William Schuman's achievements as a composer are often seen as part of a conservative "Grand Tradition", based upon the models of the symphony, concerto and string quartet. But Schuman's conservatism is philosophical rather than stylistic. From an early style owing much to the influence of his teacher Roy Harris and the musical vocabulary (if not the aesthetic philosophy) of neoclassical Stravinsky, Schuman forges an independent path that sees his instinctive and highly personal approach to composition undergo a fascinating, and almost continuous evolution. The essence of this evolution lies in a gradual shift away from static formal archetypes towards a greater fluidity manifest in single movement forms and an ever greater reliance upon development and harmonic conflict. This process is examined in the context of three of Schuman's finest works, the Third (1941), Sixth (1948), and Ninth Symphonies (1968). Drawing upon the writings of Arnold Schoenberg (notably the concepts of "developing variation" and the musical "Idea7), the process of "autogenetic development" is shown to mirror closely the ideals of "growtw' and "Unity within diversity" encountered in Schoenberg's writings. In addition, the pitch-class set genera theories of Allen Forte and Richard Parks are shown to provide effective models of harmonic materials, highlighting the tendency towards the integration of melody and harmony. While this stylistic journey forms the central strand of the thesis, a second, no less important theme is the nature of the analytical tools themselves. The practical application of genera theories to 'real' musical objects is explored in depth, highlighting the contrasting methodologies of Forte and Parks, and the difficulties associated with the interpretation of genera profiles. In both cases the power of genera theory when applied to large-scale works such as these proves to be its ability to model shades of association far beyond simple networks of inclusion.

abstract: ABSTRACT The path to producing a Broadway Musical is not easily trod, and in the case of A Gentleman's Guide To Love And Murder, the journey was filled with rewrites (the title of the show went from Kind Hearts And Coronets to The Truth About Monty and finally became A Gentleman's Guide To Love And Murder), cast changes (only one member of the show that is currently running on Broadway was with the show in its original form), multiple producers, and a lawsuit. Through it all, the musical's creator, Steven Lutvak, a well-known songwriter and cabaret artist who is one of the most sought after vocal coaches in NY, navigated these hurdles by throwing himself at the process whole-heartedly. In creating A Gentlemen's Guide To Love and Murder, Lutvak labored ardently through the process: making the necessary musical and textual changes, creating opportunities to showcase his work, enticing producers and, when he wasn't putting up his own money, locating the financing to fund the production, including taking on the enormous cost of a lawsuit. In this paper, I will present the musical and personal development of Lutvak in his journey to and in creating and composing the successful Broadway musical A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder. I will focus specifically the legal and administrative difficulties associated with obtaining the rights for the production, in order to support the argument that these struggles shaped and transformed the production into the artistic and commercial success seen on Broadway, and across the country on its 2015 national tour. Methodologically, this paper is part assisted memoir, part textual analysis, and part insider observations, substantiated with court documentation and published reviews of Lutvak's work. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music 2015

Die Publikation Ljubica Marić.Komponovanje kao graditeljski čin [dt.:Das Komponieren als gestalterischer Akt] der Autorin Dr. Melita Milin ist die erste Monografie, welche dieser herausragenden serbischen Komponistin gewidmet ist. Sie entstand als Ergebnis mehrjähriger Forschungen, mit welchen die Autorin bereits während ihrer Studienzeit begann

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Kent Alan Newbury is an American composer who was born in Chicago in 1925, and currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has composed over 550 works and has had 282 choral works published. His first published piece was Psalm 150 (1955) and his latest publication was Praise the Lord, All Ye People (2013). Thirty-nine of his published choral pieces are still in print. At this time, the unpublished manuscripts include 204 choral pieces, four solo works, four instrumental works for dance, thirty-seven brass or band works, six woodwind pieces, and nineteen string or orchestra works. Newbury's complete catalog is included as Appendix B. During his Initial Period (1955-1965), Newbury had eighteen pieces published. In his Developmental Period (1966-1985), 247 pieces were published. That is an average of twelve pieces published per year. During his Mature Period (1986-present), he has had seventeen pieces published. This is the first published work documenting Newbury's life and music. It is hoped this study will introduce more choral directors to Newbury's music and encourage the performance of his music by more college, church, and school choirs. Analysis of Newbury's published choral works reveals the consistent inclusion of four stylistic traits: syncopation, text painting, parallelism, and textural layering. This study demonstrates how the use of these stylistic traits develops through his compositional career, both in terms of the frequency of usage and the progression of the technique. Syncopation is plentiful throughout Newbury's three periods. Syncopation and rhythmic displacement are found in 37% of published pieces in his Developmental Period and in 100% of published pieces in his Mature Period. The syncopation ranges from simple to complex, and it is sewn into the inner fabric of his compositional style. Text painting is used a great deal in Newbury's Initial Period, but the frequency diminishes in his later periods. Instead, he approaches his composition as he is inspired by the text, and the music reflects the text, in its totality if not in detail. Parallelism is a favored stylistic trait. Newbury composes with parallel fifths and fourths, and parallel chords moving in similar motion (planing) as well as contrary motion (the omnibus progression). Despite his teachers' objections to the use of parallel fifths, this is a consistent element throughout his career. Textural layering is a technique in which notes are added or repeated to call attention to the text or to build harmonic structures. As with text painting, the frequency of usage is most prevalent in his earlier periods.

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This research identifies successful compositional techniques for voice and marimba, intended for a single performer, through comparison of commissioned works composed by Beth Caucci, Philip Rothman, Emmanuel Séjourné, Raymond Helble, and Roger Foreman. The comparison highlights musical and technical aspects most effective when writing for this genre. My first personal experience combining marimba and voice occurred in January, 2003 during a performance of Šta Vidiš by Nebojša Živković. The piece, written in 1990, involves an ancient Serbian text chanted over a drone following an improvised introduction on the marimba. The performance’s positive reception inspired further exploration of this instrument combination. At the time of the performance, additional pieces for solo voice and marimba intended for a single performer were not available. Rather than focusing on transcription possibilities, I commissioned Four Songs by Beth Caucci. The premiere of Four Songs (October, 2003) resulted in another positive reception and led to inspiration for further commissions and development of this new genre. During the commissioning process, it became clear that a practical guide, concerning the possibilities and limitations of singing while playing the marimba, would aid composers in the creation of effective and playable works. Composers asked questions regarding technical aspects such as the maximum arm-span range possible, the difficulty of shifting the body angle to reach chords in various sharp and flat arrangements, and the feasibility of performing rapid passages on the marimba while sustaining a vocal line. This document offers an examination of these and other compositional considerations. The guide may also be used as a commissioning resource for other marimba and voice performers, as well as an aid in addressing technical demands of singing while playing the marimba. Recently, a few other percussionists have been working in the genre as well, including works performed, commissioned, or written by Brian Calhoon, Louise Devenish, Michael Neumeyer, and Dr. Lee Hinkle. The work of these musicians, in addition to my own commissions, is an illustration of how the genre has progressed during the last eight years and indicates the possibility of continued growth.

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