Thesis advisor: Michael Resler / Thesis advisor: Rein Uritam / This undergraduate thesis examines the philosophical intersections underpinning Schrödinger's understanding of quantum physics and Schoenberg's atonal compositional techniques through the focusing prism of Goethe's Faust. The analysis begins with an exposition of the basics of quantum mechanics, and progresses to the unifying concept of form Schrödinger derives from this framework. Following a similar overview of tonal and atonal composition theory, the similarities between Schoenberg's parallel concept of idea and Schrödinger's form are discussed. Both of these concepts are then examined through Goethe's Faust, with particular attention to the concept of "soul-form" by which Faust achieves ultimate salvation and fulfillment. Finally, these symmetric ideas are applied to a range of contemporary sociocultural issues. / Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: College Honors Program. / Discipline: German Honors Program. / Discipline: German Studies.

The prevalence of expressionism in the early twenty century was strongly related to the social environment at that time. Under the political situation of militarism and absolute monarchy, the society was facing a severe turbulence in Germany. And, an economic system based on capitalism also lead to extreme disparity between the rich and the poor. Additionally, the scientific study of rationality revealed the importance of caring for the inside needs, which gradually resulted in the prosperity of expressionism in different kinds of arts fields, including literature, theater, painting, music and so on. Expressionists started to express their feeling in a distorted way in order to show their true self and emotional experience. Arnold Schoenberg, who was one of the chief representatives in music of expressionism, used atonal composition skill as a reflection of his dissatisfaction against the reality. This study is divided into three main parts, excluding the part of introduction and conclusion. In the first part, the origin and style of expressionism in the early twenty century is introduced. Secondly, factors leading to the transformation of Schoenberg¡¦s composition skill, from the conventional method to the innovative atonal technique, are further discussed, which include the effect from other expressionists in other fields and his living environment. In the last part, Drei Klavierstucke, Opus 11 is taken as an example to demonstrate its historical background, music features, and composition techniques used in the work to specifically tell the content of expressionism.

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Desmistificando a ideia de que música para o cinema e música para as salas de concerto pertencem a universos distintos, na qual a primeira seria inferior à segunda, o presente trabalho propõe a análise musical parcial de duas obras do compositor norte-americano Bernard Herrmann: a Sinfonietta for String Orchestra e a trilha sonora do filme Psycho (Psicose). Ele se desenvolve mostrando a interação e a intersecção do que denominamos domínios da sala de concerto e do meio cinematográfico, analisando essas peças sob a ótica da intertextualidade elemento de forte presença materializado em Psycho pela reutilização de ideias e até mesmo de movimentos integrais da Sinfonietta O trabalho também retrata o desenvolvimento histórico e estético da música para o cinema e discute questões de ordem funcional e formal. É acompanhado de um CD-ROM com os áudios dos trechos analisados e as imagens das sequências do filme que contêm os trechos musicais selecionados para análise. / In this work an attempt is made to demystify the idea that music for film and music for concert halls belong to different universes, where the first would carry less value than the second. The Sinfonietta for String Orchestra and the soundtrack from the movie Psycho, two musical works of the american composer Bernard Herrman, will be partially analyzed. The analysis portrays the interaction and intersection of what we call the domains of the concert hall and the cinema, analizing these scores from the perspective of intertextuality which can be seen through the reuse of ideas and even whole movements from the Sinfonietta within the soundtrack of Psycho. The work also depicts the historical development, aesthetics of music for film and discusses issues of its function and form. It is accompanied by a CD-ROM with audio excerpts and sequences from the film which contains the musical excerpts selected for this analysis.

Desmistificando a ideia de que música para o cinema e música para as salas de concerto pertencem a universos distintos, na qual a primeira seria inferior à segunda, o presente trabalho propõe a análise musical parcial de duas obras do compositor norte-americano Bernard Herrmann: a Sinfonietta for String Orchestra e a trilha sonora do filme Psycho (Psicose). Ele se desenvolve mostrando a interação e a intersecção do que denominamos domínios da sala de concerto e do meio cinematográfico, analisando essas peças sob a ótica da intertextualidade elemento de forte presença materializado em Psycho pela reutilização de ideias e até mesmo de movimentos integrais da Sinfonietta O trabalho também retrata o desenvolvimento histórico e estético da música para o cinema e discute questões de ordem funcional e formal. É acompanhado de um CD-ROM com os áudios dos trechos analisados e as imagens das sequências do filme que contêm os trechos musicais selecionados para análise. / In this work an attempt is made to demystify the idea that music for film and music for concert halls belong to different universes, where the first would carry less value than the second. The Sinfonietta for String Orchestra and the soundtrack from the movie Psycho, two musical works of the american composer Bernard Herrman, will be partially analyzed. The analysis portrays the interaction and intersection of what we call the domains of the concert hall and the cinema, analizing these scores from the perspective of intertextuality which can be seen through the reuse of ideas and even whole movements from the Sinfonietta within the soundtrack of Psycho. The work also depicts the historical development, aesthetics of music for film and discusses issues of its function and form. It is accompanied by a CD-ROM with audio excerpts and sequences from the film which contains the musical excerpts selected for this analysis.

The purpose of this study is to analyze four late solo piano works of Franz Liszt that all bear the name "Mephisto" in their titles, in order to examine, identify and trace the development in the use of harmonic and melodic idioms that produced non-tonal or "omnitonic" effects, on the one hand, and to emphasize the need to duly accord Liszt a recognition of historical position as the nineteenth century's most influential avant garde composer whose attitude and approach had helped to shape much of the ideal of the atonal composition of this century, on the other. Chapter One presents the issues and the purpose of this study; Chapter Two investigates the principal forces that shaped Liszt's mature compositional style; Chapter Three identifies and discusses the requisites for tonal and atonal compositions; Chapter Four analyzes the four "Mephisto" dances: Waltz no.1 (1860); Polka (1883); Waltz no.3 (1883); and Bagatelle (1885). Chapter Five summarizes the findings from this study and attempts to identify in these late works of Liszt a pattern of conscientious, continuous, purposeful and progressive use of devices toward creating musical effect that would defy the established tonal requisites and undermine the tonal orientation in the composition. This study submits that it was Liszt who had first shown a way to free music from the shackles of prescribed idiomatic constraints, and to force us the listeners to approach and appreciate music for its own sound's sake. Additionally, this study submits that this effort of Liszt should be understood and appreciated in terms of programmatic association; that is, Liszt found in the persona of Mephisto the Diablo the ideal imagery for depicting the nature of the "music of the future" where tonality would be freed from any prescribed procedural requisites.

This study makes available in English translations the three most important theoretical writings of the Austrian composer Josef Matthias Hauer (1883—1959), whose experiments with atonal and dodecaphonic music are discussed in the treatises. The treatises are Vom Wesen des Musikalischen: Grundlagen der Zwolftonmusik, Vom Melos zur Pauke: eine Einfuhrung in die Zw51ftonmusik, and Zwftlftontechnik: die Lehre von den Tropen. In addition to the translations and commentary the dissertation includes a sketch of Hauer's career and an examination of his claim that he—not Arnold Schoenberg—was the inventor of the dodecaphonic school of composition.

This study addresses a specific gap in research concerning personality type and aesthetic preference. The goal of this study was to assess the following question: is there a positive correlation between an enjoyment of atonal harmony and the personality trait dimension known as “openness to experience”? A survey was crafted, and a number of musical pieces with various degrees of tonality and atonality were composed for this study. Respondents of the survey answered a personality test, listened to the musical pieces and ranked their enjoyment of them. What was found is that not all people who are open to experience enjoy atonal harmony, but a majority of the enjoyers of atonal harmony are open to experience. Potential avenues for future research are discussed, including how knowledge of the relationship between music and the mind can help composers and music theoreticians, as well as game developers. / <p>Det finns övrigt digitalt material (t.ex. film-, bild- eller ljudfiler) eller modeller/artefakter tillhörande examensarbetet som ska skickas till arkivet.</p>