The accordion, a little known instrument in the world of serious or art music, does possess enormous capacities for artistic expression of the highest order.In the twentieth-century, some accordionists began to realize the instrument's potential. These accordionists made transcriptions of the classical repertoire, composed original works for the instrument, and formed the American Accordionists' Association to encourage, among other things, the advancement of the instrument by commissioning leading twentieth-century composers to write for the instrument.This study thus proposes to examine a select group of works for solo accordion and varying types of accompanying ensemble, by twentieth-century American composers. Each work has been critically analyzed and evaluated in an attempt to see what impact, if any, such works have had on the world of serious music in general.The study analyzes and evaluates ten works for accordion and accompanying ensemble including: Henry Cowell's, Concerto Brevis for Accordion and Orchestra; Paul Creston's, Concerto for Accordion and Orchestra; David Diamond's, Night Music for Accordion and String uartet, Ftoy Harris', Theme and Variations for Solo Accordion and Orchestra; Alan Hovhaness', Accordion Concerto, op. 174, and Rubaiyt, Op. 282 for narrator, accordion, and orchestra; William Schimmel's, Concerto for Three (accordion, bass viol, and percussion); Eugene Zador's, Concerto for Accordion, Strings, and Orchestra; and George Zorko'p, On-Gaurd for accordion and chamber. ensemble. There is a comparison of these works to others of a similar nature by the composer to see if he altered his style in any substantive way to accommodate the accordion.While it may be disappointing to discover that the efforts to date have not resulted in any masterpieces that transcend the medium, the accordion is only now approaching maturity in terms of technical and artistic achievement. There is considerable evidence of concern, interest, and creative energy being spent on the part of many on behalf of the accordion, which at least offers promise of significant results in the relatively near future.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of California, San Diego, 2008. / Accompanying disc is DVD-ROM, and contains sound files for recordings of 2nd and 3rd compositions. Title from first page of PDF file (viewed June 25, 2008). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Reproduced from holograph.

Text in English and some in Sesotho / This thesis examined how masculinity develops among the Basotho accordion music artists of the period 1980-2015 with an intention to propose the reshaping of masculinity conducive for a human society. Different factors that influence masculinity among the Basotho as represented by Basotho accordion music artists are scrutinized to find out how masculinity as a thematic aspect in the development of Basotho accordion music has been manifested over a period of thirty-five years. Psycho-masculinity is employed in the present study to find out the impact of the existing form of masculinity among the Basotho. The study concludes that the present form of masculinity among the Basotho is precarious, not only to women and to children, but also to men in their two categories: those who exhibit masculinity as well as those who do not show evidence of it. Therefore, the study recommends that the Basotho masculinity should pay attention to the limitations of masculinity in order to minimize and consequently eradicate its negative side while simultaneously promoting its positive side towards men, women and children at large. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D. Phil. (Language, Linguistics and Literature)

Francis POULENC (1899-1963) a été particulièrement influencé par la musique populaire de son époque. Pour étudier cet aspect de son œuvre, notre recherche s’appuiera sur la production musicale du compositeur, sur ses nombreux témoignages (correspondances, émissions radiophoniques et divers écrits) et sur tous les documents liés à la création et à la réception de ses œuvres. Le compositeur du Bal masqué n’imitait pas la musique populaire mais en empruntait quelques éléments : tel un peintre, il réalisait des « portraits de music-hall ». Afin d’apprécier cette imprégnation, nos analyses portent sur différents paramètres musicaux : la mélodie, le rythme, l’harmonie, les structures, l’orchestration et la vocalité. La finalité de notre travail s’inscrivant dans des perspectives socioculturelles, l’analyse de ces aspects techniques ne se dissocie pas du contexte historique lié au compositeur et plus largement au Groupe des Six. / The composer Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) was particularly influenced by the popular music of his time. In order to study this very specific aspect of his works, our research will take into account the musical production of the composer, his personal testimonies (such as correspondence, radio programs and various pieces of writing) and all documents related to the creation and reception of his works.When composing Bal Masqué (The Masked Ball) the composer’s aim was not to copy popular music but just to make use of some of its characteristics. Just like a painter he created what he would call ‘portraits de music-hall’ (‘Music-hall portraits’). For this impregnation to be fully appreciated, our analyses will tackle different musical parameters such as melody, rhythm, harmony, structures, orchestration and vocal effects. The purpose of our research involving socio-cultural perspectives, the analysis of those technical aspects cannot be dissociated from the historical context relative to the composer and, to a wider extent, to the ‘Groupe des Six’.