Jon Christopher Nelson’s Fantasies and Flourishes: An Interactive Concerto for Disklavier and Orchestra (1995) is the first interactive work to present the Disklavier as the solo instrument in a concerto with orchestra. The purpose of this study is to provide an analysis of Fantasies and Flourishes and advice on how to successfully present it in performance. Fantasies and Flourishes reveals the composer’s interest in the music of Elliot Carter, in particular his A Symphony of Three Orchestras. The entire work is based on the two all-interval tetrachords also used by Carter; in Fantasies and Flourishes, these tetrachords are combined to form seven octachords that are used in various manipulations. The Disklavier is an acoustic piano that can be played by a performer, can play by itself, or can be controlled by a computer program. In interactive works for Disklavier, a pianist plays on the Disklavier while the Disklavier plays by itself, much like if a pianist were to play on a player piano while the piano was also playing by itself. However, in interactive Disklavier music the pianist’s performance affects what the Disklavier plays; particular notes in the piano part trigger the Disklavier’s music. Chapter I provides an introduction to the dissertation and background on the composition. Chapter II gives a formal analysis of the work, with focus on the composer’s use of musical constraints to delineate form. Chapter III supplies information that will help a pianist to prepare for a performance of the concerto and includes discussion of extended techniques used in performance. Chapter IV gives a detailed discussion of Max, the computer program used to control the Disklavier. Analysis and description of the computer program give the performer insight into how the Disklavier’s music works, especially for algorithmically-composed sections that vary between performances. A chart is provided that details information regarding each trigger that the performer must play in order for the Disklavier to function properly.

John Cage’s Concerto for Prepared Piano and Chamber Orchestra (1950-51) holds a unique position within the composer’s oeuvre as the first work based in part on chance-derived compositional procedures. Cage entered into such practice gradually, incrementally abandoning subjective taste and personal expression through the course of the work. Drawing from the philosophical framework provided by Cage’s "Lecture on Nothing" (1950) and "Lecture on Something" (c. 1951-52), this thesis explores the aesthetic foundations of the concerto and examines Cage’s compositional methodology throughout its three movements. Special attention is paid to the procedure underlying the first movement, whose analysis is based largely on the composer’s manuscript materials for the work.

The Duo Concerto Trumpet and Organ, Op.152 by Tomas Svoboda was written in memory of and commissioned by the friends of the late Richard Thornburg, second trumpet of the Oregon Symphony. Through the use of primary sources, Tomas Svoboda, composer and organist at the premiere, and Fred Sautter, principal trumpet of the Oregon Symphony and trumpeter at the premiere, the performance guide illuminates the piece with a discussion of five different topics. Chapter 2 of the guide reveals the circumstances of the commission and the initial compositional process. Chapter 3 discusses the performance history of the concerto, including the premiere. Chapter 4 provides analytical insights with programmatic titles accompanying the formal layout of the piece. Chapter 5 presents the piece from the standpoint of performance preparation. Chapter 6 concludes the guide with final thoughts of the composer, Tomas Svoboda. The guide provides the performer studying this piece the historical context of the concerto and highlights programmatic elements of the piece not apparent in its published form.

This paper investigates the usage of traditional compositional techniques on Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra by William Lovelock. (1899-1986) Like many other twentieth-century composers for trumpet Lovelock wrote in a romantic style using traditional forms. As a composer, Lovelock is largely under-appreciated. This paper explains Lovelock's compositional techniques and provides performers with a guide to help prepare the piece for performance.

I detta examensarbete utforskades William Waltons Violakonsert utifrån olika aspekter. Syftet var att undersöka de formmässiga val som kompositören har gjort samt hur de påverkar balansen mellan orkester och soloviola. Undersökningen genomfördes metodiskt genom att studera och analysera verket, reflektera över hur olika speltekniska utmaningar löstes i samband med själva instuderingen, och dokumentera det logistiska arbetet rörande sammanställningen av en orkester och planeringen kring detta. Studiens resultat påvisar att kompositören har skrivit orkestreringen så att orkestern spelar svagt när sololinjen pågår och när soloviolan har paus spelar orkestern starkt. De tre olika satserna visade sig innebära utmaningar av skiljande karaktär. Violakonserten innehåller modernistiska stildrag som stora dissonanta intervallsprång, polyrytmik och polytonalitet samt tonartsbyten, lägesväxlingar och intonationsutmaningar. Första satsen, som ovanligt nog är långsam, är interpretationsmässigt den svåraste att spela. God framförhållning och goda marginaler visade sig vara viktiga aspekter för projektets realisering. Planeringen och genomförandet av projektet har lärt mig oerhört mycket, såväl konstnärligt som orkestersolist som praktiskt med organisering och framförande av en stor konsert. Jag är mycket nöjd över att ha lyckats genomföra projektet och uppskattar de många skickliga musikervänner som tog sig tid för att göra det här med mig. / <p>Bifogat ljudfil är inspelning av examenskonsert 11/5-2022. </p><p>Program samt medverkande:</p><p></p><p>F. Schubert - ur Winterreise (arr. R. Benedict):</p><p>Erstarrung</p><p>Frühlingstraum</p><p>Der Stürmische Morgen</p><p></p><p>Isela Halonen, viola</p><p>Georg Öqvist, piano</p><p></p><p>W. Walton - Violakonsert</p><p></p><p>Isela Halonen, soloviola</p><p>Maria Itkonen, dirigent</p><p>Orkester med studenter från KMH</p>

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Syftet med denna studie är att följa min inlärningsprocess av Serge Koussevitzkyskontrabaskonsert op. 3. Genom studien har jag kommit fram till olika övningsmetoder som kan tillämpas på Koussevitzky baskonserten som intonationsproblem samt tekniska svårigheter man stöter på under inlärningsprocessen. Med hjälp av videoanalys och loggbok dokumenteras processen. Flera förbättringsområden identifieras såsom övningsstruktur, fingersättningar, lägesväxlingar och stråkföring. I studien presenteras olika övningsstrategier i musikalisk gestaltning och lösningar på specifika tekniska hinder / The purpose of this study is to follow my learning process of Serge Koussevitzky's Double Bass Concerto op. 3. Through the study, I have come up with different practice methods that can be applied to the Koussevitzky bass concerto as intonation problems as well as technical difficulties encountered during the learning process. With the help of video analytics and logbook, the process is documented. Several areas for improvement are identified, such as practice structure, fingering, position shifts and stringing. The study presents different practice strategies in musical performance and solutions to specific technical obstacles.

Undoubtedly, Totentanz has been one of the most famous works by Franz Liszt. Totentanz has been recorded by many pianists and addressed in much of the vast literature about Liszt and his works; however, little research has been focused on this work. Most studies of Totentanz address only the historical background of the piece in relation to the theme based on Dies irae. Currently, there are no specific studies about the solo piano or two piano versions and only one recording was located. Liszt's own piano solo transcription of this famous work is an excellent addition to the concert repertoire. Totentanz consists of six variations that include canonic and fugato sections. The main theme is based on the Gregorian chant Dies irae, a melody that has been used by many other composers, most notably Berlioz in Witches Sabbath of Symphonie fantastique, op. 14 and Rachmaninoff in Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. This study contains five chapters. Chapters I and II provide background information, historical background and influences of Totentanz. Chapter III presents an outline of Liszt's achievement as a transcriber. Liszt revised his own works numerous times from the 1840s and 1850s, including Transcendental Etudes, Paganini Etudes, and piano and orchestra works. Like in the case of Totentanz, transcribed form piano and orchestra into piano solo, Liszt transcribed and paraphrased hundreds of other composers' works as well. Chapter IV discusses and compares the two main versions for solo piano and piano and orchestra. Form and harmonic language in particular the use of tritone in Totentanz is discussed. The adjustment required in transcribing the work for piano solo is discussed in detail, followed by a conclusion.

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