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David Lang's The So-Called Laws of Nature: An Analysis with an Emphasis On Compositional Processes

Compared to the solo percussion works, little academic work has been done in the research and analysis of percussion ensemble compositions. David Lang, a Pulitzer Prize winning composer, has written many prominent works for percussion in both the solo and chamber setting. His work, The So-Called Laws of Nature for percussion quartet, written in 2001, has quickly become standard repertoire. Lang composed the piece with many overlapping processes, patterns that are affected in a pre-defined manner, in line with his totalist style. Using traditional analytical methods would not accurately represent the complexity the work has to offer to the performer. This paper will attempt to find musical significance by breaking down the individual processes.The conclusions from this research are mostly open-ended and, to some extent, subjective. The most effective performers will take the objective analytical information and use it to create an informed, well-intentioned, subjective experience. In this study of The So-Called Laws of Nature the analysis attempts to connect the objective--the data--and the subjective--the analysis of that data--to work together to aid the performer to create the best possible musical and ultimately artistic interpretation.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/301687
Date January 2013
CreatorsShinbara, Scott
ContributorsWeinberg, Norman, Kirkbride, Jerry, Thomas, Kelland, Weinberg, Norman
PublisherThe University of Arizona.
Source SetsUniversity of Arizona
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext, Electronic Dissertation
RightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

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