Olivier Messiaen's compositions for voice, though less widely known than his instrumental works, span some forty years and comprise a fifth of his total output. They have hitherto not been subject to much attention. A study of the elements comprising the vocal lines and accompanying instrumentation from the piano-voice song set, Trois melodies (1930), to the vast orchestral-choral La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jesus-Chlist (1969) reveals, amongst other characteristic and evolving features, the emergence of a unique, simulated, plainchant style and its subsequent transformation into incantation with suitably modified accompaniment. While wide-ranging, chromatic and rhythmically free vocal lines are typical of many twentieth century compositions, Messiaen's use of such features is found to be novel, by virtue of the peculiar modal and temporal ambits within which he operated. Vocal delivery is progressively expanded from conventional bel canto production to humming, howling,and eventually speech and percussive sounds and reaches an apotheosis in the virtuoso effects of Cinq Rechants (1949). This recedes somewhat in La Transfiguration, which displays instead a wealth of hybrid plainsong-type writing. Choral works are interesting in that the emphasis shifts from standard part-writing to monody or accompanied unison singing, with an attendant absence of characterised solo parts. By constantly varying the colour of the single melodic line with different permutations of voice types, timbre assumes a new importance, particularly in La Transfiguration. The study of the texts, most of which were conceived by the composer simultaneously with the music, contributes much to the understanding of each work. Biblical symbolism in the early lyrics is progressively enriched by references to numerological, mythological and nature symbolism, mixed in an increasingly Surrealistic manner. The gradual incorporation of emotive phonemes in the texts, culminates in the invented language of Cinq Rechants. The thesis thus reveals an evolving yet persistently idiosyncratic vocal style, which establishes Messiaen as one of the most original composers of his time. It further demonstrates that his vocal works are an important component of his total oeuvre and also a significant contribution to twentieth century vocal literature.

The thesis presents ethnographic data and musical analysis (in the form of transcriptions) of Haul music which is the music style performed by Bedouin societies in Trab el Bidan region (Mauritania, Western Sahara, northern Mali, southern Algeria and northern Morocco). It is based on field research undertaken in Algeria in 2004-05 in the refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria, where Saharaui people (a Bedouin society)live in exile. This research is unique and original as Haul has not, until now, been explored in depth by any scholar. My research on Haul reveals that the changes in Saharaui music in the refugee camps of Tindouf reflect changes in the musical traditions of Bedouin societies as whole; changes that can be traced to the revolution which occurred in Western Sahara in 1975, and changes that are a result of the migrations and life in exile that followed. I argue that these changes occurred due to the transnational experiences undergone by Saharaui people in their forced exile (caused by the Moroccan state) from their homeland in Western Sahara to Algeria. Further, I assert that the invocation of memory in Bedouin musical styles is evidence of past musical practices being retained in contemporary Haul performance, although other musical changes are similarly in progress.

Thesis (MMus (Music))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / In the absence of a state-sponsored South African archive that focuses on collecting, ordering, cataloguing and preserving special music collections for research, the Documentation Centre for Music (DOMUS) was established in 2005 as a research project at the University of Stellenbosch. Music research in South Africa is often impeded by inaccessibility of materials, staff shortages at archives and libraries, financial constraints and time-consuming ordering and cataloguing processes. Additionally there is, locally, restricted knowledge of the existence, location and status of relevant primary sources. Accessibility clearly depends on knowing of the existence of materials, as well as the extent to which collections have been ordered and catalogued. An overview of repositories such as the Nasionale Afrikaanse Letterkundige Museum and Navorsingsentrum (NALN), the now defunct National Documentation Centre for Music and the International Library of African Music (ILAM) paints a troubling picture of archival neglect and disintegration. Apart from ILAM, which has a very specific collecting and research focus, this trend was one that ostensibly started in the 1980s and is still continuing. It could be ascribed to a lack of planning and forward thinking under the previous political dispensation, aggravated by policies of transformation and restructuring in the current one. Existing sources supporting research on primary materials are dated and not discipline-specific. Thus this study aims to address issues of inaccessibility of primary music materials by creating a comprehensive and ongoing national electronic database of special music collections in South Africa. It is hoped that this will help to alert researchers to the existence and status of special music collections housed at various levels of South African academic and civil society.

No description available.