Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto was written for jazz clarinetist Benny Goodman. The work's incorporation of popular elements, particularly jazz, has led to the perception that it is a "lightweight" representative of Copland's output. However, the concerto shares many characteristics with French neoclassical works of the 1920's and SCfs, and demonstrates a highly skilled construction that belies this label. The neoclassical aspect of the concerto raises important questions as to whether the jazz elements in the piece are really central to its expressive essence, or whether they merely reflect a choice of materials common to Copland and to other neoclassical composers. This dissertation is directed to the potential performer who wishes to have a better knowledge of the concerto's performance issues. It discusses the influence of neoclassicism on Copland's compositional style, gives the historical background to the Clarinet Concerto's composition, and outlines its general stylistic characteristics. The concerto's structure is examined in detail, and then applied to the work's performance issues, as the document investigates the performance practice of the piece through the study of recordings. The purpose of this dissertation is not to burden performers with a detailed set of instructions to be followed in performing the concerto. Rather, it aims to equip them with the techniques necessary to developing an individual, personal interpretation, based on a thorough understanding of the piece. / Arts, Faculty of / Music, School of / Graduate

Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto was written for jazz clarinetist Benny Goodman. The work's incorporation of popular elements, particularly jazz, has led to the perception that it is a "lightweight" representative of Copland's output. However, the concerto shares many characteristics with French neoclassical works of the 1920's and SCfs, and demonstrates a highly skilled construction that belies this label. The neoclassical aspect of the concerto raises important questions as to whether the jazz elements in the piece are really central to its expressive essence, or whether they merely reflect a choice of materials common to Copland and to other neoclassical composers. This dissertation is directed to the potential performer who wishes to have a better knowledge of the concerto's performance issues. It discusses the influence of neoclassicism on Copland's compositional style, gives the historical background to the Clarinet Concerto's composition, and outlines its general stylistic characteristics. The concerto's structure is examined in detail, and then applied to the work's performance issues, as the document investigates the performance practice of the piece through the study of recordings. The purpose of this dissertation is not to burden performers with a detailed set of instructions to be followed in performing the concerto. Rather, it aims to equip them with the techniques necessary to developing an individual, personal interpretation, based on a thorough understanding of the piece. / Arts, Faculty of / Music, School of / Graduate

When singers perform art songs, how many of them, especially students, learn about the poem and poet behind the lyrics? It might be that a number of singers focus on composers, however not poets. Even in concert programs, it is common to only write the composer’s name. I am one of the singers that has learned lyrics in the last minute before a concert or an examination. I will experiment with changing my learning process and see if that makes any difference when performing the art song.  The purpose of this study is also to focus on the poet Emily Dickinson. Furthermore, to find out about the music of composers from the 20th century onwards using Dickinson’s poems. I choose Aaron Copland’s song cycle “Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson”.  Finally, I will perform the work and demonstrate if there is a difference in the singing interpretation by studying not only the music but also the poems behind the lyrics. “Who is Emily Dickinson?” The study explores this question first. After researching 100 songs using her poems, I chose three composers, Aaron Copland, Libby Larsen and Niccolò Castiglioni. Thereafter, “Bind me - I can still sing” of Larsen and “Dickinson-Lieder” of Castiglioni is mentioned. Furthermore, the song cycle “Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson” by Copland is analyzed deeply to find out more about the piece and why the composer was inspired by Dickinson. It was discovered that one is able to understand the piece deeply, knowing not only about the life of the composer, but also the poet leads to a better understanding of the work. From the singer’s point of view, the level of expression and singing performance has improved after researching the poet Emily Dickinson.  The study concludes knowing deeply about the poet that there is no doubt how important the poem is when understanding and interpreting art song. / <p>Soprano: Hitomi Ohki</p><p>Piano: Anders Kilström</p><p></p><p>Aaron Copland (1900-1990)</p><p>Twelve Poems of Emily Dickonson</p><p>1, Nature, the gentlest mother</p><p>2, There came a wind like a bugle</p><p>3, Why do they shut me out of Heaven?</p><p>4, The world feels dusty</p><p>5, Heart, we will forget him!</p><p>6, Dear March, come in!</p><p>7, Sleep is supposed to be</p><p>8, When they come back</p><p>9, I felt a funeral in my brain</p><p>10, I've heard an organ talk sometimes</p><p>11, Going to Heaven!</p><p>12, The Chariot</p>

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The dissertation consists of four recitals: one chamber music recital, two solo recitals, and one lecture recital. The repertoire of these programs was chosen with the intention of demonstrating the capability of the performer to deal with problems arising in works of varying types and of different historical periods. The lecture recital, Aaron Copland's Concerto for Clarinet, begins with biographical information, followed by a discussion of various other works of the composer and of important stylistic traits that are contained therein. After thus setting the Concerto in perspective to other major works, an investigation is made into various aspects of form and style which make the Concerto atypical in some respects to the composer t total body of works. Particular emphasis is given to rhythmic and melodic characteristics of the piece which are related to jazz and Latin-American popular music. The formal and stylistic analysis is followed by a discussion of problems involved in performing the Concerto with a piano reduction of the orchestral part, and the lecture concludes with a survey of interpretative problems posed by the work. At the conclusion of the lecture portion of the presentation, the Concerto was performed.

Aaron Copland was born of Russian-Jewish parents on November 14, 1900. Harris Kaplan, his father, had acquired the American equivalent of his name when an immigration official at the British port of entry wrote it on his papers, and from then on the family name was "Copland." Sarah Mittenthal and Harris Copland met at a family social gathering in New York and were married in 1885. They lived in the upper stories of his department store in Brooklyn which remained the family home until 1924 and was where Aaron, the youngest of five, was born.

An examination of the influences on twentieth-century wind music would be incomplete without the consideration of composer, organist, pianist, conductor, teacher, and critic Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979). Students from the United States began studying with Boulanger between World War I and World War II, and continued to travel to study with her for over fifty years. The respect awarded this legendary French woman was gained as a result of her effectiveness as a teacher, her influence on the development of each student's unique compositional style, and her guidance of an emerging American musical style. The correlation between the teacher's lessons and the compositional output of her students must be explored. Boulanger did not compose specifically for winds, and she did not encourage her students to compose for the wind symphony. However, this document will outline the influence that this powerful pedagogue exerted over the creation of repertoire by her students by providing insight into the pedagogical style and philosophical foundations of Boulanger as reflected in the literature and by the writings, comments, and compositions of three successful students who composed literature for the wind symphony: Aaron Copland (1900-1990), Leslie Bassett (b. 1923), and Donald Grantham (b. 1947). Three significant works for winds will be considered including Copland's Emblems, Bassett's Lullaby for Kirsten, and Grantham's Variations on an American Cavalry Song.

Master of Music / Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance / Frank C. Tracz / The following report is a detailed analysis on the following three pieces: Suite in B-flat by Richard Strauss for woodwind chamber ensemble, Two Pieces from Lieutenant Kije by Sergei Prokofiev for brass and percussion ensemble, and a finally Down a Country Lane by Aaron Copland for concert band. The goal of the analysis is to provide rehearsal information for educational purposes. Aspects of the compositions studied include: background information on the composer and composition, a historical perspective, technical and stylistic considerations, and the musical elements. The researchers perspective on philosophy of music education is also stated as well as the importance of choosing quality literature for pedagogical needs and performance. The goal of this report is to aid future conductors in their performances of the literature and for that reason the seating charts for the ensembles, acoustical justifications, as well as rehearsal plans have been included.

Aaron Copland¡¦s Clarinet Concerto was written for jazz clarinetist Benny Goodman in 1948. The composition used not only the jazz style of 20s that he had been appreciated, but also the frequent used compositional techniques -- developing and expanding the plain materials that presented into various ways. Moreover, besides the treatment of jazz rhythms, the combination of elements of Brazilian folk song and American popular music were also applied to the Clarinet Concerto. Although ¡§concerto¡¨ has never been the center of Copland¡¦s works, the Clarinet Concerto has taken an outstanding place in the 20th century clarinet repertoire. This is explained by the arrangement of instrumentation, the originality of structure and the techniques of using plain materials. It combines the characteristics of uncomplicated melodies and meanwhile demands challenging performance techniques. This research includes three chapters. The first chapter introduces Copland¡¦s musical career, shifts of style and the illustration of the Clarinet Concerto¡¦s background. The second chapter brings in the discussion of the concerto from three aspects -- structure, musical elements and performance practice. The final chapter deals with the distinctiveness of the Clarinet Concerto.