A la fin des années 1880, le langage musical de Claude Debussy, influencé à la fois par Wagner, le symbolisme, et la poétique de Baudelaire, se transforme en profondeur.Le système tonal, alors unique horizon d'attente (Jauss) des institutions musicales européennes, est repoussé à l'arrière plan des mélodies du compositeur, par des associations avec des thèmes poétiques comme les souvenirs, l'humour, et l'enfermement.Cette thèse se concentre sur une analyse de ces transformations, et sur une comparaison de ce langage musical neuf avec celui des Serres chaudes d'Ernest Chausson, cycle de mélodies qui partage pourtant les mêmes influences poétiques et musicales. / In the late 1880's, Claude Debussy's musical language, influenced by Wagner, symbolism and Baudelaire's poetry, deeply transforms itself.The tonal system, still regarded as the unique horizon of expectations (Jauss) of European musical institutions, is pushed to the background in the composer's melodies by his characteristic associations with poetical themes like memories, humor, and reclusion.This thesis focuses on an analysis of these transformations and on a comparison of this new musical language with Ernest Chausson's Serres chaudes, which still shares the same poetic and musical influences.

Papaya Whip is an original composition for orchestra in one movement. The accompanying paper discusses the evolution of the piece followed by an analysis of the work in relation to temporal structure, pitch structure, and orchestration. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications and future projects.

<p>In most aspects of music--e.g., tempo, intensity, and rhythm--the emotional coloring of a melody is due at least in part to physical imitation of the characteristics of emotional expression in human behavior. Thus excited, happy melodies are fast and loud, with syncopated rhythms, whereas subdued sad melodies are slow and quiet, with more even rhythms. The tonality of a melody (e.g. major or minor) also conveys emotion, but unlike other aspects of music, the basis for its affective impact is not clear. This thesis examines the hypothesis that different collections of musical tones are associated with specific emotions because they mimic the natural relationship between emotion and tonality present in the human voice. To evaluate this possibility, I have conducted acoustical analyses on databases of music and speech drawn from a variety of cultures, and compared the tonal characteristics of emotional expression between these two forms of social communication. I find that: (1) the melodic characteristics of music and the prosodic characteristics of speech co-vary when examined across cultures; (2) the principal tonal characteristics of melodies composed in tonalities associated with positive/excited emotion and negative/subdued emotion are much the same in different cultures; (3) cross-cultural tonal similarities in music parallel cross-cultural tonal similarities in vocal expression; and (4) the tonal characteristics of emotional expression in the voice convey distinct emotions, thereby accounting for the specificity of emotional association in musical tonality. These findings, and the implausibility of alternative explanations that could account for them, suggest that the affective impact of musical tonality derives from mimicry of the tonal characteristics of vocalization in different emotional states.</p> / Dissertation

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2008. Graduate Programme in Music. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR38851

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2004. / Vita. Includes computer program for No flower, no incense, only sound: P. 192-239. Sound tape contains 2 compositions by the composer and an improvisation by Ivan Manzanilla with the composer: No flower, no incense, only sound; excerpt of A-window; Mirrors of the past. Includes bibliographical references (p. 241).

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During the past two years (1974-76) the writer has become increasingly aware of the need for a method of assisting conductors with the score preparation of "new" band literature. Because this literature often represents the modern composer's efforts to explore non-traditional compositional techniques, the development of a new or at least expanded approach to analysis, aimed directly at the conductor's task of preparing a score for rehearsal (and performance) seems to be in order.Most recent approaches to analysis have been developed by theorists whose microscopic examination of music, sometimes complicated with new terminology, does not necessarily assist the conductor in his efforts to Formulate musical interpretations. Furthermore, the education of most conductors today emphasizes a background heavy with more traditional musical concepts. With these two points firmly in mind, the author has attempted to expand the more traditional concepts of harmony, melody, rhythm, dynamics, timbre, and texture, and subsequently incorporate them in the development of an analytical method that specifically serves the conductor's task of score preparation as related to more contemporary band literature.Essential to the process of developing this analytical method was understanding and defining the goal of the conductor in the task of score preparation. To this end, the writer examined the published views of several well-known conductors. All of these authors seemed in agreement: in order to present a musical work, the conductor must have a broad view of the work so as to understand the logic of its progression, from beginning to end. Seemingly then, score preparation should serve to uncover and enhance this broad view. The writer's analytical method assumed this purpose: to assist the conductor in the discovery and development of this broad view. For the purpose of identifying this goal, the writer developed the term "macro-view".In the course of developing his analytical approach, the writer has introduced his concept of melodic rhythm, a term coined to cover the composite temporal (linear) effect caused by relationships among musical elements such as melody, rhythm, dynamics, timbre, and texture. It is for the expressed purpose of enhancing accessibility to the concept of motion and repose in "atonal" band literature to those who are seemingly more familiar with the concept of phrase and cadence associated with more traditional melodies that the author has chosen the term melodic rhythm.In the view of this writer, the primary concern of descriptive analysis is the discovery of melodic rhythm(s), accomplished through a relatively microscopic investigation of the score. The author suggests that the information uncovered in this process be collected in a systematic fashion for later use. To assist in this collection of information the author has developed a "Descriptive Analysis Chart".Chapters III through VI are demonstrations of the author's analytical method and represent a variety of atonal band literature. Included within these chapters are Geometrics No. 4 by Martin Mailman, Study in Textures by Gunther Schuller, Spectrum by Herbert Bielawa, Statement by Brent Heisinger, and Stargazing by Donald Erb. (Composer comments on the analysis presented are included as Appendix C.)The writer's approach to score preparation is founded on his belief that inherent in all music, regardless of style, period, or medium, is the apperception of motion and repose. Furthermore, it is through the auditory sensation of motion and repose that the unity of a piece becomes comprehendable. Upon completing an analysis according to the guide lines presented in this dissertation, the conductor can proceed with the presentation of a unified performance of an "atonal" band work.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of Iowa, 2009. / Thesis supervisor: Jeffrey Agrell. Includes bibliographical references (p. 194).