The inspiration for The Fallow Ground is the time period of the Second Great Awakening (1790-1840s) and, in particular, the life and impact of one of the period's central figures: Charles Grandison Finney. Finney was a lawyer-turned-evangelist whose preaching style led to explosive and emotional conversions and helped spread the fire of revival throughout the state of New York and eventually throughout the country. In The Fallow Ground I have taken different events from Finney's life and the revivalist culture to create musical analogs that examine and critique the events within a twenty-first century musical aesthetic. Quotation and allusion of revival period hymns play a significant part in The Fallow Ground. Inspired by the works of Ives, Crumb, Ligeti, and Schnittke, quotation is used in this piece to develop or subvert the material, thus creating different contextual meanings from familiar material. In this way, the quotation not only alludes to an idea outside of the piece, but also casts a critical view of that idea by its placement in the context of the piece. Concerning the instrumentation, The Fallow Ground is written for what is commonly called the Pierrot ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion) with male soloist. In my piece, the soprano has been replaced by a baritone soloist. The piece, approximately thirty minutes in length, has a chiastic five-movement structure with each of the movements depicting certain events or concepts that were prevalent during the time of Charles Finney and the Second Great Awakening.

This thesis documents and examines the history of Cornish male voice choirs from their origins in the late nineteenth century through to the present day. The evolution of the choirs has hitherto been charted largely through scattered oral testimonies, whereas this work traces the rise, decline and resurgence of the male choral tradition by drawing from a range of primary sources, including newspapers and repertoire in addition to oral history. The thesis is organised chronologically and the main chapters chart the development of Cornish male voice choirs from the Methodist point of origin, to the subsequent expansion of the male choral movement between the wars and thereafter its seeming atrophy. The opening two chapters focus on the background and emergence of the choirs from c.1820 to 1918. The interwar period is covered in three diverse but linked chapters, assessing the socio-economic context, musicological influences and the importance of geographic locality or ‘place’. The impact of the Second World War on the choirs is examined in Chapter Six. The following chapter traces how the choirs remained vibrant in the face of encroaching secularisation during the 1950s and 1960s, and the final chapter assesses the detrimental effects for the choirs of changed musical behaviours and generational issues in the late twentieth century choir. Four key themes which run throughout the chapters are the influence of Methodism, its teachings and choral hymnody; the significance of repertoire and musical directorship; the importance of the male demographic within the local economy; and secularisation and mass popular culture. The connecting thread of the argument for the thesis as a whole is that male voice choirs both reflect and help shape Cornish identity. As will be seen, identity is a fluid, multi-layered concept, but analysis of the changing role and influence of male voice choirs contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between music, place and culture.

Based on the acoustic analysis of the voice it is possible to obtain information concerning the glottal source and the vocal filter, once these are characteristics that are peculiar to every individual, and may vary according to age, sex, race and the population. Objective: characterize a group of men with normal voice and larynx in terms of their glottal source characteristics and vocal filter. Materials and methods: The group studied in this research was composed of 25 men, with ages ranging from 20 to 39 years old (average age of 28 years old), who were selected using criteria of inclusion and exclusion: Male subjects, normal larynx, young adult age group (20 to 40 years old) and the acceptance of the of free and clear consent term. The exclusion criteria were medical records of neurological, psychiatric, endocrinologic and gastric diseases, vocal complaints, audibly-perceived voice alterations, flu or allergy cases, drinking and smoking habits, previous speech therapeutic and/or otorhinolaryngology treatment, hearing alterations, stomatognathic system alterations, being a singer under 20 years old; or aged over 40 years old. All subjects had the prolonged emission of the vowel [a] recorded and analyzed by the programs Multi Dimensional Voice Program (for the study of the measurements of the glottal source) and Real Time Spectrogram (for the study of the vocal filter), both programs by Kay Elemetrics Corporation®. All the results were statistically analyzed with a significance level of 5% and they were compared to the normality pattern of the program once provided. Results: Concerning the glottal source, the measurements of frequency disturbance and range were the ones that differed the most from the normal patterns, showing high values on the program. About half of the measurements showed normal distribution. About the vocal filter, in the Wide Band Spectrography, there was statistical significance for noise, present in the high frequencies, little definition in the third and the fourth formant, little regularity in the line and medium anti-resonance. In the Narrow Band Spectrography, there was low intensity of the high frequencies and in the entire spectrum, very present noise in the entire spectrum and in the high frequencies, medium noise in the low frequencies, little regularity of the line and medium anti-resonance. Conclusion: It was possible to conclude that the voice of men young adults show acoustic measurements of the glottal source augmented in relation to the value expected by the program used, and great variability of the values among the subjects. Their spectrographs showed large amount of noise in the entire spectrum and in the high frequencies, the third and the fourth formant poorly defined, medium noise in the low frequencies, irregular line, medium anti-resonance, low intensity in the entire spectrum and, in particular, in the high frequencies. This is how it was characterized the group of men young adults with normal voice and larynx in this research, being these conclusions a consequence of the anatomic and physiologic characteristics of their untrained voices. / A partir da análise acústica da voz é possível obter informações referentes à fonte glótica e ao filtro vocal, sendo que estes são características próprias de cada indivíduo, podendo variar conforme a idade, o sexo, a raça e a população. Objetivo: caracterizar um grupo de homens com voz e laringe normais, quanto às suas características de fonte glótica e de filtro vocal. Materiais e Métodos: O grupo de estudo que constituiu a pesquisa constou de 25 homens, com idades entre 20 e 39 anos (média de 28 anos), que foram selecionados segundo os seguintes critérios de inclusão: sujeitos do sexo masculino, laringe normal, faixa etária de adulto jovem (de 20 a 40 anos) e adesão ao Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido. Os critérios de exclusão foram: histórico médico de doenças neurológicas, psiquiátricas, endocrinológicas ou gástricas; queixas vocais; alterações perceptivo-auditivas na voz; gripe ou quadros de alergias; hábitos de etilismo e tabagismo; tratamento fonoaudiológico e/ou otorrinolaringológico prévios; alterações auditivas; alterações do sistema estomatognático; ser cantor (a); idade abaixo dos 20 anos; idade acima dos 40 anos. Todos os sujeitos tiveram a emissão prolongada da vogal [a], gravada e analisada pelos programas Multi Dimensional Voice Program (para estudo das medidas da fonte glótica) e Real Time Spectrogram (para estudo do filtro vocal), ambos da Kay Elemetrics Corporation®. Todos os resultados foram analisados estatisticamente com nível de significância de 5% e foram comparados ao padrão de normalidade do programa, quando o mesmo forneceu. Resultados: Quanto à fonte glótica, as medidas de perturbação de freqüência e de amplitude foram as que mais se distanciaram da normalidade, apresentando valores altos em relação ao programa. Aproximadamente metade das medidas apresentou distribuição normal. Já no que diz respeito ao filtro vocal, na Espectrografia de Banda Larga, houve significância estatística para ruído muito presente nas altas freqüências, pouca definição do terceiro e do quarto formante, pouca regularidade do traçado e anti-ressonância mediana. Na Espectrografia de Banda Estreita, houve fraca intensidade das altas freqüências e em todo espectro, ruído muito presente em todo espectro e nas altas freqüências, ruído mediano nas baixas freqüências, pouca regularidade do traçado e anti-ressonância mediana. Conclusão: Foi possível concluir que vozes de homens jovens adultos apresentam medidas acústicas da fonte glótica aumentadas, em relação ao esperado pelo programa utilizado, e grande variabilidade de valores entre os sujeitos. Suas espectrografias revelam grande quantidade de ruído em todo o espectro e nas altas freqüências, terceiro e quarto formantes pouco definidos, ruído mediano nas baixas freqüências, traçado pouco regular, anti-ressonância mediana, fraca intensidade em todo espectro e, em especial, nas altas freqüências. Assim é caracterizado o grupo de homens jovens adultos com voz e laringe normais desta pesquisa, sendo tais achados conseqüência das características anatômicas e fisiológicas de suas vozes não treinadas.

The purposes of this study were to describe the characteristics of the changing male voice in 4th, 5th and 6th grade students using Cooksey's maturation stages and, to compare the age-of-onset of the male voice change in African American, White, and Hispanic male students. Participants included volunteer 4th (n = 61), 5th (n = 73), and 6th grade male students (n = 63) from 2 urban elementary schools, 5 suburban elementary schools, 1 suburban middle school and 1 urban middle school in the North Texas region. The three ethnic groups represented in this study were: African American (n = 62), White (n = 58), and Hispanic (n = 77). Results indicated that approximately 46% of 4th grade participants, 62% of 5th grade participants, and 67% of 6th grade participants were classified as changing voices. A descriptively larger percentage of African American participants were classified as changing voices than Hispanic and White participants. Also, a larger percentage of African American and Hispanic participants were descriptively classified in the more advanced stages of the voice change than White participants. Urban African American, White, and Hispanic participants had a larger percentage of males classified as changing voices than suburban African American, White, and Hispanic participants. Results of a one-way, between subjects ANOVA revealed no significant main effect for ethnicity, F (2, 51) = .42, p = .66, η2 = .02. The overall mean age-of-onset for participants in this study was approximately 11.20 years of age.

This literary study examines the formulation of masculinity in Syrian novels authored by women. The thesis covers the period between 1959 and 2000, corresponding to both the development of the female-authored novel in Syria and the creation of the modern Syrian state. This research engages with studies of masculinity in general and literary masculinity studies in particular. Drawing on the seminal work of Raewyn Connell as well as engaging with studies on masculinity and feminine narratology in Swedish, English and Arabic, the thesis analyses the formulation of literary masculinity through the fictional societies’ ideal masculinity on the one hand, and the female characters’ views and reactions to masculinity on the other. From a general survey of the field, 34 novels undertaking the formulation of gendered relations were identified and chosen for this study. From this selection, five themes emerged, forming the foundation of this thesis’ main chapters. The five themes explore, in turn, how stereotypes are utilised to critique gender roles, ways in which male and female characters collaborate to formulate gender norms, how female characters capitalise on patriarchy in order to enhance their lives, male characters as symbols for social and political change and finally, the difficulties included in the performance of masculinity. Each theme is exemplified through one novel, which is analysed in detail. Throughout the five chapters, the main novel chosen for analysis is put into conversation with other novels with similar themes but from different decades. This allows for an examination of changing ideals of masculinity in addition to the theme itself. The first theme, how stereotypes are utilised to critique gender roles, is studied through a close reading of al-Ẓahr al-‘ārī (The Naked back) by Hanrīyit ‘Abbūdī. The analysis illustrates how the expected normative behaviour of men and women is utilised in order to comment on the formulation of gender roles. The chapter further demonstrates ways in which what is seen as gender specific behaviour can be appropriated by the opposite gender. This is further developed through the examination of female writers taking over the male voice through a first person male narrator. The second theme, ways in which male and female characters collaborate to formulate gender norms, is discussed through a close reading of the novel Khaṭawāt fī al-ḍabāb (Steps in the fog) by Malāḥa al-Khānī. This chapter illustrates the similar expectations that both male and female characters have on their sons and fellow male characters. This includes taking on the role of provider and protector, even in the cases where the female characters are able to look after themselves. The third theme, how female characters capitalise on patriarchy in order to enhance their lives, is elaborated through a close reading of Ayyām ma‘ahu (Days with him) by Kūlīt Khūrī. This theme demonstrates how the female character constructs herself and her world around the idea of a perfect male, whom she thinks will save her. The analysis examines what is seen as ideal traits in a man. It further discusses the change of the female character and how her initial utilisation of patriarchal structure transforms into a critique of the same structure. The fourth theme, male characters as symbols for social and political change, is seen through a close reading of Dimashq yā basmat al-ḥuzn (Damascus, o smile of sadness) by Ulfat al-Idlibī. The chapter connects between changing social ideals and ideal masculinity. Through Bayrūt 75 (Beirut 75) by Ghāda al-Sammān, the fifth theme, the difficulties included in the performance of masculinity, is studied. The problematic masculinity presented is then put in contrast with what appears to be a suggestion that a performance of femininity could be an alternative to unsuccessful masculinity. Whereas the novels differ in their presentation of masculinity and the utilisation of ideal masculinity, they agree on a set of core traits summarised in a hegemonic ideal of masculinity as an ability to provide and protect. The ways in which this should be performed is however closely connected to the female characters’ ideas of emancipation and women’s rights. The female writers’ formulation of masculinity can hence be said to mirror the development of the female characters and their awareness of women’s rights. The thesis hopes that its original contribution to knowledge is the identification and examination of constructed masculinities in Syrian female-authored fiction. Moreover, this thesis studies a body of Syrian fiction previously largely unstudied in Western academia, and in a framework of Swedish, English and Arabic secondary sources.

No description available.

The purpose of this study is to determine appropriate choral literature for the adolescent male. Historically, scholars have focused on the lowering of the maturing male voice into the newly-formed chest register. During the change process, the male voice is unpredictable and can have a limited range. While a vast amount of repertoire for the adolescent male accommodates this downward progression and anticipates the narrow range, most adolescent boys are, in fact, capable of singing pitches above the chest register.Registers will be identified in this study. Discussion will pertain to registration shifts between chest register, head register, and falsetto in the adolescent male. I will investigate the use of the head register, which is a legitimate and vital component in healthy singing during adolescence. I will then compare registration to the historical knowledge of the male changing voice, which focuses mostly on the range and development of the newly-forming chest register.I will apply the concept of registration to choral repertoire taken from the 2005 and 2007 American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) national convention reading session packets. I will identify music that best and least facilitates the use and mixture of head-register and chest-register singing. Music for treble voices in various combinations (SA, SSA, SSAA, etc.) and three-part mixed music (SAB) will be examined. Each category presents a set of advantages and disadvantages for the adolescent male. Specific musical examples will illustrate the discussion. Careful repertoire selection with registration as a criterion is a key factor in unlocking male singing potential during adolescence. Although boys have unpredictable ranges, as it will be shown, registers are constant.

No description available.