Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1991

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Music

Major

Music

Major Professor

Kenneth A. Jacobs

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the instrument and tape compositions, Deserts by Edgar Varese Kontakte by Karlheinz Stockhausen, Lamination 1 by Morton Subotnick, Through the Hourglass (Concerto for Bb Trumpet and Tape) by Kenneth Jacobs, and Reverie of War for percussion ensemble and tape by William P. White II, for their discrete compositional and notational characteristics. Problems of composing for this medium will be discussed and Reverie of War for percussion ensemble and tape will be placed in historical perspective. Edgar Varese's Deserts is included in this study because it was the first composition for instrument and tape. Karlheinz Stockhausen is included because of his leadership in the early development of electronic music, especially with respect to combined instrument and tape pieces. Otto Luening describes Stockhausen as:

... the boldest, the most energetic, the most dedicated, and single-minded exponent of the Cologne School which is at present (1954) the German School of Electronic Music. In addition, Stockhausen's Kontakte for percussion, piano, and tape features an unusual but easily readable pictorial score. Morton Subotnick is included in this study for several reasons. First, he has been described as "the composer who writes music that people even like that usually hate electronic music."

His music is also endowed with electronic virtuosity; precise, even glittering compositions whose professionalism stands head and shoulders above most of the music of his electronic peers. Second, in Subotnick's composition Lamination 1, the tape and orchestra have countless points of interaction and synchronization. Kenneth Jacobs' work Through the Hourglass gives a current (1990) perspective on instrument and tape compositions and demonstrates how this genre (and electronic music in general) has come full circle in musical development. The primary means of acquiring data was the examination and comparison of the scores and recordings of the above works for their compositional and notational characteristics. Several conclusions can be made from this study. First, the development of technology of musical electronics has greatly influenced composers in the field. Second, upon an examination of the works included in this study, one can see how instrument and tape works have evolved in a circular fashion; from the instrument having the primary line to the tape having the emphasis and a return to instruments being the essential element. Finally, the problems of synchronizing live instruments with prerecorded tape are numerous, and the techniques used by each composer to overcome these problems are varied.

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