Symphony in C, on Shelley Motives

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SYMPHONY IN C,

ON SHELLSY MOTIVES

by E l d o n R o ss O b r e e h t

A. t h e s i s s u b m i t t e d i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r th e d e g re e o f D o cto r of P h ilo s o p h y , I n t h e D e p a rtm e n t o f M u sio i n t h e G r a d u a t e C o l l e g e o f t h e S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f Ioraa J u n e 1950

ProQuest Number: 10991944

All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is d e p e n d e n t upon the quality of the copy subm itted. In the unlikely e v e n t that the a u thor did not send a c o m p le te m anuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if m aterial had to be rem oved, a n o te will ind ica te the deletion.

uest ProQuest 10991944 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). C opyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C o d e M icroform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 4 8 1 0 6 - 1346

ACKN0;VLEIX>E3j®TT The c o m p o s e r w i s h e s p a r t i c u l a r l y t o e x p r e s s h is

a p p re c ia tio n to

Dr* P h i l l i p

G r e e le y C la p p , h e a d o f

t h e m u s ic d e p a r tm e n t a t t h e S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f Iow a, f o r h is. e n c o u ra g e m e n t th r o u g h o u t t h e w ork,

f o r h i s v a lu a b le t e c h n i c a l a d v ic e I n s e v e r a l

d e ta ils in h is

w ritin g o f t h i s

of sc o rin g ,

and f o r th e

in te rp re ta tio n

d u c te d r e h e a r s a ls

i n s i g h t w h ic h w a s s h o w n

o f t h e c o m p o s i t i o n when h e c o n ­

and l a t e r a p e rfo rm a n c e o f i t

t h e U n i v e r s i t y S y m phony O r c h e s t r a .

w ith

TABLE OF CONTE1-TT3

page In tro d u c tio n A n a ly sis

...............................................................................

1

.........................................................................................

3

A p p e n d i x .........................

7

iii

1

IOTHODUCTION Tlxe Sym phony i n G, o n S h e l l e y M o t i v e s i s a y syrnphomy i n f o u r m o v e m e n ts f o r f u l l o r c h e s t r a . In a d d i t i o n t o th e

o rc h e stra ,

a s o lo so p ran o v o ic e i s

e m p l o y e d i n t h e s e c o n d a n d f o u r t h m o v e m e n ts .

The

fo llo w in g in s tru m e n ta tio n is re q u ire d f o r p erform ance: 2 F lu tes. P ic c o lo a l t e r n a t i n g w ith 3 rd F lu te 2 O boes E n g l i s h H o rn 2 B f l a t C la rin e ts B ass C la r in e t in B f l a t 2 B assoons C o n tra b asso o n 4 H orns i n - F 3 T ru m p ets i n B f l a t 3 T rom bones Tuba Tym pani S n a r e Brum P a i r o f C y m b a ls , B a s s Brum, T r i a n g l e S u s p e n d e d C y m bal, Tam-Tam S trin g s The s y m p h o n y h a s n o p r o g r a m , m any o f i t s

as such,

th o u g h

m u s i c a l i d e a s w e re s t i m u l a t e d b y p o e t r y ,

e s p e c ia lly th e ly r ic The c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e

p o e try ,

o f P e rc y B ysshe S h e lle y .

s e c o n d , m ovem ent i s

a s e ttin g fo r

s o p r a n o a n d o r c h e s t r a o f one o f t h e s e S h e l l e y l y r i c s : F r a g m e n t : " When S o f t W inds a n d S u n n y S k i e s ” .

When s o f t w in d s and. s u n n y s k i e s W ith t h e g r e e n e a r t h h a r m o n i z e , And. t h e y o u n g an d dew y daw n, B o ld a s a n u n h u n t e d fa w n , Up t h e w i n d l e s s h e a v e n i s g o n e , — L augh — f o r am bushed i n t h e d a y , — C lo u d s and w h ir lw in d s w a tch t h e i r p r e y . The m a i n b o d y o f t h e la s t

l a s t m ovem ent i s

a s e ttin g

of th e

s t a n z a f r o m S h e l l e y ’ s Ode t o t h e W est W in d . Make me t h y , l y r e , e v e n a s t h e f o r e s t i s : What i f my l e a v e s a r e f a l l i n g l i k e i t s own! The t u m u l t o f t h y . m i g h t y h a r m o n i e s W ill ta k e fro m b o th a d e ep , a u tu m n a l to n e , Sw eet th o u g h i n s a d n e s s . Be t h o u , S p i r i t f i e r c e , My s p i r i t ! Be t h o u me, i m p e t u o u s o n e ! D r i v e my d e a d t h o u g h t s o v e r t h e u n i v e r s e L i k e w i t h e r e d l e a v e s t o q u i c k e n a new b i r t h ! A nd, b y t h e i n c a n t a t i o n o f t h i s v e r s e , S c a tte r ,, as fro m an u n e x tin g u is h e d h e a r th A s h e s a n d s p a r k s , my w o r d s am ong m a n k i n d : Be t h r o u g h my l i p s t o u n a w a k e n e d e a r t h The t r u m p e t o f a p r o p h e c y ! 0 , Wind, I f W in te r com es, c a n S p r in g be f a r b e h in d ?

ANALYSIS T h i s s y m p h o n y may b© s a i d t o f o l l o w a g e n e r a t i v e p la n

o f c o m p o sitio n ,

i n t h a t m any o f t h e t h e m e s a r e f r e e l y

q u o t e d a n d d e v e l o p e d i n m o v e m e n ts o t h e r t h a n t h o s e i n w h ic h th © 3r p r e d o m i n a t e .

On t h e

o t h e r h a n d , new t h e m e s ,

a s i d e fro m d ev elo p m en t o f p r e v io u s m a t e r i a l ,

are f r e e ly

i n t r o d u c e d th r o u g h o u t t h e sym phony. The f i r s t m ovem ent i s s o n a ta a l l e g r o form .

It

is ,

i n a m o re o r l e s s f r e e

in a sense,

an o v e rtu re to

t h e m o re d e s c r i p t i v e m o v e m e n ts w h i c h f o l l o w .

The

v i g o r o u s a s c e n d i n g m e l o d y w h ic h a p p e a r s i n s t r i n g s th e

first

th r e e m easu res is

d e v e lo p e d e x t e n s i v e l y n o t

o n l y i n t h i s m o v e m e n t, b u t a l s o i n t h e m o v e m e n ts .

t h i r d and f o u r t h

T he s t a c c a t o s i x t e e n t h n o t e a c c o m p a n im e n t

w h ic h i s f o u n d i n t h e w o o d w in d s i n t h e f i r s t is

a lso

in

d e v elo p e d l a t e r

p e n d e n tly o f th e

In th e

th re e b ars

sym phony, o f t e n i n d e ­

th e m e w i t h w h ic h i t

is f ir s t

a sso c ia te d .

A t 5. t h r e e t r u n g p e t s p l a y a s h o r t t r a n s i t i o n a l d e s ­ c e n d i n g c h r o m a t i c m o t i v e w h ic h i s

l a t e r u sed in s e v e ra l

o f t h e b i t t e r m o m e n ts o f t h e t h i r d m o v e m e n t. th em e g r o u p ,

The s e c o n d

b e g i n n i n g a t j>, o p e n s w i t h a m e l a n c h o l y

E n g l i s h h o r n m e lo d y m o v in g a g a i n s t a m y s t e r i o u s t r i p l e t rh y th m c o u n te r p o in t i n d i v i s i

c e llo e s.

T here fo llo w s a

r e l a t i v e l y l o n g p r e v a i l i n g l y q u i e t p a s s a g e w h ic h d o e s ,

4 how ever,

in tro d u c e

in th e F ren ch h o rn s ( f i f t h b a r a f t e r 8)

a m o tiv e

w h ic h w i l l g ro w i n i m p o r t a n c e i n t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e f i r s t m ovem ent a n d w i l l a p p e a r s i g n i f i c a n t l y i n t h e s e c o n d a n d f o u r t h m o v e m e n ts .

The d e v e lo p m e n t s e c t i o n ,

b e g i n n i n g a t 1 6 , b u i l d s up a s u b - c l i m a x , d o m i n a t e l y f i r s t th e m e g r o u p m a t e r i a l . b e g in n in g a t

A som ber p a s s a g e

23_ g r a d u a l l y b u i l d s up t e n s i o n f o r t h e

re c a p itu la tio n of th e

a t 1 9 , fro m p r e ­

a t 28.

At 3 5 a v e r y f r e e r e c a p i t u l a t i o n

s e c o n d th e m e g r o u p b e g i n s w i t h a q u a s i - f u g h e t t o

tre a tm e n t o f th e t r i p l e t

c o u n t e r p o i n t w h ic h f i r s t

a p p e a r e d a t _6, c o m b i n e d w i t h r e f e r e n c e s t o

th e

d e sc e n d in g

c h r o m a t i c t r u m p e t m o t i v e w h i c h f i r s t a p p e a r e d a t J5. f i n a l c l i m a x o f t h e m ovem ent i s r e a c h e d a t 4 2 b r a s s p l a y th e b rillia n t

first

T he

when t h e

o p e n i n g s t r i n g th e m e f o l l o w e d b y a v i o l i n m e l o d y w h ic h m a t e s r e f e r e n c e t o

m o tiv e . The s h o r t a n d l i g h t s e c o n d m ovem ent i s m o re o f a n i n t e r m e z z o t h a n a c o n v e n t i o n a l s l o w m o v e m e n t. e s s e n t i a l l y a n ABA f o r m ,

except th a t

b e g in n in g n in e b a r s a f t e r 51,

It

is

th e t h i r d s e c t i o n ,

i n w h ic h t h e

o rc h e stra

a c c o m p a n ie s t h e

so p ran o v o ic e ,

d e v elo p s and e n la r g e s upon

m u s i c a l i d e a s o f t h e p r e v i o u s tw o s e c t i o n s i n s t e a d o f r e s t a t i n g th e f i r s t

s e c t i o n o n ly .

T he t h i r d m ovem ent i s a s c h e r z o , p a rt by c e r ta in seas,

of S h e lle y ’s p o e tic

and c a v e s .

It

is

b a s ic a lly of a f i r s t and a q u i t e e x t e n s i v e c o n sists

first

se c tio n is ,

w ith h i n t s

ch o rd .

The f i r s t

c o n sistin g

th e m e g r o u p

one a t 563 b e i n g a

o p e n in g th em e o f t h e

f o r th e m ost p a r t ,

s t a t e d a t 62^ b y t h e

sym phony.

T h is

b r i g h t and c h e e r f u l ,

o n l y o f m o re d r a m a t i c p a r t s

s e c o n d th em e i s in u n iso n ,

th e

fo rm ,

a s t r i k i n g s e c o n d th e m e ,

d e v e lo p m e n t.

o f som e f o u r t h e m e s ,

m o d if ic a tio n of th e

im p r e s s io n s o f w in d s,

shaped in a fre e

th e m e g r o u p ,

su g g e ste d in

t o c o m e.

T he

F rench h o rn s e c t i o n

a c c o m p a n ie d b y a s o f t u n d u l a t i n g s t r i n g p e d a l

The d e v e l o p m e n t b e g i n s a t jS6 w i t h a d i s s o n a n t

im ita tiv e p assag e fo r v e ry h ig h -p itc h e d so lo in stru m e n ts, b a s e d o n t h e th e m e i n t r o d u c e d a t j5 i n t h e w h ic h e v e n t u a l l y l e a d s t o a r e s t a t e m e n t , 7 4 , o f m ost o f th e th is re sta te m e n t,

th e m e s o f th e h o w ev er,

c h e e r f u ln e s s and ta k e

first

b e t w e e n 68_ a n d

th e m e g r o u p .

and h a r s h n e s s .

s p e a k , becom e ra w .

At 74 t h e

« h o r n c a l l ” t h e m e o f 62 r e t u r n s a c c o m p a n i e d b y g lo o m y c o u n te rp o in ts

In

t h e s e t h e m e s l o s e m uch o f t h e i r

on a b i t t e r n e s s

The " s o f t w i n d s ” , s o t o

f i r s t m o v e m e n t,

i n l o w e r s t r i n g s a n d w o o d w in d s .

The

r e m a i n d e r o f t h e m o v e m e n ts b u i l d s

a c lim a x o u t of t h i s

" h o r n c a l l ” th e m e i n c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h o t h e r m o t i v e s f r o m e a rlie r

i n t h e m o v e m e n t. The f i n a l m ovem ent o f t h e

m o v e m e n t.

The s h o r t

and v i o l a s

i s b a se d upon th e

in tro d u c to ry r e c ita tiv e

a slo w

in c e llo e s

o p e n i n g th e m e o f t h e f i r s t

m o v e m e n t, a n d t h e m e l o d y w h ic h t h e b e g in n in g a t 84 i s ,

sym phony i s

so p ra n o v o ic e s in g s

a lth o u g h e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t

i n m ood,

r e l a t e d t o t h e s e c o n d th e m e o f t h e f i r s t m o v e m e n t. S h e lle y ,

of co u rse,

in v o k e s th e

i n t h e p oem w h ic h i s h e r e s e t ,

a u t u m n a l w e s t w in d t o d r i v e h i s

" th o u g h ts

o ver th e u n iv e r s e ” in o rd e r to

" q u i c k e n a new b i r t h ” .

T h i s l a s t m o v em en t a t t e m p t s t o

c a p tu re , m u sio a lly ,

l e a s t tw o p r i n c i p a l a s p e c t s

of S h e lle y 's s ta n z a :

c o n su m in g and y e t p r a y e r f u l d e s i r e m a n k in d ,

and th e hope t h a t t h i s

come t o p a s s . re sp e c ts

th e

fo r th e b e tte rm e n t o f

b e t t e r m e n t m ay a c t u a l l y

The c o d a , b e g i n n i n g a t 9 £ ,

a coda t o th e

at

is

i n some

w h o le s y m p h o n y , m a k i n g u s e o f a

f i n a l tra n s fo rm a tio n of th e

o p e n i n g th e m e o f t h e f i r s t

m o v e m e n t, r e f e r e n c e s t o m e l o d i c f r a g m e n t s f r o m e a r l i e r p o rtio n s

of th e

f o u r t h m o v e m e n t,

f r o m p r e c e e d i n g m o v e m e n ts .

and s e v e r a l m o tiv e s

7 A p p e n d ix INSTRUCTIOHS FOR TIMS SIGNATURE CHANGES F i r s t m o v e m e n t: ^

e q u a ls i

except in changes to p re v io u s

^

i n a l l ch an g es o f tim e 6 /8 ,

9 /8 ,

or 1 2 /8 ,

sig n a tu re ,

w hen JL

e q u a ls

.

S e c o n d m o v e m e n t: J?

e q u a ls J '

i n a l l c h a n g e s o f tim e s i g n a t u r e .

T h i r d m o v e m e n t: A d o u b le b a r a lw ay s i n d i c a t e s a c h an g e o f b a sic p u ls e .

W h en e v e r t h e r e

i s a change of tim e s ig n a ^

t u r e w i t h i n a p a s s a g e e n c lo s e d b y d o u b le b a r s , A\ , ,

^

e q u a ls i

, or

e q u a ls

, a s th e

e q u a ls

o a s e m ay b e .

F o u r t h m o v e m e n t: P l a y e r s s h o u ld t h i n k i n slo w s u b d iv id e d q u a rte r n o te s.

In a l l c h an g e s o r tim e s i g n a t u r e

e q u a ls p re v io u s

% \ , or

c a s e m ay b e .

P e q u a ls p re c e e d in g

, as th e

FIFTH CONCERT of the

U niversity Sym phony O rchestra Philip Greeley Clapp, conductor William Gower, assistant conductor 1949-50 Season — Iowa M emorial Union W ednesday, April 19, 1950, at 8 P.M. PROGRAM

Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart ( 1756-1791)

Overture, “The Magic Flute’ Symphony in C, on Shelley motives

Eldon Obrecht ( 1920)

Vigorous Fragment: “W hen soft winds and sunny skies” Scherzo: Winds, Seas, and Caves Finale: from “Ode to the W est Wind” (M S., first performance) Maxine Obrecht, soprano INTERMISSION Tone Poem, “D eath and Transfiguration’

Overture, “The Bartered Bride’

Richard Strauss ( 1866-1949) Bedrich Smetana ( 1824-1884)

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