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The Function of Oral Tradition in Mary Lou's Mass by Mary Lou Williams

The musical and spiritual life of Mary Lou Williams (1910 - 1981) came together in her later years in the writing of Mary Lou's Mass. Being both Roman Catholic and a jazz pianist and composer, it was inevitable that Williams would be the first jazz composer to write a setting of the mass. The degree of success resulting from the combination of jazz and the traditional forms of Western art music has always been controversial. Because of Williams's personal faith and aesthetics of music, however, she had little choice but to attempt the union of jazz and liturgical worship. After a biography of Williams, discussed in the context of her musical aesthetics, this thesis investigates the elements of conventional mass settings and oral tradition found in Mary Lou's Mass.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc278129
Date08 1900
CreatorsFledderus, France
ContributorsJoyner, David Lee, Brothers, Lester Dwayne, 1945-, Bush, Deanna D.
PublisherUniversity of North Texas
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formatvi, 141 leaves : music, Text
RightsPublic, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved., Fledderus, France

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