abstract: The concert vocalise, a dazzling wordless vocal etude intended for performance, is largely a phenomenon of the twentieth century. Made famous by composers such as Sergei Rachmaninoff and Maurice Ravel, the concert vocalise is generally a short, non-programmatic work with a relatively simple form. In contrast, Nikolai Medtner’s two monumental Op. 41 vocalises, the Sonata-Vocalise mit einem Motto “Geweihter Platz and the Suite Vocalise, are staggering in their length and formal complexity. They are also programmatically conceived, sharing the Goethe poem “Geweihter Platz” as their inspiration. The innovation of adding a textual element to a traditionally textless genre introduces a tantalizing new layer of complexity that demands further research and exploration. However, as with any innovation, it also offers new challenges to performers wishing to program either or both works. Current scholarship has yet to offer any kind of in-depth analysis of either work, leaving questions as to the structural and motivic elements which bind these large works together, not to mention questions related to exactly how Medtner addresses the challenge of linking specific parts of Goethe’s text to the textless portions of music. Furthermore, neither work is considered standard repertoire, and recordings and performances are limited, leaving aspiring performers in something of an informational desert. In this paper, I endeavor to fill this informational gap for performers and scholars alike by providing them with a brief biography of Medtner, an outline of the development of the concert vocalise genre, and the background of the Goethe poem that inspired Medtner. Then my in-depth analyses reveal underlying structural, motivic, and programmatic links both within and between the works. Finally, my performer’s guide, based on the analyses and my experience performing both works, offers suggestions regarding the interpretational, ensemble, and technical challenges presented by these great works. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music 2017

There are numerous challenges to singing contemporary classical vocal music including a number of harmonic, melodic, rhythmic, and formal elements not commonly seen in the western Classical or Romantic era compositions. There are new notations, new sounds, new ideas, and new demands. Finding a way to train college-aged singers to perform standard classical repertoire alongside contemporary classical repertoire has been a personal goal for many years. This essay contains exercises and vocalises to help train singers to prepare their instrument to perform the demanding music presented in this body of repertoire. Musical concepts covered in this essay include large interval training, laughing drills, tone clusters, and a variety of others. Current scholarship on this subject does not address the pedagogical steps of teaching music classified as contemporary classical vocal music. This essay provides exercises, vocalises, and recommendations for the development of vocal techniques required to perform works from this repertoire with healthy and secure technique.

South African composer, Alexander Johnson is a prolific and outstanding figure among his contemporaries. His numerous works and contributions to South African classical and indigenous music is worthy of mention. Over the years, he has been recognised both locally and internationally for his contributions by receiving numerous awards, honorary positions, as well as commissions. His works have been performed both locally and internationally. Johnson’s compositional style mostly features diverse musical elements and devices from the post-tonal era. He also utilises special and unique compositional techniques in his works which give him a ‘signature.’ This study discusses and disseminates brief information on Johnson’s biography, as well as a catalogue of the composer’s published works. Most importantly, the three works in this study namely Kahlolo, Let_at_i, and Vocalise Africa feature Johnson’s unique interpretation of South African music in the twenty-first century. This study focuses on exploring the background of the three chosen works, and the inspiration behind the creation of these works. Furthermore, the compositional techniques employed by the composer, as well as the distinguishing features of his compositional style are also discussed. This study additionally aims to trace and disseminate similarities between the three respective works as well as analyse the three selected pieces with regard to mostly harmonic devices and techniques, melody, rhythm, form structure, texture, and registration for organ music. Each piece is comprehensively discussed separately, with emphasis on the above topics. Further research in the future could entail a study on style discussion of Johnson’s more recent compositions in other genres and instrumentation. / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Music / MMus / Unrestricted

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