A critical analysis of selected piano works by Hubert du Plessis
- Authors: Lee, Margaret Jackson
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: Du Plessis, Hubert Composers -- South Africa Piano music -- Analysis, appreciation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2645 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002310
- Description: This study concentrates on the piano music of Hubert du Plessis, a South African composer who, apart from some years spent studying in England, has lived and worked in this country. He was born in 1922 on a farm in the Malmesbury district. After completing his schooling, he studied at the University of Stellenbosch , gaining a B A degree. Later, he continued his studies at Rhodes University, obtaining a B Mus degree. The Performing Right Society's scholarship gave him the opportunity of studying in London for three years (1951-1953). After his return, he became involved in the academic sphere, and lectured simultaneously at U C T and Stellenbosch, and then later just at Stellenbosch until his retirement in 1982. A number of his compositions for piano are as yet unpublished. This thesis has been limited to the published works for solo piano . The works studied are: Four Piano Pieces (Op. 1 ), Six Miniatures (Op. 3 ), Sonata No . 1 (Op. 8 ), Seven Preludes (Op. 18), Toe ek 'n kind was (Op. 33). Some biographical details have been given - in most cases to provide the background for the writing of each work - but the main thrust of this study has been towards a detailed structural analysis of each work. In my analysis, I have favoured the type of "Formal analysis" defined by Groves¹ in the article on analysis. In other words, I have used the traditional structural patterns i.e. Binary and Ternary form , Sonata form etc. insofar as it applied to the music under discussion. However, I felt that this was not sufficient for a study in depth of the music, as I had envisaged. Like Beethoven, du Plessis is a meticulous craftsman, who constructs and re- constructs , revises and rethinks. This means that the fullest attention is given to every detail of composition. Hence, like Tovey in his analysis of Beethoven sonatas, I have tended towards a bar-by-bar approach which, I hope, will reveal not only the structural detail, but also the relationships between phrases and motifs, where this is relevant. I felt that it was imperative to take this down to the real fundamentals, for without that basic approach, certain compositional techniques might be overlooked. Hence, I then hoped to draw some general conclusions about du Plessis' work. Groves¹ says of Tovey's method that it " represents the tradition of analysis and descriptive criticism in Britain as a whole . " However , despite this rather dry and academic approach there are times when, like Tovey, my analysis contains metaphor, or personification of the music. I have chosen what may be criticised as a rather old-fashioned approach to the analysis because of the basic intention behind this piece of research. As a school teacher I am aware of the pitiful paucity of source material on the music of the South African composers, which are set for study by Matriculation candidates. By this work, I had hoped to shed some light on at least one corner of this section of the syllabus, for both teacher and pupils. Hence, I did not attempt a distributional analysis or a category analysis , coded by computer and shown in graphical form. I chose a straightforward linear and logical progression through the pieces which, even with the limited musical vocabulary of the average school pupil, should be easily comprehensible. ] have also attempted to draw attention to interrelationships between movements or sets of pieces, and to see each work as a unit. In a study limited, by necessity, in its subject matter, as this is, it would be presumptuous to draw conclusions about du Plessis' work in general. This would necessitate an indepth survey of his other genres, especially his vocal works, which are so important an area of his creativity. However, it is possible, even in so limited a study, to gain an appreciation of Hubert du Plessis' meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail that must gain him his rightful place among the South African musical "greats " of this century.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1991
- Authors: Lee, Margaret Jackson
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: Du Plessis, Hubert Composers -- South Africa Piano music -- Analysis, appreciation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2645 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002310
- Description: This study concentrates on the piano music of Hubert du Plessis, a South African composer who, apart from some years spent studying in England, has lived and worked in this country. He was born in 1922 on a farm in the Malmesbury district. After completing his schooling, he studied at the University of Stellenbosch , gaining a B A degree. Later, he continued his studies at Rhodes University, obtaining a B Mus degree. The Performing Right Society's scholarship gave him the opportunity of studying in London for three years (1951-1953). After his return, he became involved in the academic sphere, and lectured simultaneously at U C T and Stellenbosch, and then later just at Stellenbosch until his retirement in 1982. A number of his compositions for piano are as yet unpublished. This thesis has been limited to the published works for solo piano . The works studied are: Four Piano Pieces (Op. 1 ), Six Miniatures (Op. 3 ), Sonata No . 1 (Op. 8 ), Seven Preludes (Op. 18), Toe ek 'n kind was (Op. 33). Some biographical details have been given - in most cases to provide the background for the writing of each work - but the main thrust of this study has been towards a detailed structural analysis of each work. In my analysis, I have favoured the type of "Formal analysis" defined by Groves¹ in the article on analysis. In other words, I have used the traditional structural patterns i.e. Binary and Ternary form , Sonata form etc. insofar as it applied to the music under discussion. However, I felt that this was not sufficient for a study in depth of the music, as I had envisaged. Like Beethoven, du Plessis is a meticulous craftsman, who constructs and re- constructs , revises and rethinks. This means that the fullest attention is given to every detail of composition. Hence, like Tovey in his analysis of Beethoven sonatas, I have tended towards a bar-by-bar approach which, I hope, will reveal not only the structural detail, but also the relationships between phrases and motifs, where this is relevant. I felt that it was imperative to take this down to the real fundamentals, for without that basic approach, certain compositional techniques might be overlooked. Hence, I then hoped to draw some general conclusions about du Plessis' work. Groves¹ says of Tovey's method that it " represents the tradition of analysis and descriptive criticism in Britain as a whole . " However , despite this rather dry and academic approach there are times when, like Tovey, my analysis contains metaphor, or personification of the music. I have chosen what may be criticised as a rather old-fashioned approach to the analysis because of the basic intention behind this piece of research. As a school teacher I am aware of the pitiful paucity of source material on the music of the South African composers, which are set for study by Matriculation candidates. By this work, I had hoped to shed some light on at least one corner of this section of the syllabus, for both teacher and pupils. Hence, I did not attempt a distributional analysis or a category analysis , coded by computer and shown in graphical form. I chose a straightforward linear and logical progression through the pieces which, even with the limited musical vocabulary of the average school pupil, should be easily comprehensible. ] have also attempted to draw attention to interrelationships between movements or sets of pieces, and to see each work as a unit. In a study limited, by necessity, in its subject matter, as this is, it would be presumptuous to draw conclusions about du Plessis' work in general. This would necessitate an indepth survey of his other genres, especially his vocal works, which are so important an area of his creativity. However, it is possible, even in so limited a study, to gain an appreciation of Hubert du Plessis' meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail that must gain him his rightful place among the South African musical "greats " of this century.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1991
A portfolio of original compositions exploring syncretism between Indian and western music
- Authors: Ram, Deepak
- Date: 1996
- Subjects: Raga Music -- India -- History and criticism Music -- History and criticism Jazz -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2654 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002320
- Description: In this dissertation, overviews and detailed examinations of three compositions are presented. These compositions which constitute the portfolio of the M.MUS degree, are an attempt to explore syncretism between Indian and western music. Two of these works are written for a flute quartet (flute, violin, viola and cello) accompanied in part by a mridangam (Indian percussion instrument). The third work is written for a jazz quartet (piano, saxophone, double bass and drums). Syncretism between western and Indian music can take on a variety of forms, and while this concept is not new, there exists no suitable model or framework through which these compositions can be analysed. The approach used In this dissertation IS therefore guided solely by the compositions themselves. The syncretism in these works lies in the use of melodic, rhythmic and timbral elements of Indian music within two ensembles which are essentially western. This dissertation describes each of these elements in their traditional context as well as the method of incorporating them into western ensemble playing.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1996
- Authors: Ram, Deepak
- Date: 1996
- Subjects: Raga Music -- India -- History and criticism Music -- History and criticism Jazz -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2654 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002320
- Description: In this dissertation, overviews and detailed examinations of three compositions are presented. These compositions which constitute the portfolio of the M.MUS degree, are an attempt to explore syncretism between Indian and western music. Two of these works are written for a flute quartet (flute, violin, viola and cello) accompanied in part by a mridangam (Indian percussion instrument). The third work is written for a jazz quartet (piano, saxophone, double bass and drums). Syncretism between western and Indian music can take on a variety of forms, and while this concept is not new, there exists no suitable model or framework through which these compositions can be analysed. The approach used In this dissertation IS therefore guided solely by the compositions themselves. The syncretism in these works lies in the use of melodic, rhythmic and timbral elements of Indian music within two ensembles which are essentially western. This dissertation describes each of these elements in their traditional context as well as the method of incorporating them into western ensemble playing.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1996
A portfolio of original compositions with a commentary
- Authors: Nkuna, Musa
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: String quartets -- Scores Song cycles -- Scores Music -- Africa -- Scores
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2698 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018689
- Description: This portfolio consists of four diverse original compositions written in 1999 : a string quartet, a cello suite and a set of two choral pieces.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
- Authors: Nkuna, Musa
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: String quartets -- Scores Song cycles -- Scores Music -- Africa -- Scores
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2698 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018689
- Description: This portfolio consists of four diverse original compositions written in 1999 : a string quartet, a cello suite and a set of two choral pieces.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
A reconceptualisation of music performance anxiety
- Authors: Van Schoor, Nina
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Performance anxiety , Music -- Performance -- Psychological aspects , Anxiety
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167631 , vital:41498
- Description: Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) refers to the potentially debilitating anxiety experienced before and/or during the public performance of music, despite adequate preparation. MPA is generally treated by means of drug therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychoanalysis or various relaxation techniques. This research aims to present a different approach to dealing with MPA, based on a reconceptualisation of the concept. As a result, it attempts to unpack all three concepts inherent in the term from both a psychological and philosophical viewpoint. The study used autoethnography as a methodology, as I wished to explore my own lived experience of MPA and anxiety in general, in conjunction with that of my two participants, two other student Western Art music performers, and how our methods for confronting MPA within the performance context itself suggests a more complex understanding of performance and MPA than is reflected in the current literature. Thus the data was collected from two first-person interviews as well as a self-reflective written account. The results of the analysis were that existential anxiety is potentially a contributing factor to MPA, and that performance itself can potentially provide the very means for overcoming not only MPA, but all forms of anxiety, due to the cathartic quality of music as well as performance, especially when the liminal or interstructural, nature of performing and its ritualistic function is explored. This exploration reveals the world and self-disclosing nature of agency and Play, or the potential within experiences to resolve conflicts and reveal otherness. This requires a degree of existential courage, or an affirmative response to the unknown, which is more relational than the definition suggests. In conclusion, this study reconceptualises MPA as a potentially potent existential experience, and that the anxiety in response to it is considered as a reaction to the catharsis inherent in being an agent, rather than merely as an obstacle to be controlled.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Van Schoor, Nina
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Performance anxiety , Music -- Performance -- Psychological aspects , Anxiety
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167631 , vital:41498
- Description: Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) refers to the potentially debilitating anxiety experienced before and/or during the public performance of music, despite adequate preparation. MPA is generally treated by means of drug therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychoanalysis or various relaxation techniques. This research aims to present a different approach to dealing with MPA, based on a reconceptualisation of the concept. As a result, it attempts to unpack all three concepts inherent in the term from both a psychological and philosophical viewpoint. The study used autoethnography as a methodology, as I wished to explore my own lived experience of MPA and anxiety in general, in conjunction with that of my two participants, two other student Western Art music performers, and how our methods for confronting MPA within the performance context itself suggests a more complex understanding of performance and MPA than is reflected in the current literature. Thus the data was collected from two first-person interviews as well as a self-reflective written account. The results of the analysis were that existential anxiety is potentially a contributing factor to MPA, and that performance itself can potentially provide the very means for overcoming not only MPA, but all forms of anxiety, due to the cathartic quality of music as well as performance, especially when the liminal or interstructural, nature of performing and its ritualistic function is explored. This exploration reveals the world and self-disclosing nature of agency and Play, or the potential within experiences to resolve conflicts and reveal otherness. This requires a degree of existential courage, or an affirmative response to the unknown, which is more relational than the definition suggests. In conclusion, this study reconceptualises MPA as a potentially potent existential experience, and that the anxiety in response to it is considered as a reaction to the catharsis inherent in being an agent, rather than merely as an obstacle to be controlled.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
A short composition portfolio
- Buitendag, Kingsley Alexander
- Authors: Buitendag, Kingsley Alexander
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Music -- South Africa Composition (Music)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2632 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002297
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Buitendag, Kingsley Alexander
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Music -- South Africa Composition (Music)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2632 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002297
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
A strange counterpoint : classical music performance and identities in Grahamstown, South Africa
- Marais, Terence Wilmot Eugene
- Authors: Marais, Terence Wilmot Eugene
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Music -- Western influences Music -- Performance -- Psychological aspects Music appreciation -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Music -- South Africa -- Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2677 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007491
- Description: This study investigates the perceptions of South African practitioners of Western European Art Music (WEAM), specifically as they relate to the value of WEAM in contemporary South African society. In exploring some of the connections between musical identity and national identity, it sets out to discover what value WEAM holds for a certain group of student pianists. Qualitative empirical data was collected in the form of in-depth, semi-structured interviews and questionnaire responses, and the findings point to numerous, nuanced expressions of self and varied intersections of the nation with musical identity in the life of the individual. Further, WEAM appears to represent a crucial point of identification for these individuals, in each case generating positive affirmations of the self.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Marais, Terence Wilmot Eugene
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Music -- Western influences Music -- Performance -- Psychological aspects Music appreciation -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Music -- South Africa -- Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2677 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007491
- Description: This study investigates the perceptions of South African practitioners of Western European Art Music (WEAM), specifically as they relate to the value of WEAM in contemporary South African society. In exploring some of the connections between musical identity and national identity, it sets out to discover what value WEAM holds for a certain group of student pianists. Qualitative empirical data was collected in the form of in-depth, semi-structured interviews and questionnaire responses, and the findings point to numerous, nuanced expressions of self and varied intersections of the nation with musical identity in the life of the individual. Further, WEAM appears to represent a crucial point of identification for these individuals, in each case generating positive affirmations of the self.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
A study of Oliver Messiaen's song-cycles Poèms pour mi, Chants de terre et de ciel, and Harawi
- Authors: Donkin, Deborah Jean
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: Messiaen, Olivier, 1908-1992 Song cycles--Interpretation (Phrasing, dynamics, etc.)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2635 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002300
- Description: This thesis ventures into the relatively neglected world of twentieth century vocal music, via the three song cycles of Oliver Messiaen. The song cycle is a comparatively young genre, generally dated from Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte or by some, even later to Schubert's Die schone Miillerin. Nevertheless, considerable changes have taken place in the 160 years which separate Messiaen's cycles from those of the 'pioneers' mentioned above. A fuller appreciation of twentieth century cycles is facilitated by observing this evolutionary process and placing the works within an historical and cultural perspective. Such an introduction is provided in part one of this thesis, along with relevant details on the life and interests of Messiaen. The latter information gives insight into the compositions themselves and may satisfy the reader's curiosity on the origin of some of the more unexpected techniques or ideas Messiaen llses. Before embarking on a study of the cycles, it is necessary to look at the highly individual musical language of the composer. Section two undertakes this task in some depth, wherever possible relating the explanations directly to the songs which follow. In order to clarify the text and to simplify the exercise for the reader, numerous musical examples have been used. This contributes to the apparent bulk of this section. The main emphasis of the thesis is the detailed study of the 20 songs contained in Poemes pour Mi, Chants de Terre et de Cief and Harawi. The third section of the thesis deals with this material thoroughly and systematically, dividing it up into musical and extra-musical aspects. The texts are considered in terms of Surrealist, religious, Nature, numerological and, in the case of Harawi, mythological and Peruvian folk symbolism. The relationship of text to music is studied and evelopments highlighted. Musically, the study is further sub-divided into piano part and vocal part. In each case, an extensive exploration of the techniques required of the performer is presented. This makes possible the subsequent categorisation of the songs on the basis of similarities in the musical means. Conclusions reached show a progressive development through the three song cycles in the composer's handling of the text, his treatment of the voice, his use of the piano and his expansion of the voice-piano relationship. This body of solo vocal literature emerges as typical of Oliver Messiaen's compositional style in general and therefore properly representative of the meticulous craftsmanship with which his works are constructed. The detailed analysis of all aspects of the songs contributes original material to scholarship on Messiaen and on song cycles in the twentieth century.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
- Authors: Donkin, Deborah Jean
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: Messiaen, Olivier, 1908-1992 Song cycles--Interpretation (Phrasing, dynamics, etc.)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2635 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002300
- Description: This thesis ventures into the relatively neglected world of twentieth century vocal music, via the three song cycles of Oliver Messiaen. The song cycle is a comparatively young genre, generally dated from Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte or by some, even later to Schubert's Die schone Miillerin. Nevertheless, considerable changes have taken place in the 160 years which separate Messiaen's cycles from those of the 'pioneers' mentioned above. A fuller appreciation of twentieth century cycles is facilitated by observing this evolutionary process and placing the works within an historical and cultural perspective. Such an introduction is provided in part one of this thesis, along with relevant details on the life and interests of Messiaen. The latter information gives insight into the compositions themselves and may satisfy the reader's curiosity on the origin of some of the more unexpected techniques or ideas Messiaen llses. Before embarking on a study of the cycles, it is necessary to look at the highly individual musical language of the composer. Section two undertakes this task in some depth, wherever possible relating the explanations directly to the songs which follow. In order to clarify the text and to simplify the exercise for the reader, numerous musical examples have been used. This contributes to the apparent bulk of this section. The main emphasis of the thesis is the detailed study of the 20 songs contained in Poemes pour Mi, Chants de Terre et de Cief and Harawi. The third section of the thesis deals with this material thoroughly and systematically, dividing it up into musical and extra-musical aspects. The texts are considered in terms of Surrealist, religious, Nature, numerological and, in the case of Harawi, mythological and Peruvian folk symbolism. The relationship of text to music is studied and evelopments highlighted. Musically, the study is further sub-divided into piano part and vocal part. In each case, an extensive exploration of the techniques required of the performer is presented. This makes possible the subsequent categorisation of the songs on the basis of similarities in the musical means. Conclusions reached show a progressive development through the three song cycles in the composer's handling of the text, his treatment of the voice, his use of the piano and his expansion of the voice-piano relationship. This body of solo vocal literature emerges as typical of Oliver Messiaen's compositional style in general and therefore properly representative of the meticulous craftsmanship with which his works are constructed. The detailed analysis of all aspects of the songs contributes original material to scholarship on Messiaen and on song cycles in the twentieth century.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
A study of piano pedagogy : its history, theory, psychology and practical application
- Authors: Keeves, June Kelk
- Date: 1984
- Subjects: Piano -- Instruction and study Piano -- Methods
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2662 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004571
- Description: A discourse concerning the importance followed by a study of piano pedagogy; of piano teaching method, its history and general aspects of piano technique; a fully comprehensive method of piano teaching from the very earliest stages to the advanced; a discussion of various important selected concepts incorporated in the method which require particular emphasis; the application of certain concepts in the various style periods, such as dynamics, tempo, tempo rubato, pedalling, ornamentation, to the teaching of a piece; a discussion of the psychology of piano teaching and practising. All of these various branches of study are imperative in the training of the prospective piano teacher. (Preface)
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1984
- Authors: Keeves, June Kelk
- Date: 1984
- Subjects: Piano -- Instruction and study Piano -- Methods
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2662 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004571
- Description: A discourse concerning the importance followed by a study of piano pedagogy; of piano teaching method, its history and general aspects of piano technique; a fully comprehensive method of piano teaching from the very earliest stages to the advanced; a discussion of various important selected concepts incorporated in the method which require particular emphasis; the application of certain concepts in the various style periods, such as dynamics, tempo, tempo rubato, pedalling, ornamentation, to the teaching of a piece; a discussion of the psychology of piano teaching and practising. All of these various branches of study are imperative in the training of the prospective piano teacher. (Preface)
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1984
An exploration of James Dreier’s Standard Tune Learning Sequence in a self-directed learning environment : an interpretative phenomenological analysis
- Authors: Ellis, Stephen James
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Dreier, James Drum -- Performance -- Studies and exercises Drum -- Methods -- Self-instruction Drum -- Instruction and study Drummers (Musicians)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2680 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011312
- Description: This qualitative case study was undertaken in order to explore the experiences of drum set students who apply themselves to James Dreier’s Standard Tune Learning Sequence (STLS) in a self-directed learning environment. These experiences ultimately shed light on how best to implement Differentiated Instruction to the STLS. The study draws on the experience of three adult drum students under the instruction of the author. The students were provided with the STLS and left to proceed with it on their own. They were asked to keep a record of their progress in the form of a learning journal. These learning journals were used, in conjunction with transcribed interviews and learner profiles, as data for this study and as such were subjected to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The study recognizes three factors which affect the student’s successful progression through the STLS: readiness, interest and meaning. Each factor is discussed in relation to literature on differentiated Instruction. Recommendations are made regarding the implementation of Differentiated Instruction to the STLS.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Ellis, Stephen James
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Dreier, James Drum -- Performance -- Studies and exercises Drum -- Methods -- Self-instruction Drum -- Instruction and study Drummers (Musicians)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2680 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011312
- Description: This qualitative case study was undertaken in order to explore the experiences of drum set students who apply themselves to James Dreier’s Standard Tune Learning Sequence (STLS) in a self-directed learning environment. These experiences ultimately shed light on how best to implement Differentiated Instruction to the STLS. The study draws on the experience of three adult drum students under the instruction of the author. The students were provided with the STLS and left to proceed with it on their own. They were asked to keep a record of their progress in the form of a learning journal. These learning journals were used, in conjunction with transcribed interviews and learner profiles, as data for this study and as such were subjected to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The study recognizes three factors which affect the student’s successful progression through the STLS: readiness, interest and meaning. Each factor is discussed in relation to literature on differentiated Instruction. Recommendations are made regarding the implementation of Differentiated Instruction to the STLS.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
An investigation into the application of Austrian didactics and methods of elementary musical education in South African school
- Authors: Nowotny, Ingrid Heidelinde
- Date: 1970
- Subjects: School music -- Instruction and study -- South Africa , Music -- Study and teaching (Elementary) , Music theory -- Elementary works
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2688 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012970
- Description: Why teach music? To answer this question one has to be able to see the full value of musical education. One has to recognize its effect on the unfolding of character and personality on the one hand and, on the other, its value for the development and sharpening of the intellect. In ancient Greece, the cradle of Western culture, the significance of music for man, the people, and the state was frequently emphasized. The Greeks regarded music almost as a magic force, the inherent harmony of which was capable of transforming things and creating order by reconciling contrarieties. Similarly they believed that the power of music could restore the harmony in man's soul. Intro., p.1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1970
- Authors: Nowotny, Ingrid Heidelinde
- Date: 1970
- Subjects: School music -- Instruction and study -- South Africa , Music -- Study and teaching (Elementary) , Music theory -- Elementary works
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2688 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012970
- Description: Why teach music? To answer this question one has to be able to see the full value of musical education. One has to recognize its effect on the unfolding of character and personality on the one hand and, on the other, its value for the development and sharpening of the intellect. In ancient Greece, the cradle of Western culture, the significance of music for man, the people, and the state was frequently emphasized. The Greeks regarded music almost as a magic force, the inherent harmony of which was capable of transforming things and creating order by reconciling contrarieties. Similarly they believed that the power of music could restore the harmony in man's soul. Intro., p.1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1970
An investigation into the importance of rhythmic and melodic variation for Brahm's development sections, with special reference to his four symphonies
- Authors: Schoeman, Delene Letitia
- Date: 1966
- Subjects: Brahms, Johannes, 1833-1897 -- Symphonies , Variations -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2690 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013170
- Description: "Variation is one of the oldest and most elemental types of music, beloved and practised by all musicians since the early lute and keyboard composers." The principle of the variation is that of "variety within unity, secured by the reproduction of limited musical material in changing aspects and is fundamental to composition." Typical instances are the use of fugal themes in changing combinations and with changing counter-material; continuous sequential expansion of a single motif in the baroque sonata or suite; the symphonic development in classical sonata form; ornamentation, compression, extension or elaboration of recapitulated sections. Intro., p. 1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1966
- Authors: Schoeman, Delene Letitia
- Date: 1966
- Subjects: Brahms, Johannes, 1833-1897 -- Symphonies , Variations -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2690 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013170
- Description: "Variation is one of the oldest and most elemental types of music, beloved and practised by all musicians since the early lute and keyboard composers." The principle of the variation is that of "variety within unity, secured by the reproduction of limited musical material in changing aspects and is fundamental to composition." Typical instances are the use of fugal themes in changing combinations and with changing counter-material; continuous sequential expansion of a single motif in the baroque sonata or suite; the symphonic development in classical sonata form; ornamentation, compression, extension or elaboration of recapitulated sections. Intro., p. 1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1966
An investigation into the preservation and development of the human voice with special reference to children and adolescents
- Authors: Gruber, I M S
- Date: 1967
- Subjects: Voice Voice culture -- Exercises Voice -- Care and hygiene Singing -- Studies & exercises
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2681 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012103
- Description: The voice is the only natural and, when properly trained, also the most perfect instrument. Any other instrument, be it string, wind or percussion, is a separate entity, an object devised by man, and over the years altered, improved and perfected. None of those, from primitive pipes to the most intricate electronic apparatus can produce a single sound without human aid. It needs someone to play it manually and/or orally. Intro., p. 1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1967
- Authors: Gruber, I M S
- Date: 1967
- Subjects: Voice Voice culture -- Exercises Voice -- Care and hygiene Singing -- Studies & exercises
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2681 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012103
- Description: The voice is the only natural and, when properly trained, also the most perfect instrument. Any other instrument, be it string, wind or percussion, is a separate entity, an object devised by man, and over the years altered, improved and perfected. None of those, from primitive pipes to the most intricate electronic apparatus can produce a single sound without human aid. It needs someone to play it manually and/or orally. Intro., p. 1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1967
An investigation into twentieth century flute trios with special reference to representative works by Goossens, Sil'vansky, Raphael, Damase, Marx and Crumb
- Authors: Heunis, Daniela
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: Goossens, Eugene, 1893-1962 Silʹvanskíí, Nikolǎi Iosifovich, 1915-1985 Raphael, Günter, 1903-1960 Damase, Jean-Michel, 1928- Crumb, George Woodwind trios (Flutes (3))
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2641 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002306
- Description: This thesis ventures into the world of twentieth century chamber music, specifically the trios written for flute, cello and piano. The first chapter discusses the history of the trio, tracing its development from the trio sonata of the Baroque Period to the accompanied sonatas and specifically the sonatas with flute and cello obbligato. Following the unpopularity of the genre throughout the Romantic period, its greater prominence in the Twentieth century is discussed, mentioning specific groups through whom the repertoire has been extended. Forty trios are grouped according to compositional styles. Six trios, each representing an example of a specific style period, have been selected for more detailed discussion, with particular reference to the various ways in which a sense of unity is achieved in each trio. The English composer Eugene Goossens uses impressionistic images, whole tone and chromatic scale patterns and other motifs to unify his trio: "Five Impressions of a Holiday". Nikolay Iosifovich Sil'vansky's "The Hedgehog and the Nightingale" is based on a Russian tale by Juri Jarmicha and uses a narrator. The three characters are represented by specific motivic and / or thematic material which is used throughout the trio. Günter Raphael's Trio-Suite op 44 is the only cyclic work unifying the two outer movements, without repeating any additional motivic material. Jean-Michel Damase condenses some of the material introduced in the opening Prelude in both the two Largo's and the two Arias in his "Sonate en Concert" of 1950. Karl Julius Marx builds his entire "Trio op 61" on a flexible six-note motif. Various movements in the trio" Vox Ba1aenae" by the American George Crumb are 1inked through the use of motives and characteristic instrumental colour. A comprehensive list of 180 twentieth century trios has been compiled, including details of dedications, commissions and first performances. 163 composers from twenty countries, are represented.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1994
- Authors: Heunis, Daniela
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: Goossens, Eugene, 1893-1962 Silʹvanskíí, Nikolǎi Iosifovich, 1915-1985 Raphael, Günter, 1903-1960 Damase, Jean-Michel, 1928- Crumb, George Woodwind trios (Flutes (3))
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2641 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002306
- Description: This thesis ventures into the world of twentieth century chamber music, specifically the trios written for flute, cello and piano. The first chapter discusses the history of the trio, tracing its development from the trio sonata of the Baroque Period to the accompanied sonatas and specifically the sonatas with flute and cello obbligato. Following the unpopularity of the genre throughout the Romantic period, its greater prominence in the Twentieth century is discussed, mentioning specific groups through whom the repertoire has been extended. Forty trios are grouped according to compositional styles. Six trios, each representing an example of a specific style period, have been selected for more detailed discussion, with particular reference to the various ways in which a sense of unity is achieved in each trio. The English composer Eugene Goossens uses impressionistic images, whole tone and chromatic scale patterns and other motifs to unify his trio: "Five Impressions of a Holiday". Nikolay Iosifovich Sil'vansky's "The Hedgehog and the Nightingale" is based on a Russian tale by Juri Jarmicha and uses a narrator. The three characters are represented by specific motivic and / or thematic material which is used throughout the trio. Günter Raphael's Trio-Suite op 44 is the only cyclic work unifying the two outer movements, without repeating any additional motivic material. Jean-Michel Damase condenses some of the material introduced in the opening Prelude in both the two Largo's and the two Arias in his "Sonate en Concert" of 1950. Karl Julius Marx builds his entire "Trio op 61" on a flexible six-note motif. Various movements in the trio" Vox Ba1aenae" by the American George Crumb are 1inked through the use of motives and characteristic instrumental colour. A comprehensive list of 180 twentieth century trios has been compiled, including details of dedications, commissions and first performances. 163 composers from twenty countries, are represented.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1994
Analysing from experience : Gustav Mahler’s Quartetsatz for piano and strings
- Authors: Du Plessis, Jacques
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Mahler, Gustav, 1860-1911. -- Quartet, piano, violin, viola, cello, A minor , Musical analysis , Music appreciation , Phenomenology and music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2696 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017818
- Description: Musical analysis has traditionally been located within the context of musicology. It is therefore an activity usually considered the purview of music scholars rather than practical musicians. The musical analyses produced by music scholars therefore provide us with intellectual understandings of musical works, rather than insights into the experience of listening to or playing music. In this thesis, I will propose that those agents involved in practical music-making can produce insights into musical works that are as valid as the work of traditional music scholarship. I will attempt to re-conceptualize the position of the ‘knower’ or ‘experiencer’ - the performer - of music as one with primary access to knowledge of a musical work, and therefore ideally suited to offer analyses of these works. The establishment of the performer as a bearer of central analytical knowledge functions in direct opposition to the traditional distinction between ‘theory’ and ‘practice’. My thesis will trace the Platonic origins of the philosophical separation of practice and research, and as an alternative to the traditional separation of practice and research, I shall explore the concept of Practice-Based Research (PBR). My exploration of PBR will be informed by phenomenological approaches to music scholarship. As a field of enquiry which concerns itself with experience, the phenomenology of music suggests that the mind and body of the practitioner are important sources of musical insight. To address this issue, Bourdieu’s notion of habitus will be explored. The habitus will be shown to contain a vast network of socio-cultural codes informing the practitioner’s relationship with the musical work. A central aim of this thesis is to explore the possibilities of using practice-based research as the foundation for the study and analysis of a composition, in order to allow for a deeper understanding of the work by means of the generation and harnessing of practical knowledge. Thus, the theoretical outline of PBR provided in this thesis will be applied to a piece of practical performance-based analysis. As such, an analysis of Mahler’s Quartetsatz will be used as the basis on which to draw knowledge in this project.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Du Plessis, Jacques
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Mahler, Gustav, 1860-1911. -- Quartet, piano, violin, viola, cello, A minor , Musical analysis , Music appreciation , Phenomenology and music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2696 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017818
- Description: Musical analysis has traditionally been located within the context of musicology. It is therefore an activity usually considered the purview of music scholars rather than practical musicians. The musical analyses produced by music scholars therefore provide us with intellectual understandings of musical works, rather than insights into the experience of listening to or playing music. In this thesis, I will propose that those agents involved in practical music-making can produce insights into musical works that are as valid as the work of traditional music scholarship. I will attempt to re-conceptualize the position of the ‘knower’ or ‘experiencer’ - the performer - of music as one with primary access to knowledge of a musical work, and therefore ideally suited to offer analyses of these works. The establishment of the performer as a bearer of central analytical knowledge functions in direct opposition to the traditional distinction between ‘theory’ and ‘practice’. My thesis will trace the Platonic origins of the philosophical separation of practice and research, and as an alternative to the traditional separation of practice and research, I shall explore the concept of Practice-Based Research (PBR). My exploration of PBR will be informed by phenomenological approaches to music scholarship. As a field of enquiry which concerns itself with experience, the phenomenology of music suggests that the mind and body of the practitioner are important sources of musical insight. To address this issue, Bourdieu’s notion of habitus will be explored. The habitus will be shown to contain a vast network of socio-cultural codes informing the practitioner’s relationship with the musical work. A central aim of this thesis is to explore the possibilities of using practice-based research as the foundation for the study and analysis of a composition, in order to allow for a deeper understanding of the work by means of the generation and harnessing of practical knowledge. Thus, the theoretical outline of PBR provided in this thesis will be applied to a piece of practical performance-based analysis. As such, an analysis of Mahler’s Quartetsatz will be used as the basis on which to draw knowledge in this project.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Analysis of selected choral works by John Tavener with particular reference to the post-1977 works
- Authors: Imrie, Sally
- Date: 1998
- Subjects: Tavener, John Choral music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2642 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002307
- Description: This thesis deals with sacred choral music written by John Tavener, a British composer born in 1944. It touches briefly on the background of Tavener and his early works (i.e. from about 1960-1976) - two works from that period have been selected for analysis, Celtic Requiem and Nomine Jesu. The main body of the thesis is concerned with those works composed,.after 1977, which show the influence of the Orthodox Church and Byzantine hymnography on Tavener's stylistic development. The selected works from this period to be analysed are: Ode of St Andrew of Crete, Two Hymns to the Mother of God, Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis, The Uncreated Eros, Eonia and We Shall See Him As Heis.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1998
- Authors: Imrie, Sally
- Date: 1998
- Subjects: Tavener, John Choral music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2642 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002307
- Description: This thesis deals with sacred choral music written by John Tavener, a British composer born in 1944. It touches briefly on the background of Tavener and his early works (i.e. from about 1960-1976) - two works from that period have been selected for analysis, Celtic Requiem and Nomine Jesu. The main body of the thesis is concerned with those works composed,.after 1977, which show the influence of the Orthodox Church and Byzantine hymnography on Tavener's stylistic development. The selected works from this period to be analysed are: Ode of St Andrew of Crete, Two Hymns to the Mother of God, Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis, The Uncreated Eros, Eonia and We Shall See Him As Heis.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1998
Aspects of form and style in Beethoven's string quartets
- Authors: Biesheuvel, Barbara
- Date: 1963
- Subjects: Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827 -- Quartets -- strings
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2678 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007645
- Description: Many books have been written which deal with the subject of form and style in Beethoven's works. Most writers, however, seem to be satisfied with superficial descriptions - in some cases merely programatic - which do not explain the underlying problems and treatment of form. Furthermore, no book exists, to my knowledge, which delves so deeply and with such detail as to deduce with almost certain accuracy the inner coherency of the form. It is the aim of this analysis to approach the problem in this way. The edition used for this purpose is that one published by Ernst Eulenberg Ltd. London WI, which was edited from the autograph M.S. by Professor Dr. Wilhelm Altman. No comparisons are made with other editions, and possible printer's and other errors are not considered. I chose the works to be studied here, the three quartets Op. 59, for two reasons: 1) the string quartet medium is one of the most suitable types of instrumental music for the study of form, 2) the Op. 59 quartets belong to a period in Beethoven's life when he was particularly intent upon experimentation in form and development of dimension.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1963
- Authors: Biesheuvel, Barbara
- Date: 1963
- Subjects: Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827 -- Quartets -- strings
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2678 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007645
- Description: Many books have been written which deal with the subject of form and style in Beethoven's works. Most writers, however, seem to be satisfied with superficial descriptions - in some cases merely programatic - which do not explain the underlying problems and treatment of form. Furthermore, no book exists, to my knowledge, which delves so deeply and with such detail as to deduce with almost certain accuracy the inner coherency of the form. It is the aim of this analysis to approach the problem in this way. The edition used for this purpose is that one published by Ernst Eulenberg Ltd. London WI, which was edited from the autograph M.S. by Professor Dr. Wilhelm Altman. No comparisons are made with other editions, and possible printer's and other errors are not considered. I chose the works to be studied here, the three quartets Op. 59, for two reasons: 1) the string quartet medium is one of the most suitable types of instrumental music for the study of form, 2) the Op. 59 quartets belong to a period in Beethoven's life when he was particularly intent upon experimentation in form and development of dimension.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1963
Aspects of the theory and practice of choral training in South African schools
- Authors: Radue, Robin R
- Date: 1980
- Subjects: Choral music -- Scores Choral music -- Instruction and study Choirs (Music) -- Instruction and study , Choral singing , Scores , Children's choirs , Choral training
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2629 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001974
- Description: Firstly, the matter of constituting a choir is discussed. This involves auditioning, with its attendant problems of nervousness and self-consciousness on the part of the children, and assessment on that of the trainer. In the final analysis, after enthusiastically advertising the rewards to be gained from choral singing, and after trying to create an environment which is seen to be conducive to this philosophy, the trainer has to make the best of the willing forces available. Rehearsals are probably more important than performances, since the time devoted to preparation is much longer. Moreover, the educational value of carefully preparing the music and of becoming acquainted with the techniques of singing and with the aesthetic niceties of style and interpretation should by no means be underestimated. The choir and trainer get to know not only the music but also each other, and the trainer has to use his skills wisely in developing the human and musical resources available to him, in order to realize their greatest potential (Introduction, p. ii-iii)
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1980
- Authors: Radue, Robin R
- Date: 1980
- Subjects: Choral music -- Scores Choral music -- Instruction and study Choirs (Music) -- Instruction and study , Choral singing , Scores , Children's choirs , Choral training
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2629 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001974
- Description: Firstly, the matter of constituting a choir is discussed. This involves auditioning, with its attendant problems of nervousness and self-consciousness on the part of the children, and assessment on that of the trainer. In the final analysis, after enthusiastically advertising the rewards to be gained from choral singing, and after trying to create an environment which is seen to be conducive to this philosophy, the trainer has to make the best of the willing forces available. Rehearsals are probably more important than performances, since the time devoted to preparation is much longer. Moreover, the educational value of carefully preparing the music and of becoming acquainted with the techniques of singing and with the aesthetic niceties of style and interpretation should by no means be underestimated. The choir and trainer get to know not only the music but also each other, and the trainer has to use his skills wisely in developing the human and musical resources available to him, in order to realize their greatest potential (Introduction, p. ii-iii)
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1980
Composition portfolio
- Boesack, Lenrick Jonathan Angus
- Authors: Boesack, Lenrick Jonathan Angus
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Piano music , Prepared piano music , Saxophone music
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/56233 , vital:26786
- Description: This short composition portfolio comprises 40% of the requirements for the Master of Music Degree in performance and composition at Rhodes University. In addition to the music presented here, I played two public exam recitals of 70 minutes each. While I played piano as a child, my main instrument during my BMUS studies at the University of Cape Town (2004-2007) was the saxophone. In 2010 I was diagnosed with Polymyositis(an auto-immune desease) which particularly affected my breathing and therefore my ability to play the saxophone. For this reason I opted to play my recitals on the piano. The first recital focused on interpretations of Swing Era, Bebop and post-Bebop standards such as: Someday my prince will come, What is this thing called love, In your own sweet way, Eternal Triangle, Recordame, Peace, Dolphin Dance, Caravan and Some other blues. The second recital comprised of seven original compositions that were presented in trio, quartet and quintet settings.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Boesack, Lenrick Jonathan Angus
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Piano music , Prepared piano music , Saxophone music
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/56233 , vital:26786
- Description: This short composition portfolio comprises 40% of the requirements for the Master of Music Degree in performance and composition at Rhodes University. In addition to the music presented here, I played two public exam recitals of 70 minutes each. While I played piano as a child, my main instrument during my BMUS studies at the University of Cape Town (2004-2007) was the saxophone. In 2010 I was diagnosed with Polymyositis(an auto-immune desease) which particularly affected my breathing and therefore my ability to play the saxophone. For this reason I opted to play my recitals on the piano. The first recital focused on interpretations of Swing Era, Bebop and post-Bebop standards such as: Someday my prince will come, What is this thing called love, In your own sweet way, Eternal Triangle, Recordame, Peace, Dolphin Dance, Caravan and Some other blues. The second recital comprised of seven original compositions that were presented in trio, quartet and quintet settings.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Composition portfolio
- Authors: Wynne, Donovan
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Music -- South Africa Composition (Music) String quartets -- Scores
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2658 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003121
- Description: Introductory remarks: Being a middle-class white South African, I grew up on a diet of predominantly "white" music: rock, pop and Western classical music. I was later introduced to a broader range of musics: blues, jazz, kwaito and traditional Southern African idioms. I found myself particularly attracted to the traditional music of the amaXhosa (especially that of the uhadi bow), possibly due to the fact that this music is hexatonic (that is, based on two major triads whose tonics are one tone apart), a system that bears certain resemblances to the Western tonal idiom. However, much of my musical experience tended to be entrenched in the piano and flute music I played: mostly works by composers who were neatly ensconced in the traditional Western canon. Therefore, despite the broad range of musics with which I was familiarisedduring my tertiary studies, I feel that this early experiential background is the reason I feel most comfortable with Western-influenced music. More recently, I discovered a whole new genre to explore: film music, particularly the work of Elliot Goldenthal, Danny Elfman, John Williams and Philip Glass, whose unique brand of minimalism has extended from the concert hall to thefilm theatre. I am fascinated by the ways in which film scores function. A "main titles" theme usually appears as the film opens, upon which most of the subsequent music is based. This is not a linear process, like a theme and its variations, but a lateral, where the main titles theme is the core that engenders other themes that all share a familial resemblance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Wynne, Donovan
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Music -- South Africa Composition (Music) String quartets -- Scores
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2658 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003121
- Description: Introductory remarks: Being a middle-class white South African, I grew up on a diet of predominantly "white" music: rock, pop and Western classical music. I was later introduced to a broader range of musics: blues, jazz, kwaito and traditional Southern African idioms. I found myself particularly attracted to the traditional music of the amaXhosa (especially that of the uhadi bow), possibly due to the fact that this music is hexatonic (that is, based on two major triads whose tonics are one tone apart), a system that bears certain resemblances to the Western tonal idiom. However, much of my musical experience tended to be entrenched in the piano and flute music I played: mostly works by composers who were neatly ensconced in the traditional Western canon. Therefore, despite the broad range of musics with which I was familiarisedduring my tertiary studies, I feel that this early experiential background is the reason I feel most comfortable with Western-influenced music. More recently, I discovered a whole new genre to explore: film music, particularly the work of Elliot Goldenthal, Danny Elfman, John Williams and Philip Glass, whose unique brand of minimalism has extended from the concert hall to thefilm theatre. I am fascinated by the ways in which film scores function. A "main titles" theme usually appears as the film opens, upon which most of the subsequent music is based. This is not a linear process, like a theme and its variations, but a lateral, where the main titles theme is the core that engenders other themes that all share a familial resemblance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Composition portfolio
- Authors: Webb, Cassidy Frank
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2659 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003729
- Description: Introduction: This portfolio consists of musical ideas which I have had for some time now. I have attempted to capture these ideas throughout the portfolio, starting with the smaller works (Brumes et Pluies) and building up to the larger works (James Tiberius, The tide). Brumes et Pluies is minimalistic in style. The interlocking of the two pianos plays an important role in the texture of the piece. The rhythms are repetitive throughout, with only slight variations. Kalahari is more idiomatic, rhythmical and has a main theme which recurs throughout the piece. Melodic fragments are used, sometimes with slight variations. This piece was inspired by the Kalahari desert, with its abundance of life. I enjoy the string quartet because of the homogeneity of sound on the one hand, and the diversity possible by using different techniques and effects on the other. James Tiberius is a work for chamber orchestra. Motifs in the music resemble certain animals. The rhythm is unstable, as is the harmony. There are many melodic fragments throughout. The texture is thin in certain areas (at the beginning) and dense in others (the waltz). The harmony is sometimes unconventional. The Tide was written in response to a memory of a drowning incident I experienced when I was a child. This orchestral piece is strong in form. The opening, for example, is tense and slightly atonal in harmony. The pomposo section tends to utilise most of the orchestra, so the texture is a lot denser here and the harmony is more conventional. I try not to use traditional forms in my composition. Rather, I prefer to compose by re-using and re-introducing ideas as I proceed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Webb, Cassidy Frank
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2659 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003729
- Description: Introduction: This portfolio consists of musical ideas which I have had for some time now. I have attempted to capture these ideas throughout the portfolio, starting with the smaller works (Brumes et Pluies) and building up to the larger works (James Tiberius, The tide). Brumes et Pluies is minimalistic in style. The interlocking of the two pianos plays an important role in the texture of the piece. The rhythms are repetitive throughout, with only slight variations. Kalahari is more idiomatic, rhythmical and has a main theme which recurs throughout the piece. Melodic fragments are used, sometimes with slight variations. This piece was inspired by the Kalahari desert, with its abundance of life. I enjoy the string quartet because of the homogeneity of sound on the one hand, and the diversity possible by using different techniques and effects on the other. James Tiberius is a work for chamber orchestra. Motifs in the music resemble certain animals. The rhythm is unstable, as is the harmony. There are many melodic fragments throughout. The texture is thin in certain areas (at the beginning) and dense in others (the waltz). The harmony is sometimes unconventional. The Tide was written in response to a memory of a drowning incident I experienced when I was a child. This orchestral piece is strong in form. The opening, for example, is tense and slightly atonal in harmony. The pomposo section tends to utilise most of the orchestra, so the texture is a lot denser here and the harmony is more conventional. I try not to use traditional forms in my composition. Rather, I prefer to compose by re-using and re-introducing ideas as I proceed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006