Music

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Open Access
Triple Synthesis
(2014-07-09) Lucas, Stephen Michael; Coghlan, Michael
This thesis investigates the result of merging three musical approaches (jazz fusion, breakbeat/IDM and Electronic Dance Music) and their respective methodologies as applied to music composition. It is presented in a progressive manner. Chapters two to four identify and discuss each of the three styles separately in terms of the research undertaken in the preparation of this thesis. Chapter 2 discusses, through a close examination of selected compositions and recordings, both Weather Report and Herbie Hancock as representing source material for research and compositional study in terms of melody, harmony and orchestration from the 1970s jazz-fusion genre. Chapter 3 examines breakbeat and Intelligent Dance Music (IDM) drum rhythm programming through both technique and musical application. Chapter 4 presents an examination of selected contemporary Electronic Dance Music (EDM) techniques and discusses their importance in current electronic music styles. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 each present an original composition based on the application and synthesis of the styles and techniques explored in the previous three chapters, with each composition defined by proportions of influence from each of the three styles as in the Venn diagram shown in the introduction. Since the musical context of the original compositions is software oriented, diagrams and computer screenshots are used in addition to conventional score notation in order to highlight details of musical examples and techniques. The final chapter discusses the conclusions made through the thesis research and result of this “synthesis” style of composition.
Open Access
The Portuguese Guitar: History and Transformation of an Instrument Associated with Fado
(2014-07-09) Cristo, Nuno Jose Dos Santos Anaia; Wrazen, Louise J.
Since the mid-nineteenth century the Portuguese guitar has been connected to the fado genre. Both the instrument and the song genre have experienced significant transformations, at times related to aesthetic changes, at other times conditioned by social, political and economic alterations. This thesis focuses on the organological development of the Portuguese guitar, as an instrument associated with fado, and explores how the Lisbon guitar model has been progressively replaced by the Coimbra guitar model (both in practice and iconic symbolism). I argue that this tendency is related to the current new era of Portuguese guitar practice with its origins in the post-revolutionary period lived in Portugal after 1974. My study is based on the review and analysis of the most recent works on the subject, fieldwork among players and makers, iconographic and archival research, and my own experience as a player and maker of both models of the Portuguese guitar.
Open Access
Ensemble Stuff: The Grateful Dead's Development of Rock-based Improvisational Practice and its Religious Implications
(2014-07-09) Kaler, Michael John; Bowman, Robert M. J.
This dissertation examines the Grateful Dead’s creation of a distinctively rock-oriented approach to open improvisation in the mid to late 1960s. In the first section of the dissertation, I draw on live recordings, presented diachronically, to examine how the band developed this approach to improvisation. In the second section, I address the issue of why they developed this approach; in so doing, I move from strictly musical to religious concerns in order to demonstrate the fundamentally spiritual impetus that drove the band to devise and devotedly practice such a radical approach to rock playing, in the process linking their religious motivations with similarly transcendence-focused aspirations of other radical improvisers of the 1960s.
Open Access
Change of the "Guard": Charlie Rouse, Steve Lacy, and the Music of Thelonious Monk
(2014-07-09) Bruce, Ryan David; Van Der Bliek, Robert Thomas
The word “Monkian” is frequently used in jazz discourse to describe the music of pianist Thelonious Monk. This study consolidates literature on Monk’s music to define the Monkian aesthetic as an integration of the following musical elements: unorthodox jazz harmony, rhythmic displacement, principles of economy, an emphasis on thematic repetition, and technical experimentation. These elements appear in his compositions, which jazz musicians find difficult to perform. The Monkian aesthetic may be apparent in music by other jazz performers who integrate these elements during improvisation. An analysis of selected improvisations by Charlie Rouse and Steve Lacy, two saxophonists who performed Monk’s music extensively, demonstrates this aesthetic. Analyses are conducted on two solos by Rouse in the post-bop style—“Evidence” (1960) and “Rhythm-A-Ning” (1964)—and three recordings by Lacy in the free jazz style: two versions of “Evidence” (1961 and 1985) and “Pannonica” (1963). The Monkian aesthetic is prominent in their music, and is demonstrated through narrative description with the aid of formulaic, schematic, and reduction analysis techniques. Group interaction is shown to play a significant role in their interpretations. I argue that Monk, Rouse, and Lacy were avant-garde jazz musicians. They represent a change in the notion of “avant-garde” in jazz according to the musical analyses and a critical evaluation of their social environment. Monk’s performances, recordings, and public image were avant-garde for the 1940s and 1950s. Rouse followed Monk’s musical conception closely, and by extension, is considered an avant-gardist in jazz. Lacy’s music and his community of musicians helped define the 1960s avant-garde movement in jazz. Both saxophonists contributed to Monk’s legacy in these conceptions of avant-gardism.
Open Access
Red Mitchell: Tuning in Fifths and the Walking Bass Line
(2014-07-09) Bright, Stephen Thomas; Chambers, Mark
In 1966, Red Mitchell began tuning his bass in fifths to meet the demands of film composers who required a low C. Having played in fourths for approximately twenty years, Mitchell required only nine days to adapt to fifths tuning. This thesis examines the changes that fifths tuning had on his walking bass lines through the transcription, analysis and comparison of three blues from each of Mitchell's tuning periods. The analysis will probe changes in pitch, range, intervals and motives. Other chapters include a biography of Mitchell's career and one that discusses why he chose fifths. Included in this section are brief summaries of other bassists who have adopted fifths tuning. The chapter on bass line grammar discusses those elements that were affected when Mitchell changed tunings. The concluding chapter discusses the findings showing that tuning in fifths did have an effect on Red Mitchell's walking bass lines.
Open Access
Considering Schubert and Nature: A Romantic Ecology
(2014-07-09) Donovan, Michael Francis; Coghlan, Michael
Franz Schubert’s preoccupation with the nature-centric poetry of his day yielded a large body of musical landscapes and depictions of the human experience of nature. And while his songs are often associated with the “Volkstümlichkeit” of the 18th century, an aesthetic in which nature occupied a secondary role, this study underlines how Schubert would develop an idiosyncratic musical vocabulary conveying the inherently ecological nature of the texts, casting nature as a central subject in his poetic settings. The discourse of deep-ecology has reassessed the shallowness or quaintness traditionally ascribed to the Romantic view of nature, looking to the holistic view of nature in Romanticism as a template for the formulation of a contemporary deep-ecological worldview. Using experiential models of deep-ecology, namely phenomenology, embodied meaning and indigenous animism, this study revisits the archetypal Romantic wanderer’s experience of nature in Schubert’s poetic settings as an encounter between the individual and the natural world. Citing human-centric interpretations in musicological discourse, this study illustrates the need to reconsider the pivotal role of nature in seminal works of Schubert. Analyses of the choral setting of Gesang der Geister über den Wassern (D714), numerous Lieder, and the song cycle Die Winterreise uncovers the depth of Schubert’s commitment to the most forward-looking ideas on nature reflected in the philosophies of Goethe, Schiller, Schelling and Spinoza, fulfilling Friedrich Schiller’s vision for the formulation and expression of man’s place in nature in art. Deep-seated structural and harmonic characteristics of the Lieder are shown to be inexorably tied to Schubert’s need to express the wanderer’s direct experience of the outer world. Schubert’s extensive use of mediant and submediant tonalities emerges as an innovation partly born out of Schubert’s preoccupation with landscape and nature, constituting a lateral alternative to the Cartesian, mechanistic view of nature reflected in the diatonic musical vocabulary of the 18th century.
Open Access
Western Extended Techniques in Traditional Japanese Wind Performance: Gagaku Kangen and Shakuhachi Honkyoku
(2015-01-26) Simon, Amy Dawn; Rahn, Jay
The term “extended techniques” in the context of Western art music refers to performance techniques that fall outside the normal course of study for an instrument. The purpose of this study is, 1) to show that woodwind techniques considered “extended” and relatively “new” in Western classical music appear in traditional repertoires in Japan, and 2) to show that these techniques do not function as merely ornamental or virtuosic devices, but are instead structurally significant. I approach these two objectives through case studies of the instrumental kangen repertoire of the gagaku court ensemble (with a focus on the hichiriki and ryūteki wind parts) and the classical Zen Buddhist honkyoku repertoire of the shakuhachi flute. Whereas previous studies have disregarded the role of performance techniques in their analyses of form and mode, I have investigated how performance techniques confirm, emphasize, and even outline the formal and modal structure of the case-study pieces: Etenraku (gagaku) and Sokaku Reibo (shakuhachi). In this study, I analyze two recordings of the virtuosic shakuhachi piece Sokaku Reibo by recognized masters: Aoki Reibo II and Yamaguchi Gorō, and three recordings of the well-known gagaku piece Etenraku by Japanese court ensembles, in addition to recordings of the individual wind parts and sung mnemonics. In order to create a comprehensive picture of the role of the relevant performance techniques, I combine the methods of transnotation of tablature scores and mnemonics into staff notation (and lists of pitch cells in the case of Sokaku Reibo), transcription of recordings, and spectral analysis of recorded excerpts. This study demonstrates that all elements of a performance should be considered in analysis. An analysis that considers only the basic melodic line of a piece risks discarding elements that could inform and confirm the results. In the case of Etenraku and Sokaku Reibo, my investigation of performance techniques has led to a discovery of their structural significance.
Open Access
Thematic Interconnectivity as an Innate Musical Quality: An Investigation of Jandek's "European Jewel" Guitar Riffs
(2015-01-26) Marchesseau, Nicole Aimee; Bowman, Robert M. J.
This dissertation is divided into two main areas. The first of these explores Jandek-related discourse and contextualizes the project. Also discussed is the interconnectivity that runs through the project through the self-citation of various lyrical, visual, and musical themes. The second main component of this dissertation explores one of these musical themes in detail: the guitar riffs heard in the “European Jewel” song-set and the transmigration/migration of the riff material used in the song to other non-“European Jewel” tracks. Jandek is often described in related discourse as an “outsider musician.” A significant point of discussion in the first area of this dissertation is the outsider music genre as it relates to Jandek. In part, this dissertation responds to an article by Martin James and Mitzi Waltz which was printed in the periodical Popular Music where it was suggested that the marketing of a musician as an outsider risks diminishing the “innate qualities” of the so-called outsider musicians’ works. While the outsider label is in itself problematic—this is discussed at length in Chapter Two—the analysis which comprises the second half of this dissertation delves into self-citation and thematic interconnection as innate qualities within the project. Explored at length in this dissertation are the guitar riffs of the Jandek song “European Jewel,” the closing track appearing on the artist’s debut album, Ready for the House (1978). The riffs are heard 37 times over the course of five different versions of the song. Elements of the riffs also appear in tracks that are not labeled as “European Jewel” variants. A larger structural form in which the song-set is situated has been observed. When heard outside of the “European Jewel” song-set the riffs appear in fragmented form. Continued use of the “European Jewel” riff material lasts until the album One Foot in the North (1991). Much attention has been given to the interconnection between certain visual and lyrical ideas present in the project by Jandek fans; however, Jandek has not been investigated at any great length in music scholarship, popular or otherwise. In part, this investigation contributes to the breadth of popular music scholarship by exploring this underrepresented act. It also delves into the sonic qualities which are intrinsic to Jandek. This type of sonic analysis is performed in order to separate Jandek’s sonic qualities from non-sonic discussions of the project. Finally, this dissertation poses the question of whether or not these qualities are of value to fans and scholars.
Open Access
The Music of Bob Brookmeyer and his influence Upon Contemporary Composers and Arrangers of Large Ensemble Works
(2015-01-26) Dempsey, Kevin Neil; Elmes, Barry
This thesis will discuss the music of Bob Brookmeyer and his influence upon contemporary composers and arrangers of large ensemble works. Through analysis I will discuss the innovative concepts and approaches that are within his own compositions and that are apparent in later works by other composers. The focus of the discussion will elaborate on his innovations within the areas of orchestration, form, harmonic devices and rhythm. I will discuss how these innovations changed the course of composition and would inspire future composers to embrace, further innovate and expand upon his ideologies. This thesis will also discuss the affect and direct influence on three present day composers that were under Bob Brookmeyer’s tutelage. Through analysis and comparison I will document the differences and similarities that each of these composers exhibit to Brookmeyer’s works. Finally I will analyze a large ensemble composition of my own to further investigate Brookmeyer’s influence.
Open Access
Escaping the Ideological Framework of Tradition: Brazilian Choro Music for Piano
(2015-01-26) Farinha, Maria Fatima Jannuzzi D.; Coghlan, Michael
Historical and analytical studies on the development of choro music frequently focus on the development of this musical genre in a context of its popular contemporaneity. In this research, the genre is examined stylistically focusing on the study of rhythm, melody, form, musical texture, and feel in compositions for piano. The study surveys and examines solo piano compositions from two well-known Brazilian pianists, Ernesto Nazareth and Chiquinha Gonzaga. It centers discussion on the issues of compositional collaboration between conservatory-educated pianists and popular music pianists, the so-called “pianeiros,” in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This document also contains original compositions for piano intentionally integrating four choro sub-genres (waltz, maxixe, tango, and samba) as a musical indication of the author's complete understanding, mastery, and absorption of the essence of choro music.
Open Access
Reflections and Compositions Inspired by Three Pioneering Guitar Women
(2015-04) Foley, Susan Ellen; Bowman, Robert M. J.
In the male dominated world of guitar, there have been many, largely unknown, female guitarists who were innovative players and were musical and social pioneers.This thesis brings to light and celebrates the musical achievements of three such women guitarists—Maybelle Carter, Lydia Mendoza and Memphis Minnie—through biographical essays, musical analyses and compositions based around their individual biographies, aesthetics, unique playing styles and techniques. The accompanying compositions are not only influenced by the lives and stories of each artist, but by their varied cultures—Caucasian, Mexican-American and African-American. Besides being an examination of three accomplished women guitarists, this is also a study of the roots and history of American popular music, with an underlying theme of triumph and accomplishment over oppression, transcendence over gender bias and exemplary artistry that has withstood the test of time.
Open Access
Hammond Technique and Methods: Music Written for the Hammond Organ
(2015-08-12) Whiteley, Jesse Russell; Coghlan, Michael
The following thesis is made up of four original compositions written between February and September of 2012, with emphasis on the Hammond Organ in the context of jazz and rhythm and blues ensembles. The pieces of music were designed to feature the organ as the lead instrument in order to highlight various playing techniques that are specific to the Hammond Organ within these genres. In addition to my own music and an explanation and analysis of my work, the writing will provide a historical overview of organists I have chosen to highlight as influences to provide a framework for each piece of music. In order to aid this discussion of what has been an under-theorized instrument and performance tradition, I have sought out active contemporary organists to discuss their creative practices on the Hammond, as well as their insight into the notable organists of the past. Finally, of particular interest to me in this thesis is the emphasis on the Hammond Organ as an electric instrument, and the unique musical textures that are possible through the exploitation of the multiple controls that are integral to the instrument's construction. An audio recording of each piece accompanies the scores that are included.
Open Access
Making the Scene: Vancouver's Cellar Club and Other Co-operative Jazz Clubs in Canada 1955–1964
(2015-08-28) Jago, Marian Sarah; Bowman, Rob
Between 1955 and 1964, co-operative jazz clubs were formed in several Canadian cities. Operated by the artists themselves, these co-operative ventures —the Cellar in Vancouver, the Yardbird Suite in Edmonton, the Foggy Manor in Calgary, and 777 Barrington Street in Halifax—provided unique and necessary performance spaces for Canadian jazz musicians, and became pivotal sites for the development of jazz in Canada following World War Two. Using the methodological tools offered by the scenes perspective, this dissertation examines the socio-cultural factors which necessitated the pursuit of jazz through such co-operative means, the ways in which the scenes that developed around these clubs were structured, the operating processes of the clubs themselves, and the varying factors which led to their eventual decline. The bulk of this study deals with Vancouver and its Cellar co-operative, a weighting based upon several factors including the amount of available evidence, its intersection with Vancouver’s arts community, and its unique relationship with jazz scenes on the American West Coast. The examinations of jazz co-operatives in Edmonton, Calgary, and Halifax, suffer from a comparative lack of surviving evidence, and are consequently less detailed. The development of the domestic Canadian jazz industry can be seen to owe a significant debt to the early organizational efforts of these co-operative clubs. Though most of the musicians involved did not achieve lasting fame, they made significant and lasting contributions to jazz in Canada across a variety of platforms. These co-operative jazz clubs created strongholds for jazz in Canada beyond the major urban centres of Toronto and Montreal, providing widespread cultural traction for jazz in this country.
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Shinichi Suzuki and Musical Talent: An Analysis of His Claims
(2015-08-28) Ebin, Zachary Israel; Rahn, D. Jay
The Suzuki Method is a popular and influential method of music education for strings. Central to this study is the Method’s premise that musical talent is not inborn, but rather cultivated through one’s environment. A critical reading of treatises by other influential violin pedagogues revealed that Suzuki’s premise was revolutionary. An analysis of Suzuki’s claims regarding musical talent showed that some of his claims are valid and some are unsubstantiated by current research. Suzuki’s argument that musical talent is not genetically inherited through a comparison to bird-song is flawed. In particular, important differences between bird song and human music suggest they are non-commensurate. From a story about children raised by wolves, Suzuki argued that human ability is a direct result of the environment and not an inborn predisposition. This story proved to be a fabrication, and while one’s environment clearly has an effect on development it is likely not as strong as Suzuki maintains. Suzuki argued that just as being right-handed or left-handed is a result of repetitive use of one hand, so too any skill can be trained through repetition. Though current research has failed to identify the cause of handedness, it has shown that, as Suzuki maintained, dexterity in the non-dominant hand is best trained through repetitive use of that hand, and in an environment with strong motivation to do so. Suzuki claimed that all children learn to speak as a result of their environment. Therefore, if we teach music in the same manner, all children should achieve equal mastery. This is only partially correct. Some children do not learn to speak even when the proper environment is in place. However, speech acquisition and music learning show a number of similarities, supporting Suzuki’s idea of using speech acquisition as a model for music education. Suzuki’s claim that tone-deafness is not an inborn condition, but rather is caused by a deficient musical environment has not been disproven. Indeed, research has provided support for Suzuki’s claim that intensive remedial training can rectify deficient musical perception. Through an examination of Suzuki’s foundational claims, this dissertation serves as a foundation for future Suzuki research.
Open Access
Searching for a Musical Middle Way: A Composition for Multi-traditional Percussion
(2015-08-28) Chan, Heidi Wai-Yee; Sankaran, Trichy S.
This thesis aims to integrate the author's major fields of musical training through a suite of compositions that combines compositional and aesthetic elements of those traditions, namely, Japanese taiko drumming, Karnatic drumming, and the Chinese xiao (vertical bamboo flute). The suite is comprised of four compositions, each of which will be related and dedicated to one chapter from the Buddhist philosophical treatise, Treatise of the Middle Way (Mulamadhyamakakarika) by Nagarjuna, as a thematic link that connects the compositions. The Mulamadhyamakakarika is a seminal Buddhist work that sets forth a penetrating view on the Buddhist concept of emptiness, and the realization of its relation to the nature of phenomenal existence as the ultimate "Middle Way." The use of the Buddhist treatise is also a reference to the author's own philosophical and spiritual views that are often integrated into her performance experiences. The four compositions will also be connected through the use of the number five as a structural and compositional element in each piece. The primary aim of this thesis is to explore and consolidate the author's emerging musical voice through her experiences within these traditions. The integration of diverse musical and aesthetic ideas will be demonstrated through both the compositional aspects as well as through the recorded performance of these pieces by the author.
Open Access
Tango…The Perfect Vehicle The Dialogues and Sociocultural Circumstances Informing the Emergence and Evolution of Tango Expressions in Paris Since the Late 1970s
(2015-08-28) Munarriz, Alberto Jose; Wrazen, Louise J.
This dissertation examines the various dialogues that have shaped the evolution of contemporary tango variants in Paris since the late 1970s. I focus primarily on the work of a number of Argentine composers who went into political exile in the late 1970s and who continue to live abroad. Drawing on the ideas of Russian linguist Mikhail Bakhtin (concepts of dialogic relationships and polyvocality), I explore the creative mechanisms that allowed these and other artists to engage with a multiplicity of seemingly irreconcilable idioms within the framing concept of tango in order to accommodate their own musical needs and inquietudes. In addition, based on fieldwork conducted in Basel, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Gerona, Paris, and Rotterdam, I examine the mechanism through which musicians (some experienced tango players with longstanding ties with the genre, others young performers who have only recently fully embraced tango) engage with these new forms in order to revisit, create or reconstruct a sense of personal or communal identity through their performances and compositions. I argue that these novel expressions are recognized as tango not because of their melodies, harmonies or rhythmic patterns, but because of the ways these features are “musicalized” by the performers. I also argue that it is due to both the musical heterogeneity that shaped early tango expressions in Argentina and the primacy of performance practices in shaping the genre’s sound that contemporary artists have been able to approach tango as a vehicle capable of accommodating the new musical identities resulting from their socially diverse and diasporic realities.
Open Access
Compositions Inspired By David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest
(2015-08-28) Cheeseman, Bradley; Henderson, Alan E.
This thesis is a collection of seven jazz compositions that are based on, or otherwise inspired by, David Foster Wallace's novel Infinite Jest. The compositions attempt to engage the novel in a way that makes use of the text, themes, characters and events to inform the melodies, harmonic progressions, instrumentation and structural elements of the music. While not intended to be a definitive musical interpretation of Infinite Jest, these pieces offer insight into one reader's experience with the novel. In addition to the analyses of each composition, a cursory overview is provided of both Wallace's work and the plots, characters and themes in Infinite Jest. This is followed by an examination of the various compositional techniques used in these compositions, including the use of text-based melodies, alphabetic pitch series, leitmotifs and programmatic instrumentation. Appendices provide additional information regarding notational and stylistic considerations in the music.
Open Access
The Homonculus Cycle: A Compositional Examination of Poetic, Narrative, and Musical Meaning
(2015-08-28) Hillyer, Dylan Charles; Henderson, Alan E.
This compositional thesis is a song cycle for baritone voice and small ensemble of upright bass, violin, and steel-string guitar, based on the poem “Homonculus” by MacKenzie Regier. In Part 1, I explore several sources of inspiration for the cycle’s compositional rigour, including cross-application of Stanislavski acting method to composers and the selected works of Radiohead, Tom Waits, and Koji Kondo. In Part 2, I give a detailed accounting of the application of the principles explored in Part 1 and explain many of my compositional decisions in relation to the meaning of the source poetry. The scores, program notes, poetry, and lyrics are attached in the appendices.
Open Access
Chamber Jazz Concepts and Techniques as Applied to Six Original Compositions
(2015-08-28) Monis, Timothy Hugh; Elmes, Barry
Chamber jazz was introduced in the 1950s with artists like Ahmad Jamal and the Modern Jazz Quartet leading the way in this new genre. It is a fusion of elements from both Western Art Music and Jazz, combining to form a unique style and sound. Chamber jazz composers and arrangers utilize many of the formal characteristics of jazz such as vamps, introductions, endings, and interludes to focus the sound of the ensemble. This is done to distinguish chamber jazz from conventional small group jazz, which tends to focus more upon long improvisatory sections. This paper will look at the musical practices important to the sound of chamber jazz through a detailed analysis of these conventions as they appear in the six compositions presented herein. This study will be aided by references to musical texts, musical manuals, scores, and recordings where appropriate.
Open Access
Russian Folk Traditions in Contemporary Musical Literature for Winds
(2015-08-28) Belianski, Eugene; Thomas, William L.
This dissertation performs analyses of and compositions in three musical traditions that have received little attention in the English-speaking literature: Russian vocal folk polyphony (as described by theorist Aleksandr Kastalskiy in the 1920s), Russian village accordion repertoire and Soviet tourist/traveller bard songs. Each musical tradition is taken through five steps. First, a historical overview of the development of each tradition is provided. Second, a sizeable number of representative pieces or examples from each tradition are analyzed with the use of special methodologies tailor-made to show the most prominent apparent organizational principles in the music (including modes and chord progressions, melodic contour, musical form, poetic form and meter). Third, these analyses, performed upon dozens or hundreds of examples, are compared in order to discover the most typical traits of each musical language or dialect. Fourth, a composition is written in each musical tradition explicitly using these most typical traits: "Three Swans" (Russian vocal folk polyphony), "Torontovka" (Russian village accordion repertoire) and "Song To Our Children" (Soviet tourist/traveller bard song). Fifth, the aforementioned three compositions are arranged and expanded to varying degrees in order to allow them to be performed by contemporary Western small chamber wind groups – the brass quintet and the woodwind ensemble – in pedagogical and other contexts.