As Darkness Falls is a composition that explores our interaction with several aspects of darkness through the use of musical imagery. The imagery attempts to reflect the moods, feelings, and impressions of a person as he or she interacts with darkness. The non-programmatic character of the composition allows listeners to superimpose their own experiences onto the musical tapestry in order to manifest a personal connection between the listener and the music. As Darkness Falls is a composition scored for a minimum instrumentation of piccolo, 6 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 bassoons, 9 B-flat clarinets, B-flat bass clarinet, 2 E-flat alto saxophones, B-flat tenor saxophone, E-flat baritone saxophone, 4 B-flat trumpets, 4 horns in F, 3 tenor trombones, bass trombone, 2 euphoniums, 2 tubas, timpani, and 4 percussionists. The music consists of three movements (slow-slow-fast) lasting a total of approximately seventeen minutes. The duration of each of the three movements is six minutes, four and one-half minutes, and six and one-half minutes, respectively. The document also contains an analysis of the work by the composer. The analysis explores the compositional style of the work, focusing on musical aspects within each movement that were governing parameters in the compositional process.

There are two major purposes in selecting Couperin's programmatic clavecin pieces for study; to prove their importance in the evolution of programmatic music and to prove the value of their study by the modern pianist. Due to the enormous number of Couperin's programmatic pieces, a detailed analysis of each piece will not be attempted in this paper. Instead, a general survey will be made.

Job for Organ is an eight movement organ cycle by the Czechoslovakian composer Petr Eben (1929-2007). This work is based upon the story of Job in the Old Testament. Eben perceived the dramatic depth of the Book of Job and created a musical work that vividly portrays the consequences of a wager between Satan and God on the fate of a human being--in this case, Job. The eight movements of this cycle tell the story of Job's struggle, perseverance, and triumph in the midst of human suffering. Job remains faithful to God throughout his trials, and in the end God rewards him for his faithfulness.This document thoroughly explores the methods Petr Eben used to illustrate the story of Job, as a musical program, in the organ cycle Job for Organ. My purpose is to find connections between the program and Eben's compositional techniques. This study focuses upon three specific musical devices and how each device is used to portray a musical program: musical quotations, associative themes, and dramatic musical contrasts.I isolate the musical quotations utilized in this cycle and demonstrate how each quotation supports the program. I identify associative themes and their interrelationships and demonstrate how these devices dramatize the story as it was written in the Book of Job. Associative themes include the canon, passacaglia, and numerous motives, textures, and melodies, all crafted to symbolize portions of the narrative as it unfolds. I demonstrate Eben's use of dramatic musical contrasts to convey a musical program, including the juxtaposition of tonal and polytonal harmonies, sudden changes in timbre and (or) dynamics, abrupt rhythmic interjections, the use of unique textures, unusual melodic and harmonic transformations, and changes in registration, dynamics, meter, and range. A complete list of the devices Petr Eben used to illustrate programmatic intent in the organ cycle Job for Organ would be quite extensive. Although there is no unimpeachable way of proving that my conclusions represent the way Eben intended the listener to interpret his work, my suggestions represent logical and plausible associations between musical devices and programmatic intent based upon a thorough examination of Job for Organ. Eben's compositional technique is dramatic in nature and his music lends itself to theatrical interpretation. This document provides a detailed musical analysis of each movement of the work, and the author offers a possible recreation of the plot and its interpretation, based upon extensive analysis of the score and Petr Eben's program notes. Detailed graphic maps of each movement vividly portray the musical themes, textures, musical quotations, dramatic musical contrasts, and their interrelationships, and reveal a fabric of allusion that suggests a plausible programmatic basis for this composition based upon these musical devices. The analysis demonstrates that Job for Organ is a product of utmost craftsmanship. It is a powerful musical drama that vividly portrays Job's ordeal utilizing an extended musical program.

Heart of the Fathers is a programmatic, seven movement work for wind symphony depicting my ancestors and their role as part of the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The movements represent their spiritual experiences, labors, times of joy, persecution, migration, and finally their arrival and success in their new homeland. The piece is organized in seven movements. Each movement represents a different portion of history leading to the western migration of my ancestors. The programmatic music contains a variety of symbols depicting the experiences of the pioneers. In the paper, each chapter addresses an individual movement. For each movement, the following information is provided: the historical events that inspired the piece, the musical symbols that characterize the program, and an analysis of the function of the music.