Music Doctoral Work

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An Examination of Selected Chinese Ethnic Choral Music from Inner Mongolia, Yunnan Province, and Central Plains Area
(North Dakota State University, 2024) Cheng, Kewen
The landscape of choral music in modern China is characterized by a rich and varied repertoire, despite its relatively brief history within the nation. Diverging from the trajectories of traditionally Christian countries, the evolution of Chinese choral music has been shaped by unique historical, social, religious, and folk music traditions. This paper embarks on an examination of selected Chinese ethnic choral music, commencing with an overview of the development path of Chinese choral music in Chapter One. It then delves into an analysis of choral traditions across three distinct ethnic regions in the following three chapters. Each of them is dedicated to a specific ethnic region, namely Inner Mongolia, Yunnan province, and Central Plains area. The analysis starts with introducing the geographical, social, and folk music backgrounds. Subsequent sections explore the characteristic musical elements of each region, offering in-depth examinations of selected representative repertoire. Furthermore, this study aims to provide valuable insights into rehearsal suggestions and performance practices tailored for non-Chinese speaking choral groups. This disquisition draws upon primary sources, such as unpublished Chinese choral music scores, and a spectrum of secondary sources including scholarly works, dissertations, journal articles, encyclopedic entries, and online resources authored by both Chinese and non-Chinese scholars regarding this research topic.
Political Activism Through Music for Piano: A Performer’s Guide to Interpreting the Ideology in Frederic Rzewski’s (1938-2021) North American Ballads (1979) and Cornelius Cardew’s (1936-1981) Thälmann Variations (1974)
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Langer, Michael Jorge
Political music is an emerging and relevant phenomenon. These works can pose challenges to performers in terms of understanding and interpreting their nuanced historical and political ideology. This dissertation is about the philosophical intersection of politics and works for solo piano. The primary works I examine are Thälmann Variations (1974) by English composer Cornelius Cardew (1936-1981) and North American Ballads (1979) by American composer Frederic Rzewski (1938-2021). I investigate the political ideology of each composer and connect it to their works. I explore the theoretical and philosophical implications of these works and offer my interpretive and programmatic recommendations to the performer. Rzewski’s North American Ballads (Ballads for short) are well known and have received generous scholarship; however, missing is a deeper philosophical examination, especially of the inclusion of improvisation. I have drawn together the best research while offering my interpretations and performance recommendations. There is little existing research on Cardew’s Thälmann Variations, so I have provided an ideological and theoretical analysis. I begin by establishing a foundation on the political music scholarship of Garratt, Mattern, and Rosenthal and Flacks as well as the philosophy of Foucault. I then draw on Rzewski’s lectures and interviews to understand his ideology and apply it to my interpretation of his Ballads, building on the work of Hayashi, Paul, Zuraw, Cornett, Hershberger, and Hamm. This provides the framework for my interpretation and analysis of Cardew’s Variations. I argue that understanding the political underpinnings of the solo piano works of Rzewski and Cardew through the lens of Foucault’s philosophy of power structures will help pianists understand each work’s ideology while also allowing for better engagement with the repertoire. I additionally assert that these works act as objects of protest where the performer can embody resistance. To understand the political underpinnings, performers need to be aware of the broader political and historical connections of each work and composer. To present the best performance which communicates the composer’s intent, pianists will benefit from analysis of the music and philosophical examination of the ideology therein.
The Development and Dissemination of the Collaborative Piano Program from the United States to China
(North Dakota State University, 2021) Wei, Xiang
For over 71 years, the collaborative piano major has been one of the most important music performance programs at American universities and conservatories, such as the University of Southern California, the Julliard School of Music, and the New England Conservatory. For over half a century, these collaborative piano programs have been successful in the United States, and they continue to influence the field of music world-wide. Therefore, the development of collaborative piano programs in the United States not only plays a significant role for students who want to have a career in this field, but it has also influenced universities and music conservatories in countries all over the world. Furthermore, because the demand for excellent collaborative piano programs by music students and music scholars is growing world-wide, in order to meet that growing demand, it is both logical and timely to study how successful collaborative piano programs in the United States were both established and developed. This analysis can provide information that is integral to the effective development of high-quality collaborative piano programs. The purpose of this disquisition is to analyze how collaborative piano programs have flourished in the United States. More specifically, I will document the history of collaborative piano programs, the curricula for collaborative piano programs, and the influence of the collaborative piano programs to China. I will draw on the following sources: Martin Katz’s 2007 Book, The Complete Collaborator, Pei-Shan Lee’s 2008 dissertation, The Collaborative Pianist: Balancing Roles in Partnership, interviews with program designers, and surveys of music schools chosen from university websites and the directory list from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). This disquisition will give a comprehensive understanding why these collaborative piano programs have become successful in the United States over the past 71 years.
From Paintings to Opera: Discovering the Reimagination of William Hogarth's A Rake's Progress in Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Ng, Hong Liang
The Rake’s Progress (1951) is a well-known satirical opera in three acts with an epilogue by Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), with a libretto written by Wystan Hugh Auden (1907-1973) and Chester Kallman (1921-1975). This opera is based on William Hogarth’s (1697-1764) series of eight paintings, A Rake’s Progress (1734), which inspired Stravinsky during his visit to the Art Institute of Chicago on May 2, 1947. Even though many scholars have conducted discussions on the opera itself, there is little scholarship on the influence of Hogarth’s paintings on Stravinsky’s opera. This dissertation considers how Stravinsky, Auden, and Kallman translated Hogarth’s series of satirical paintings into a period opera to which audiences in the mid-twentieth century could relate. As I am a collaborative pianist that works extensively with singers and opera projects, I aim for this document to be helpful as a guide for singers, vocal coaches, or other interested individuals who wish to have a fresh perspective on this opera. I have divided this dissertation into three parts. In the first part of my disquisition, I investigate Stravinsky’s motivation to write this opera by researching the societal culture, in both early-eighteenth-century London and the mid-twentieth-century United States. In the second part of this paper, I track the collaborators' creative decisions in altering the opera's narrative. I review the libretto of the opera and the iconography of Hogarth’s series of paintings which consists of religious and cultural symbols reflecting Hogarth’s perspective on morality during his time. I also consult modern scholarships in interpreting the narrative and proceed to establish the relationship between the libretto and Hogarth’s paintings. In the third part of this dissertation, I critically analyze selected arias of the opera to investigate how Stravinsky employs neoclassicism in bringing the libretto to life in the music. Ultimately, this dissertation provides a fresh perspective on Stravinsky’s opera by giving a better understanding of Hogarth’s views on morality and culture in eighteenth-century London through his series of engravings as well as how Stravinsky, Auden, and Kallman translated Hogarth’s intentions for their own purposes in this opera, The Rake’s Progress.
Cornets, Creativity, and Celebration: The Life and Works of Virtuoso Cornetist Alessandro Liberati (1847-1927)
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Ward, Byron
Alessandro Liberati (1847–1927) lived during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when music for solo cornet was one of the most popular musical outlets in America. He and many performers of this instrument were virtuosos and traveled the world performing beautiful melodies and stylistic acrobatics on the instrument. They were the stars of their day and were often also conductors who led their own bands. Scholarly literature has only been written about a select few of these cornet soloists and band leaders. Names like Herbert L. Clarke (1867–1945), Jean Baptiste Arban (1825–1889), and John Phillip Sousa (1854–1932), are far more commonplace and receive more attention and performance. This leads to trumpet players playing their music and not the music of any of the other cornetists and band leaders of the past. Significant cornet music and band arrangements are overlooked, simply because trumpet teachers and performers do not know of the other cornetists and their music. In this dissertation, I address the life and works of virtuoso cornetist Alessandro Liberati to bring forth new evidence that Liberati deserves greater attention as an important cornetist and band leader, a musician on par with his contemporaries. Liberati was an active soloist, band leader, and notable composer in Italy, Canada, and the United States. Liberati’s generous output of compositions for both solo cornet and band is compiled in the appendix of this study. I rely on biographies, encyclopedias, dictionaries, method books, historical band books, newspaper articles, scholarly articles, and historical recordings of Liberati from Gold Moulded Records (1902). In addition, I consulted Liberati’s musical scores and other archival documents housed in his collection at the Library of Congress. These sources show his wide influence as a cornetist, band leader, and composer. To this end, I suggest that Alessandro Liberati was just as successful as his contemporaries, well-liked by the public, sought after in his time, and deserves the same attention and performance today as his more well-known contemporaries.
Championing the Lives and Works of American Women Artists: a Performance Guide to Libby Larsen’s Song Cycle Mary Cassatt (1844-1926): Seven Songs for Mezzo-soprano, Solo Trombone, and Orchestra (With 15 Projections of Cassatt’s Paintings) (1994)
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Tlusty, Catherine
Libby Larsen (b. 1950), one of America’s leading composers, has written in nearly every genre of classical music. Among her catalogue of vocal music are choral works, operas, art song, and song cycles. Larsen’s song cycles are known for their texts that portray strong women and are written by female writers. Larsen’s declamatory text settings, which are influence by her training in Gregorian chant, capture the struggles and triumphs of these strong female figures. Her recitative-like melodies bring to life these women such as the artist Mary Cassatt (1844-1926) in Larsen’s song cycle Mary Cassatt (1844-1926): Seven songs for mezzo-soprano, solo trombone, and orchestra (with 15 projections of Cassatt’s paintings) (1994). In addition to her plainchant-influenced vocal melodies, Larsen utilizes the solo trombone to communicate Cassatt’s inner voice and projections of Cassatt’s paintings to demonstrate the artist’s evolution. The use of the trombone in this song cycle arose from the terms of the commission. The Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra and The Keller Foundation commissioned Mary Cassatt to be premiered by Fred P. Keller’s (b. 1944) wife, Linn Maxwell Keller (1943-2016). Fred Keller chose the trombone as the solo instrument because he thought it would be an interesting combination with mezzo-soprano and orchestra. Transcribed interviews published in journals, newspapers, and dissertations, my personal interview with Larsen, a review of biographical information about the composer, and my own analysis of the score will provide a thorough background of Larsen’s use of this ensemble in this song cycle. Few song cycles in modern repertoire are accompanied by a full orchestra and utilize a solo instrument as an equal partner to the voice. This dissertation will bring to the forefront an awareness of Mary Cassatt and will provide thorough background information about the composer and the artist and an analysis of the score to support performances of this song cycle.
The Rehearsal Plan and the Preparation of Brazilian Art Songs: An Autoethnographic Study in Collaborative Piano
(North Dakota State University, 2020) da Silva Gonçalves Santos, Elisama
The objective of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of the rehearsal plan in the preparation of Brazilian art songs. This disquisition proposes a rehearsal plan model based on the concept of the class plan used in the field of education. The rehearsal plans were applied in a series of rehearsals with two singers at North Dakota State University in which we worked on four art songs composed by the Brazilian composer Francisco Mignone (1897-1986). This qualitative study adopted the autoethnography as research method. In this autoethnographic research I worked both as researcher and as pianist in the rehearsals. This disquisition relied upon two axes of theoretical framework, one musical and one educational: the musical axis was formed of studies regarding performance and preparation of art songs as developed by Katz (2009), Kimball (2006), Stein and Spillman (1996), Moore (1984), Bernac (1978), and Adler (1971). The educational axis was based on the studies of Libâneo (2006) and Coll, Pozo, Sarabia, and Valls (1998) and provided the concept, philosophical basis, structure, and applicability of the class plan. This educational axis also included studies supporting the effectiveness of the rehearsal plan in various musical contexts, such as Gorelick (2001), Brunner (1996), and Figueiredo (1990). The research data revealed that the rehearsal plan was an effective pedagogical tool in the preparation of Brazilian art songs. The rehearsal plans provided outlines of clear objectives and focused rehearsal strategies and facilitated the development and application of specific rehearsal strategies for art song performance preparation. The plans also promoted connectivity between rehearsals and a sense of accomplishment for the pianist and singers. In addition, the rehearsal plans detailed the preparation of Brazilian art songs with respect to three distinct dimensions of knowledge: conceptual, practical, and attitudinal.
A Choral Conductor's Analysis and Performance Practice Recommendations for Selected Psalm Settings by German Baroque Composers
(North Dakota State University, 2020) Rolf, Kathryn Anita
Psalm settings by German Baroque composers are comprised of meaningful texts illuminated by expressive music and have much to offer today’s choir. The composers of these settings were inspired by the Old Testament psalm texts and wrote choral works that incorporated both historical techniques adapted from types of psalmody and the expressive techniques of their day. Despite the significance of psalm settings, no detailed study exists on this music as a body of work. Additionally, Baroque music provides challenges to the conductor regarding performance practice choices. Both of these problems are addressed in this study. First, I establish a lineage of compositional development from Medieval chanted psalms to Baroque psalm settings and analyze the techniques composers used to express the text in specific examples. Then, I use the insights gleaned to make performance practice recommendations for each piece. By drawing on primary sources by Michael Praetorius (ca. 1571-1621) and Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) and secondary sources by contemporary scholars Dennis Schrock, Helmuth Rilling, and Robert Donington, I provide an overview of German Baroque performance practices that includes instrumentation, tempo, dynamics, articulation, and ornamentation. Special emphasis is given to performance principles that are applicable to the psalm settings explored in subsequent chapters. I also draw on dissertations, books, and articles by Baroque scholars to provide highlights of the composers’ careers and details about the pieces studied. The six pieces included in this disquisition are “Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen,” SWV 29 from Psalmen Davids (1619) by Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672), Alleluja! Lobet den Herrn in seinem Heiligtum (1620) by Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630), “Schaffe in mir Gott ein reines Herz” from Fest- und Zeit-Andachten (1671) by Andreas Hammerschmidt (1611-1675), Der Herr ist mit mir, BuxWV 15 (ca. 1687) by Dieterich Buxtehude (ca. 1637-1707), Gott, sei mir gnädig (1705) by Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722), and Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden (n.d.), BWV 230 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).
Reaching Arcadia: Rural and Agricultural Themes in Vocal Art Music including Plans to Introduce this Music to a Rural Audience
(North Dakota State University, 2011) Oberlander, Erin Marissa
Throughout the history of Western Music, composers have written works on rural and agricultural subjects. The first half of this dissertation examines a number of important works from the Baroque era through the present day and the composers who have chosen this specialized subject matter. Rural communities are underserved where the arts are concerned. Yet, rural audiences have perhaps the best chance at identifying with the subjects of this particular subset of vocal art music. The second half of this dissertation examines reasons why it is important to reach rural communities with vocal art music. Four sample recital programs appropriate for rural audiences are included.
Art Songs by French Composers on Subjects Related to Venice, with Particular Emphasis on Reynaldo Hahn’s (1874-1947) Venezia (1901)
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Raad, Tyler
Venice, Italy has received a considerable amount of attention throughout the centuries from French poets, painters, and composers. However, little scholarship exists to date that has drawn any definitive connection between Venetian culture and the French humanities and even less regarding art song. In this disquisition, I concentrate on how French art song composers treated cultural themes of Venice in their music. I establish a field of study by selecting art songs for voice and piano written by French composers from Hippolyte Monpou (1804-1841) to Jacques Leguerney (1906-1997). From this selection, I discuss several composers that demonstrate contrasting approaches to using cultural themes in their songs. I then choose to emphasize Reynaldo Hahn’s (1874-1947) Venezia (1901) because of its deep connection with Venetian culture. Hahn’s Venezia exemplifies Venetian culture. This is evident through the composers’ use of the Venetian dialect and Venetian street-song forms. The lighthearted and charming character in Hahn’s six musical settings reflects the composer’s positive outlook on his stay in Venice, and historical documents confirm that he had a deep admiration for the city’s culture. The musical analysis I perform on Venezia, together with the analysis of its respective texts and authors, provides evidence that Venetian culture had significant effects on Hahn. By extending my analysis to other songs from my selection, I establish that there exists a strong connection between Venetian culture and French composers’ art songs.
The Role of the Chorus Master in Three Contemporary Operas Addressing Social Conflict: A Dramatic Analysis of Poul Ruders’ (b. 1949) The Handmaid’s Tale (1998), Jake Heggie’s (b. 1961) Dead Man Walking (2000), and Kevin Puts’ (b. 1972) Silent Night (2011).
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Latterell, Richard Allan
In opera, the opera chorus actively shapes the dramatic structure through interactions with the soloists, commentary after events, and momentum provided toward scene endings. Since the chorus traditionally represents the voice of the people, it also provides a natural access point by which audiences may connect to the unfolding drama. To realize its dramatic potential, an opera chorus must have a resonant, vibrant sound that is more “soloistic” than other genres of choral music. Indeed, there are quantifiable acoustic differences between classical solo and choral singing. The characterizations of the chorus must also be convincing. Yet there is only minimal research, to date, describing a systematic approach to rehearsing the opera chorus and applying those rehearsal techniques to specific musical examples. In this disquisition, I summarize existing research regarding choral rehearsal strategies and the role of the chorus master. I then synthesize and apply this research in the form of a chorus master’s analysis of choral excerpts from three contemporary operas recently produced by The Minnesota Opera: Norwegian composer Poul Ruders’ (b. 1949) The Handmaid’s Tale (1998), Jake Heggie’s (b. 1961) Dead Man Walking (2000), and American composer Kevin Puts’ (b. 1972) Silent Night (2011). I argue that a chorus master’s rehearsal strategies for these works must invite efficient, classical vocalism and a dramatic, textually informed interpretation of the elements of melody, harmony, form, rhythm, texture, and timbre. The composers of these three operas hoped to engage audiences about specific social issues: whether absolute power corrupts any ideology in The Handmaid’s Tale; whether capital punishment should be allowed in Dead Man Walking; and from the historical wartime truce in Silent Night, whether violent conflict is the direct result of our failure to seek connections with others who hold convictions different from our own. But social learning requires dialogue. The opera chorus, in giving voice to the people, can be a bridge between the audience and the greater social lessons to be learned from these operas. It can inspire audience members to share their experience and begin this dialogue. Thus, for the chorus master, there is much at stake.
Conducting the Coded Message Songs of Slavery: Context, Connotation, and Performance Preparation
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Raber, Rebecca Lynn
The coded message songs of slavery are a mysterious and fascinating entity. Within the lyrics of these seemingly innocuous plantation songs are coded messages for escape, messages that provided secret information to enslaved workers on Antebellum plantations. Over the course of more than 250 years of slavery on American soil, countless enslaved Africans found freedom through the use of coded message songs and the Underground Railroad. What are these songs? Which lyrics provided this secret information? How can a study of this music provide a better musical experience for conductors, singers, and listeners? This disquisition offers answers to these important questions, as well as a presentation of this body of repertoire from the choral conductor’s perspective. First, I provide a brief historical context for the music of slavery. I analyze and interpret important historical collections of spirituals and examine them through the lens of their text. Period accounts (from newly freed slaves and by song collectors) as well as information from modern conductors and scholars provide insight into and support for my method. A discussion of textual interpretation and musical representation follows, including a valuable list of common themes used in coded message songs. In the main body of the document, I present nine spirituals that contain coded message. I focus on the lyrics of the coded songs, introducing the connotations of the messages within the music. I also offer insight to choral conductors considering this repertoire and some interpretive choices that may be made when performing this music. Finally, this study contributes appendices with concrete pedagogical resources to assist conductors in their teaching and presentation of coded message songs to their singers. Successful choral conductors are dynamic storytellers. As a conductor preparing, rehearsing, and performing this choral music, it is critical to both communicate the context and history of coded message songs during the learning process, and also make appropriate stylistic choices in the music. Revealing the historical context and rich textual interpretation of this body of repertoire allows conductors to tell this story more effectively through their informed pedagogy, ultimately enriching and inspiring both singers and listeners.
Selected Larger Choral Works of F. Melius Christiansen (1871-1955)
(North Dakota State University, 2011) Toliver, Nicki Lynn
F. Melius Christiansen (1871-1955) composed four larger choral works between 1917 and 1925. The Reformation Cantata, composed in 1917, commemorates the 400th anniversary of Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation and the merger of three church synods into the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. The cantata is scored for baritone, tenor, and soprano soli, chorus, and orchestra. Christiansen’s oratorio, The Prodigal Son, was composed in 1918. The performing forces include SATB soli and SATB chorus with orchestra or keyboard accompaniment. In 1922, Christiansen composed a multi-movement a cappella work for the St. Olaf Choir entitled Psalm 50. The Norwegian-American Centennial Cantata was written in 1925 in commemoration of the Norwegian immigrants who sailed to America and established their homes. The cantata is scored for soprano and baritone soli, mixed chorus, and orchestra. A general analysis of these four larger choral works was performed. This document, with structural analysis and historical background of selected works, is intended to provide conductors with insights into Christiansen’s repertoire. The literature selected displays the composer’s diversity of genres and compositional techniques. For each work, the document includes the identification of melodic and thematic material, musical examples, text sources, vocal ranges, and details regarding form.
The Inception of Trumpet Performance in Brazil and Four Selected Solos for Trumpet and Piano, Including Modern Performance Editions: Fantasia for Trumpet (1854) by Henrique Alves de Mesquita (1830-1906); Vocalise-Etude (1929) by Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959); Invocation and Point (1968) by Osvalda
(North Dakota State University, 2016) Miranda, Clayton Juliano Rodrigues
This disquisition provides a modern performance edition of four Brazilian compositions for trumpet and piano by Henrique Alves de Mesquita’ (1830–1906) Fantasia para Piston [Fantasy for trumpet, 1854], Heitor Villa-Lobos’s (1887–1959) Vocalise-Estudo [Vocalise-etude, 1929], Invocação e Ponto [Invocation and point] by Osvaldo Costa de Lacerda (1927-2011), and Edmundo Villani-Cortes’s (b. 1930) Concerto for Trumpet and Piano (2004). I include a biography of all of the composers, a descriptive analysis of the compositions, and tables of critical notes regarding the editions. This study also provides a historical account of trumpet in Brazil to contextualize these four compositions and their composers. By doing so, I make available to the international trumpet community a new and exciting addition to trumpet literature and raise awareness about the existence and quality of Brazilian music that is still largely unknown.
A Stylistic Analysis of Tom Flaherty’s (b. 1950) Works for Clarinet
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Dizon, Rachelle
Composer Tom Flaherty (b. 1950) received a 2016 Grammy award nomination for his piece Airdancing for Toy Piano, Piano and Electronics (2013) in the category of Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance. He has also received numerous grants, prizes, awards, and residencies from organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Music Center. His most recognized work for clarinet is Three Pieces for Clarinet (1982), which won the Delius Composition Contest in 1985 and is included on Eric Mandat’s 1991 album, The Extended Clarinet. Even though Flaherty has received recognition for Three Pieces, his clarinet works as a whole are rarely performed today. His two works for clarinet and piano, Diversion (1985) and Scherzo (1995), remain unknown in the clarinet repertoire. Furthermore, Diversion has been available only in manuscript. Because very little information about Flaherty and his works for clarinet exists, this dissertation provides a stylistic analysis of Three Pieces, Diversion, and Scherzo, and discusses the performance implications of that analysis. Also included in the dissertation is a performance edition of Diversion and the transcription of my interview with the composer. Flaherty’s compositions for clarinet are technically and musically demanding. One of the most challenging aspects of these works is the way Flaherty manipulates pulse. Rhythmic complexity also tends to obscure the listener’s perception of steady pulse and metrical consistency. In each of these works for clarinet, three compositional elements work together to clarify form: melodic contour, intervallic emphasis, and rhythmic devices. This analysis identifies significant musical features that impact form and provides a methodological approach for musical interpretation. It also provides musicians with useful tools to perform these works with musical conviction, which in turn may bring recognition to Flaherty’s lesser-known works, hopefully making them a part of standard contemporary clarinet repertoire.
The Choral Music of Frederick Delius (1862-1934) and its Influence on the Choral Music of Early Twentieth-Century British Composers
(North Dakota State University, 2015) Strommen Campbell, Jonathan Daniel
The composer Frederick Delius wrote a large body of choral music including choral/orchestral works and part songs. This body of choral music had an important influence on the younger generation of British choral composers, including Philip Heseltine (Peter Warlock) (1894-1930), E. J. Moeran (1894-1950), Constant Lambert (1905-1951), and Patrick Hadley (1899-1973). To date, only one dissertation in the United States has been devoted to the choral music of Delius. While several books have been published on Heseltine (Warlock), the others—Moeran, Lambert, and Hadley—are underrepresented in scholarly choral literature. In his book Delius: Portrait of a Cosmopolitan (1976), Christopher Palmer details the extent to which Delius influenced this younger generation of composers. While Palmer examines some of the choral music of Delius and his followers in varying degrees of detail, other important choral works of Delius and his followers are absent from his discussion. Besides Donald Caldwell’s dissertation (1975), there is no recent study of Delius’s complete body of choral music. Moreover, the larger extent to which Delius influenced the next generation of British choral composers has not been satisfactorily researched. This thesis seeks to address this paucity. Some works, such as Moeran’s Nocturne (1935), show an explicit imprint of Delius. Others, such as Hadley’s The Hills (1944) and Lambert’s The Rio Grande (1927), show a more complex convergence of influences, including those of Delius. This study critically examines every choral work of Delius in an effort to make his music better understood and more accessible. In addition to investigating the influence of Delius on the choral music of Moeran, Lambert, and Hadley, this thesis also provides exposure to choral works which merit broader representation in the performing repertoire. By examining the music and composers whom Delius influenced most, it is hoped that more of this choral repertoire will be performed and shared with audiences.
The Tyger and the Lamb: Exploring the Relationship Between Text and Music in Selected Contemporary Choral Settings of Two Poems by William Blake (1757-1827)
(North Dakota State University, 2015) Zinter, Erik Andrew
Texts have been influencing composers of choral music for centuries. Some composers manipulate the text through the use of form and compositional technique, whereas others rely on highlighting specific words. Still others work to convey emotions or to conjure aural images for the listener. Expressive poetry, such as The Tyger and The Lamb, two poems by William Blake (1757-1827), has inspired several composers to set these texts to music, among them John Tavener (1944-2013), René Clausen (b. 1953), and Andrew Miller (b. 1983). This dissertation focuses on the choral settings of Blake’s The Tyger and The Lamb by these three composers. It offers an understanding of their compositional thought processes, a key element for the interpretation and performance of these works. It is only through careful consideration of these thought processes that choral conductors can ensure an informed performance of this literature. This study draws on interviews I have conducted with René Clausen and Andrew Miller, as well as on other scholars’ interviews with the late John Tavener. Furthermore, I have analyzed the compositional style and updated previous research on each of the composers. Each composer sets Blake’s texts in a different manner, however all approached the compositional process through the lens of imagery. Clausen’s, Miller’s, and Tavener’s compositional techniques create aural images and, in doing so, rely entirely upon their musical backgrounds and belief systems. In Clausen’s settings of The Tyger and The Lamb, he colors the melodic, harmonic, and textural material to reflect the nuances of each animal. For Tavener, his Orthodox faith guides his settings with the chant-like melody, ison, and use of canon, retrograde, and inversion. For Miller, he iv highlights the emotion in the music to demonstrate the “core” meaning of the poetry. Observing these three contemporary composers setting the same texts in different styles offers a glimpse into their creative process and gives conductors critical information for performance.
John Field's Piano Concerto No. 1
(North Dakota State University, 2015) Walker, Mary Ermel
While there are recordings of all seven of John Field’s piano concertos, there are no two-piano versions published that include the transcribed orchestra in the second piano part, with the exception of the second concerto. This paper reviews the life and music of John Field with particular attention on his first concerto and on the creation of an orchestral reduction for performance on two pianos.
Folk Song in the Wind Band Music of Haydn Wood: Mannin Veen and a New Performing Edition of the Seafarer
(North Dakota State University, 2015) Hollingsworth, Adam Charles
Nestled between England and Ireland, one can find a tiny island called the Isle of Man, or more simply, Mann. One of its most famous musical representatives is composer and violinist Haydn Wood. In an effort to preserve and promote the fine music and culture of the Isle of Man in general, and the work of Haydn Wood in particular, the author analyzed two wind band works written by the composer. Mannin Veen draws directly on the musical heritage of Mann. The Seafarer, which has been out of print for many years, does not use Manx musical traditions directly, but is inspired by songs of the sea. It should briefly be noted here that the word “Manx” is a reference to the linguistic and cultural traditions of Mann in the same way that “Welsh” refers to the language and culture of Wales. As an island, the sea is a constant presence and influence in the life of its people. As such, the songs used by sailors in their work form an important element of Manx culture and tradition. Haydn Wood incorporated several traditional sea songs in The Seafarer. Therefore, through these two works, one can see the influence of folk music on Haydn Wood’s body of work. Finally, as part of an effort to bring The Seafarer back to recognition, if not prominence, the author has created a new performing edition in the hopes that it might once again be published and made available to the repertoire of wind bands everywhere.
The Importance of Timpani in Today's Percussion Education and as a Solo Instrument
(North Dakota State University, 2014) Meyers, Nicholaus
This study investigated the attitudes and beliefs of college educators and professional percussionists about the importance of timpani instruction for percussion majors at the undergraduate level. The results of a survey, in addition to other sources, were analyzed and showed a need for more education in properly preparing percussion students in the area of timpani. The particular areas discussed further within this study consist of: timpani in terms of the different types of timpani and their place in percussion education; timpani set up; grips and strokes; the stool, mallet choice, and ear training. Additionally, part of this study was geared around developing a recommended list of timpani solos appropriate for instruction in technique.

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