In this thesis I investigated how four student conductors made musical meaning from their scores in rehearsals with their peers and the mediating role that verbal language played in that process. Rosenblatt's (1978, 1994) transactional theory of the literary work provided a framework for conceptualizing the performed musical work as a musical event. Halliday's (1975, 1978, 1985) social theory of language use, particularly his notion of 'register' served as the framework for interpreting the intended meanings of conductors' utterances during rehearsals, and for understanding the dialogic nature of language use. Vygotsky's (1962, 1978) socio-psychological theory of the interdependence of thought and language framed my interpretation of the kinds of learning that might take place when student conductors use verbal language to shape performances of musical works. / I transcribed 12 videotaped practica, analyzed the transcripts, and interpreted the function and focus of the student conductors' utterances. The findings revealed that the students selected formal and expressive elements for attention, that they used proposals and appraisals to shape these elements in a variety of rehearsal contexts, that they used verbal language to explain, explore, and clarify their musical thinking within and beyond rehearsals. / I concluded that the student conductors built up the sense of the musical work with the players by selectively attending to the musical elements they deemed to be musically valuable, and that their verbal language served a mediating function for them both as shapers and as learners of musical ideas. Although there were qualitative differences how they engaged with their scores, and in their use of verbal language, the processes by which they engaged in construction and comprehension of musical meanings were the same and their verbal language played the same role. / The study led to the postulatation of three socially situated theoretical constructs that are relevant to a general theory of music teaching and learning: a construct of a transactional theory of the musical work, a construct of a 'rehearsal register' and a construct of the interconnectedness of verbal language and the formation of musical concepts and musical knowledge.

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Despite the many innovative contributions made toward the improvement of violin playing and teaching in the twentieth century, there is an abundance of pedagogy and musical literature which continues to propagate "old school" thinking. Many editions of violin music from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are still in print and do not present to student violinists the technical or aesthetic possibilities now considered by recognized artists. Consequently, these flawed versions of the repertoire hinder the development of aspiring violinists.Whether or not an edition is good, editorial notations reflect the violinistic idiosyncracies and peculiarities of individuals and should thus serve only as sources for reference and study. This is because the violinist's perception of and reaction to music would suffer compromise if he were to be unduly influenced by the editings of others. Therefore, it is for the good of his musical growth that he experiment with and discover which interpretive ideas and combinations of bowings and fingerings ultimately bring performances of compositions closest to his conception of them.Although numerous volumes have been written on performance techniques for violin, they usually do not address matters specifically related to deciding bowings and fingerings for given passages of music. Thus, by default, the major texts on editing music for violin might be said to be the books of Carl Flesch, Elizabeth. Green, and I. M. Yampolsky. None of these writings, though, presents both bowing and fingering in a complete and logical sequence of principles and supporting rationales. Conse4uantly, there has been a substantial need for a single volume which thoroughly covers such material in a style suitable for classroom use or for individual study.This presentation of principles for editing violin music is a comprehensive distillation, simplification, and clarification of the beliefs and concepts of others, combined-with those of the author. Systematically grouped and prefaced by rationales, the principles are enunciated in separate chapters on bowings and fingerings and are illustrated by excerpts selected from the violin literature.The author hopes that this approach to editing will facilitate the learning of good editorial practice in violin music and will challenge violinists to continuously seek better bowings and fingerings.The violinist must frequently make alterations in the printed bowing of notes to accommodate the mechanics of playing the instrument and to attain the desired nuance (subtle variation) involving tempo, rhythm, phrasing, dynamics, and tonal coloring. These changes are implemented by the transfer, deletion, or addition of slurs.Bowings considered conventional or "standard" are classified under (a) The Down-Bow Penchants dynamic, tonic, and agogic accents; resolutions; and dynamic gradations; (b) Uniformity of Articulations chords and successions of identical strokes; (c) Compensational Bowings: retaken, combined, and divided strokes; (d) Linked Bowings; for dynamic constancy and bow distribution; (e) Division of Prolonged Strokes: long slurs and long, sustained notes; (f) Oscillation between Strings; rapid alternation and slurred string crossings; (g) Pizzicatos use of the index and middle fingers and thumb."Optional" bowings, which are personal and not essential for efficient performance, are listed as (a) Phrase Accommodation, (b) Melodic Profiling by Slurring, Reslurring, or Separating, and (c) Pulse Dilution.Well chosen fingering reduces or eliminates unnecessary physical tensions, permits velocity of movement with greater accuracy, and promotes maximum expression. As with bowings, fingerings are distinguished by two types: "standard" for efficiency of mechanics and "optional" for personal expression.Principles of standard fingering are grouped in the following sections: (a) Positions, (b) Chromatic Passages, (c) Interval Congruity, (d) Determining Which Positions to Use, (e) Shifting: semitone, contraction, extension, open string, natural harmonic, and alternate finger shifts plus melodic fifths and reduction of shift spans or shift frequencies, (f) String Crossing, and (g) Sequential Patterns.Optional fingerings include (a) Exclusion of the Fourth Finger, (b) Regulation of Timbre, and (c) Portamento.

Typescript (photocopy). / Contents: Sonata in E Major, Op. 109 / Ludwig van Beethoven (Audio file 1); Variationen für Klavier, op. 27 / Anton Webern (Audio file 2); Années de pèlerinage, 2me année : Italie / Franz Liszt (Audio file 3); Improvisations, Op. 20 / Béla Bartók (Audio file 4)

It was the purpose of this thesis (1) to show the need for emphasis on the teaching of song-interpretation; (2) to go to a new source for methods of teaching interpretation; and (3) to show how these methods can be used in teaching voice students.

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Articulation is an element of musical performance that affects the attack, sustain, and the decay of each sound. Musical articulation facilitates the degree of clarity between successive notes and it is one of the most important elements of musical expression. Many believe that the expressive capabilities of percussion instruments, when it comes to musical articulation, are limited. Because the characteristic attack for most percussion instruments is sharp and clear, followed by a quick decay, the common misconception is that percussionists have little or no control over articulation. While the ability of percussionists to affect the sustain and decay of a sound is by all accounts limited, the ability of percussionists to change the attack of a sound with different implements is virtually limitless. In addition, where percussion articulation is limited, there are many techniques that allow performers to match articulation with other instruments. Still, percussion articulation is often a topic of little concern to many musicians. The problem is not that this issue has been completely ignored, but rather that a vast number of contradictory and conflicting viewpoints still permeate pedagogical methods and literature. This is most certainly the case with the marimba, where a review of method books reveals a multitude of confusing statements about marimba articulation. It is clear that there is still widespread confusion about marimba articulation from composers, conductors, and most importantly percussionists themselves. This study attempts to advance percussion pedagogy in this area through a better understanding of the terminology of musical articulation, the acoustical principles of the marimba, and the techniques that affect sound production on this instrument. After a review of these three areas, this study examines 166 recordings, which look at the actual effect of specific techniques carried out on the marimba. Finally, the project offers a set of recommendations for composers, conductors, and percussionists on all aspects of marimba articulation, in the goal of increasing marimbists' potential for greater musical expression.

Orientador: Nahim Marun Filho / Banca: Lutero Rodrigues / Banca: Eduardo Monteiro / Resumo: Esta pesquisa reúne informações específicas sobre o dedilhado pianístico. Através de uma revisão bibliográfica, o trabalho demonstra o surgimento de diferentes abordagens relacionadas a dedilhados durante o desenvolvimento da linguagem musical e dos instrumentos de teclado. Orientações de compositores, instrumentistas e editores-revisores indicam a existência de princípios que determinam a escolha de dedilhados. A revisão bibliográfica, portanto, identifica e classifica tais princípios de acordo com a natureza de sua elaboração. O olhar crítico às fontes selecionadas e analisadas justifica-se nas diretrizes da Nova História, a partir das idéias de Marc Bloch e da Escola dos Annales. Ao final, o trabalho discute a verificação e aplicação dos princípios levantados, em uma proposta interpretativa para o primeiro movimento da Sonata op. 78 de Beethoven / Abstract: This research brings together specific information about keyboard fingering. Through a bibliographic review, the study reveals the emergence of different approaches related to fingering during de development of musical language and the keyboards instruments. Orientations from composers, pianists and editors indicate the existence of principles determining the choice of fingering. The bibliographic review thus identifies and classifies these principles according to their nature and elaboration. The critical eye on the sources selected and analyzed draws on guidelines from the New History, stemming from ideas put forth by Marc Bloch and the Annales School. Finally, in a performance proposal for the first movement of Beethoven's Sonata op. 78, the principles identified are applied and verified / Mestre

This thesis is divided into three main sections. Part I concerns general aspects of performance, whilst Part II deals specifically with performance aspects of the Double Concerto for Oboe, Harp and Strings by Hans Werner Henze. Part III is a summary and conclusion of Parts1 and 11. It is hoped that this thesis will provide both a fresh approach to performance in general and also to the performance of Henze's double concerto. I have chosen to discuss aspects of Henze's double concerto, because of its significance as a major oboe concerto in the repertoire and the demands it makes on the oboist both as interpreter and technician. / Thesis (M.Mus)-University of Natal, Durban, 1979.