The Oregon Bach Festival completed its thirty-fifth season of performances in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday, July 11, 2004. Beginning as a summer school program organized by Royce Saltzman in 1970 at the University of Oregon, the Festival's first season concluded in one concert of German choral music conducted by Helmuth Rilling in addition to a solo organ recital performed by the conductor. Since its inception, the Oregon Bach Festival has involved more than 500,000 concertgoers, 1,000 conducting master class students, 500 Youth Choral Academy singers and hundreds of choral and orchestral musicians. In spite of its name, the Oregon Bach Festival has strongly supported the commissioning and premiere of new works. The Festival has premiered eight commissioned works and provided the venue for the World, United States and West Coast premieres of many others. The Festival has also embraced international collaborations, bringing guest artists, ensembles and choirs from around the world to perform in Eugene. Great concern about the future of the Oregon Bach Festival exists since the co-founders, Saltzman and Rilling recently celebrated their 75th and 71st birthdays respectively. Saltzman's initial attempt at retirement from the Festival failed in 1997 after two seasons under new leadership, which has reinforced the belief that Saltzman and Rilling may be the only individuals who can successfully operate the Oregon Bach Festival. This dissertation includes examinations of the founding and initial development of the Oregon Bach Festival, the many component parts of the Festival, the people who support and operate the Festival, the programming and literature performed and the commissions and special projects sponsored by the Festival. Additionally, this project concludes with an examination of the philosophy of the Festival as well as concerns for the future. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2004. / Date of Defense: July 23, 2004. / Music, festival, Eugene, riling, Saltzman, philosophy / Includes bibliographical references. / André J. Thomas, Professor Directing Dissertation; Richard Morris, Outside Committee Member; Judy Bowers, Committee Member; Kevin Fenton, Committee Member; Kimberly VanWeelden, Committee Member.

Luigi Legnani's 36 Caprices are thought to be among the most demanding works in all of classical guitar literature. This is due in large part to the extraordinary number of virtuosic scale passages found throughout these pieces. Yet there are no works available that provide a logical step-by-step approach to help develop the skills needed to perform these passages. This project acts as an excerpt workbook designed specifically to help advanced guitar students perform the scale passages found in Luigi Legnani's 36 Caprices Op. 20, while simultaneously introducing practice techniques that are applicable to scales found throughout the guitar repertoire. Using concepts illustrated by Scott Tennant in his seminal book Pumping Nylon, this workbook combines the practicality and convenience of pre-conceived exercises devoted solely to the performer's physical development, with pragmatic observations emphasizing important technical concepts unique to each exercise-set. Most scale passages found in these capricci are not merely single-position scalar lines but are a confluence of several fundamental techniques that often occur simultaneously with the scale itself, such as contrapuntal bass lines, shifts, chord accompaniment, and slurs. It is therefore assumed students who would use this study already have a working knowledge of these aforementioned techniques. This project will allow them to apply their knowledge in the most practical way—i.e., to execute some of the most difficult works in classical guitar literature, namely Legnani's 36 Caprices. / A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music. / Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2008. / Date of Defense: March 25, 2008. / Excerpts, Caprices, Guitar, Legnani, Capricci, Guitar Technique, Exercises, Scales, Workbook / Includes bibliographical references. / Jeffery Kite-Powell, Professor Directing Treatise; Jane Piper Clendinning, Outside Committee Member; , ; Melanie Punter, Committee Member.

Urban Caricatures is a collection of portraits that reveal the gritty, hyper-realistic phenomena that dwell in urban settings. Here they are redrawn in a manner that augment their original sentiment. Their theatrical auras are exposed through the filters of distortion, over-dramatization, irony, disproportion, and sarcasm. It is divided into four caricatures: Urban Grind, The Lover, A Streetdancer, and Skyscrapers. Urban Grind represents not one character but many who are trapped in a relentless cycle of movement propelled by the monotonous demands of a city. It is a presto movement that channels both Bartókian string techniques and jazz and rock language. The opening motive unfolds through the technique of developing variations using the colors of the octatonic collection. It is further defined by the interweaving of the bebop scale and the blues scale within the collection, giving it the color and attitude of blue notes (b3, b5, b7). The strummed cords and snap pizzicatos are reminiscent of loud rock power chords and gestures that are played by street musicians across the city. Its opening theme constantly reappears in its original form representing a cycle of repetition that parallels the human activity accruing on city streets. The final moment of the movement fades out as the listener is slowly removed from the setting. The Lover is the only pseudo-programmatic movement telling the story of a person deeply in love with no reciprocation of that love. The opening motive is again generated from the octatonic collection, but with no blues or rock inflections. This motive unfolds through developing variations and gradually builds with broad and swooping gestures attempting to reach the ultimate moment, even though it is out of reach. A chorus of sarcastic and taunting laughter around a strained solo cello sets the realization of unreciprocated love. A Streetdancer captures the energy of a break-dancer performing in the subway stations. It is an ostinato-driven pizzicato movement that utilizes polyrhythms and change of feel, which parallels the acrobatic moves of street dancers. The octatonic collection has taken a passive role against the blues gestures and colors that drive the thematic material. The climax is reached with an explosion of arco strings and blues-infused motives. Skyscrapers is the depiction of one person against an entire forest of concrete. The opening motive is over powered by the stacked fifths that surround it. The main motive reemerges throughout the piece as different perspectives of the same image. It is only fully digested when the viewer looks at it from the distance. This piece is dedicated first and foremost to my parents. Without their support and infinite patients my studies would not be possible. I would also like to thank my teachers Dr. Ladislav Kubik and Dr. David Gillingham. I would not have grown without you. Last I would like to send a special thanks to my committee members. Their guidance has helped to crystallize my thought processes. Performance Note: This piece was written with the concept of amplification as a vital concept to its aesthetic. It is possible to play the piece without amplification, but only if there are no other options. To achieve amplification, performers can use a stringed instrument with mounted pickups, or attach a transducer on the body where it works best. Both can be plugged into an amplifier, such as one designed for a guitar. Do not use microphones. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music. / Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2006. / Date of Defense: October 20, 2006. / 21st Century Art Music, Eclectic Art Music / Includes bibliographical references. / Ladislav Kubik, Professor Directing Thesis; Clifton Callender, Committee Member; Evan Allan Jones, Committee Member.

LEALISTA is an opera written in two acts; Act Two has two scenes. There are two lead roles: Dorothy Harper, an American newspaperwoman, soprano; and Philip Rawlings, an American photo-journalist, baritone. There are eight smaller roles: Anita, a Loyalist guerilla, mezzo-soprano; Antonio, a local bartender, tenor; Andres, his fourteen-year old son, tenor; Mother of Andres, mezzo-soprano; Max, an ex-Nazi, bass-baritone; First Policeman, tenor; Second Policeman, bass; Blackshirt, tenor. Non-singing roles: Blackshirt, waiters, stretcher bearers, armed guards, and driver. The score is written for piano-vocal performance, and requires a pianist's assistant to play on the strings. The libretto was suggested by an Ernest Hemingway play, THE FIFTH COLUMN. / LEALISTA (literally "Loyalist"--a person dedicated to defending Spain against Franco and the Fascists) takes place in Madrid, Spain, during the Spanish Civil War. Act One takes place in a bar where Loyalist soldiers gather. Into this bar comes Dorothy Harper, an American writer, who inevitably meets the only American male in the bar, Philip Rawlings. Dorothy reveals her apathy for the war, and Philip reveals his passionate devotion to it. An air raid brings the reality of war a step closer to Dorothy, and she clings to Philip amidst the chaos. / Act Two, Scene One takes place next morning in Dorothy's bedroom. Dorothy--angry over Philip's leaving for the front--calls for her car, but before it arrives, Andres, a young Loyalist soldier, is killed before her eyes. / Act Two, Scene Two is in the same bar as Act 1. Dorothy enters, surprising Philip, who believed she had left. Andres' mother warns her that the police are looking for her. The police enter, and Dorothy, furious at their disregard for an injured woman, lashes out at them. Philip realizes that Dorothy--like him--is capable of great passion; he also realizes she must leave, for her own safety. Amidst shouts of "Lealista! Lealista!" from admiring soldiers, Dorothy and Philip part. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-01, Section: A, page: 0017. / Thesis (D.M.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

The composition is for xylophone, alto saxophone, horn, bassoon, string orchestra and percussion in the form of a sonata da chiesa. The harmonic language consists of the free use of dissonance and, within the fugal sections, the tonic/dominant structure between subject and answer. The piece concludes with a chorale based on the theme of the first movement played by the strings, against motivic interplay among the four solo instruments. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-08, Section: A, page: 2118. / Thesis (D.Mus.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

The figure of Judith has been used throughout the Christian era as an inspiration for writers, artists, and musicians. She is the heroine of epics, plays, and Jesuit dramas. Nowhere had this story greater impact than in the world of oratorio. Judith became the central figure of eighty oratorios written from 1621 to 1888, concentrated in the eighteenth century. / One reason for the popularity of Judith as an oratorio heroine lay in Maria Theresa, who was connected to the apochryphal heroine. She did not sponsor this connection, but an extensive allegory can be developed between the two, showing that the validity of the analogy can, in retrospect, be carried far beyond the usually superficial level of such allegories. There are obvious surface parallels, but the achievements of Maria Theresa make her the preserver and liberator of her people, as Judith was for the Betulians. / The other reason for Judith's popularity in oratorio was Betulia liberata, a libretto by Pietro Metastasio. Metastasio wrote six other oratorios in Vienna, but Betulia liberata remains his most interesting and most dramatic, demonstrating his interest in Cartesian dialogue and his willingness to break from the strict Aristotelian principles of his day. / The first setting of Betulia liberata was done by Georg Reutter, a Viennese composer, who designed it as part of Lenten religious services. He was not an original composer but did an acceptable job. He set the work for string orchestra and continuo and made subtle use of the Doctrine of the Affections, which would have been accessible to the musically aware court. / By 1772 the musical scene in Vienna had changed, and Florian Gassmann's setting of Betulia liberata reflects this. As the inaugural concert for the Tonkunstler-Sozietat, it needed to appeal to a bourgeois audience made up primarily of music-lovers, not musicians. The orchestra was huge, the writing full of obvious effects, the vocal requirements extensive, and the influence of Gluck seen throughout. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-08, Section: A, page: 2119. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

American composer George Whitefield Chadwick (1854-1931) composed six symphonic works during his distinguished career. Of these six, only three are actually titled "symphony." They are the First, Second, and Third Symphonies, completed in 1881, 1885, 1893, respectively. Although these three works are closely related, in terms of form, harmony, melody, and instrumentation, to compositions from the great tradition of nineteenth-century conservative symphonic style, they frequently display striking originality and are always well crafted. / Beginning in 1895 the composer abandoned the abstract symphony to compose works that bear resemblance to the symphony proper in terms of form and tonal structure but that differ in that they are somewhat programmatic and not so serious in dramatic content. These "quasi-symphonies" are his Symphonic Sketches (1895-1904), Sinfonietta (1904), and Suite Symphonique (1909). More eclectic than Chadwick's earlier symphonic works, these last three exhibit increased use of the techniques of impressionism, employment of folk-song styles, and a more imaginative use of rhythm and instrumentation. / This dissertation investigates Chadwick's symphonic compositions on several levels: (1) Their historical background is considered with respect to contemporary trends in American composition. Comparisons are also made to aesthetic models in European symphonic tradition. (2) Detailed musical analysis provides an understanding of the stylistic and structural tendencies in Chadwick's symphonic works. (3) An exhaustive review of the critical reception of Chadwick's symphonic oeuvre places the works in a cultural context and sheds light on contemporary thought about these most important compositions. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-04, Section: A, page: 0979. / Major Professor: Douglass Seaton. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

This dissertation is the development of a hybrid analytical procedure and its application to the three extant sonatas of Six Sonates pour le violon by Joseph Boulogne "Le Chevalier" Saint-Georges. The procedure is based on the combining of theorist Heinrich Schenker's notion of "levels," and musicologist Leonard Ratner's notion of "topics" as proposed in their respective works Der freie Satz (1979, translated and edited by Eric Oster) and Classic Music: Expression, Form and Style (1980). The concept is based upon a general idea proposed by theorist V. Kofi Agawu in his article entitled "The First Movement of Beethoven's Opus 132 and the Classical Style," published in the Symposium 27 (1987): 30-45. / The hybrid analytical procedure proposed in this dissertation is offered as an alternative analytical perspective for classic music. Included in the work is a brief overview of the Schenkerian notion of levels, the notion of topics, and a description of their adjoinment to form a single interactive hybrid analytical system. Demonstration analyses which illustrate the application of the procedure are also included. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-04, Section: A, page: 0984. / Major Professor: Robert L. Smith. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

The American Wind Symphony Orchestra was conceived and created by Robert Austin Boudreau in 1957. He established an ensemble that employed the equivalent of a doubled orchestral wind section, consisting of fifty-seven members chosen by national audition. Using a barge that served as a concert stage, Boudreau initially utilized the rivers of Pittsburg as a setting for the concerts. Since then, the American Wind Symphony Orchestra's scope has grown to include tours throughout the continental United Sates and Europe. The ensemble has contributed substantially to the wind repertoire with a commissioning program that has produced over 300 works. / The present study is in two parts. The first part is a history of the American Wind Symphony from its inception to the present day. The second part examines nine previously unresearched works of the American Wind Symphony Editions as examples of the repertoire and provides a history of the commission as well as a brief description of the musical qualities of each work. The nine works studied are: David Amram, King Lear Variations; Henk Badings, Armageddon; Eugene Bozza, Children's Overture; Nicolai Lopatnikoff, Concerto for Wind Orchestra; Toshiro Mayuzumi, Concerto for Percussion and Wind Orchestra; Colin McPhee, Concerto for Wind Orchestra; Joaquin Rodrigo, Adagio for Wind Orchestra; Ned Rorem, Sinfonia for 15 Wind Instruments; and Carlos Surinach, Paeans and Dances of Heathen Iberia. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-07, Section: A, page: 2154. / Major Professor: James Croft. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

Absences is a composition for large orchestra and narrator on thirteen poems from the "Book Absences" by the catalan poet Miguel Marti i Pol. Elaine Lilly translated the poems in English, and the score has both (Catalan and English) versions. / The piece has a duration of approximately twenty-two minutes and it is conceived in a whole movement. The poems are about feelings of the poet after his wife's death. Although being a meditation on the death, the poet's viewpoint is not always dark or pessimistic. The poems offer the needed contasting thematic to make the piece interesting and varied. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-07, Section: A, page: 1574. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.