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ORCID

N/A

Access Type

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

thesis

Degree Program

Music

Degree Type

Master of Music (M.M.)

Year Degree Awarded

2014

Month Degree Awarded

May

Abstract

For pieces that do not lend themselves to an analysis of form based completely on tonal harmony and thematic material, an analysis based on rhythm and meter can enrich the reading of a piece and prove to be a more successful endeavor for the analyst. This thesis will provide such a form analysis of Mother Earth: A Fanfare (2003) and Symphony No. 8 (2008) by David Maslanka, paying special attention to the rhythmic and metrical events in addition to shifts in theme, texture, and harmony.

Chapter 1, “Introduction,” addresses information about the composer, the need for research, and challenges that the music poses to the analyst. Chapter 2, “Methodology,” outlines analytical techniques used in the study, which are largely based on a method of metrical dissonance categorization designed by Harald Krebs. Chapters 3 and 4, “Mother Earth: A Fanfare (2003)” and “Symphony No. 8 (2008),” provide a form analysis of the two pieces, focusing on the behavior of meter and rhythm in each work. Chapter 5 offers conclusions that draw together the two analyses and suggest avenues for further research.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/5456003

First Advisor

Brent Auerbach

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