Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Music (MM)

Department

Music Theory and Composition

Committee Chairperson

Robert Maggio, PhD

Committee Member

Jacob Cooper, PhD

Committee Member

Adam Silverman, PhD

Abstract

Circumstances is a brass sextet in three movements. Starting as a string quartet, I rescored the original musical ideas for two trumpets, flugel, horn, trombone, and tuba. My experience playing chamber music on trumpet provided a unique prospective and heightened enthusiasm while working on this piece.

The idea for Circumstances was derived from the emotions that many individuals felt during the pandemic, which is reflected in the movement titles: I. Tribulation, II. Exhilaration, III. Confusion. The challenging level of difficulty also reflects the experiences of living through covid. The composition is intended to be performed as three separate movements to allow for players to empty spit as well as get a rest break.

The first and third movements explore contrapuntal writing and formal freedom. The second movement takes a shift into an upbeat tempo providing a change in the overall mood. The form of this movement is an arch form (ABCBA) or unconventional rondo form. In contrast to the other movements, there is monophony which is most noticeable at rehearsal letter E with the angelic flugelhorn solo.

Download

Share

COinS