There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

Since 1950, wind band repertoire has experienced accelerated change and growth. There has been a shift from orchestral transcriptions, in which wind instruments frequently have been used formulaically, to original compositions for wind band that explore new timbre possibilities. This study analyzes selected band pieces composed since 1950, paying particular attention to the use of timbre. Specific developments that are discussed, in addition to the change in band instrumentation, are the new emphasis on percussion, and the exploration of new instrument combinations and their resulting timbres. This study primarily focuses on Symphony in B-flat for Band (1951) by Paul Hindemith, Music for Prague 1968 by Karel Husa, and " ... and the mountains rising nowhere" (1977) by Joseph Schwantner. These pieces represent the efforts of renowned composers whose music is considered significant in band repertoire. Hindemith's Symphony in B-flat conforms to the standard instrumentation of the period, as dictated by the American Bandmasters Association in 1945. Husa's Music for Prague 1968 reflects considerable expansion of instrumentation, and expands the role of the percussion section. Schwantner's " ... and the mountains rising nowhere" marks a deliberate nullification of the standard instrumentation for which Hindemith and Husa composed. Even though these composers have continued to make traditional use of form and harmony, their experiments have made the band's instrumentation more flexible than that of the pre-1950 era. These composers have exploited expanded percussion writing and new combinations of instruments. The transition from a pre-determined instrumentation dictated by external influences (Hindemith), through an expansion of that standard (Husa), to a music that is freed from any instrumentation limitations (Schwantner) reflects increasing composer interest in timbre as a primary compositional element. Composers continue to experiment with the instrumentation of the band, excluding traditional instruments and adding others. They have created great flexibility in the size and make-up of wind band instrumentation and generated music that places timbre in a position of high priority.

The Ghost in the Machine is a piece of music far large wind ensemble. This piece is concerned with the interrelationship between the perception of time passing in music and the level of perceived density of musical activity. Specifically, the piece is designed according to the notion that the higher the level of musical activity within smaller intervals of time, the higher the perceived level of density. The piece consists of a large-scale density envelope that spans the length of the entire piece, wherein the level of density increases gradually towards and decreases away from the climax point. The shape of this density envelope is reflected on smaller scales that operate at various levels of the music, all of which are discussed in detail in the analysis part of the thesis. These density envelopes are used as a means of structuring the listening process over the course of the piece.

Acheron, River of Woe is a large-scale piece for wind symphony accompanied by an analytical thesis. It is a single-movement programmatic piece lasting twelve minutes scored for a wind symphony consisting of three flutes (one doubling piccolo), two oboes, English horn, two bassoons, contrabassoon, E-flat clarinet, three B-flat clarinets, A clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, four saxophones, four trumpets, four horns, two trombones, bass trombone, euphonium, tuba, string bass, timpani, and three percussionists. This piece represents a journey on the River Acheron, inspired by quotations taken from several Greek poets of antiquity. The entire piece flows as one long, fluid stream of music, with different sonic currents, waves, and eddies moving through it. Modal theory governs its harmonic structure and is the foundation of the piece.

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Balbuzard is a musical composition of approximately twelve minutes in length, scored for solo clarinet, wind symphony and electronics. It focuses on cluster-like sound masses and explores ways of using these to give the music a clear sense of direction. To this end, tools were developed using a variety of computer applications or programming languages, such as Lisp, OpenMusic and Cubase. These tools made possible a kind of graphic composition where diagrams of different shapes were entered into a computer interface and converted into source material. The generated source material consisted of several rhythmic strata whose pitches, mainly part of diatonic, octatonic or chromatic collections, followed the contour of the entered shape. With this visual process, it was also possible to explore the creation of contrapuntal textures by entering diagrams of lines representing the path of each contrapuntal voice.* / *This dissertation is a compound document (contains both a paper copy and a CD as part of the dissertation). The CD requires the following system requirements: Windows MediaPlayer or RealPlayer.

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From introduction: The decision to use the term "Wind Band" in connection with this work was made after much careful deliberation. The English word "Band" is derived from the French "bande" meaning a group of players. It was first applied in this context in England when the Twenty-four Violins at the Court of Charles II (in emulation of "Le Vingt-quatre Violons du Roi at the Court of Louis XIV of France) were known in England as "The King's Band "Band" is a title generally given at the present time to any of instrumentalists, and indeed, many of the World's most famous conductors have been known to refer to any large symphony orchestra as "The Band" and the dressing-room of every Symphony or Concert orchestra in the British Isles is invariably called "The Band-Room"

The purpose of this thesis is to isolate the techniques presently being used by composers and to define and explain these techniques. The thesis concludes with a series of studies based on these twentieth-century compositional techniques for high school students in the form of warm-up and technique materials. The purpose of this study was to devise a sequence of studies designed to acquaint band members with twentieth-century composition techniques found in contemporary band literature.