published_or_final_version / Chinese / Master / Master of Arts

This paper explores the influences of Vietnamese and Indonesian music in the piano compositions of Claude Debussy. A brief background of Debussy's formative years and of pertinent social trends in Paris at the turn-of-the-century is provided. This paper then looks at two specific musical events that affected the way Debussy composed for the piano: the Javanese and Annamite exhibits at the Exposition Universelles de 1889 and 1900 in Paris. The musical styles and timbres of these two countries are explored, backed up by accounts of what Debussy actually experienced at the Expositions. Following a look at specific musical effects used by Debussy that reveal the influence of the Orient, this paper surveys an extensive body of his piano music chronologically, focusing on compositional techniques that were learned from the Asian ensembles at the cultural exhibits of the Paris Expositions. This paper reveals the depth of the Oriental influence in Debussy's piano music.

<p>Self-referentiality plays an important, but often overlooked, role in the works of Richard Strauss. The broad category of self-reference includes works of metafiction, which literary critic Patricia Waugh has defined as fiction that &ldquo;self-consciously and systematically draws attention to its status as an artifact in order to pose questions about the relationship between fiction and reality&rdquo; and &ldquo;explores the <i>theory </i> of writing fiction through the <i>practice</i> of writing fiction.&rdquo;¹ Additionally, Werner Wolf has conceptualized self-reference to include not only &ldquo;intra-systemic relationship(s),&rdquo; but also intertextual and intermedial references.² The relationships and references included in Wolf&rsquo;s conception of self-reference allow Strauss, his collaborators, and later interpreters to insert their own voices into operas and, arguably, even give themselves agency in the drama. This thesis examines this voice and agency in order to arrive at a deeper understanding of Strauss&rsquo;s aesthetics and those of his librettists and later interpreters with particular attention to three operas: <i>Ariadne auf Naxos</i> (the 1912 and 1916 versions), <i>Intermezzo</i> (1924), and <i> Capriccio</i> (1942). Additionally, I examine Christof Loy&rsquo;s 2011 production of <i>Die Frau ohne Schatten</i> (1919) as an example of complex layers self-reference added to a work by a later interpreter and as a suggestion for future avenues of research regarding operatic self-referentiality. </p><p> ¹Patricia Waugh, <i>Metafiction: The Theory and Practice of Self-Conscious Fiction</i> (London: Methuen &amp; Company, 1984), 2. ²Werner Wolf, preface to <i>Self-Reference in Literature and Music</i>, ed. Walter Bernhart and Werner Wolf (Amsterdam: Rudopi, 2010), vii.</p>

555 pages / This study focuses on the development of harmonic vocabulary in Bulgarian music. It analyzes the incorporation of harmony in village music from the 1930s to the 1990s, "wedding music" from the 1970s to 2000, and choral and instrumental arrangements (obrabotki, creations of the socialist period (1944-1989). This study also explains that terms which are frequently applied to Bulgarian music, such as "westernization," "socialist-style arrangements," or "Middle Eastern influence," depict sophisticated networks of codified and non-codified rules for harmonization which to date have not been studied. The dissertation classifies different approaches to harmony in the above mentioned styles and situates them in historical and cultural contexts, examines existing principles for harmonizing and arranging Bulgarian music, and establishes new systems for analysis. It suggests that the harmonic language of the layers of Bulgarian music is based upon systems of rules which can be approached and analyzed using Western music theory. TV1y analysis of harmony in Bulgarian music focuses on representative examples of each style discussed. These selections are taken from the most popular and well-received compositions available in the repertoire. / 10000-01-01

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<p> The Concert Choir has been the flagship choral ensemble of Stetson University, a private, liberal arts university in DeLand, Florida, since 1935. The choir has traveled extensively throughout the southeast United States and twice abroad, serving as ambassadors for Stetson University. This study documents Stetson University's early history, the first few decades of choral activity at Stetson University, and the complete history of the Concert Choir through the tenure of Milburn Price. The study explores 1) the individuals, events, and institutions leading to the formation of the Concert Choir, 2) the philosophy and purpose of the Concert Choir, 3) the individuals, events and institutions that have shaped that philosophy and purpose, and 4) the ways in which the Spring Concert repertoire of the Concert Choir reflects the ensemble's philosophy and purpose. </p><p> The three major conductors of the Concert Choir, occupying 71 of the last 77 years, were Harold Giffin (1935-1972), Robert Rich (1972-1989), and Duncan Couch (1989-2006). Giffin was responsible for combining the separate glee clubs into one performing ensemble, performing Handel's <i> Messiah</i> annually for twenty-five years, and instituting an extensive touring schedule throughout the United States. The performances at the National Federation of Music Clubs (1939), New York City's Lincoln Center (1967), and the recording session that was broadcast coast-to-coast with NBC in Chicago (1953) were three of Giffin's tours that were most significant. Rich was the first alumnus of the Concert Choir to be hired as Director of Choral Activities and conducted the ensemble for their first ACDA convention performance in 1974. During his tenure, the High School Choral Clinic and Christmas Candlelight Concert, modeled after the English Lessons and Carols, were started and have continued annually throughout the scope of this study. Couch grew the popularity of both the clinic and the Candlelight Concert, took the Concert Choir on two European concert tours, and cultivated collaborations with many professional orchestras. </p><p> This study concludes that the Concert Choir is a choral organization influenced by the sacred a cappella choral traditions; however, it was not dominated by it. This study further identifies that the development of the annual Christmas Candlelight Concert and spring tour were foundational for the choir's activities each year. Documentation illustrates each director's willingness to accept this heritage and develop the Concert Choir accordingly throughout its history.</p>

<p> This dissertation explores operatic adaptations of Orlando <i>JR furioso </i> in the eighteenth century, particularly as they relate to the Arcadian Academy. Whereas the seventeenth century witnessed only a handful of <i> Furioso</i>-themed operas, the eighteenth century was a veritable geyser of operatic Orlando; dozens of libretti were produced on the subject, leading to an eighteenth-century craze for the crazed, staged Orlando. The most celebrated and most diffused operatic adaptations of the <i>Furioso</i> were produced by members of the highly influential Arcadian Academy, an institution that aimed to establish a literary (and therefore social, cultural, and political) reign of good taste and reason throughout the European continent. This dissertation probes why and how Arcadians, self-proclaimed harbingers of eighteenth-century reason, were so invested in the operatic depiction of a Renaissance madman. I am interested not only in the intertextual threads of operatic Orlando that is, how librettists and composers translated sixteenth-century sensibilities to the eighteenth-century stage&mdash;but also how these intertextual threads can be read for their broad cultural resonances. Operatic Orlando, in his many permutations, is emblematic of the complexities and contradictions espoused by the Arcadian Academy, and, as such, is crucial to the shaping of an eighteenth-century ethos.</p><p> This dissertation consists of five chapters. The first chapter explores the different ways in which Arcadians understood madness, in its myriad manifestations. Rather than focusing specifically on opera, I cast a wide net in my discussion in order to holistically approach Arcadian theories and practices: through an examination of early Arcadian writings I identify threads and currents that likely formed the text/texture for the operatic Orlando craze. Chapter 2 focuses more specifically on Arcadian opera, if such a concept truly existed: drawing from the works of scholars of music history such as those of Freeman, Strohm, and Smith, I explore the conventions of eighteenth-century opera and contextualize them within the frame of the Arcadian Academy and its reform culture. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 form the analytical body of the dissertation, as they each probe the conditions and textual questions of specific adaptations of the <i>Furioso</i>. I consider the libretti discussed in each of these chapters to be `ur-adaptations,' in that they were each performed&mdash;and often modified&mdash;numerous times in diverse locales, serving as textual bases for many of the eighteenth-century <i>Furioso</i> adaptations. In these chapters I perform both historical analyses and close readings of texts, as well as musical analyses and examinations of related textual objects. Thus in Chapter 3 I read Grazio Braccioli's libretto <i>Orlando furioso </i> (1713) as well as his related libretto <i>Orlando finto pazzo </i> (1714), and explore the musical settings of composer Antonio Vivaldi as they were performed at the Teatro Sant'Angelo in Venice; in Chapter 4 I turn to Rome, with Carlo Sigismondo Capece's libretto <i>Orlando ovvero la gelosa pazzia</i> (1711), and follow the work to its London iteration <i> Orlando</i> (1733), which was set to music by George Frideric Handel; finally, in Chapter 5 I analyze Pietro Metastasio's serenata <i>L'Angelica </i> (1720) within the context of the court of the Holy Roman Emperor, and explore its resonances throughout Europe.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to examine the social and historical foundations of the music education program in the Baldwin Park Unified School District in terms of personnel, organizational structure, performance activities, funding, and district support in order to gain an understanding of how the program has developed, sustained, and thrived despite significant challenges during the years 1950-2015. Whereas many school districts in California have elected to drastically reduce or cut funding to music programs, BPUSD has maintained a robust music program in the schools for more than 65 years. Demographic information indicates that the city of Baldwin Park, fifteen miles east of Los Angeles, is one of the lowest socio-economic regions in the state; this economic factor is among the challenges the district has faced throughout the years. </p><p> Data from this historical overview include interviews with former BPUSD music teachers and artifacts in the form of district personnel records, school yearbooks, concert programs, photos, newspaper clippings, and personal correspondence. Data also revealed there was strong leadership due to the administrative position of Music Coordinator held by Bob Greenwell from 1960 to 1986 and by Danny Wagner from 1986 to 2005. Under Greenwell&rsquo;s leadership, a graduated music program was implemented for grades four through 12 &ndash; a structured program having elements that are still recognizable today, more than 60 years later. Collegial interactions between music teachers provided an environment for all BPUSD students to have equal opportunities to quality musical training and experiences. Program elements such as traditional performance activities &ndash; concerts, parades, field shows, and evaluation festivals &ndash; are examined with a particular focus on the role and perceived value of competition. </p><p> The investigation into this musical tradition will be beneficial to music teachers, school administrators, students and parents alike, by providing an understanding of the social and historical influences. This study will serve to fill a gap in the comprehensive history of California public school music education, documenting the early historical events occurring in this district. It will contribute to the general field of knowledge of historical music education and will benefit the Baldwin Park Unified School District by conveying a detailed account of past music education activities and providing school leadership a strategic tool for future planning.</p><p>

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