the Trio for violin, cello and piano, Op. 77 (1970). This chapter assesses his acknowledged debt to the modal writing of Bartók and the serial practices of Berg, manifested in Hoddinott’s use of whole-tone and octatonic scales as a basis for hexachordal structure. All these elements are then brought together in Chapter 4, an analysis of the Bécquer settings, which assesses the interaction of text and music. While the underlying structure of Hoddinott’s later music remains serial, its reduced rate of chromatic circulation means that the modal elements long present in his note rows now come clearly to the fore, contributing to the songs’ often striking changes of colour and texture. The appendices contain translations of the texts for the late solo baritone works (with original punctuation restored), along with a full works list, bibliography and discography.
2
Rowden, Clair. "Massenet, Marianne and Mary : Republican morality and Catholic tradition at the opera." Thesis, City University London, 2001. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/7611/.
Full textAbstract:
The social and political practice of the French Third Republic resonated with a variety of contrasting ideologies which were reflected in cultural products and their reception, including opera. The operas of Jules Massenet, the most successful Parisian opera composer of his time, provide a good example of this kind of cultural mediation. A close examination of Massenet's operas will thus allow a re-evaluation of the complex interaction between art and society in musical culture at the end of the nineteenth century in France. Representative case-studies have been chosen, and the works are read in the contemporary Parisian context of moral and political debate. I examine the operas with respect to the choice of subject matter, the libretto and its genesis (especially transformations made in the process of creating a libretto), the music (both in it srelation to the specific drama and musical convention of the time), the staging and its messages, and the critical reception in the press. The main chapters are dedicated to the following issues: 1. Mary or Marianne? The social, moral and cultural context, particularly regarding women, is explored via a close reading of sources from the second half of the nineteenth century. 2. Le Pretre, la Femme et la Familie. Anticlericalism and Republicanism as reflected in Massenet's opera Herodiade and its reception history are addressed. Also discussed is the icon of the Republican mother, sexual desire and the question of divorce (hotly debated at the time of the opera's premiere). 3. Dreams of Decadence, or the Death of Positivism. Viewing the medium of the dream scene in Massenet's operas Herodiade and then Thai's, this chapter allows an exploration of the significance of the dream world and degeneracy in the'decadent and symbolist aestheticso f the last two decadeso f the nineteenthc entury in France, and their implications for the reigning Third-Republican positivist ideology. 4. La Pornocratie. This reading of the opera Thais addresses the way in which French fin-de-siecle art and society dealt with the `femme nouvelle'. Programmatic orchestral music in opera and its capacity to translate human passions and voice is examined.
3
Bohrer, Joceli Cirilo Soares. "Intonational strategies in ensemble singing." Thesis, City University London, 2002. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/7645/.
Full textAbstract:
The aim of the research was to find out about intonational strategies in the performance situation. The singing voice was chosen as the appropriate subject for experimental work, due to its superior capability to define pitch as compared to other musical instruments. Ensemble singing was also required, as harmonic context may be important in the clarification of the issue, Chapter One, as an introduction to the subject, considers tuning systems and temperaments and briefly reviews the experimental literature on the subject. It also states the aim of the research. Chapter Two focuses on the theoretical aspects of the research, considering sonic relevant phenomena of psychoacoustics to the legacy of tuning systems and temperaments. Some thoughts on intonational strategies, reference frequencies and flexible temperament as desirable components of a sound intonational strategy are elaborated. An analysis of the motet Ave Veruin Corpus, by Mozart, as the chosen music piece for experimental work is carried out. Chapter 11ree deals with the delineation of experimental procedures for the evaluation of the intonational strategies adopted by singers in the performance situation. The recording sessions environment and the technical tools utilised in the experiments are described, as well as the technical procedures to carry out the measurements of the acquired data. As strict criteria had to be met regarding the performance situation, simultaneity of performance and the need to acquire individual data for analytical work, electrodes were attached to the neck of the singers, near the larynx, in order to carry out the recording sessions with the help of I-uyngogr2ph devices. Analytical issues arc also considered in the chapter, namely technical problems, errors and mistakes, as well as the implementation of intonational analyses and reference frequency calculations. Chapter Four presents a discussion on data measurements procedures, including guidelines for the determination of errors and mistakes and their symbology. Four recording sessions were carded out; two of them fulfilled 211th e necessary requirements. The singers' results are presented in chronological order. firstly, a quartet of singers from the Royal Academy of Music, and secondly, sixteen of the BBC Singers. Reference frequency results are also presented and discussed. Chapter Five deals with the intonational strategies as defined by the experimental work. It was discovered that no lbeorr&d modewl as followed throughout the music piece, but instead international procedures were guiding the singers while performing. Also, the two groups adopted different intonational strategies regarding reference frequencies. Alongside with the main issues of the research - intonational strategies regarding pitch behaviour and reference frequencies,p itch equalization within a choir section and text-related issues that amongst the most important topics that have been revealed by the results. Chapter Six comments on the new concepts brought about by the research. It also delineates some possibilities for future research work on the subject and related issues, especially vibrato singing & text articulation and absolute pitch. The Appendices contain images of the experimental work, diagrams of studio disposition for recording sessions, and analytical scores alongside with tuning tables that make it possible to represent graphically analytical values. They also provide means of performing acoustical replications of the results of analysis and singers. The core of the appendices volume is formed by the results of the singers' fundamental frequencies results and their graphical representation.
4
Groves, Stephen. "The sound of the English picturesque in the late eighteenth century : native vocal music and Haydn's The Seasons." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2011. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/367391/.
Full textAbstract:
In eighteenth-century England, the art-forms of painting, poetry and gardening were often collectively labelled, the ‘sister arts’. The increasing interest taken in the apprehension and appraisal of scenes of English landscape by artists in these fields, alongside an emerging taste for nature ‘tourism’, gave rise to the term, the ‘picturesque movement’. English music was seldom considered as belonging to this ‘sisterhood’ or discussed as a medium for conveying artistic expressions of national scenic beauty. When the picturesque was discussed alongside music it was adopted as an analogy to explain the tactics of novelty and surprise deployed by contemporaneous German composers of instrumental music; these ‘plays’ with regularity and expectation were felt to be similar to the techniques of landscape gardeners who had studied and adopted the elements of surprise and irregularity observed in picturesque ‘beauty spots’. Recent musicological references to the picturesque have also preferred to employ it in this way in order to problematize the subversion of formal characteristics in the fantasias and unconventional symphonies by German composers. This thesis addresses the silent aporia in these discourses – namely the apparent absence of any participation in the picturesque by English composers, natives of the country most associated with the picturesque sensibility. Revealing the connections between the veneration of national landscape and eighteenth-century English vocal music, it is the ‘pictorialisms’ present in their texts, and their musical treatment, which are the focus of this project. In the process, secular song, the glee and national theatre music are positioned as appropriate sites for expressions of a uniquely English, painterly engagement with national landscapes, making possible reclamation of a neglected repertoire through the lens of the picturesque. And at the end of the project, Haydn’s oratorio, The Seasons, is shown to be as much a part of the English picturesque expression as a product of the German Enlightenment.
5
Meredith, Sharon. "Tuk in Barbados : the history, development and recontextualisation of a musical genre." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2002. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/91318/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is the first major investigation of tuk and documents an important part of Barbados' heritage. It also opens up opportunities for further research to be undertaken in Barbadian music and in related fields elsewhere in the Caribbean region. This thesis explores the history, development and recontextualisation of Barbadian tuk music. The history of Barbados is examined before considering Barbadian culture and how a Barbadian national identity was increasingly sought during the twentieth century, particularly after Independence. Music during the period of slavery, African music and British military music, the major influences on tuk, are explored before a study of the instruments, rhythms and repertoire of tuk. Types of tuk, and tuk-type musics elsewhere are examined and tuk is compared with other musics. Modern tuk musicians, their treatment of tuk, and how tuk has been, and continues to be, recontextualised is explored. The history, organisation and roles of the Barbados Landship, an organisation modelled on the British Royal Navy, but which never goes to sea, are considered together with the Landship's relationship with the tuk band. Finally, an overview of music and festivals in Barbados today places tuk in the country's musical scene. This thesis argues that tuk is predominantly a music that originated from imitating European military fife and drum bands, and that the African elements of it are to be found in rhythmic improvisation and some African retentions that have direct parallels with military fife and drum bands. It also argues that tuk exhibits characteristics similar to musics found elsewhere that can be attributed to the effects of the slave trade, colonialism and migration. In addition, the thesis argues that the Landship's relationship with the tuk band is a continuation of a naval tradition.
6
Foschi, Elia <1975>. "Studio e validazione di una nuova metodica per la valutazione dello stato di forma." Doctoral thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2008. http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/782/.
Full textAbstract:
We observed 82 healthy subjects, from both sexes, aged between 19 and 77 years. All subjects
performed two different tests: for being scientifically acknowledged, the first one was used as a
reference and it was a stress test (CPX). During the entire test, heart rate and gas exchange were
recorded continuously; the second, the actual object of this study, was a submaximal test (TOP).
Only heart rate was recorded continuously.
The main purpose was to determinate an index of physical fitness as result of TOP.
CPX test allowed us to individuate anaerobic threshold. We used an incremental protocol of 10/20
Watt/min, different by age.
For our TOP test we used an RHC400 UPRIGHT BIKE, by Air Machine. Each subject was
monitored for heart frequency. After 2 minutes of resting period there was a first step: 3 minutes of
pedalling at a constant rate of 60 RPM, (40 watts for elder subjects and 60 watts for the younger
ones). Then, the subject was allowed to rest for a recovery phase of 5 minutes. Third and last step
consisted of 3 minutes of pedalling again at 60 RPM but now set to 60 watts for elder subjects and
80 watts for the young subjects. Finally another five minutes of recovery.
A good correlation was found between TOP and CPX results especially between punctua l heart rate
reserve (HRR’) and anaerobic threshold parameters such as Watt, VO2, VCO2 .
HRR’ was obtained by subtracting maximal heart rate during TOP from maximal theoretic heart
rate (206,9-(0,67*age)).
Data were analyzed through cluster analysis in order to obtain 3 homogeneous groups. The first
group contains the least fit subjects (inactive, women, elderly). The other groups contain the
“average fit” and the fittest subjects (active, men, younger).
Concordance between test resulted in 83,23%.
Afterwards, a linear combinations of the most relevant variables gave us a formula to classify
people in the correct group.
The most relevant result is that this submaximal test is able to discriminate subjects with different
physical condition and to provide information (index) about physical fitness through HRR’.
Compared to a traditional incremental stress test, the very low load of TOP, short duration and
extended resting period, make this new method suitable to very different people.
To better define the TOP index, it is necessary to enlarge our subject sample especially by
diversifying the age range.
7
Foschi, Elia <1975>. "Studio e validazione di una nuova metodica per la valutazione dello stato di forma." Doctoral thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2008. http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/782/1/Tesi_Foschi_Elia.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
We observed 82 healthy subjects, from both sexes, aged between 19 and 77 years. All subjects
performed two different tests: for being scientifically acknowledged, the first one was used as a
reference and it was a stress test (CPX). During the entire test, heart rate and gas exchange were
recorded continuously; the second, the actual object of this study, was a submaximal test (TOP).
Only heart rate was recorded continuously.
The main purpose was to determinate an index of physical fitness as result of TOP.
CPX test allowed us to individuate anaerobic threshold. We used an incremental protocol of 10/20
Watt/min, different by age.
For our TOP test we used an RHC400 UPRIGHT BIKE, by Air Machine. Each subject was
monitored for heart frequency. After 2 minutes of resting period there was a first step: 3 minutes of
pedalling at a constant rate of 60 RPM, (40 watts for elder subjects and 60 watts for the younger
ones). Then, the subject was allowed to rest for a recovery phase of 5 minutes. Third and last step
consisted of 3 minutes of pedalling again at 60 RPM but now set to 60 watts for elder subjects and
80 watts for the young subjects. Finally another five minutes of recovery.
A good correlation was found between TOP and CPX results especially between punctua l heart rate
reserve (HRR’) and anaerobic threshold parameters such as Watt, VO2, VCO2 .
HRR’ was obtained by subtracting maximal heart rate during TOP from maximal theoretic heart
rate (206,9-(0,67*age)).
Data were analyzed through cluster analysis in order to obtain 3 homogeneous groups. The first
group contains the least fit subjects (inactive, women, elderly). The other groups contain the
“average fit” and the fittest subjects (active, men, younger).
Concordance between test resulted in 83,23%.
Afterwards, a linear combinations of the most relevant variables gave us a formula to classify
people in the correct group.
The most relevant result is that this submaximal test is able to discriminate subjects with different
physical condition and to provide information (index) about physical fitness through HRR’.
Compared to a traditional incremental stress test, the very low load of TOP, short duration and
extended resting period, make this new method suitable to very different people.
To better define the TOP index, it is necessary to enlarge our subject sample especially by
diversifying the age range.
8
Holmquist, Kristin, and Katarina Nygren. "Balanced Scorecard på gott och ont : kriterier för utvärdering av BSC's effekter." Thesis, Linköping University, Department of Management and Economics, 2001. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-782.
Full textAbstract:
Bakgrund: Finansiella mått har i alla tider använts av företag för att avläsa resultat. På senare tid har även vikten av mått på icke finansiella faktorer uppmärksammats. Som en följd har resultatmätningssystemet Balanced Scorecard vuxit fram. Balanced Scorecard sägs bland annat leda till förbättrad kommunikation och information inom organisationerna samt en ökad grad av måluppfyllelse. Trots den stora litteraturmängden rörandes Balanced Scorecard saknas information om vad som krävs för att organisationer skall kunna utvärdera om de väntade effekterna uppstår vid införandet av ett styrkort. Därför har vi valt att undersöka detta problem närmare.
Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att identifiera de kriterier som krävs för att effekterna av Balanced Scorecard skall kunna utvärderas.
Genomförande: För att kunna identifiera de kriterier som krävs för att en utvärdering av effekter av Balanced Scorecard skall kunna genomföras, har vi valt att utföra intervjuer med organisationer som har använt sig av BSC under ett par år. Vi har undersökt om de förväntade effekterna har uppstått, samt letat efter ytterligare effekter. Informationen från intervjuerna har vi analyserat med hjälp av de teorier som finns inom området.
Resultat: Det är viktigt att organisationens samtliga medarbetare förstår styrkortets innebörd för att hela organisationen skall kunna arbeta effektivt mot de uppsatta målen. Därför måste ledningen vara grundlig i sin genomgång av styrkortet. Dessutom ökar effekterna ju mer de anställda får vara med vid framtagningen av styrkortets mått.
9
Williams, Nicholas Allan. "Strategies of postminimalism in my recent music." Thesis, University of Huddersfield, 2009. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/7515/.
Full textAbstract:
This commentary will consider how I have developed and applied a number of compositional techniques, particularly in the area of rhythm and pulse, which I situate in relationship to postminimalism. In chapter 1 I contextualise my music by considering some manifestations of postminimalism, give the background to the development of my present aesthetic approach, and look at some definitions of postminimalism in order to clarify my own position in relation to both American and European (primarily Dutch) postminimal composition. In chapter 2 I examine the main aspects of my musical language, focussing on technical considerations in relation to the wider aesthetic context. In chapter 3, I will demonstrate how specific techniques, particularly rhythmic and permutational techniques, are applied in particular compositions, and how these techniques have developed over the last four years. Additionally, I consider how my work is informed by a social/political awareness, and how this has informed my choice of particular compositional strategies.
10
Parsons, John Lewis. "Stylistic change in violin performance 1900-1960 : with special reference to recordings of the Hungarian violin school." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2005. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/55396/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis describes and analyses stylistic change in violin performance (c. 1900-1960) by examining the so-called Hungarian violin school as an exemplar of stylistic change in this period. The thesis uses examples from both written and recorded sources to examine shifts in the use of expressive fingering, vibrato and flexibility of rhythm and tempo. The sources used include: performing editions; treatises; and recordings. In respect of the study of stylistic change, the thesis argues that recordings provide a valuable research resource for assessing the theoretical use of expressive devices, as well as the prominence, character and actual application in performance of such devices. The thesis focuses on the relationship between a player's formal training and the cultural-aesthetic influences to which he/she was subsequently exposed, and also considers the relationship between performing theory and performing practice. Chapter one explores nineteenth-century French and German antecedents to the Hungarian school, before discussing the syllabus and pedagogy of Jeno Hubay in Budapest. The cheaper concludes with a case study of the changing approaches to technique and expression of Hubay's pupil, Josef Szigeti. Chapters two, three and four concentrate on the expressive devices used in the performances of violinists in the twentieth century: chapter two explores fingering; chapter three concerns vibrato; and chapter four addresses rhythm and tempo. The thesis shows that, in the case of the Hungarian school, players retained aspects of their initial training, but that other influences played a more decisive role in their evolution as mature artists. The thesis concludes by arguing that recorded sources have a vital and significant contribution to make to the field of twentieth-century performance practice.
11
Hemsley, J. D. C. "Henry Bryceson (1832-1909) organ-builder and early work in the application of electricity to organ actions." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2005. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/55395/.
Full textAbstract:
That France was the undisputed leader in the application of electromagnets to the pipe-organ, is confirmed. C.S. Barker was the builder of the first electric organ at Salon, Bouches due Rhone, in 1866, but the honour for the invention must be accorded to Pierre Stein for his prophetic patent of 1852. Albert Peschard's electric action patents of 1862-3 represent a defining moment when electric action became the basis for a reality that was exploited by Barker until 1870. Thereafter, it fell to the Brycesons to continue the development of the Peschard-Barker system, but the challenges proved too much: the early actions were faced with technical challenges, and above all, the inherent conservatism of a traditional trade. The last electric-action organ build by Bryceson Brothers was the instrument for the 1885 Inventions Exhibition in London, at which the firms was awarded a Gold Medal for its electrical developments. Bryceson also built several important instruments along conventional lines during the 1860-1880s
12
Soga, Hector Ian. "The sacred vocal works of Gottfried August Homilius (1714-1785) with particular reference to his St. Mark Passion." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 1989. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/3961/.
Full textAbstract:
The chance discovery of a composer of whom the present writer had previously been unaware; who was allegedly a pupil of J.S. Bach; whose list of compositions occupied no small space in modern lexicographical entries, let alone in Eitner's now largely obsolete catalogue; who, according to Feder in his article entitled Decline and Restoration in Protestant Church Music - a History, though highly regarded in his day, had not received detailed consideration: such were the factors which gave impetus to the present day. No sooner was that study underway than it transpired that others, too, had been struck by the deficiency noted by Feder. Already in 1970, the American scholar Robert Ellis Snyder had prepared a doctoral thesis on the choral music of Gottfried August Homilius. More significantly, the East German scholar Hans Hohn had published a comprehensive survey of the composer's life and work which was subsequently published in a revised and shortened form in 1980. Far from undermining the work undertaken by the present writer, the above-mentioned studies helped to give it sharper focus. Snyder's contribution, valuable both for the attention drawn anew, through his editorial work in Volume 2, to the composer's music, and still more for his English translation of the Generalbass, nonetheless left room for deeper analysis and evaluation of Homilius' works. John's signal achievement, his painstaking collation of documentary evidence of the composer's life, remains largely inaccessible to the English reader who has no command of German. Further, his evaluation of the man and his compositions, based on an albeit rigorous survey, is vitiated by a tendency to play down the importance of theology in the formation of the composer's character and to portray him, in a one-sided way, as a torch-bearer for an emergent and emancipated bourgeoisie. Thirdly, John failed to distinguish correctly between the Passion Cantata So gehst du nun mein Jesu hin on the one hand and on the other the Markuspassion which bears the same subtitle and which turned out to be one of Homilius' lengthiest and most substantial works. These factors, then, helped to give shape to the present study which, as far as its author has been able to establish, is the first of substantial length to be undertaken in Britain. The first chapter of Volume I is devoted to a summary of Homilius' life. Relying, though by no means exclusively, on John, details are given of the composer's background, of his earlier life and education, of his first frustrated attempts to secure employment and his eventual success in being appointed organist of the Frauenkirche in Dresden in 1742, of his subsequent preferment in 1755 to the post of Cantor of the Kreuzkirche in the same city, of his varied life and success as cantor, teacher and organist over against a background of social upheaval, and finally of the circumstances of his death in 1785. Chapter 2 is deovoted to a general survey of the music. While account is taken of John's findings, the content is larely an independent survey of Homilius' music based on the main on manuscripts held in the Music Department of the Staatsbibliothek der Stiftung PreussischerKulturbesitz in West Berlin. The chapter contains details of the extant works, both published and in manuscript, new information about the dating of works established in the course of research, and, following a brief description of the main genres of music encountered (Oratorios, cantatas, motets and settings of the Magnificat), a discussion of the texts which underpin the works. Attention is then directed to the music: to the characteristics of the composer's musical language and to the techniques of composition and orchestration which he employs. From this study there emerges the picture of a composer who had full command of the musical dialects of his day, but whose obedience to a task which was essentially musico-theological kept him from producing music of lasting appeal. Chapters 3 and 4 constitute the main burden of the present study. The first of these is devoted to a study of the St Mark Passion both as a structure and as a theological statement. Through detailed analysis and comparison with similar works it is suggested that Homilius' work has its own particular theological stamp, in particular that he is more concerned with the life which faces his listeners in the here and now and with present moral choices than with affording to the listener a spiritual experience of the road to Golgothe. Unlike J.S. Bach who is content to let the gospel speak for itself, Homilius incorporates in the work a particular theological view of the work of Christ. Both factors conspire with others of a more musical nature to deprive this work of that timeless quality which characterises Bach's great Passions. In Chapter 4 the music is subjected to systematic analysis. If the arias emerge as the least satisfactory component, the recitatives are remarkably fluent, and the work as an entity proves to have been carefully and indeed ingeniously planned. Conclusions are drawn in Chapter 5, though a review of the most important literature, about the man, the composer and the St Mark Passion in particular. While there is some evidence to support the view, championed by John, that Homilius had certain progressive reflexes, Rudolf Steglich's 1915 analysis of him as an essentially conservative being seems the more perceptive and compelling, however dubious his comparison of Homilius with C.P.E. Bach. As a composer Homilius had great facility, but his musical language, shot through with gracious vocabulary and popular idiom, lacked innate strength. It is a language limited, too, by the composer's intellectual horizons and by his very pre-occupation with theology and his ecclesiastically based méier. As an oratorio Passion the St Mark Passion, a monumental work, is unique among the pieces which Homilius composed for performance during Holy Week. Of his entire oeuvre this work above all is both an expression of his debt to the Baroque past and at the same time an acknowledgement that he has left that past far behind. Volume I is furnished with three appendices. The first is devoted to a Choralbuch which sheds light both on the dating of works and on Homilius' treatment of the chorale. The second contains details of larger works and cantatas in manuscript. Musical incipits are given, where they were available, in order to facilitate more reliable identification of works. Appendix 3 contains diagrams and musical examples relevant to Chapters 2 and 4. Volume II contains a performance edition of Homilius' St Mark Passion furnished with a 3-part Critical Apparatus, containing 1) Text and Translation, 2) Notes on the Edition - including details of the manuscript, its provenance, an attempt to date the work, and an evaluation of its dedication to Princess Anna Amalia of Prussia - and 3) Notes on Performance.
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Davidson, Neil. "Composition in improvisation : forms and otherwise." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2010. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/2301/.
Full textAbstract:
This is a folio of compositions that interferes with composition and improvisation in practice and in theory. A resistance to theme and content is countered by proposing a very broad conception of form that brings into play anthropological and philosophical examples as well as a questioning of traditional musical forms. The pieces in general propose ways of composing and playing otherwise. The scores are interspersed with texts which engender relationships and patterns of thought pertinent to the workings of the pieces such that a critical position is articulated without resorting to longwinded argument. Audio recordings of the pieces are included at the rear of the document.
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McAulay, Karen E. "Our ancient national airs : Scottish song collecting c.1760-1888." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2009. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/1242/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis explores the musical dimension of Scottish song-collecting between the years c.1760 and 1888. The collections under investigation reflect the general cultural influences that bear on their compilers, starting with those associated with what we now call the Scottish Enlightenment, and continuing with those we associated with developing nineteenth-century romanticism. Building upon the work of Harker on the concept of ‘fakesong’, and of Gelbart on the developing idea of ‘folk’ versus ‘art’ music, I suggest that the sub-title of James Johnson’s Scots Musical Museum, ‘Our Ancient National Airs’, has implications which can be traced throughout this period. The nature of the finished collections tells us much about editorial decisions, value-judgements, and intended audiences. The prefaces, other published writings and surviving correspondence have been especially informative. Parallels can be traced between Joseph and Patrick MacDonald’s A Collection of Highland Vocal Airs, and the Ossian works of James Macpherson, embodying an urge to record and preserve the heritage of Highland Scotland’s primitive past. The collaborations of Robert Burns with James Johnson and George Thomson, and the English Joseph Ritson’s Scotish Song, similarly reflect the antiquarian ‘museum’ mentality. However, the drive to record and codify is tempered by Burns’s and Thomson’s wish simultaneously to improve and polish. The ‘discovery’ of the Highlands as a tourist destination, and the appeal of its primitive history, prompted a substantial body of literature, and Alexander Campbell’s output particularly exemplifies this, but the sense of place was as much a motivator for private collectors. It can also be demonstrated that later song-collectors, such as Robert Archibald Smith, were as much motivated to create and improve the repertoire, as were James Hogg and his literary peers. A passion for domestic music-making, and an increased wish to educate and inform, is evidenced in song-collections by George Farquhar Graham, Finlay Dun and John Thomson, but most significantly, this thesis demonstrates a resurgence of cultural nationalism, driven as much by William Chappell’s anxiety to define and defend the English repertoire, as by Andrew Wighton’s and James Davies’ passion for the Scottish, with Graham and Laing caught in the crossfire. Thus, even if ‘Our Ancient National Airs’ appeared at different times in different kinds of musical setting, and for differing purposes, it can clearly be demonstrated that published Scottish song-collections of this period can, indeed, be taken to reflect a wider range of contemporary cultural trends than has hitherto been recognised.
15
Kang, Ja Yeon. "Robert Schumann's notion of the cycle in Lieder Und Gesange Aus Goethes Wilhelm Meister, Op. 98a And Waldszenen, Op.82." Thesis, City University London, 2011. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/1124/.
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Pasoulas, Aki. "The perception of timescales in electroacoustic music." Thesis, City University London, 2011. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/1155/.
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The purpose of this doctoral research is to explore the nature and perception of timescales in electroacoustic music, to examine modes of experiencing time, and to discover a method that uses this knowledge to the advantage of the composer. Although the main focus is on acousmatic works, much of the research presented here has a broader scope and is relevant to music and sound art in general. This thesis is initially inspired by Deleuze’s philosophical views on time to discover relationships between the flow of time and music, and continues to investigate time perception by exploring prevalent theories in the fields of psychology and psychoacoustics. In parallel, it identifies and systematically analyses a set of factors that influence time perception and the formation and segregation of timescales. Theoretical analysis, hypotheses and reasoning were practically tested in the five electroacoustic pieces composed for this particular research. The study revealed and reinforced the importance of psychological time in perception and interpretation of structures in music, developed the idea of using parallel temporal forms in composition, and through an exploration of timescales, it necessitated a redefinition of microsound. Moreover, an analysis of extrinsic and intrinsic factors that affect our perception of time and thus our interpretation of a musical work reinforced the notion of acousmatic music as a holistic experience that comprises all its surrounding elements at the time of listening. This research is useful for both the composer and the analyst because it offers insights into time structures, and a better understanding of the listener’s response to temporal constructs.
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Lim, Lemy Sungyoun. "The reception of women pianists in London, 1950-60." Thesis, City University London, 2010. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/1210/.
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This study investigates the reception of women pianists in London in the decade 1950-60, based on reviews published in three music journals, Music and Musicians, Musical Opinion, The Musical Times, and one national daily newspaper, The Times. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, women pianists, both amateur and professional, suffered from the notion that women were innately unable to engage with a superior art form such as music: thus argue scholars including Katharine Ellis, Richard Leppert, Ruth Solie and Judith Tick. Yet, such attitudes did not prevent a strong tradition of women pianists from being formed. In Britain, in the latter part of the nineteenth century, Arabella Goddard was at the forefront of the London musical scene; she was succeeded by Fanny Davies and Adelina de Lara and, later, Dame Myra Hess and Harriet Cohen, whose career successes came in the 1920s. While the situation of women pianists in Britain between the mid-nineteenth century and the late 1920s has been assessed by scholars such as Therese Ellsworth and Dorothy de Val, an in-depth study dealing with the reception of women pianists in post-WWII Britain has yet to appear. This study does not attempt to assess the technical or musical accuracy of the reviews considered; instead, it asks, what were the musical perspectives of the reviewers and, specifically, what were their views on women pianists? First, it presents six important critics, Frank Howes, Clinton Gray-Fisk, Sir Jack Westrup, Andrew Porter, Joan Chissell and Diana McVeagh, all of whom contributed to the four sources cited above. Then it assesses the extent of the prejudice embedded in the reviews examined (written by many more than the six above), which invoke such varied issues as masculinist repertoire and female anatomy. Following this, it examines the careers of six leading women concert pianists of the time: Dame Myra Hess, Harriet Cohen, Eileen Joyce, Gina Bachauer, Margaret Kitchin and Dame Moura Lympany. Their successes reveal the extent to which women musicians of the highest status were considered exempt from the prejudices to which others were subjected. It is hoped that such a study will illuminate aspects of musical life unique to London in the 1950s, partially fill the void in the historiography of women pianists in Britain after Davies, and also alert those women who perform, as well as all who listen and assess women performers, to the complex and often covert issues ‘beyond the notes’.
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Camara, Queiroz de Souza Luciana. "Music and subjectivity in seventeenth-century free-style harpsichord music." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2012. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/3328/.
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The present study explores the relationship between the seventeenth-century free-style repertoire for the harpsichord and the concept of subjectivity in early modern Europe. It involved considerations about the socio-historical role of music, the philosophic discussions on subjectivity, and cultural issues of the period. The reflection about the content of the works and the possible connection points between this music and subjectivity was centred on the concept of time in its musical, philosophic and cultural dimension. For the investigation of the textual and performative aspects of the musical discourse a phenomenological approach is chosen. Free-style music both articulates and sheds light on significant aspects of early modern subjectivity: the ambivalence between quantifiable and unquantifiable, the theatricality of self-expression, the subjective as object of representation, the balance between authority and subjugation, and the separation of the subject and his or her representation through perspective. It also calls attention to some facets of subjectivity that may be particularly musical: the intentionality of time flexibility, the subject’s conflict between fixity and transiency (instantiated in notated free-style music), and the shared nature of musical subjectivity (in connection with the understanding that the individual readings of the musical text may be seen as ‘appropriations’ of the composer’s playing style). Free-style music may be seen as both reflection and constitutive part of the subject’s move towards autonomy in the sense understood within modernity. It also expresses the vagueness and changeability of the seventeenth-century subject.
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Nelson, Simon John. "Melodic improvisation on a twelve bar blues model : an investigation of physical and historical aspects and their contribution to performance." Thesis, City University London, 2001. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/7610/.
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"Anything made by man, no matter how many varieties it assumes, and how much of the superhuman it seems to contain, must reveal its secret to the close observer." Paul Hindemith (1942: 176). "Are you one of those guys who wants to put crutches under my ass?" Lonnie Johnson (Keil 1966: 35). It is the aim of this thesis to define a musical genre by showing how, in the realisation of an improvisation, two key elements - the physical layout of a musical instrument and human movement patterns - are combined to produce music. This thesis takes as a model the twelve bar blues form, and examines the above aspects in the output of two pioneering figures of the melodic improvised guitar: Lonnie Johnson and T-Bone Walker. The thesis is in divided in to three sections; the first, which considers context, is divided in to four topics. • Identification of the model - the twelve bar blues form, and an examination of the meaning of the model to black culture. • Consideration of the role of geography on the emergent style • The guitar design and development. • Identification of the pioneering figures of the genre. The second section, which is concerned with musical, physical and analytical aspects, surveys theories of scale, mode, blues scale and blue notes, and suggests that blues improvisation is inextricably linked to spatio-motor based patterning. A geographical layout of the guitar is presented to aid in the analytical process. The third section is analytical and attempts to identify the melodic 'characteristics of the blues guitar genre. A series of transcriptions were made of improvisations of early blues guitar soloists. These are analysed by reduction and expansion. The tones produced in the improvisations were reduced to a modal hierarchy of principal, secondary and incidental tones which are presented on a fretboard form of notation. The resulting mode is reduced to a scale which is compared to theoretical definitions of blues scale. This raw data is then expanded by considering the left hand gestural movement between tones. gestures are seen to be linked together to form cells. These are sub-grouped in to various types. Larger structures, motives, are then defined as comprising several cells. The location of the cells in the model is indicated. These are categorised in groups for each performer. Thus improvisation is presented as an interaction, which takes place in time and space, between left hand movement strategies of the performer and the surface of a musical instrument.
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Sefchovich, Jorge Rodrigo Sigal. "Compositional strategies in electroacoustic music." Thesis, City University London, 2003. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/7649/.
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This thesis accompanies the five electroacoustic pieces of the portfolio and aims to discuss compositional strategies. The pieces were designed with the intention of exploring ways of creating relationships between musical materials of differing natures. Structuring methods are outlined using examples from two acousmatic and three mixed works (for solo instrument and electroacoustic sounds). Analyses from a macro- and micro-perspective aid in describing the principal elements of musical discourse and the personal methods of achieving musical coherence. Three stages of the compositional process are defined and discussed, forming a framework within which the computer sound transformations and instrumental sources are described. The first stage consists of the generation of material and the qualifying of the sounds as the basis for initial musical relationships. Then the structuring of the musical discourse is discussed, highlighting links at macro and microstructural levels. Finally, issues of performance are discussed. Feedback from the performer and the design of a common synchronisation method for the three pieces drives the structural design of the works. Musical material and the visual information during performance are investigated, and consideration is given to their implications throughout the compositional process.
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Henriksen, Frank Ekeberg. "Space in electroacoustic music : composition, performance and perception of musical space." Thesis, City University London, 2002. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/7653/.
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This thesis concerns space as an essential element of expression and communication in electroacoustic music. It shows that musical space is a complex term which refers to many different aspects of composition, performance and perception of electroacoustic music. It is argued that space is a compound musical element which can be integrated into the compositional structure to a degree where space becomes the primary canier of meaning in the work, and that the creation and interpretation of this meaning is a result of learned cultural aspects of interpersonal communication in terms of personal space and territoriality. Furthermore, the close relationship between electroacoustic music composition and technology is acknowledged, and the influence of available technology on aesthetic choices and decision making with regard to spatial composition and performance is taken into consideration. The structure for the investigation is based on a model of musical space comprising three basic levels: 1) spatial properties of individual sounds in terms of intrinsic space, extrinsic space and spectral space, 2) the spatial arrangement of individual sounds and events into a composed space which is played in, and becomes affected by, the listening space, and 3) the perceived space, which constitutes the listening experience of the combination of composed space and listening space. A framework for describing and analysing spatial elements in electroacoustic composition is proposed. The discussion and findings are largely based on my experience as a listener, composer and performer of electroacoustic music, and in addition finds support in research on auditory perception, particularly Jens Blauert's work on spatial hearing and Albert Bregman's auditory scene theory, as well as Denis Smalley's spectromorphological theory, James Tenney's writings on perception-based music listening and analysis, and Edward T. Hall's investigations into space as an element of non-verbal communication.
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Holmes, Patricia A. "The performer's experience : psychological, philosophical and educational perspectives." Thesis, City University London, 2011. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/7791/.
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This portfolio represents a body of original research into components of elite erformance that had hitherto not been investigated. There are three main categories of focus. New perspectives on learning and memorisation, and also expressive use of timbre in elite performance are offered. Additionally, a substantial body of work is concerned with investigating whether certain psychological characteristics may figure as determinants of the ability to perform at elite level. The submission is strengthened by collaboration with other disciplines - predominantly sports psychology and psychoacoustics, but latterly, also with education and philosophy. The purpose of this Critical Analysis is to specify originality and coherence within the portfolio and to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. The contemporary relevance of the work, in all but the most recent paper, is shown by consideration of ideas suggested by the findings, in the context of subsequent research. In the interests of on-going research in a similar area, for the most recent paper, perspectives that further develop the most interesting emergent themes are offered. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies are critically evaluated in relation to the studies undertaken and limitations are acknowledged. Reference to recent developments in research techniques and processes provides some insight into potential refinement of the chosen research methods that might inform future similar research.
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Dean-Lewis, Tim. "Playing outside : excursions from the tonality in jazz improvisation." Thesis, City University London, 2001. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/8397/.
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This thesis examines strategies employed by jazz musicians when they temporarily leave the underlying tonality whilst improvising. The Introduction defines the use of terms such as "outside" and examines texts from the literature. Further. a chronology of the evolution of "playing outside" is proposed. Notation and analysis of twenty short excerpts is given in Chapter 1. along with summary material. This summary material groups "out' playing into three sets: motivic. scalar and spatial. Issues such as common scale choices. placement and the use of compensatory material are also examined. Chapter 2 contains notation and analysis of part of John Coltrane's solo from "Acknowledgement" (from "A Love Supreme"). The analysis reveals a high level of premeditation in this piece. from the choice of the motif to the ordering of transpositions in bars 137-172. Further. two possible sources for these bars are suggested: (a) a construction of transpositions designed to cover the chromatic set and (b) the Mother and Grandmother chords to be found in Slonimsky's ''Thesaurus" (1947). The latter possibility builds upon and supports the work of Demsey (1991). At the end of this chapter is an examination of three pieces by Eric Dolphy. followed by postulations regarding similarities between Dolphy's composition '"245" and Coltrane's "A Love Supreme". Chapter 3 concerns "Chain" strategies employed by Robert Irvin- III on Miles Davis albums ''Decoy" (1984) and "You're Under Arrest' (1985). These strategies are shown to have spatial origins. but to be generally employed in order to maximise the contrast between adjacent chain elements against the underlying tonality. Chapter 4 examines Steve Coleman's published "Symmetry" and "Sum" systems and assesses their use in "Cross-Fade'' (from "Black Science" (1990)). These systems are shown to be natural extensions of Steve Coleman's musical philosophy. Notation and analysis shows that they are highly integrated within his performance and that some elements of his improvisations are premeditated. A final set of conclusions is drawn in Chapter 5. along with ideas for future projects. Related appendices follow.
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d'Escrivan, Rincon Julio Cesar. "Creative intuition as a compositional strategy in electroacoustic music." Thesis, City University London, 1991. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/8711/.
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Creative Intuition can be said to be the motivating force behind the compositional act. To harness it the composer must develop those musical resources which allow him to deal with inspiration, when it comes, as well as developing the techniques to elaborate upon the inspiration received and remain true to his original vision. In this compositional folio, I have tried to highlight different ways in which I as a composer deal with musical inspiration and the development of musical ideas. For this purpose, I begin by considering the moment in time in which I have had to write the pieces included in this folio, and its impact upon my musical practice. In order to introduce my approach to sound creation, I have included a brief section on timbre creation as composition , here I revise some fundamental concepts and examine the general types of sound used and the methods of synthesis at my disposal. In considering intuition and musical association, I discuss improvisation as a compositional act. In Son del Seis , I am concerned with the composer's improvisation at his instrument and how this influences his writing; In Salta Mortal , I examine improvisation at the computer keyboard, and how it is possible, given the software facilities we have today, to operate directly upon the sounds themselves, and organize them musically, in particular I look at my approach to phrase construction with timbral gestures; In Viaje I combine the instrumental and computer improvisational approaches, dealing with pitched timbral gestures within the harmonic framework of modal jazz. The compositional manipulation of time in electroacoustic music could be seen to present different challenges to the composer than those of traditional acoustic music. In considering the poetics of time in electroacoustic music I have used Sin Ti Par EI Alma Adentro as a starting point for my discussion. In my view, setting words to music presents the composer with an opportunity to impress his own reading of the text material upon the listener, in Sin Medida , I discuss my choices in musically illustrating the three poems used. From the composition of all the pieces in this folio and my speculative explanations, I arrive at a number of concluding ideas and briefly state their relevance to my work: composition away from the traditional manuscript pad; the creative manipulation of timbre using synthesizers and samplers; the establishing of notational conventions for the representation of tape parts; the search for a compositional voice that would express my musical mind specifically in regards to integrating 'non -classical' idioms and electroacoustic sounds. In the appendix I have included my summary of a neo-thomistic notion of art, proposed by J. Maritain, to illustrate the philosophical grounds for my compositional work.
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Hassiotis, Kostis. "A critical edition of the '48 Studies for Oboe, Op.31 by Franz Wilhelm Ferling (1796-1874) : based on original historical evidence and viewed within the context of the evolution of didactic material for oboe, with particular reference to nineteenth-century performing practices." Thesis, City University London, 2010. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/8725/.
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The present thesis is structured in an Introduction and four chapters. The Introduction discusses the originality of the subject and includes all available historical information concerning Ferling and his work as a performer and composer, and a detailed description of all of his known compositions. A substantial part of the information presented in the discussion of Ferling's compositions, and concerning their citations in nineteenth-century journals, is the result of original research and criticism. There is also reference to the importance of the 48 Studies in modern instrumental training. Chapter 1 examines the historical evolution of instrumental didactic material, concentrating on didactic compositions for the oboe and ultimately focussing on nineteenth-century oboe methods, studies and similar compositions. In this context the 48 Studies are compared to other contemporary didactic works for the oboe and to pieces of the same genre for other instruments. The chapter concludes with a detailed table of all nineteenth-century didactic compositions for the oboe, arranged chronologically. Chapter 2 presents the most important editions of the 48 Studies for Oboe Op. 31. The discussion determines its first publisher and the date of its original publication, based on contemporary information, and concludes that no modern edition is based on this original edition. The most important modern editions are also discussed and compared with their supposed sources. The differences that emerge from this comparison support the proposition that a critical edition of the work is necessary today. Chapter 3 has a brief description of all the historical (nineteenth-century) sources used in the critical report, together with a brief discussion of my editorial policy and the most important issues that demanded editorial intervention. The chapter includes a stemmatic filiation diagram. An extended and detailed critical report, together with the critical edition itself, which is the core and main subject of the thesis, are included in the Appendix. Chapter 4 discusses several performance-practice issues based on both modem scholarship and nineteenth-century pedagogical material (some of which was presented in Chapter 1). This discussion is closely related to editorial issues tackled in Chapter 3. The thesis concludes with a summary of the results of the research and a brief discussion of issues that await further investigation. The appendix presents all Tables referring to the discussion in the above chapters, comparisons between twentieth-century editions, the critical report as well as J. P. Spehr's 1837 edition of the Studies. In the course of research, I took advantage of an extended bibliography which includes dictionaries and other reference material, catalogues of compositions and music journals from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, many didactic compositions for the oboe from 1695 to 1900, and modern editions of Ferling's compositions as well as a large number of modem pedagogical compositions, books and articles on issues regarding performance and editorial practice.
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Brownell, Andrew. "The English piano in the Classical period : its music, performers, and influences." Thesis, City University London, 2010. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/12134/.
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Despite an abundance of research and literature on the Viennese piano in the Classical period, the influential role of the English instrument and its literature – in terms of keyboard idiom and compositional style – still remains something of a blind spot. This thesis attempts to address this imbalance by providing an overview of the most significant literature of the period, guided by the premise that the characteristics of the English instrument led to a style of keyboard writing that is distinct from the Viennese Classical style. The advent of the piano in England is traced, establishing the traits of the ‘English grand’ piano in the English harpsichord and other early instruments. This is followed by an overview of early piano concerti by James Hook, J.C. Bach, and Schroeter. Stylistic evolution in the early works of Clementi and Dussek is analysed, as well as that of Haydn’s London works. The thesis concludes with a chapter examining the interaction c. 1800 between the London and Viennese schools, demonstrating how contact with the more progressive London school precipitated changes in the Viennese keyboard style and the instrument itself.
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Howell, Jocelyn. "Boosey & Hawkes : the rise and fall of a wind instrument manufacturing empire." Thesis, City, University of London, 2016. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/16081/.
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For over 150 years the names Boosey and Hawkes dominated the British music scene, at first independently, and from 1930, in response to the difficult trading conditions of the Depression, as a single firm – Boosey & Hawkes. Although it was run as one company it comprised two divisions – the publishing business and instrument manufacturing. This thesis examines the history, role and significance of Boosey & Hawkes and its associated companies as musical instrument makers. Acquisition of new firms played an important part in business expansion, and particular focus is given here to the complex and lengthy incorporation of Besson & Co. into Boosey & Hawkes. The influence of Boosey & Hawkes extended far beyond Great Britain; in its heyday, besides providing wind instruments for the numerous civilian bands at home, the company supplied instruments to military regiments of the British armed forces, resulting in global distribution. Consequently the company became a symbol both of the British Empire and of British music. After the upheaval of the Second World War hand-crafting instruments gave way to mass production with many instruments made for educational purposes. Productivity increased, but quality-control declined, and it has been argued that the more successful new instruments were essentially the result of old-fashioned craftsmanship. These changing methods of manufacture are appraised here, and instrument design and innovation are examined and evaluated. During the 1960s and 1970s Boosey & Hawkes monopolised the market and the firm became one of the largest and most successful instrument manufacturing companies in the world. However, competition from companies abroad, mismanagement and bad workmanship caused the demise and eventual closure of Boosey & Hawkes instrument-making division in 2003.
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Weissenbrunner, Karin. "Experimental turntablism : live performances with second hand technology : analysis and methodological considerations." Thesis, City, University of London, 2017. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/19919/.
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In experimental turntablism, sound artists and musicians encounter not only the pre-recorded sound of the vinyl records, as is common in DJ culture and hip hop turntablism, but also accentuate the materiality of the records and turntables themselves. The thesis shows that the record player is itself the key concept within which each experimental turntablist unfolds an intricate dialogue between mediation and materiality. Through these media-specific practices, these sound artists raise to the surface the fact that our listening habits tend to dissolve the reproduction medium from our awareness. This thesis explores experimental turntablism in live performance and presents an innovative methodology that establishes the ideas and tools for a potentially generalisable approach to performance analysis for concerts using live electronics. The analytical framework, disclosing the medial and sensual significance of experimental turntablism performances in a digital era, broadens the perspective on sound with theories of performativity, materiality, mediality and instrumentality in electronic music. The thesis methodology includes performance analysis, artist interviews, video and audio recordings and interactive graphical transcriptions based on the current music analysis software EAnalysis. Three case studies examine three distinct artistic approaches: the specific focus of each experimental turntablist varies from playing techniques, to sculptural objects, to mechanical operations. Joke Lanz’s direct and embodied playing negotiates a sound production between signal and noise, musicalises samples, and leads to spontaneous acts with site-specific aspects. Vinyl -terror & -horror destruct playback devices and vinyl records to re-structure samples in chance processes; the duo accompany their sculptural objects with movie soundtracks and ‘unfinished compositions’ from their own records to engender cinematic soundscapes and imaginary scenes. Graham Dunning’s turntable construction sequences patterned discs, which trigger auxiliary instruments through the turntable’s rotary motor operations. These mechanical movements embody rhythmic loop structures with temporal inconsistencies, creating a mechanical techno. Having been considered redundant following the introduction of digital media, the vinyl record has recently witnessed a revival. As a post-digital tendency, contemporary musicians using live electronics seek to recover tactile and physical actions in performance. This thesis shows the ways in which the turntable allows artists to develop personal instruments from ready-made products and to emphasise specific sensual-bodily aspects.
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Bhunnoo, S. A. "What can a sonic assemblage do? : a biopsychosocial approach to post-acousmatic composition." Thesis, City, University of London, 2018. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/20402/.
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Thinking and sounding are two terms which complicate one another, hence this thesis follows two trajectories each of which make an original contribution to knowledge. Part 1 (thinking sound) proposes to reground composition away from historically authoritative humanist models, instead suggesting a biopsychosocial approach for a post-acousmatic music. I elaborate a set of models and key concepts, chiefly an eliminativist account of the listener-sound relation; neurocognitively discrete musical domains and dimensions of the Kmatrix; model-based reasoning through a Reception-Interpretation-Action helix; and, mentalizing listening stances based upon dual-process cognition models. This is combined with an art-activist stance where composition is concerned with the effects that a sonic artobject exerts in its vicinity. I propose composition as experimentally concerned with generating new epistemic things through a process of assemblage and heterogeneous engineering. Part 2 (sounding thinking) discusses fixed and live compositions which initiated and respond to my proposed approach. In my practice, I focus on the disruption of specific aesthetic regimens to bring listening into attentional focus, engaging the specificity of the mnemonic traces that sound leaves. The pieces are largely concerned with sonic cultures related to Islam and the MENASA region.
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Cole, William Davy. "Expanded musical form." Thesis, City, University of London, 2018. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/20829/.
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This project presents a model of expanded musical form. Arguing that music’s expanded field is a field of experiences, rather than of discrete things, it sets out an approach to composition that centres not on the creation of aesthetic works, but on supporting an aesthetic attitude. Integrating theory and practice, this research endeavours to give definition to an attitude that apprehends music as experience. Under this attitude, the perceiver assumes no distance from the perceived as she produces the content of her musical experience in and through her dynamic bodily interactivity. This project comprises a thesis and four ephemeral performance sound installations. The thesis sets out the terms of music’s expanded condition, drawing upon a range of disciplines – artistic, aesthetic, philosophical – to chart the pluralistic, indeterminate, open-ended structure of the expanded field. The performance sound installations explored the operations of expanded artistic practice, critiquing conceptual, ideological, and institutional terms of music and sound installation to foreground the productivity of the perceiver. In both theory and practice, this research contests the concept of “sound art” as a distinct category. It makes the case that expanded musical form is not a break with the musical past, but its background made focal. It proposes that the presence, physicality, and place in which expanded musical form consists are music’s always presupposed foundation.
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Sylvanus, E. "Nollywood film music : shades of identity." Thesis, City, University of London, 2018. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/19927/.
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Nollywood is the branded name of Nigeria’s unique and globally recognised film industry. For over two decades (since 1992), the products of mainstream Nollywood film and music practitioners have been continually presented as a reflection and representation of the Nigerian society. Yet those creative and cultural underpinnings in Nollywood film music––processes, approach, symbology, commerce, and identity––have remained undocumented. This ethnomusicological research aims to establish verifiable evidence of Nigerian musical culture in the actions and inactions, assertions, and subversions within Nollywood film music practice. To do so, the study considers the industry from 1994 (the year of its first English-language film production) to 2016. Relying on an ethnographic study, this period provides the latitude for understanding Nigerian musical culture, and how the industry’s musicians have transported, transformed, and re- or de-contextualised it in film. The methodology for this material is based, in part, on an approach akin to grounded theory wherein the data drives the theoretical outcomes. This is achieved through a critical examination of the socio-cultural, economic, and technological determinants of Nollywood soundtracks with emphasis on three Nollywood films, a text-tune correlation analysis of a transcribed videofilm song, publications on the subject, as well as data from studio observations and interviews/conversations with practitioners. Findings validate the argument that there are three Nollywood film music schools of thought; that identity is performed through three mutually exclusive contexts labelled ‘Blocking’, ‘Blurring’, and ‘Acquiescing’; that there exists a Nollywood film music identity system (NoPIS); and that identity is a subtly packaged commodity that exists in ‘shades’ and is regulated by various elements including, but not limited to, politics, power, music and film genres, language, money, as well as localisation and deterritorialisation. To be clear, Nollywood film music draws heavily from Nigerian musical culture. And this is why the entire process (of film music production and the notion of identity) remains a socio-cultural construction that is plural––always in the process of becoming, and to some degree susceptible to re-signification.
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Hindmarsh, David. "A portfolio of acousmatic compositions." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2010. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/758/.
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This portfolio charts my development as a composer during a period of three years. The works it contains are all acousmatic; they investigate sonic material through articulation and gesture, and place emphasis on spatial movement through both stereophony and multi-channel environments. The portfolio is written as a personal journey, with minimal reference to academic thinking, exploring the development of my techniques when composing acousmatic music. At the root of my compositional work is the examination and analysis of recorded sounds; these are extrapolated from musical phrases and gestural movement, which form the basis of my musical language. The nine pieces of the portfolio thus explore, emphasise and develop the distinct properties of the recorded source sounds, deriving from them articulated phrasing and gesture which are developed to give sound objects the ability to move in a stereo or multi-channel space with expressive force and sonic clarity. There is also a strong use of the qualities and characteristics of the human voice in my work, particularly in the spectral domain – formant and resonant filtering processes are used in the pieces in this portfolio to enhance the organic nature of concrete, real-world sounds. The combination of spatialisation, gesture and phrasing, with appropriate signal processing for the sound materials, form the basis of the nine works presented here.
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Shaw, Martyn. "The 'Nicholsonian effect' : aspects of 'tone' in early nineteenth-century flute performance practice in England, with particular reference to the work of Charles Nicholson (1795-1837)." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2014. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/4923/.
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Charles Nicholson (1795-1837) was one of the most important figures in the evolution of the flute. His influence on the design of the Boehm flute is widely acknowledged. However, the contribution he made as a catalyst for developments in flute performance practice in early nineteenth-century England, is not. Such was Nicholson’s reputation for variety of tone in his playing, that the term ‘Nicholsonian effect’ was coined. This research examines the tone of the flute, and uniquely places it within the context of the interrelationship between performance, pedagogy and flute-design in Nicholson’s work. Tone manipulation emerges as a crucial feature of the style with particular importance attached to three things: tone-colour, ‘vibration’ and the glide. The resulting tone variation constitutes the essence of the style. Research in this field is lacking, and has established only broader performing contexts. This research represents the first detailed study of the form and function of tone-colour, ‘vibration’ and the glide within early nineteenth-century English flute performance practice. An original ‘Nicholson’s “Improved” flute’ has been used to inform the research throughout this study. It will also be used to apply the research in the recital which forms the other half of my PhD submission.
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Hutchins, Charles Celeste. "Portfolio of compositions." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2012. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/3919/.
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This portfolio of 19 compositions includes several short commissions intended to reach new listeners and address issues of sustainability and copyright. Two of the pieces are studio works, one of which makes use of field recordings and SuperCollider and the other of which is almost entirely analogue synthesis. Three pieces are performance works. One is a combination of live realisation and gestural control, designed to play in front of an audience of hackers. One is an N-channel work, designed for live realisation on the BEAST system. The last is an excerpt of live analogue synthesiser improvisation, using SuperCollider to manage panning. Some of the above pieces use glitches as an aesthetic choice. The last two pieces are written for BiLE, a laptop ensemble which follows the organisational model of The Hub. I developed a software library, BiLETools, for solving problems related to group laptop performance. Both BiLE pieces use live sampling, one of percussion. The other uses voice and is intended to be a live Text Sound work and is the second act of a laptop opera, The Death of Stockhausen.
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Spearing, Robert. "A portfolio of compositions submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Musical Composition." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2010. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/865/.
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Moncada, Jorge Gregorio García. "Ukhu pacha and La historia de nosotros : electroacoustic music composition portfolio." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2013. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/4867/.
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This composition portfolio comprises two large musical works which explore non-Western musical instruments in electroacoustic music contexts. The fututos and the maguaré, two fundamental signalling and ritual instruments from the Latin American highlands and rain forests, reside in the cultural collective memory of two native nations as paramount archetypal sounds. Cultural values around the instruments such as symbology and ritual functions were analysed whilst constructing the contextual soundworld that hosts the material within the works. Two large electroacoustic works, ukhu pacha and La historia de nosotros, are based on archaeological, historical, literary and mythological sources from different South American historical and geographical locations. All sharing octophonic setups as a common multichannel format, the works display a variety of media configurations, including works for fixed audio media, mixed and instruments with live electronics. The accompanying commentary on the pieces focuses on a discussion of their musical and referential relation to their sources. Likewise, detailed musical analysis of certain compositional strategies is presented.
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Harman, Chris Paul. "Studies in instrumentation and orchestration and in the recontextualisation of diatonic pitch materials (Portfolio of Compositions)." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2012. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/3395/.
Full textAbstract:
The present document examines eight musical works for various instruments and ensembles, composed between 2007 and 2011. Brief summaries of each work’s program are followed by discussions of instrumentation and orchestration, and analysis of pitch organization. Discussions of instrumentation and orchestration explore the composer’s approach to diversification of instrumental ensembles by the inclusion of non-orchestral instruments, and redefinition of traditional hierarchies among instruments in a standard ensemble or orchestral setting. Analyses of pitch organization detail various ways in which the composer renders diatonic musical lines atonal, or situates diatonic pitch materials in contexts of greater chromaticism.
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Andrikopoulos, Dimitrios. "A portfolio of compositions." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2013. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/4704/.
Full textAbstract:
This portfolio contains five works written for different instruments, ensembles and combinations of acoustic instruments with live electronics and fixed media, composed during the period between 2008 and 2012, together with a commentary. A brief presentation of each work’s programme is presented, followed by a discussion of the instrumentation, orchestration and the composer’s approach to those aspects of each individual work. Finally, a detailed analysis of the rhythmic, pitch and harmonic organization in every individual piece will be discussed thoroughly, as well as the various ways of developing a work out of a single compositional source.
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Guillamat, Julien. "A portfolio of electroacoustic compositions." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2014. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/5085/.
Full textAbstract:
This Portfolio is formed of 9 compositions that have been selected in order to reflect the variety of the music I write. It is a journey through my personal approach to sound and writing music using one voice but several compositional techniques. It includes one stereo and four 8-channel acousmatic compositions; they constitute the core of my thesis. Two works are written for both live instruments and electroacoustic medium, focussing on the performance aspect. One stereo acousmatic piece has been written for a choreographer; it is the fruit of a very productive collaboration. The final piece of this portfolio has been commissioned by the Barber Institute of Fine Art; it is an 8- channel acousmatic composition based on a Magritte’s painting, to be played in an installation context with the painting.
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Bumstead, Eric Walter Reginald. "A portfolio of electroacoustic and live electronic compositions with research into stochastic synthesis." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2011. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/894/.
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This thesis includes a portfolio of electroacoustic and live electronic compositions consisting of multichannel fixed media works and pieces that include instruments, real time computer processing and electronic interfaces. It also details research into stochastic synthesis and its application in music composition. Work carried out in real-time processing of multichannel signals including convolution, spatialisation, as well as decorrelation from one to many channels, sample accurate looping and various sample accurate control systems, is also included in this thesis. Pieces: In a Cage Spinning Plates Poly |Kroðn| BlckWnd River Fields Immortal Lithium.
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Baracskai, Zlatko. "Composition portfolio." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2011. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/1739/.
Full textAbstract:
This is a portfolio of ten compositions composed at the Electroacoustic Music Studios at the University of Birmingham, Audio Research Lab at the Birmingham City University and my home studio during the period October 2007 – September 2010. The commentary comprises a set of philosophical considerations about my compositions and intent for creation. Further chapters are dedicated to compositional techniques, related traditions and piece specific documentation. A recent CD release from ‘diobel kiado’ publishing house is attached which contains two of the presented compositions. The rest of the presented compositions are to be found on the attached DVD, along with a range of programs coded to support composition is briefly discussed in the Appendix. All the expressed views are personal convictions; my music serves no other purpose than to reflect onto one observing it. The attached software is free to use and distribute provided it is appropriately referenced.
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Shih, Pei-Yu. "Portfolio." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2014. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/5022/.
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Cormac, Joanne. "Liszt as Kapellmeister : the development of the symphonic poems on the Weimar stage." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2013. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/3966/.
Full textAbstract:
Little research has been carried out into Liszt’s work as Kapellmeister of the Weimar Court Theatre. The nature and extent of his duties, his involvement in productions, festivals and performances, and his relationships with others within the administration has yet to be examined in detail, let alone the implications of all of this for his music. This thesis draws on a wealth of primary source material to provide new insight into this area. It begins by drawing a general picture of Liszt’s work in Weimar. Then, it attempts a detailed ‘re-historicisation’ of four of Liszt’s Weimar symphonic poems. The thesis returns four of the symphonic poems (Tasso, Orpheus, Festklänge, and Hamlet) to their original dramatic performance contexts. In doing so, it reveals that the Weimar productions or festivals in which they were premiered had a significant impact on their conception and development in numerous, diverse, and sometimes surprising ways. Accordingly, the findings shed new light on the influence of staged genres, particularly melodrama, on the development of the symphonic poem as a genre. Then the thesis explores the revision of these works in order to trace Liszt’s changing conception of what a symphonic poem might be.
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Scardanelli, Simon. "A portfolio of electroacoustic and acousmatic compositions." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2010. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/914/.
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A portfolio of electroacoustic and acousmatic compositions realised through a variety of audio and audio-visual media, and with a particular emphasis on using speech as compositional material. The use of speech in compositions raises questions of political intent and responsibility, and these are addressed. The challenges of composing electroacoustic works for theatre, film and for a site specific installation are also discussed. The use of electroacoustic principles in the production of rock music is examined with reference to my own works in this genre. List of files: PDF: Commentary MP3: A Sharp Intake of Breath (2000, 6’15”) MP3: Fragments of Democracy (1999-2000, 16’55”) MP3: de(re)construction (2000, 13’21”) MP3: Aqualogica (2000, 11’13”) MP3: Guitar = God (2009, 12’16”) MP3: The Lonely Bridge Song (2001) Junkie (2’12”) MP3: The Lonely Bridge Song (2001) Begging (4’16”) MP3: The Lonely Bridge Song (2001) Background ambience (extract) (1’39”) MP3: That Dangerous Sparkle (2007) The Valentines (5’04”) MP3: That Dangerous Sparkle (2007) Let There Be A Place (4’53”) MP3: That Dangerous Sparkle (2007) When You’re Lying (3’49”)
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Lorway, Norah. "A portfolio of fixed electroacoustic and live laptop works." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2014. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/5183/.
Full textAbstract:
This PhD thesis includes a portfolio of electroacoustic and live electroacoustic compositions carried out at the electroacoustic music studios at the University of Birmingham. The portfolio consists of fixed multichannel and stereo works as well as a piece for solo live laptop performance written using max/msp and the supercollider programming language. I will also discuss my work with laptop performance and its influence on my compositional output during this Ph.D.
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Carpenter, James John. "Portfolio of compositions." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2013. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/4182/.
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A portfolio of acousmatic and mixed compositions for stereophonic and multichannel formats. Particular focus is given to acousmatic music’s relationship with materials and features typically found in commercial dance genres. The portfolio also includes development of Max/MSP tools for various functions,including spatialisation of sound, generation of material and also for performance,which is integral to one of the portfolio’s later works.
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Bertoglio, Chiara. "Instructive editions of J.S. Bach's "Wohltemperirtes Klavier" : an Italian perspective." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2012. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/3357/.
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This thesis defines the theoretical, sociological, historical, cultural and practical framework of “instructive editions” (IEs). The approach adopted evaluates, for the first time, the most significant discussions found in previous literature, realising a comprehensive overview of the issues involved. The principles expounded in the theoretical chapters are verified in practice through application to the specific case of Bach’s WTK and its role in Italy: here, in particular, the thesis dissects the “myth” of Thalberg’s edition and introduces a hitherto overlooked edition by Lanza. Careful comparison of a sample of Italian IEs identifies “genealogies” in performance traditions and their correspondence with the aesthetic trends of their era: the presence of an “Italian” attitude to Bach’s WTK, inspired by prevailing neo-Idealistic values, is shown in the coexistence of a sentimentalist approach with the fascination for structural objectivism. It is demonstrated that musicological studies in aesthetics, performance practice and the history of reception benefit from the analysis of IEs, and from their comparison with other written and recorded documents of performance: IEs are a vehicle for both preserving and transmitting interpretive aesthetics.
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Seago, Robert. "A folio of musical compositions." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2012. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/2823/.
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The folio of compositions submitted here consists of the six large-scale works that I have completed between the years 1994 and 2003. Over the course of this nine-year period I hope that the folio demonstrates a consistent and constantly evolving thread of techniques and processes in spite of the substantial developments in my overall compositional style, intentions and interests. The works make use of a wide and unconventional range of source materials and instrumental combinations indicative of the numerous and diverse musical styles and genres with which I have been involved. The two areas of study that were to have the most profound influence on my compositional methodology were those of minimalism and serialism. Compositions: by air, sea and land journey xpianos drum no bass journey’s end
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Szwed, Katarzyna Zofia. "A portfolio of compositions." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2015. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/5731/.
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A portfolio of compositions with additional commentary and a contextual chapter. In the introduction chapter, particular focus is given to the individual approach to elements such as form, structure, dynamism, stasis, texture, gesture, silence, unity, diversity and meaning in music, as well as its context in the musical tradition. The incorporation of this specific approach is described in the following chapter (Portfolio) where each of the compositions is given a commentary in relation to the above-mentioned terms and in relation to a broader cultural context.
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El-Turk, Bushra. "Bleeding through… : compositional processes in the integration of Middle Eastern and Western art music." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2017. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/7900/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis consists of a portfolio of 10 compositions accompanied by a written commentary with audio and video recordings of my works. These compositions span a wide variety of instrumentations from large orchestral works to solo instrumental works, of both Western and Eastern traditions, as well as vocal and live art installation pieces. Throughout the commentary I explore the continuum of how Eastern traditional idioms and Western art music play a role in the creation of my musical language. This includes an overview of the history of bi-cultural integration and an exploration of the motivations for integrating musics, both in my own work and that of other composers. I explore particular parameters within my works, focusing on the spectrums between composition and improvisation, the concepts of translation and transcription and collaborative practice with Western classical and musicians of Eastern traditional music. Additionally, I examine how my application of Eastern musical parameters and techniques are filtered through four of my other interests and influences: namely, my development of a gestural and timbral language which stems from an engagement with my approach to pitch and harmony.