Date of Award
Spring 2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Music (MM)
Department
Music Theory and Composition
Committee Chairperson
Mark Rimple, D.M.A.
Committee Member
Robert Maggio, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Jacob Cooper, D.M.A.
Abstract
From our earliest stories and songs, we have acknowledged water as the nourishment of life. It surrounds us in our oceans and atmosphere, and carries us to new adventures. This piece bookends physical descriptions of water and how we use it in our daily lives with the spiritual: water’s role in our myths and religions as a reflection of our humanity, our relationship to the divine, and our salvation. The libretto draws on a wide variety of sources, ranging from the ancient to the modern and crossing boundaries of religion and culture. Similarly, the music is inspired by a diverse array of styles from plainchant to modernism. Together, this patchwork of ideas creates a sense of diversity and, I hope, unity.
Although Out of the Froth of the Sea isn’t intended to be a cry for environmentalism. My hope is that audiences will leave the performance with an appreciation for the water around them - to stop and listen to the sounds of a creek or revel in the play of the light in a drinking glass - and that may certainly cause us to slow down and think about our role in caring for our planet.
Recommended Citation
Henry, Rebekah, "Out of the Froth of the Sea" (2020). West Chester University Master’s Theses. 127.
https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/all_theses/127