The direct translation of the French title, trio d'anches, is simply trio of reeds. It consists of the standard reed instruments of the orchestra: oboe, clarinet, and bassoon. The main purpose of this study is to help the American reader appreciate and be more familiar with this unique and largely unknown chamber music genre. Unknown, because it is more represented in some countries of the world than in others, both in numbers of compositions and performers of these compositions. In France, for example, there are professional trios concertizing year around as well as faculty trios attached to most music conservatories. In the United States, however, there has been very little interest in this combination. The author will be discussing the contributions of some composers from other countries later in this document. Throughout this study, the author has chosen to refer to the trio of reeds as trio d'anches for two reasons. First, the French composers have been primarily responsible for the output of this group's music-- approximately 36% of the entire repertoire, with 17 countries represented. Second, since the French were the first to create this combination and write for it, the author has selected only French composers as examples. The pieces chosen cover a time period from 1897-1954. It is interesting to note that the most significant international increase in the composing, performing, and publishing of wind chamber music occurred in the 1930's and 40's. However, since that time virtually every combination, including the trio d'anches, has continued to be recognized with new and expansive compositions.

The practice of applying variation to a given musical statement is one of the oldest of musical concepts. Before written notation was developed, the aural transmission of musical ideas naturally involved some degree of personal interpretation and variation. Documented history of variations as a musical form begins in the sixteenth century when the variation was established as an important musical procedure which increased the length and expression of a musical idea. In The Technique of Variation, Robert Nelson distinguishes seven categories of variation types developed from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries: 1. Renaissance and baroque variations on secular songs, dances, and arias. 2. Renaissance and baroque variations on plain songs and chorales. 3. The baroque basso ostinato variation. 4. The ornamental variation of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. 5. The nineteenth-century character variation. 6. The nineteenth-century basso ostinato variation. 7. The free variation of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Variation remains an important process in music in the twentieth century -- as a viable compositional technique, as a virtuosic showpiece for the concert stage, and as a basic element of jazz music, where ornamentation and variation are integral elements of improvisation. The theme and variations is particularly suited to the harp. Elements of the form, such as its sectional aspects, allow the exposition of many facets of the instrument in one composition. The harp is endowed with an outstanding capacity for tone color and interpretive effects. Certain techniques available only to the harp, such as the glissando, bisbigliando, and pedal slide can be incorporated into a theme and variation, presenting a vast range of interpretive possibilities. The following four variation works offer a comprehensive representation of Theme and Variations originally written for the harp: Tema con Variazioni, G. F. Handel; Variations on a Theme of Mozart, M. I. Glinka; Fantaisie pour Harpe sur un theme de Haydn, M. Grandjany; Variations sur un theme dans le Style Ancien, C. Salzedo. These works span a period from the early eighteenth century to the twentieth century, during which time many advancements were made in the construction of the harp and also in the development of harp technique. Themes and variations are extremely worthwhile for pedagogical purposes as well as for performance on the concert stage. Suitability of the form for the harp and the virtuosic nature of the works have made them an important part of the harp repertoire.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

In broad terms — including a thief's use of existing credit card, bank, or other accounts — the number of identity fraud victims in the United States ranges 9-10 million per year, or roughly 4% of the US adult population. The average annual theft per stolen identity was estimated at $6,383 in 2006, up approximately 22% from $5,248 in 2003; an increase in estimated total theft from $53.2 billion in 2003 to $56.6 billion in 2006. About three million Americans each year fall victim to the worst kind of identity fraud: new account fraud. Names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and other data are acquired fraudulently from the issuing organization, or from the victim then these data are used to create fraudulent identity documents. In turn, these are presented to other organizations as evidence of identity, used to open new lines of credit, secure loans, “flip” property, or otherwise turn a profit in a victim's name. This is much more time consuming — and typically more costly — to repair than fraudulent use of existing accounts. This research borrows from well-established theoretical backgrounds, in an effort to answer the question – what is it that makes identity documents credible? Most importantly, identification of the components of credibility draws upon personal construct psychology, the underpinning for the repertory grid technique, a form of structured interviewing that arrives at a description of the interviewee’s constructs on a given topic, such as credibility of identity documents. This represents substantial contribution to theory, being the first research to use the repertory grid technique to elicit from experts, their mental constructs used to evaluate credibility of different types of identity documents reviewed in the course of opening new accounts. The research identified twenty-one characteristics, different ones of which are present on different types of identity documents. Expert evaluations of these documents in different scenarios suggest that visual characteristics are most important for a physical document, while authenticated personal data are most important for a digital document.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.