Franz Liszt's Faust Symphony has suffered neglect since its premiere in 1857. The analysis in this study aims to clarify some of the misunderstandings which have led to this neglect, particularly concerning Liszt's formal structure and character portrayal. In the Faust movement, the flat 6th scale degree (♭6) plays a prominent role in harmonic organization. Nineteenth-century composers sometimes used the distinct sonic color of chromatic-third progressions, as Liszt does here between C and E rather than diatonic movement by fifth to evoke a distant dream-world state. Liszt's conspicuous and form-defining use of ♭6 in the Faust movement suggests fantasy and mysterious elements ripe for programmatic interpretation. In this dissertation, I will attempt to clarify how Liszt portrayed the character of Faust by using the flat 6th scale degree as a crucial harmonic organizing principle in the Faust movement.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc1505162 |
Date | 05 1900 |
Creators | Li, Chao (Conductor) |
Contributors | Itkin, David, Sparks, Richard, Lavacek, Justin, Couturiaux, Clay |
Publisher | University of North Texas |
Source Sets | University of North Texas |
Language | English |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
Format | vi, 46 pages : illustrations, music, Text |
Rights | Public, Li, Chao (Conductor), Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. |
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