The new American song: a catalog of published songs by 25 living American composers PDF
Preview The new American song: a catalog of published songs by 25 living American composers
University of Iowa Iowa Research Online Theses and Dissertations Summer 2011 The new American song: a catalog of published songs by 25 living American composers Sarah Elizabeth Snydacker University of Iowa Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd Part of the Music Commons Copyright 2011 Sarah Elizabeth Snydacker This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1265 Recommended Citation Snydacker, Sarah Elizabeth. "The new American song: a catalog of published songs by 25 living American composers." PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) thesis, University of Iowa, 2011. https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.6qipo9g4 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd Part of the Music Commons THE NEW AMERICAN SONG: A CATALOG OF PUBLISHED SONGS BY 25 LIVING AMERICAN COMPOSERS by Sarah Elizabeth Snydacker An Abstract Of a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa May 2011 Thesis Supervisor: Associate Professor John Muriello 1 ABSTRACT The purpose of this dissertation is to create a catalog of the published, solo vocal songs of 25 living American composers. Through this project, visibility will be given to a significant amount of contemporary literature that is currently unknown and / or underused by many singers and voice teachers today. Exposure to the literature in this project will encourage singers and teachers to give deserving attention to a wealth of contemporary American song literature, and will help to stimulate the study, practice and performance of other contemporary songs and composers. I have selected 25 living American composers. The composers represent a variety of compositional styles, and the songs vary in level of difficulty. The songs chosen are examined based upon criterion for vocal study at the collegiate level, and the entire repertoire is appropriate for traditional classical vocal training. Many of these composers’ songs are readily available in public and collegiate libraries across the country. There are some composers, however, whose songs are currently not available in libraries, but are deserving of attention. The unpublished songs of the selected composers are not included because the purpose of this project is to increase accessibility. The composers for this dissertation include: Dominick Argento, Daniel Asia, Robert Baksa, Seymour Barab, Jack Beeson, William Bolcom, John Bucchino, Tom Cipullo, John Corigliano, John Frantzen, Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler, Ricky Ian Gordon, Daron Hagen, John Harbison, Jack Heggie, Lee Hoiby, Richard Hundley, Anne Kilstofte, Lori Laitman, Libby Larsen, John Musto, Thomas Pasatieri, Andre Previn, Gene Scheer, and Richard Pearson Thomas. The body of the dissertation consists of a brief biography of the individual 2 composers followed by analyses of the composers’ music. Each published song is analyzed according to a set of criterion for vocal study at the collegiate level. The annotations include: title, poet, publisher and date, dedication, vocal range, tessitura, recommended voice type, level of difficulty of the vocal and piano accompaniment, possible uses, brief musical and textual description, and other pertinent information for the study and performance of the music. This dissertation will encourage the study, practice and performance of contemporary American music. The annotated catalog will include vital information for the quick selection of songs, and the information I compile will be invaluable to singers and voice teachers searching for contemporary American literature. The composers included in this project will also benefit from the exposure of their work. There are, of course, many more composers whose songs are deserving of inclusion in this project. Annotated catalogs of larger scope or of differing perspectives should be created as further study. Abstract Approved: ________________________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ________________________________________________ Title and Department ________________________________________________ Date THE NEW AMERICAN SONG: A CATALOG OF PUBLISHED SONGS BY 25 LIVING AMERICAN COMPOSERS by Sarah Elizabeth Snydacker A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa May 2011 Thesis Supervisor: Associate Professor John Muriello Copyright by SARAH ELIZABETH SNYDACKER 2011 All Rights Reserved Graduate College The University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ___________________________ PH.D. THESIS ____________ This is to certify that the Ph.D. thesis of Sarah Elizabeth Snydacker has been approved by the Examining Committee for the thesis requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music at the May 2011 graduation. Thesis Committee: ______________________________________________________ John Muriello, Thesis Supervisor ______________________________________________________ Katherine Eberle ______________________________________________________ Susan Sondrol Jones ______________________________________________________ Alan Huckleberry ______________________________________________________ Alice Davison To my parents for believing in me. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1 The Project and its Scholarly Significance 1 The Selection of Composers 1 The Selection of Literature 2 The Composers 2 Methodology 3 Range Designation 4 Determining Vocal Difficulty 4 Guidelines for an easy vocal part 6 Guidelines for a moderate vocal part 6 Guidelines for a moderately difficult vocal part 7 Guidelines for a difficult vocal part 7 Guidelines for a highly difficult vocal part 7 Determining Accompanimental Difficulty 8 Guidelines for an easy accompaniment 9 Guidelines for a moderate accompaniment 9 Guidelines for a moderately difficult accompaniment 9 Guidelines for a difficult accompaniment 10 Guidelines for a highly difficult accompaniment 10 II. DOMINICK ARGENTO 11 Biography and Style 11 Song Annotations 12 III. DANIEL ASIA 22 Biography and Style 22 Song Annotations 23 IV. ROBERT BAKSA 30 Biography and Style 30 Song Annotations 31 V. SEYMOUR BARAB 45 Biography and Style 45 Song Annotations 46 VI. JACK BEESON 59 iii Biography and Style 59 Song Annotations 60 VII. WILLIAM BOLCOM 72 Biography and Style 72 Song Annotations 73 VIII. JOHN BUCCHINO 91 Biography and Style 91 Song Annotations 92 IX. TOM CIPULLO 96 Biography and Style 96 Song Annotations 97 X. JOHN CORIGLIANO 110 Biography and Style 110 Song Annotations 111 XI. JOHN FRANTZEN 116 Biography and Style 116 Song Annotations 117 XII. ZINA GOLDRICH 119 Biography and Style 119 Song Annotations 121 XIII. RICKY IAN GORDON 133 Biography and Style 133 Song Annotations 135 XIV. DARON HAGEN 156 Biography and Style 156 Song Annotations 157 XV. JOHN HARBISON 182 Biography and Style 182 iv
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