Master of Music / Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance / Major Professor Not Listed / This report is extended program notes that focus on romantic selections from four composers, prepared for a graduate vocal recital, completed in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Master of Music degree. The recital was held April 25, 2017 at seven-thirty in the evening at Kirmser Hall on the campus of Kansas State University. The selections for this recital were chosen for their portrayal of the theme romance. The four composers selected for this report are Fernando Obradors, Franz Schubert, Ricky Ian Gordon and Alessandro Scarlatti. Each chapter will include biographical information on each composer, a textual analysis, as well as stylistic and technical considerations one must consider for the songs researched in this document. Romance is a topic that has often inspired composers and writers. This paper focuses on “romance” as a topic, which has been the focus of music for centuries. In vocal literature, a theme of romance can create an immediate connection to the listener as it is a topic that all genders can relate to.

Master of Music / Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance / Amy Underwood / The following report is extended program notes that focus on the expression of love in various ways. These songs were presented on a graduate recital March 31, 2015 in All Faiths Chapel at Kansas State University. It is in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Music degree in vocal performance. The works included are by Bellini, Bernstein, Hahn, Koechlin, Obradors, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, and Sullivan. Below is a detailed description explaining the focus of the report. Many musicians discuss the musical elements including key signatures, time signatures, harmony, rhythm, and melody. They may also discuss the understanding of the music through the viewpoint of the vocal text. The musical elements and how the subject matter connects the two together is important to understand when giving a recital. It makes the music come alive for the audience and it is a true interpretation of how it should be performed. Love is a topic which many composers explore because of the natural emotion people feel about its perception. Different feelings and emotions conjured in the hearts and minds of humankind. Love is a personal feeling, and after studying the poetry and music, I assigned an adjective or verb to each song that describes a more specific facet of love’s emotional spectrum. These adjectives and their portrayal by various composers will comprise the focus of this paper.