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This dissertation explores what it is that makes Les nuits d’été such an effective musical composition. This is done by analysing the song cycle according to Terry Eagleton’s four categories of psychoanalytical literary criticism. The death of Berlioz’s mother, with whom he had an unresolved conflict at the time of her death, is proposed as the emotional trigger that led to the composition of these songs. The content and form of the music to which he set them reveals a narrative that closely corresponds to Freud’s description of the Oedipal conflict and its successful resolution. Using the psychoanalytical theories of Lacan, Barthes, Kristeva and others, the subliminal catharsis of Berlioz’s song cycle, in the way that it is transposed to the listener through the mediation of the music, is proposed as the reason why Les nuits d’été is such an effective musical composition. / Art History, Visual Arts & Musicology / M.A. (Musicology)

This dissertation explores what it is that makes Les nuits d’été such an effective musical composition. This is done by analysing the song cycle according to Terry Eagleton’s four categories of psychoanalytical literary criticism. The death of Berlioz’s mother, with whom he had an unresolved conflict at the time of her death, is proposed as the emotional trigger that led to the composition of these songs. The content and form of the music to which he set them reveals a narrative that closely corresponds to Freud’s description of the Oedipal conflict and its successful resolution. Using the psychoanalytical theories of Lacan, Barthes, Kristeva and others, the subliminal catharsis of Berlioz’s song cycle, in the way that it is transposed to the listener through the mediation of the music, is proposed as the reason why Les nuits d’été is such an effective musical composition. / Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / M.A. (Musicology)

The purpose of this research is to examine John La Montaine's only two song cycles for soprano and orchestra, Songs of the Rose of Sharon, opus 6 (1947) and Fragments from the Song of Songs, opus 29 (1959). In this investigation-the first ever specific to these works-I examine the works and cultural context in which they were created. I then evaluate the reasonable possibility that La Montaine used his public platform as a composer and performer to subtly celebrate taboo themes of feminism, sexuality, and blackness while shining a light on human injustice. Through close examination of social and historical context, I argue two points. Firstly, Rose of Sharon and Fragments are landmark American works. They are anomalies in classical music history in that a white male heralds texts about a black woman in an unlikely time in American history, thus arguably becoming an unlikely part of the evolution of African-American women in artistic endeavors. Secondly, in the performance guide, I advocate that these works would readily adapt to a staged performance. I discuss how La Montaine's musical settings illustrate the inherent drama of the text, provide a context for interpreting the protagonist in Rose of Sharon and Fragments, and present an interpretation of how these works could be staged. The ultimate goal of this research is to bring these intricately crafted masterpieces to the attention of singers and voice teachers so that they may assume their rightful place in the repertoire.

The majority of repertoire catalogs for singers, printed and digital, often list works by voice type, language, and/or genre. The 21st century has seen an emergence of online classical music catalogs where the user can seek repertoire by searching composers from underrepresented communities (i.e., women, Black, LGBTQ, Latinx). What does not currently exist is a resource that catalogs songs for solo voice dealing specifically with gay subject matter. This dissertation surveys seventeen 21st century gay-themed art songs by four living American composers: David Del Tredici, Ben Moore, Clint Borzoni, and Gary Schocker. Each chapter introduces a different composer and a select representation of their gay-themed art songs. Each entry includes text analysis based on the composer's and author's intentions and a brief analysis to determine pedagogical and musical difficulty. It is my intent that this document will facilitate a much-needed resource and encourage further study, promotion, and performance of voice works with gay themes. Moreover, I hope that it will serve as a tool for the applied voice teacher to assist in the vocal and artistic development of their students through broader repertoire choices.

Title from accompanying document. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

This study outlines the history of and development of Russian music, leading into the song cycles of Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky.

Thesis (M. Mus.)--University of Canterbury, 2007. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 425-426). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Edwin Fissinger (1920-1990) was a conductor and prolific choral composer. His compositional techniques, settings of text, jazz-influenced harmonies, and melodic propulsion fulfill an important role in each of his compositions. In the eight choral cycles he composed, Fissinger unified each cycle through thematic and textual elements. Although this resulted in a logical progression of poetry and music, Fissinger's final choral cycle, Prairie Scenes, was not published as he intended. Rather, individual selections from the cycle were published by two different publishing houses, out of sequence, and sixteen years apart. Consequently, the eight pieces are not currently performed together. Today's choral conductors, singers, and audience do not fully appreciate the value of this choral cycle and cannot understand its intended context. It is necessary to provide an in-depth investigation of the original eight-piece work Prairie Scenes: A Choral Cycle to place the appropriate organizational set together. This study illustrates the importance of the unification of Fissinger's Prairie Scenes: A Choral Cycle through a study of the poetry, the thematic material as it relates to the natural elements of the prairies, the manuscripts, and interviews with Fissinger's publishers and colleagues. An examination of Fissinger's compositional technique to convey the meaning of the text reveals a clear link between Prairie Scenes and the North Dakota prairies and its seasons. A description of the development of the choral cycle throughout music history and a biography of Edwin Fissinger and his compositional style are also included.

Jake Heggie, American art song and opera composer, began his association with Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ when he composed Dead Man Walking, an operatic adaptation of her memoirs. Though from two very different backgrounds, the two developed a deep friendship and spiritual bond that provided the impetus for further compositions dealing with spirituality. Heggie adapted Prejean's meditations as a text for his song cycle The Deepest Desire in 2002, producing what he considers to be his finest work to date. Using The Deepest Desire as a gateway, this paper explores the social and cultural aspects of their association, revealing their personal perspectives on their relationship, collaborations, and shared sense of spirituality. Chapters include the biographies and spiritual philosophies of both Heggie and Prejean, Heggie's compositional style, Dead Man Walking, a performance analysis of The Deepest Desire, and the continuing influence of the relationship between Heggie and Prejean on Heggie's work. The appendix includes transcriptions of personal interviews with both individuals, Prejean's original meditation texts, correspondence with Heggie, Prejean, and Joyce DiDonato, and performance notes for The Deepest Desire derived from a musical coaching with the composer.