In this thesis, I analyze the first, second, and final songs of Clara Schumann's Six Lieder, Opus 13. In each one, special attention is paid to two aspects of Clara's composition. First, I use my research on Clara and Robert's correspondence to attempt to demonstrate ways in which she may have drawn from events during their courtship as inspiration for her compositional choices and techniques in these songs. Second, I interpret a motive that spans the set, the notes of which could be a cipher representative of her and Robert, to construct a narrative across the cycle informed by her and Robert's relationship. My analysis expands in part on questions David Lewin has raised about the first song, "Ich stand in dunkeln Träumen." I hope that these analyses can shed more light on Clara's first set of lieder published independently from Robert's. Further research could be done to see if there are clear similarities between the third, fourth, and fifth songs of this cycle and significant events in Clara and Robert's courtship.

The purpose of this essay is to introduce readers to the music of living American composer Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972) through her chamber vocal works and to provide a resource to aid in the interpretation and performance of her music. Frank is an internationally recognized composer with a thriving career. However, she is not widely known among singers and teachers of singing and scholarship on her music is quite limited. This study seeks to fill that void by examining Frank’s published works as of January 2016 for solo voice and up to six instruments. These works are Cuatro Canciones Andinas (1999), for mezzo-soprano and piano; New Andean Songs (2008), for soprano, mezzo-soprano, two percussionists, and two pianos; Seven Armenian Songs (2013), for soprano, percussionist, and solo violin; and Honey (2013), for soprano, mezzo-soprano, and piano. Frank’s chamber vocal pieces are excellent additions to the repertoire and notable for Frank’s chamber music aesthetic, choice of diverse texts and languages (English, Spanish, and Armenian), dramatic storytelling, range of musical colors, and idiomatic writing for the performers. Frank’s ongoing exploration of her Peruvian heritage is reflected in two of these works, which draw inspiration from Andean folk music and poetry. This essay provides a brief biography of Frank; original poetic and musical analyses of the four works, exploring the areas of poetry, form, melody and motive, text painting, rhythm, harmony, folk influences, vocal writing, instrumental writing, timbre, range, and tessitura; and a summary of stylistic traits as seen across this sample. Poetic and word for word translations of foreign language texts, pronunciation guidelines for Latin American Spanish and International Phonetic Alphabet transliterations for the Armenian poems are included.

This thesis addresses the gender-race intersectional inequality in Canadian conservatory piano syllabi revealing that women make up less than 14% of piano music in 20th and 21st Century piano repertoire in Canadian conservatories. By drawing on feminist musicology, critical race, and intersectionality studies, the thesis addresses elements of patriarchy and white supremacy found within specific conservatory repertoire examples. Using the SongData methodology, Adams presents 50 years of data points of gender-race representation in the Royal Conservatory of Music and Conservatory Canada piano syllabi, reporting that white women make up 13.1% of 20th and 21st-century music and Black, Indigenous, and Women of Colour make up less than 0.6%. Piano music by BIPOC women is then leveled and broken down according to conservatory standards and compared to repertoire within existing syllabi. Also included is an original graded syllabus of over 3,000 pieces by women and additional curricular resources for the piano studio.

No description available.

The intent of this dissertation is to identify and analyze several pieces by female composers that are technically suitable for the specific development of an advanced Suzuki violin student studying in Suzuki books 7 or 8. The selected pieces can then be used by trained Suzuki teachers, in conjunction with the male-composer-dominated Suzuki repertoire, to enhance students' technical development while also increasing their well-rounded musicianship by exposing them to female composers. The development of off-the-string bow strokes, string crossings, shifting, left-hand articulation and musical expression will be traced through the first six volumes of the Suzuki repertoire in order to understand a Suzuki student's expected abilities pertaining to these technical elements when beginning the repertoire in books 7 and 8. Pieces by female composers highlighting and enhancing the referenced techniques will be identified and analyzed in a similar manner. These pieces will be compiled into a document for Suzuki students and teachers to use, along with appropriate editorial markings and biographies of the composers. This document can be an inspirational supplement to Suzuki students' musical development and help develop an awareness of female composers.

In the summer of 1906, Marion Bauer (1882-1955) boarded a ship to Paris to meet with Raoul Pugno, a French pianist and composer. Juliette Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979) was also close with Pugno around the same time. Living with the Pugno family in Gargenville during the summer, Bauer was able to travel to Paris, where she met several important musicians of the time and also nineteen-year-old Boulanger. Pugno, who worked closely with Boulanger, asked her to teach counterpoint and harmony to Bauer. Boulanger agreed and reportedly asked Bauer for English lessons in payment. Both women went on to become important music pedagogues, teaching hundreds of students. Their meeting allowed Bauer and Boulanger to share their ideas on teaching and music with each other. As time passed, the relationship between the two women fade from collective memory, but Boulanger's teaching principles of harmony, hearing, la grande ligne, and music history and literature live on through her students and fellow teachers and composers. Bauer's writings demonstrate similarities to these four key principles. Using Kimberly Francis and Emily Green's understanding of Pierre Bourdieu's theory of cultural production and an analysis of Boulanger's pedagogical principles, I believe that Boulanger's early accumulation of cultural capital and experience was shared with Bauer, assisting Bauer in her future role as American music pedagogue.

This dissertation examines the work of German composer and vocal pedagogue Nina d'Aubigny von Engelbrunner through her collection of songs entitled "Deutsche, Italienische und Französische Gesänge mit Begleitung des Pianoforte," published in 1797. A brief overview of the life and works of Ms. d'Aubigny is provided, followed by a discussion about the "woman question" as it relates to Ms. d'Aubigny's works. The second part of this project includes a new, modern performance edition of the collection of songs, complete with general editorial guidelines, notes and translations, and a critical report detailing all deviations from the original 1797 edition.

María Grever (1885-1951) overcame racism and gender bias during a pivotal era in American music history to become the first commercially successful Mexican female composer and more specifically, a pioneer of popular music during the first half of the 20th century. Though named the "Madonna of song," her legacy is largely overshadowed by other compositional giants of the era, such as the Gershwin brothers, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin. Grever's music is sophisticated, heartfelt, and worthy of attention. Her colorful, genuine music adds distinctiveness and variety to recital programs. Grever's songs offer a high level of musical integrity and socio-cultural value. Incorporating her compositions into a singer's vocal repertoire is an excellent way to broaden the scope of styles and languages while maintaining the highest standards of musical study. The following document considers the importance of performing and studying Grever's music by analyzing nine songs representing three compositional periods. I evaluated the songs considering pedagogical benefit, performance value, and significance to her overall oeuvre.

No description available.

Syftet med denna uppsats har varit att studera vad som har hänt med diktverket Frithiofs Saga av Esaias Tegnérs, när det har omarbetats till fullängdsoperan Fritiofs Saga av Elfrida Andrée och Selma Lagerlöf, vilken i sin tur komprimerats till ett konsertframträdande på en timme, som gavs i Karlstad av Wermland Opera 2013. Här har det undersökts vilka olika narrativ som har skapats i dessa två bearbetningar, där en huvudfråga har varit att undersöka om representationen av kvinnligt och manligt har förändrats längs med vägen. Undersökningen har skett genom närläsning av Tegnérs diktverk, vilka sedan jämförts med notmaterialet till Fritiofs Saga, samt den direktupptagning som Sveriges radio gjorde av Wermland Operas framförande. Materialet har därefter sammanställts i tabellformat och analyserats enligt Vladimir Propps systematisering för sagor, samt genom Ingrid Åkessons teori om återskapande, omskapande och nyskapande. Undersökningen visar att bearbetningar av ett litterärt material, skapar om inte nya så åtminstone andra typer av berättelser, än den litterära förlagan, samt att representationen av kvinnligt och manligt skiljer sig åt i de tre undersökta materialen.