Vocal and Musical Problems Found in Selected Solo Songs of Various Periods with Specific Consideration of the German Lied in English

Download or read book Vocal and Musical Problems Found in Selected Solo Songs of Various Periods with Specific Consideration of the German Lied in English written by Earl William Redding and published by . This book was released on 1965 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is a wealth of art songs based on foreign language texts which is lost to the American public. This loss is due primarily, in the opinion of the writer, to the persistent use of the texts in the original language. Therefore, a lecture-recital in English translation was presented on February 9, 1963 which included songs by Ludwig Beethoven and Hugo WOlf. The Beethoven songs were used because they represented a new art form--the song cycle, and the emergence of song as a major form of musical art. Songs of Hugo Wolf were chosen because they represented the ultimate in the fusion of poetry and music. By using English translations, the attempt was made to show that this fusion was not lost, but rather was enhanced for the American audience. The second recital was presented July 16, 1963 to offer compositions of contrasting styles of writing. A solo cantata of Johann Sebastian Bach with his musical symbolism and florid melody represented the Baroque. A song cycle by Debussy with his use of ancient modes, "modern organum", and the absence of a flowing vocal line, represented Impressionism. A third group consisted of songs by Nicolai Medtner, whose music belonged to the Romantic Age while he himself was engulfed with "Impressionism". The fourth group of songs by Kenneth Klaus, a contemporary composer on the faculty of Louisiana State University, represented the Twelve-tone period. It was the purpose of these compositions to show that a humorous text could be set in a twelve-tone idiom. This thesis is basic to the research done before and after the recitals and deals mainly with musical and vocal analysis of the various songs. By pursuing this project, the performer hoped to present the songs in recital with a cogency generating enthusiasm and understanding from his auditors.